Discotek Media announced new home video release of the classic Digimon Adventure anime.
The new Blu-ray edition of the beloved 1999 anime was revealed through the distributor's official Twitter account. The new release will feature a brand new HD remastering from Astro Res, a company that specializes in the use of machine-learning technology to upscale and restore degraded footage or material that was originally created in standard definition. Discotek released several sample clips showing the difference the remaster creates, and stated that its release of the series will provide an even clearer image than the previously released Japanese Blu-ray edition of the show.
Digimon: Digital Monsters Season 1 is coming soon!
— ?Discotek Media (@discotekmedia) March 15, 2022
The classic anime series has also been digitally remastered to be seen like it never has with the power of @astro_res!
First the classic English dub, with uncut Japanese coming later!
A preview of the not final packaging. pic.twitter.com/3d38CQ7vmn
Then a clip showing the difference between the Japanese Blu-rays & the new remaster upscale of the English version of the show.
— ?Discotek Media (@discotekmedia) March 15, 2022
In addition to the higher level of detail, you'll notice the distinct background stylings are still visible.
Twitter destroys video quality. pic.twitter.com/9E4YGb4rzk
Digimon Adventure will be re-released in two separate packages: the first will feature the show with the original English dub that aired in the United States as part of Fox Kids' Saturday morning lineup, and the second release will feature the unedited cut with its original Japanese language audio track and English subtitles. Both editions of the series are scheduled to be released sometime before the end of 2022.
The show originally premiered in 1999, two years after Bandai released the original Digimon virtual pet toy in Japan. The anime told the story of a group of children who are mysteriously teleported into the digital world that exists unseen alongside the real world. The show was one of the first examples of the now extremely popular isekai genre to be broadcast on TV outside of Japan. The anime series is also notable for being one of the early directorial works by Mamoru Hosoda, who has since helmed a number of acclaimed anime movies, including the Academy Award nominated Mirai and most recently, Belle, which was released in the United States earlier this year.
While some initially dismissed the series as a clone of Nintendo's Pokémon franchise, the anime series was a hit and differentiated itself with a slightly more mature tone and a deeper focus on serialized storytelling. The show received direct continuations in the Digimon Adventure 02 anime series and Digimon: The Movie, which were both released in 2000. Another sequel series, entitled Digimon Adventure tri, premiered in 2015. The original story finally concluded with the release of the movie Digmon Adventure: Last Kizuna in 2020, before the entire series was finally rebooted with a new Digimon Adventure TV series, which ran from 2020 - 2021.
The current Digimon anime, Ghost Game, is set in a different continuity. The series was recently placed on hiatus after a cyber attack against Toei Animation delayed production of further episodes in the series.
The original, non-remastered cut of Digimon Adventure (1999) is available for streaming on Hulu.
Source: Twitter (1, 2)
