Digimon Ghost Game (Japanese: デジモンゴーストゲーム, Hepburn: Dejimon Gōsuto Gēmu) is a Japanese anime television series and the ninth anime series in the Digimon franchise. The series was broadcast on Fuji TV from October 2021 to March 2023.
Plot
In the near future, new, innovative, and more advanced technology has emerged. On social networks, rumors are circulating about strange phenomena caused by beings known as "Hologram Ghosts". Hiro Amanokawa is a middle school freshman at Hazakura Academy, who, after activating a mysterious device left behind by his father called the "Digivice -V-", can now see creatures called Digimon that cannot be seen by ordinary people.
After meeting Gammamon, a mischievous Digimon entrusted to him by his father Hokuto, Hiro becomes caught up in various strange phenomena. A man with a sewn mouth steals time from humans, a mummy wanders around at night and kidnaps humans... the Hologram Ghosts are all around us and are targeting us. Alongside their friends Ruli Tsukiyono and Angoramon, and later Kiyoshirō Higashimitarai and Jellymon, Hiro and Gammamon dive into the mysterious world where these creatures live— a side of the world nobody is aware of.
A thirteen-year-old boy and a first-year middle school student who attends the private Hazakura Academy. He is reliable and never turns down requests, and because he can do most things independently, others often rely on him. He is also curious and inquisitive, and becomes interested in Digimon after meeting Gammamon through his father Hokuto. Due to his upbringing, he tends to suppress his childish side while being energetic and caring around others. He has a scar on his left ear.
Hiro's partner, a white Ceratopsian Rookie-level Digimon with small wings on his back. Gammamon possesses three Champion-level forms: BetelGammamon, KausGammamon, and WezenGammamon, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. As well, within him is a dark Champion-level form called GulusGammamon, who is vicious and sadistic and manifests when Gammamon's heart is consumed by sadness or rage. He later gains the power to evolve further into the Ultimate-level Canoweissmon and the Mega-level Siriusmon. Near the end of the series, GulusGammamon evolves into the Ultimate-level Regulusmon, who created a virus called GRB (Gulus Realm Burst). He planned to create an army of empowered Digimon to devour weak Digimon and ravage the Digital World.
A first-year middle school student attending a combined middle and high school for girls. A friendly and outgoing thirteen-year-old who runs a popular occult-related social media account, she is sociable and has many friends. She looks for things that suit her taste, and one of her hobbies is playing the piano, which Angoramon likes to listen to. Although she is skilled at many things, she struggles to find a main passion and therefore feels bored with life.
Ruli's partner, a rabbit-like Rookie-level Beast Digimon with a pacifistic personality, who enjoys the sound of Ruli playing the piano. He can evolve into the Champion-level SymbareAngoramon, the Ultimate-level Lamortmon, and the Mega-level Diarbbitmon.
A 14-year-old genius who graduated from an American school and currently attends Hazakura Academy to enjoy living as a regular boy. He is afraid of ghosts and is always looking for talismans to ward them off. Although usually condescending and cowardly, he occasionally becomes brave and level-headed when in a crisis.
A jellyfish-like Rookie-level Mollusk Digimon and Kiyoshirō's partner, whom she likes to scare and cause mischief towards. She can evolve into the Champion-level TeslaJellymon, the Ultimate-level Thetismon, and the Mega-level Amphimon.
A jetpack-themed Rookie-level Digimon who helps Gammamon rescue Hiro when he is under the influence of a Doumon. Hokuto tasked him with helping Hiro, and so he is looking for Hiro going off of his student ID. Even after meeting Hiro, he keeps looking for him since he is convinced he is not the real Hiro, but is unaware that he has already found him. When Hiro reveals that he is who Espimon is looking for, Espimon becomes Hiro's second partner, able to evolve into the Champion-level Hover Espimon.
Digimon
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2021)
The following Digimon have appeared as ghosts that the group have to deal with.
A Rookie-level Digimon who aids Hiro's group before being killed by Sealsdramon. His death causes Gammamon to fall into despair, which is what first triggers his ability to Digivolve to GulusGammamon.
A draconic samurai Rookie-level Digimon who became Gyukimon after entering the Human World. Gammamon is able to defeat Gyukimon and revert him back to his original form. Later on in the series, he permanently Digivolves to Ginryumon.
A Mega-level Digimon who is the ruler of the Digital World and seeks peace between it and the human world. She is also known as the "voice", who was calling Digimon into the human world.
A vampire Rookie-level Digimon who caused trouble before aligning himself with Myotismon, only for Myotismon to destroy him after he defies his orders to not harm Ruli.
A yatagarasu crow-like Ultimate-level Digimon who controls birds at night and flies away after being defeated by KausGammamon.
Weedmon
A Champion-level Digimon which is a green version of Vegiemon. They spread by hacking into computers, and fought Gammamon as WezenGammamon until their elder leader intervenes.
A cyborg reptile Champion-level Digimon who is an infamous serial killer responsible for the deaths of many innocent Digimon, including Bokomon. He is ultimately killed by Gammamon as GulusGammamon to avenge Bokomon's death.
A snowplow-like machine Ultimate-level Digimon armed with a fiery sword. He attacks the power plant the group is staying in while attempting to find a home for the Digimon he rescued. After being defeated by TelsaJellymon, Frozomon and his allies leave to find a new home.
A jorōgumo Ultimate-level Digimon, who is known for her intelligent and temperamental personality. She feeds on human brains before being destroyed by Gammamon as GulusGammamon.
A humanoid plant Ultimate-level Digimon who attempts to turn humans into more of her kind, before killing herself after a battle between Hiro and friends upon realizing she will never be able to be with Yuto.
An evil vampire Ultimate-level Digimon who aspires to take over the human world, acquiring followers by founding the trendsetter company Scarlatto Vento under the guise of Kyogoku Aviel. He is defeated by Gammamon as Canoweissmon and turns back into a bat.
A humanoid white tiger-like Ultimate-level Digimon who can turn humans into water. He is defeated by SymbareAngoramon and taken back to the Digital World by BlackGatomon Uver.
Digitamamon (デジタマモン, Dejitamamon)
A Perfect-level Digimon that dwells in an egg. He used to be good friends with Angoramon when they were in the Digital World, but upon coming to the human world began to eat humans. He was knocked out by Canoweissmon and reluctantly killed by SymbareAngoramon.
Musyamon
A Champion-level samurai Digimon who was Zubamon's rival. After traveling to the human world, it was sealed inside its cursed sword, and possessed those in control of the sword to be released from it. It is ultimately defeated after a sword duel against SymbareAngoramon and taken back to the Digital World by BlackGatomon Uver.
RareRaremon (レアレアモン, Reareamon)
An Ultimate-level Digimon who resembles a zombified pile of sludge. It resides in an illegal waste dump and infects humans and animals with its sludge, turning them into zombies. It was destroyed by the combined attacks of Canoweissmon, Thetismon, and Lamortmon.
An anthropomorphic fox Ultimate-level Digimon who was possessed by vengeful spirits that make him do evil deeds, but was freed from their control after being defeated by Canoweissmon.
Calmaramon
A witch-like squid Digimon who can create spirals out of objects. She fights Canoweissmon, and upon her defeat, undoes the spirals. It is implied that entering the human world through the gate caused her behavior to change.
Piedmon
A Mega-level clown Digimon who runs a twisted circus and can transform humans into cards if they do their stunts incorrectly. He challenges Ruli to a card duel, and upon being defeated turns the cards back to humans.
A Champion-level Digimon who resembles a shadowy dragon with eyes all over its body. It possessed an American girl named Emma Haynes, but was defeated by Canoweissmon.
A shell-helmeted Champion-level Digimon who publishes dangerous stunts in an attempt to kill people. He fights KausGammamon in an aerial battle, but falls to his death after his parachute is destroyed.
Pucchiemon/Meicrackmon Vicious Mode
A pixie Digimon who befriends a human boy named Riku Fukastu, only to become obsessed with getting payback for anything she did for him. She later Digivolves to the Ultimate-level Meicrackmon: Vicious Mode to modify his body to be more like her, only for him to flee in terror. She later fights Gammamon and Jellymon, and upon her defeat, breaks off her and Riku’s friendship before running away.
AxeKnightmon
An Ultimate-level demonic knight Digimon who lost its head and is now searching the human world for it. It later attacks the Ghost Game team, but is defeated by Canoweissmon.
Shawjamon
An Ultimate-level humanoid kappa Digimon who lived in a lake with three Gwappamon, and became aggressive after several beads on its necklace were cracked. After being defeated by Lamortmon, it was healed by Thetismon, restoring its beads to normal.
A succubus Mega-level Digimon who infected several humans and Digimon. Gammamon is able to hold her off as Siriusmon, and the fight between the two ends in a draw. Lilithmon decides to call off her attack and offers Siriusmon a place at her side. When Siriusmon refuses, she retreats while wondering if he will ever accept her offer.
A sphinx Mega-level Digimon who turns humans into slab stones if they fail to answer his riddles. Angoramon fights him as Lamortmon, but is overpowered until he becomes Darabbitmon for the first time and defeats AncientSphinxmon, who is then killed by its own vortex.
An evil Mega-level Digimon who killed a researcher named Jinno Minami, then took over her corpse and became ZeedMillenniummon. It is defeated by Siriusmon and Darabbitmon, and then reverts back to Moon=Millenniummon.
Quartzmon
A Mega-level Digimon with four arms who wears a yellow mask and has a single purple eye. It was responsible for spreading its clones across Japan disguised as food, causing people to eat ravenously and the food they eat to be transferred to its copies. It battles Siriusmon and Amphimon, and after being defeated, it is revealed it was trying to feed several Fresh and In-Training Digimon it was sheltering.
A Cthulhu-themed Ultimate-level Digimon who calls humans to become his minions, turning them into Gill-men. After he is defeated by Siriusmon, he is swallowed by a digital gate.
Other
Akane
Ruli's teacher, who has brown eyes and brown hair and wears a yellow t-shirt with a star on it.
Aoi Uwada (宇和田 アオイ, Uwada Aoi)
Voiced by: Arisa Sekine
Ruli's friend and classmate, who has yellow eyes and brown hair.
Mika Kashiwagi (柏木 ミカ, Kashiwagi Mika)
Voiced by: Kanami Taguchi
Ruli's friend and classmate, who has blue eyes and black hair worn in a ponytail.
Nana
Ruli's friend and classmate, who has brown eyes and dark brown hair worn in twintails.
Moe
Ruli's friend and classmate, who has blue eyes and black hair.
Hiro's father, who has been in the Digital World since he mysteriously disappeared.
Production
Background
Digimon Ghost Game teaser visual
Digimon Ghost Game was officially announced at Bandai's DigiFes 2021 event on August 1, 2021[5] with a first teaser visual for the series, by Tenya Yabuno.[6] The series is directed by Kimitoshi Chioka and Masato Mitsuka, with Masashi Sogo supervising the series' scripts, Tenya Yabuno as character designer and Mariko Itō adapting their designs for animation, and Kenji Watanabe designing the Digimon and Cho Shinozuka adapting their designs for animation.[4]
In the October issue of Shueisha's V Jump magazine on August 19, 2021, the presentation stated that Ghost Game is going to be the franchise's first horror-themed entry.[7] The creation of this series required putting thought into how to reinterpret the Digimon and the background lore that Bandai has created, in the context of the horror genre.[8] New Digimon have been created specifically for this series, but old Digimon also appear and play an active role in this story through their background and aspects.[8] In this series, Digimon are compared to poltergeists from Japanese folklore;[8] the first promotional poster introduced them as "Hologram... ?" and "Ghost... ? ".[5] The series is produced for an episodic format.[8]
Toei Animation decided to make Digimon Ghost Game a villain of the week show as they found that children of the generation the series came out have low attention spans due to the prevalence of YouTube and TikTok. They were worried that if they made a show with an extended plot, children would get bored quickly and stop watching the show entirely.[9]
Development
The announcement was originally leaked on Chinese social media on July 28, 2021.[10] On August 7, 2021, the teaser visual was updated on the official website with the only difference being, Kiyoshirō's left hand covered with bandages.[11] On September 3, 2021, Shueisha's Saikyo Jump magazine announced Digimon Dreamers, unrelated to the anime, with a first illustration from the monthly illustrated by Yabuno featuring Hiro, the main character of Ghost Game, with goggles.[12] The design of the protagonist wasn't finalized at the time of submission, and then changed to an original character in a new illustration revealed by the author via Twitter on September 4, 2021.[13] On September 10, 2021, the official website revealed the cast, the airing date, as well as the main visual featuring the characters in their school uniforms, design by Mariko Itō.[4]
The first trailer for the series was shown during the 65th episode of Digimon Adventure:.[6] The series premiered on Fuji TV on October 3, 2021,[14] set to start after Adventure: in the same timeslot.[4]Digimon Ghost Game is broadcast on Fuji Television, and available for streaming on TVer, U-NEXT, Bandai Channel, Anime Hodai and Docomo Anime Store in Japan.[15] The series ended with its 68th episode on March 26, 2023.[16]
Digimon Ghost Game is distributed simultaneously by Crunchyroll in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the MENA and CIS zones[17] with English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Italian, German and Russian (1–21[18]) subtitles for premium members within the first week of release. Starting in spring 2022, new episodes are available by subscription only, with the first twenty-one episodes remaining available to all users.[19] The anime was also simulcast on VRV in the United States.[20] In France, the anime is also available on Anime Digital Network and J-One.[21]
On March 6, 2022, Toei Animation announced that the series would not air the following Sunday due to the Nagoya Women's Marathon.[22] On March 7, 2022, Toei Animation and Digimon Ghost Game's social network revealed that they had been affected by a computer hacking attack, with all media produced by the studio facing postponements starting on March 20, 2022.[22] In Japan, Fuji TV decided to rebroadcast the first episode of Digimon Ghost Game on March 20 and a selection of episodes in the following weeks during the hiatus.[23]
Soundtrack
The composer of the Japanese version is Kow Otani. Wienners performs the opening theme "FACTION",[24] and Aiiro Apollo performs the series' first ending theme "Pedal" (episodes 1–12).[24] BMK performs the second ending theme, "Because I'm Still in Love to This Day" (episodes 13–21). Bye-Bye-Hand performs the third ending theme, "Hikariau Monotachi" (episodes 22–31). The fourth ending theme, "Monster Disco" (episodes 32–44), was written and sung by Shikao Suga and arranged by Hyadain.[25][26][27] Kobore performs the fifth ending theme, "Strawberry" (episodes 45–57). Penthouse performs the sixth and final ending theme, "Take Me Maybe" (episodes 58–67).
