Lui Owada is a young man who appears as the central new character in the 2023 film Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning. He initially claims to be the very first DigiDestined, but it is later clarified that he was actually the first child to form a "friendship contract" with a Digimon, a distinction that places him at the origin of the partnership between humans and Digimon. Lui's background is marked by a lonely and difficult childhood. He was raised in a troubled home and suffered neglect and abuse from his mother. As a child, he discovered a DigiEgg that hatched into Ukkomon, a Digimon capable of granting wishes. Ukkomon, wanting to make Lui happy, used its power to manipulate the people around Lui—his parents, neighbors, and friends—into treating him with kindness. For a time, Lui enjoyed this fabricated happiness, but he eventually learned the truth: his wish for companionship had inadvertently led to a surge in the number of other DigiDestined around the world, children who were now risking their lives in dangerous battles alongside their own Digimon partners. This revelation filled Lui with horror and guilt. In a fit of anger, he confronted Ukkomon and accidentally injured his own right eye. Ukkomon, in a display of devotion, gave Lui its own eye as a replacement. But Lui, still consumed by rage, verbally rejected Ukkomon, causing the Digimon to melt away and disappear. As a consequence, Lui's parents—who had been kept alive only by Ukkomon's puppeteering—suddenly died. Years later, in 2012, Lui is a young adult carrying the weight of this past. He appears at Tokyo Tower, where a giant DigiEgg has materialized, transmitting a message that wishes for every human on Earth to have a Digimon friend. Lui, who still possesses a depowered Digivice, is rescued after falling from the tower by the older DigiDestined—Daisuke Motomiya, Ken Ichijouji, Miyako Inoue, Iori Hida, Takeru Takaishi, and Hikari Yagami. He tells them he is the first chosen child and seeks to stop the egg from hatching, but his story is far more personal. Lui's personality is shaped by deep trauma and a sense of responsibility. He is reserved, burdened by guilt, and initially keeps his painful history private. His motivations are driven by a desire to prevent Ukkomon from repeating its well-meaning but destructive pattern of imposing happiness on others. He does not want to see the entire world forced into the same kind of relationship that caused him so much suffering. His role in the film is to serve as the catalyst that reveals the true origin of the DigiDestined, challenging the existing cast to reconsider the nature of their own bonds with their partners. Lui's key relationship is with Ukkomon, a Digimon that loved him unconditionally but did not understand the consequences of its actions. Their bond is a tragic one: it began with innocent wishes, twisted into codependency, and ended in a painful separation. Lui also forms a connection with the 02 DigiDestined, who help him confront his past. In particular, Davis Motomiya and Veemon encourage him to face Ukkomon and resolve the unfinished business between them. Lui's development throughout the story is one of acceptance and reconciliation. He journeys back in time to witness his younger self meeting Ukkomon, talks sense into his mother, and ultimately chooses to confront the giant Ukkomon that emerges from the egg. In the climax, he asks the DigiDestined to destroy Ukkomon, acknowledging that their time together must end but promising to reunite in the future. After Ukkomon is reduced to a small DigiEgg, Lui loses the eye that Ukkomon gave him, a symbolic release from the past. The film's post-credits scene shows the DigiEgg beginning to hatch, hinting at a possible new beginning. In terms of notable abilities, Lui does not engage in direct combat. He possesses a Digivice that is initially drained of power, but it later reappears as a sign of his connection to Ukkomon. His true strength lies in his emotional resilience and his capacity to face his own mistakes. His story underscores the idea that the partnership between a human and a Digimon must be based on genuine, free will rather than forced wishes.