[novel] digimon adventure: afterword #3

小説 デジモンアドベンチャー〈3〉
冒険はまだ終わらない

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Afterword

In late January 1999, the post-recording for the first episode of “Digimon Adventure” took place. Because it was a new television series, without an original novel or manga to use as its reference, we had to cut back on the aspect of explaining the character to each voice actor, something that we would usually do under normal circumstances. We only described their basic personality during auditions because it was likely that those personalities would change drastically in the future depending on the plot’s developments. We did not omit the explanations because there were too many characters. I swear.

But in exchange, we began post-recording by saying just this:
“This story is one that’s being reminisced on by one of the children in the group who becomes a novelist 28 years later. The narrator here is that child as an adult.”
Those who watched the last episode of the continuation series “Digimon Adventure 02” would know that this was Takeru, but back then, that information was kept secret.
At the time of the show, it was planned that the last episode of “Digimon Adventure” would end with ‘where are the characters now’ 28 years later. However, in mid-run, production for its sequel “02” was decided and its story contents were established to be juxtaposed to the previous show, so we carried over the 28 years later scene to the sequel series instead.
The ending for the first series changed into a scene of goodbyes, which I think is the most fitting for a story that began with scenes of greetings and encounters with the Digimon.

During the latter half of the series, I came upon many instances where I wanted to do things but almost gave up on them because wanting to do something is easier than actually doing them. Of course, when I compare what I couldn’t do to what I could, the amount of what I actually did manage to pull off was a thousand times greater. I am grateful to all of the staff who helped me with this, as well as grateful to the viewers who took all of this in and supported it.

Seeing just how much of it was accepted by the audience, I found out in more concrete terms later on, after seeing the number of video stocks go up in rental shops, the toys that were released, as well as the seemingly neverending production of CDs. Each time that I went to a video store, I was shocked.
As for the mysteries and things I couldn’t do in “Digimon Adventure,” I ended up being able to develop them in “02.”

Oh, by the way, these novels — These three paperback books in your hands — are not, of course, the novel that Takeru had written. But I’m sure that you knew that already. Sorry for that unnecessary point.

If there is an opportunity to novelize “Digimon Adventure 02”, the sequel to this story that takes place three years later in 2002, then let us reunite then. I would like it very much if I also had the chance to write about the stories that took place during those three years, as well as the stories that took place after.

Late June, 2001.

Hiroyuki Kakudou

That is the end of the Digimon Adventure novelization. Thank you for reading.

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