Digimon Data Squad, known in Japan as Digimon Savers, is the fifth anime television series of the Digimon franchise, produced by Toei Animation. The series aired in Japan on Fuji TV from April 2, 2006 to March 25, 2007. A standalone film based on the series was released on December 9, 2006. An edited English-language version was produced by Studiopolis, in conjunction with Toei Animation USA and Disney Enterprises, Inc., and aired in North America on Toon Disney's Jetix block from October 1, 2007 to November 1, 2008.
Plot
The Digital Accident Tactics Squad is a government organization established to maintain the peace between the Real World and the Digital World, transporting any Digimon back to the Digital World. Marcus, a junior high school student, becomes one of the members for the organization. He learns that the Digimon Merukimon is opposing mankind. However, the past is revealed that scientist Akihiro Kurata was responsible for invading the Digital World. He gained the support of the government to oppose all Digimon species, claiming they were a threat to mankind. When Kurata uses Belphemon, Marcus defeats them. Before dying, Kurata uses a bomb to make the Digital World merging with the human world. While the Digimon BanchoLeomon prevents the collision, Marcus meets King Drasil, the supreme ruler who attempts to protect the Digital World by destroying mankind, since they cannot exist in both dimensions. Marcus learns that his father, Spencer, was trapped in the Digital World for ten years, because Drasil possessed Spencer's body and BanchoLeomon kept the latter's soul. After Marcus defeats Drasil, Spencer's soul returns to his body. With both worlds restored, all Digimon partners return to their own world. Five years later, Marcus and his friends embrace their future.
The series was announced during the December 2005 Jump Festa convention in Japan with advertisements showing a remolded Agumon as the lead Digimon. The name of the series was later revealed in January 2005 with the character designs coming a month later. The characters were designed by Sayo Aoi.
Media
Anime
The series aired 48 episodes on Fuji TV in Japan from April 2, 2006 to March 25, 2007. On April 25, 2007, Disney's ABC Network announced that it had signed an agreement with Toei Animation to license the show. Much of the staff that worked on Digimon: Digital Monsters, including director Jeff Nimoy, returned to work on Data Squad. The series finished airing in the US on Jetix on November 1, 2008, thirteen months after it premiered on October 1, 2007. Since March 15, the series began airing in the United Kingdom on Kix! It was announced on February 12, 2009 that Toei Animation has signed Well Go USA with the DVD rights to Digimon Data Squad, and the first thirteen US sub and dub episodes has been made available on May 26, 2009. The release of the third DVD set was canceled. Madman Entertainment have released all episodes across four sets on Region 4 DVD in Australia and New Zealand with only the US English Edited TV dub by Studiopolis. Brazil had released several DVDS of the show. In 2014, Cinedigm Entertainment obtained the rights to the release of the season. A Complete collection released on March 11, 2014 in the US.
Digimon World DS: A game featuring several Digimon Savers characters, but does not focus on them. It can arguably be seen as a side-story to Digimon Savers. The game, released in America before the concept of Data Squad, uses the original Japanese names of the DATS team, who appear in certain quests.
Digimon World Data Squad: A game focusing on the primary characters of the series, and which presents an original story that apparently runs parallel to the anime. It involves the members of DATS coming into conflict with the Seven Great Demon Lords.
: Sequel to Digimon World DS, a set of two games with slightly different stories. At the end of the game, the four main characters from Data Squad appear to battle the main character.
Digimon Masters: A Digimon MMORPG where players take control of the primary characters of the DATS team. This game follows the storyline of the anime, however it is still incomplete and there are several story segments still currently missing.
