Digimon the Movie Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary

Digimon the Movie is a miraculous kind of movie that only happens every so often. The mix-and-match project brought together a few of Digimon's seasonal OVAs and made a box office hit. To this day, fans look back on the wacky venture with incredible fondness, and many netizens are doing so today. After all, today marks the film's 20th anniversary, and Digimon the Movie deserves to be celebrated.

Yes, it really has been that long. It might not feel like it, but Digimon the Movie made its big debut on October 6, 2000 in the United States. The film was the brainchild of Fox Kids and Saban Entertainment after seeing the huge success of Pokemon's movies. But when the pitch made its way to Toei Animation, the stateside companies ran into an issue.

Unlike its Pokemon competitor, Digimon did not have any full-length movies ready to go. A total of three shorts had been released prior to 2000, but the Digimon OVAs weren't cohesive by any means. This challenge did not dissuade the U.S. companies from their plans, and Digimon was shipped overseas with its three shorts in tow. It was there movie magic happened to make the three separate shorts blend into a single movie... and it paid off.

While critics were quick to lambast the movie, fans loved the flick. It was considered a hit at the box office since it earned 3x its budget. In the years after Digimon the Movie debuted, the featured went on to become a cult hit, and it remains a favorite anime to this day. As you can see below, fans from all walks of life are celebrating the childhood classic, so you might want to consider rewatching Digimon the Movie tonight if you have the time.

Can you believe it has been this long since it released? Does the first Digimon movie still stack up? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.