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Between 1999 and 2000, the amount of internet users around the world more than doubled from roughly 150 million to 407 million . It was a momentous leap — it meant a lot not only for professionals that were finding their workplace activities to be inextricably tied to the online sphere, but for young people as well. The social media boom had not yet occurred, but the use of forums, chat-based communities, and even simple comments sections flourished. For years, connecting and making friends on the internet had been seen as a relatively singular practice, the kind of thing done only for devotees of very niche interests. Now, it was uniform amongst the millennial generation. Though it would take years for mainstream culture to accept the idea that online relationships could hold emotional weight like real-life relationships, the turn was already occurring. Related: Digimon Adventure 02 Anime Film Reveals New Trailer, Premiere Date 1999 was the year Digimon Adventure premiered,...

Digimon, as a franchise, has always had the perception of being Pokémon‘s less successful younger brother. That’s bound to happen when two Japanese media franchises choose to name themselves after the pneumonic of “Adjective + Monster,” with Pokémon meaning “Pocket Monsters” and Digimon meaning “Digital Monsters.” That perception, however, isn’t entirely fair. Digimon never reached the cultural heights that Pokémon did because truthfully: very few franchises do. But that doesn’t mean that Digimon didn’t have plenty going for it back during the dawn of the 21st century.

First starting as a series of virtual pet toys before moving on to video games, card games, other merchandizing, manga, and ultimately a moderately successful anime, the Digimon franchise was genuinely successful in the late ’90s and early ’00s. So much so that the digital powers-that-be must have felt they had everything they needed to compete with Pokémon. There...

While "Pokémon" continues to be an incredibly popular franchise after what feels like a bazillion movies and seasons of TV, "Digimon" never quite achieved the legendary status it deserved.

Yet those who grew up watching "Digimon Adventure" know this show to be a great gateway anime and an effective introduction to serialized storytelling. As a kid, realizing that I either had to tune in every week or miss a key part of the story was a terrifying yet thrilling realization. You could skip several episodes of "Pokémon" and be completely fine, but miss the broadcast of the new "Digimon" and suddenly the kids are in another continent, there is a brand new character, a major lore reveal, and a new big bad.

And this is not to mention the complex character arcs, and relatable problems and themes tackled by the show, including a couple of devastating deaths.

Sadly, the franchise...

(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)

The Movie: "Belle"

Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max

The Pitch: Mamoru Hosoda, the Academy Award-nominated director of films like "Mirai," "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time," "Wolf Children," and the single best episode of "Digimon Adventure," wowed audiences at Cannes with his latest film, "Belle" — which received a 14-minute standing ovation. The sci-fi musical takes place in a world where the internet has grown to become a massive virtual reality called...

The post The Daily Stream: Belle Makes the Internet a Place of Good (and Rocks Out While Doing So) appeared first on /Film.

Earlier this year Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna was going to be released for a one night screening in the United States on March 25th. The film had already come out in Japanese theaters and American fans were excited to experience what is set to be the final adventure in the original Digimon continuity.

That sadly didn’t happen thanks to the coronavirus pandemic but now American fans will finally get a chance to see the film when it’s released to home media (Blu-ray/DVD) on July 7, 2020 thanks to Shout! Factory and Toei Animation. The film will not only include the original film in Japanese with English subtitles but also an English dub featuring original Digimon dub voice actor Joshua Seth reprising his role as Tai. The press release for the film mentions he will appear alongside “an exciting team of voice talent” but there’s no confirmation on...