Bandai Namco has released a new anime short titled Prelude to promote its upcoming RPG Digimon Story: Time Stranger. The four-minute video serves as a prologue to the game’s time-traveling narrative, offering fans a first look at its mysterious new heroine and setting the tone for what may be the boldest Digimon story yet.
Story Synopsis
Prelude acts as a cinematic introduction to the world of Digimon Story: Time Stranger.
It focuses on Inori Misono, a young woman entangled in a crisis that threatens both the human and Digital Worlds. Through fragmented memories and cryptic visuals, the short teases her emotional connection to an event that fractures time itself — a central theme of the game.
The upcoming RPG, developed by Media.Vision (Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth), marks the long-awaited return of the Digimon Story franchise. Players assume the role of Dan or Kanan Yuki, agents from the secretive organization ADAMAS, tasked with traveling back eight years to prevent the fusion of two realities. With over 450 Digimon, nonlinear missions, and branching storylines, Time Stranger promises a narrative-heavy evolution of the series.
Release and Announcement Details
- Anime short title: Prelude
- Streaming date: October 13, 2025, via Bandai Namco’s official YouTube channel
- Event debut: Premiered first at New York Comic Con 2025 (October 12, 2025, 12:30 p.m. EDT)
- Game release date: October 3, 2025 (Worldwide) / October 2, 2025 (Japan)
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam)
- Developer: Media.Vision
- Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Character designer: Suzuhito Yasuda (Durarara!!, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor)
- Producer: Ryosuke Hara
- Composer: Masafumi Takada (Danganronpa, The Evil Within)
Main Characters and Key Figures
Inori Misono
The mysterious young woman at the heart of Time Stranger. In the Prelude short, she’s seen navigating fragmented timelines, haunted by voices from both worlds. Her role is still unclear — but hints suggest she may hold the key to repairing the rift between dimensions.
Dan / Kanan Yuki
The dual protagonists — male and female player options — serve as elite agents for ADAMAS. Their mission involves preventing a temporal collapse that threatens to merge the human world with the Digital World. Both characters embody contrasting philosophies: logic versus emotion, determinism versus freedom.
Aegiomon
Inori’s Digimon partner, Aegiomon, stands as her moral compass and protector. His mythic design and stoic presence evoke parallels to Digimon from ancient eras, suggesting deep ties to the world’s temporal fabric.
Bonus Section – Did You Know?
- The Prelude short was directed by Ryosuke Hara himself, connecting the anime directly to the game’s main story.
- This marks the first Digimon Story release since 2017’s Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory.
- Time Stranger supports save data transfer from its demo, allowing players to continue progress in the full game.
- The Prelude short’s title song, “Trace My Future,” was composed by Masafumi Takada with vocals by Konomi Suzuki.
- The game will feature over 450 recruitable Digimon, the most in franchise history.
By bridging storytelling and promotion, Prelude reintroduces Digimon to audiences as a serious sci-fi RPG experience with emotional weight. If the short is any indication, Digimon Story: Time Stranger may become the franchise’s most ambitious narrative yet — one that’s as much about destiny as it is about digital monsters.
Suggested Reading
- “Digimon Story: Time Stranger Streams Prelude Anime Short” — Anime News Network
- “Digimon Story: Time Stranger Anime Short ‘Prelude’ Premieres on YouTube” — Final Weapon
- “New Digimon Story: Time Stranger Details, Trailer, and Gameplay” — Gematsu
- “Digimon Story: Time Stranger — Full Game Overview” — Wikipedia
