Digimon Discussion

[taei]

Ahh!! Digimon!!!

I absolutely love this series! I've always loved Digimon way more Pokemon.

I grew up watching these shows in Arabic (it was censored -_-")
But all in all, I watched all 4 seasons and here are my rankings:

1. Tamers (3)
2. Digimon (1)
3. Frontier (4)
4. 02 (2)

Tamers has been and will always be my favorite. I just really loved that season... Digimon counts as my first and second worst obsession.
I still have my digivices from when i was a kid!

My obsession died down once my parents pretty much took everything away from me. lol

What about the movies? Anyone a fan of those?
I think the only one that I like is the 6th movie (the second tamers movie)

As for the DVD releases, I am devastated that it's only in English. I really want the Japanese version!
Japan is actually releasing the first series on Blu-Ray next month! I want it so bad!!

[Disney's Divinity]

I've marathoned the first two seasons the past two weeks ever since I heard the news about DA tri. It made me remember more clearly why I hated the second season. I'm hoping DA tri will completely wipe over everything in DA02; either it didn't happen or at least they don't acknowledge anything related to it. And especially no Cody or Yolei. I hated all the new Digimon in 02 except Wormmon (although Stingmon.... ), and to a lesser degree Veemon. Nearly all the designs for the Digimon and the new digivolutions are hideous; Imperialdramon and Paildramon look like something out of Power Rangers. Everyone should not have a Digimon, imo.

Seeing the first season again made me realize how well that season is structured to show the development of the Digimon. For instance, after they first go Champion, they return to their Baby forms because it took so much energy. Same when they first went Ultimate (and Mega, in Agumon/Gabumon's cases). Also, they weren't able to digivolve to higher levels without some emotional drive until they'd gained experience from eliminating enemies or just the act of digivolving, I guess. Then they started to go to Champion without provocation and stayed in those forms for longer periods. Plus, that season emphasized the need for food for energy (and the traveling element, which I enjoyed). And all the Digimon are at different levels; for instance, MegaKabuterimon and Garudamon are stronger than Zudomon/Lillymon because they'd already reached ultimate before coming back to the real world in the Myotismon arc, unlike the latter two. And Patamon only manages to go Ultimate at the very end because he'd "died" and been re-set because of the fight with Devimon. An experienced Ultimate or Mega being stronger than a newly-digivolved Ultimate or Mega, etc. This kind of focus on growth is completely absent in 02.

But it also made me think of all the things they could do with a third season. Finally meeting the other Digital Sovereigns, for example. And I hope we'll finally get the Mega transformations for Palmon, Gomamon, Biyomon, and Tentomon (Gatomon and Patamon, too, although they did briefly show their Megas in the Digimon Movie dub). Regarding Gomamon, I hope they go with Plesiomon and not Vikemon, although Vikemon does look more similar to Ikkakumon and Zudomon. Watching 01 again made me think maybe the Digidestined's Digimon weren't allowed to go Mega, which is why the prophecy that directed Angemon and Angewomon to strike Tai/Matt was probably necessary to open up Gabumon/Agumon to their Mega forms? So perhaps they'll have to do something similar to the crests in 01 or the digi-cores in 02 in order for the others to reach their Mega forms?

Also, I think it could work if they did DNA Digivolutions between the others similar to Omnimon. Although it would seem logical to do Izzy/Sora and Joe/Mimi, since they are always paired together, I think Palmon/Tentomon and Biyomon/Gomamon would probably look better. I hope there won't be any human villains like in 02. Overall, I'm so excited!!! I've heard some people speculate tri may begin in April (in Japan). I hope so much that everyone comes back for the dub, and they do some more great things with the original characters.

[Disney's Divinity]

A look at Matt/Yamato's new design.

I wonder why they decided to make Matt's hair look so different from 02/the films. I like the change though. I read the new designs are made by the same person who did their first designs in 01. That must be why I think they're perfect for the most part.

[Disney's Divinity]

New poster!!!

It looks great; still so excited for this. I also read something about them releasing Digivices again, plus Tags and Crests. For now, they look Japan-exclusive.

Btw, I watched Digimon Tamers again a week or so ago. I'm still not a big fan, but it was better than I remembered. I feel like Tamers would be better overall if they shaved off around 10 episodes. Every arc just seemed to drag on too long. The hardest part was slogging through the first part before the Devas, but even the Digital World visit and the D-Reaper parts go on two or three episodes too long, imo. I liked most of the characters, and the stuff with Geri wasn't as horrifying as I remembered although very emotional. I'll have the chance to see Frontier and Data Squad (without buying them) for the first time the next month or so; I'd only seen a scattering of episodes in the past. I'm going to re-try watching Fusion, too, since I read something about cameos of Adventure characters.

[ce1ticmoon]

Wow! I had no idea about Digimon Adventure tri!

Loving the visuals so far! It would never happen considering that he is basically being built up as the next Miyazaki and has another feature coming out later this year, but it would be so great if Hosoda Mamoru worked on this in some capacity. The episode he directed (the one where Taichi returns to the real world for the first time and we first meet Hikari) was the most visually striking episode of the show, and the theatrical versions that he worked on were really something as well. His style seems like a good match for the new visuals they are going for here.

Being half Japanese and having been in and out of Japan and immersed in Japanese culture, I actually first came into contact with the original Japanese series, though I've watched quite a bit of the FOX KIDS dub as well. But the Japanese version is the one that is near and dear to my heart. It's great to see that they will be using the original theme song (which to this day is apparently pretty popular--when I go karaoke-ing in Japan, I always see the original theme song hovering in the top 20 or so songs which is crazy considering it has been 15 years and that DA is essentially a children's show).

As for Digimon Adventure 02, I enjoyed it for what it was, though I agree it was a quite a step down from the original series. I'm not a fan of the wierd fan-fiction-like ending though. I doubt they will retcon it out of existence (especially considering they are calling the new series tri.), but it would be perfectly easy for them to simply ignore it.

Anyway, I may have to start my re-watch of the original series now.... I believe they have the original Japanese series on Netflix.

[ce1ticmoon]

Regarding the evolutions, I'd love to see the Megas of the other characters as well. Honestly, I could do without the DNA Evolutions or Armor Evolutions. Since the original concept (outside of the animated series) was that the Digimon could evolve into any number of Digimon when going from, say, Rookie to Champion, I think it could be more interesting if they played with that instead of doing the other convoluted forms of evolving.

Also, I always felt it was kind of jarring that they gave the "main" characters CGI animations for their evolution sequences, whereas the rest were traditionally animated. If they'll be using such sequences in this series, which I'm sure they will, I'd like them to make those consistent (preferably no CGI).

[Disney's Divinity]

Regarding the evolutions, I'd love to see the Megas of the other characters as well. Honestly, I could do without the DNA Evolutions or Armor Evolutions. Since the original concept (outside of the animated series) was that the Digimon could evolve into any number of Digimon when going from, say, Rookie to Champion, I think it could be more interesting if they played with that instead of doing the other convoluted forms of evolving.

Personally, I'd prefer if they didn't do the latter. I guess I like to think of their forms in the first season as their only line of evolution. I don't really like DNA evolutions or Armor evolutions, but for me that's the only way to add "new" forms without disrupting the original lines.

Maybe they could do something entirely new? For instance, have "God" evolutions after Mega? Or something else. Although, I suppose I could get behind them having new lines of evolution if maybe they are giving a "special power" to do so, by the Sovereigns, perhaps?

[ce1ticmoon]

Personally, I'd prefer if they didn't do the latter. I guess I like to think of their forms in the first season as their only line of evolution. I don't really like DNA evolutions or Armor evolutions, but for me that's the only way to add "new" forms without disrupting the original lines.

Maybe they could do something entirely new? For instance, have "God" evolutions after Mega? Or something else. Although, I suppose I could get behind them having new lines of evolution if maybe they are giving a "special power" to do so, by the Sovereigns, perhaps?

Well, there was that one time that Greymon evolved to Skull Greymon, so it isn't like they haven't played with that concept before. I can understand your preference regarding having only one line, but given that I think there is no way they won't somehow add new evolutions, I think that would be the most preferable to me.

I think that chances are they will invent something new though, whether it is some new form of evolution or an extension of the existing ones. Going a level further than Mega could be interesting.

[Disney's Divinity]

New poster.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

New poster.

There is so much nostalgia happening right there I don't know how to react.

I watched the first three series and bits of the fourth, and I loved all of what I saw, so I'm excited to hopefully see this new series.

[Disney's Divinity]

Apparently, Digimon Adventure tri will be a 6-film series. New image.

[ce1ticmoon]

That's quite a delay from the original schedule.... Totally thought it would be a TV show. I'm guessing this will be more like an OVA series rather than an actual film series. A lot of OVA series get super limited theatrical runs, with the episodes, or 'films,' clocking in around 45-60mins. I'm guessing that's what this will be.

Also, it was revealed that the voice actors for the children have all been replaced.

[Disney's Divinity]

I believe they're about to do something new with Adventure 02 now. There was some new picture of the characters circling this morning.

EDIT: Oh, alright, I've watched the trailer now. I guess it's another film after Digimon Adventure tri. that connects those films with the Digimon Adventure 02 cast now? It's called Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna. I still haven't seen the tri. films. I want, too, but I've put them on the backburner until the film series is done. It was easier to do when I'd read the dub changed Matt's voice; that ruined the whole thing for me right out the gate. I mean, of all characters to change... He and Tai are the main ones--I admit I was a Taito fan, too. The original voice actor said he wasn’t even asked. Just… What… Rude and disappointing to him and the fans. Why even make a nostalgia-laced project then?

They could've changed so many of the others and I wouldn't have cared at all. Reminds me of when we finally got an ending to Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki and they re-cast Ryoko--the best character on that show. Ugh.

EDIT (again): I was just glancing through Amazon for Digimon: The Movie because my VHS player finally died about two months ago, which means I have to get things I had in VHS-only on DVD or Blu-ray now and realized Digimon: The Movie's original DVD release is pretty rare. I read Disney has the rights now and that they plan to re-release it as a 2-disc set in 2020... I hope that's true and they keep to that plan.

[Disney's Divinity]

I haven't bought tri. yet. I want to get the series on Blu-ray, but I'm not paying $40+ either. But I saw the films are free to view on ShoutFactory's website and YouTube, and watched them. I thought they were good, personally. Not perfect (I try to believe that wasn't actually Jennai), but I enjoyed them, overall. It reminded me of how much I love those characters. Mimi makes me laugh so much. I was mostly annoyed by the original character getting so much focus and crying all the freaking time. Matt was... Odd. I mean, even though I wish the hair was more like what you see in Last Evolution Kizuna, I didn't mind the design and I even adjusted to the voice because there was no other choice. It was more that he was so pissed off over everything and nothing all the time. He had anger issues in Adventure, too, but he wasn't always like that. I was happy 02 was mostly ignored. I like Kari and T.K. more as friends. I like the little flirty moments between Mimi and Izzy, and the Taito moments.

I'll have to wait to see Last Evolution Kizuna... It looks sad. (And no matter that film's ending, the story is never really over in my book. I know that film's probably going for a Winnie the Pooh / Toy Story vibe of having to leave things behind you when you grow up.) The design throws me after just having watched tri. It's pretty, except the eyes keep freaking me out. I also read they're making a reboot of Digimon Adventure, too. I say keep the new stuff based off the original season coming. The first season was the only one of Digimon I ever loved. I will watch 02 and Tamers occasionally, just for nostalgia. But I'm not really a fan of those. The fourth season and Xros were both really hard for me to get into.

As a minor sidenote, I'm a little sad Funko hasn't made any more Digimon Funko (yet)... Growing up, I always wanted merchandise for Digimon and Sailor Moon, but it was so impossible to find (at a price my parents could afford), which might be why I was happy about these. At least they made the main two characters, but I'd have liked to have Mimi, Izzy, Palmon, Lilymon, Tentomon, Gomamon, Gatomon, Angemon, etc. Apocalymon would be crazy. I still have hope they'll make more someday.