Ichiban Kuji, Bandai Spirits' "no-lose" lottery, is turning its new Digimon set over to the Tamers cast. The full prize list for Ichiban Kuji Digimon Series "Matrix Evolution" went out earlier this month, and the headline items are straight out of 2001: a Dukemon: Crimson Mode statue, a Sakuyamon statue, and a Beelzemon: Blast Mode figure as the grand Last One prize.
The name says it all. Matrix Evolution is the signature mechanic of Digimon Tamers, the 2001 series where a human Tamer actually fuses with their partner. Takato and Guilmon biomerge into Dukemon; Ruki and Renamon become Sakuyamon. So although the lottery technically spans the first three anime series — Digimon Adventure, Adventure 02, and Tamers — the centerpieces are unmistakably Tamers.
Here is what is in the set:
- A Prize — Dukemon: Crimson Mode, "Soul Gorgeous Statue"
- B Prize — Sakuyamon, "Soul Gorgeous Statue"
- C Prize — Terriermon & Lopmon two-figure set
- Last One Prize — Beelzemon: Blast Mode
Below that sit the usual supporting prizes: an acrylic board, a visual art board, acrylic charms, and a poster. Each draw costs ¥900 (about two play sets of a booster pack), and unlike a plain gacha, every ticket wins something. That is the Ichiban Kuji promise — no blank pulls, just a prize.
The timing is worth unpacking, because none of this is accidental. Digimon Tamers premiered in Japan in April 2001, which puts its 25th anniversary in this very year. And the lottery's release date, March 24, 2027, lands inside the franchise's 30th anniversary year — the window that opens with the June 26, 1997 debut of the original Digital Monster virtual pet. It also arrives as the fan-voted The Best Adventure We Chose rerun of classic episodes starts airing in Japan on October 4. Anyone who has been rewatching Tamers this fall now has a natural shelf to complete.
If the names are blurry, a quick refresher. Dukemon is Takato's Guilmon grown to full knight — the one who stood against the D-Reaper with lance and shield, and Crimson Mode is his final look, all red and gold. Sakuyamon is Ruki's Renamon, a kitsune shaman who commands spells and talismans. Beelzemon is the repentant former Impmon, a biker-with-a-gun antihero who spent the whole season earning his redemption; Blast Mode is his strongest form. Terriermon and Lopmon are the twin, rabbit-like partners of Henry and Suzie.
Two collector notes. In Ichiban Kuji, the Last One prize goes to whoever takes the final ticket out of a box, which is why the Beelzemon figure will likely be the most fought-over piece. Import shop pre-orders are already live, with stock expected around April 2027.
Bottom line: it is a deliberate pick, and a good one. Tamers is the series that pushed Digimon toward sharper drama and real character arcs, so giving its cast the premium statue treatment now — with the 30th anniversary year moments away — reads as a warm nod to the fans who have carried it since the early 2000s. If you have been waiting for a proper Sakuyamon for your shelf, your window is open.