This was a dumb episode. Not dumb as in bad (although it kinda is)- dumb as in capable of draining brain cells. Last episode was for the cerebral geeks looking for signs of something deeper. Watching this episode could send them spiraling down to junior college... which apparently is some sort of hell for Joe.
It's not dull. I'll give it that much. It certainly has a number of amusing moments. And aggravating moments. And disgusting moments. And weird moments. Nothing dull though.
It starts out with annoying- the Digimon “song” that is closer to a basic training march performed by over-eager primary school kids. It is interrupted by spontaneous Sora angst that falls from above and almost kills the whole team. It spreads like a virus until everybody's a little bit depressed. Also, TK talks about playing video games at home with big bro and Matt talks about his mother's “steak.” Unless I'm forgetting details about their tragic backstory, it sounds like a gaping continuity error. Such is the havoc that can be caused by spontaneous Sora angst.Then out comes the Numemon stampede, hurling their swirly technicolor crap at the fleeing children. The kids escape that mess and find the field of random vending machines. Mimi attempts to buy something from a machine labeled Asasi (isn't that name based on a Japanese beer?) and the Numemon are back... and this time they have a crush on Mimi!
Going against the main principle they've been operating with since the start, the kids split up. The Numemon help Mimi evade Monzaemon, who tells her about Toy Town. She follows him there without looking for any of the others and knowing that it is probably dangerous.
She finds her friends, who have all overdosed on Ritalin and happily chased by hostile toys. Mimi then finds the Digimon captive in a toy chest who say Monzaemon managed to catch every single one of them (despite them all going in different directions) and that she has to be this week's hero.
Rather than doing the smart thing and using Palmon to open the chest, Mimi takes it literally and faces down the big teddy bear. The Numemon return to buy her time and their incompetence in battle pisses off Palmon, who digivolves to a giant cactus and defeats the giant bear. Yep, definitely season one.
The most frustrating thing about Mimi early on in the show is that amidst the whining and selfishness, redeeming actions are very seldom. Even in this, a full-fledged Mimi episode, she ignores warnings and tries to buy beer from a vending machine, coldly rejects the Numemon who save her life several times because they've taken a shine to her, goes to Toy Town without concern for the rest of her team... and really Palmon takes it upon herself to Digivolve on her own. Mimi really doesn't do anything to kick start it.While she's not the most endearing character at this point in the show, I understand her place. Think about their situation for a second. Seven different kids are pulled into a strange, hostile world with rugged conditions and no clear way back. Some might be fascinated, some might be eager to explore it, and some might consider themselves lucky for some unfounded reason. Those are all maybes... but absolutely, without a doubt, someone's going to bitch about it nonstop. Mimi's filling a role. If she's not there, the whole thing just feels too jovial to work. It's just a shame her first featured episode is juvenile silliness and doesn't have much lasting appeal to those of us trying to take this seriously as an anime.
My Grade: D
Loose Data:
- Wait... Mimi's a bad singer? Why did TK want to give her a solo in the first place? And why is she singled out when they all sound awful? Boy, wouldn't it be a continuity mess if there was an entire episode down the road based solely around Mimi's singing talents? But what are the odds of that?
- Corrupted Monzaemon is pretty fun. Nothing like a giant teddy bear trying to get you to join him for fun in Toy Town... while simultaneously attacking you with laser beam eyes.
- Once again, they befriend the Digimon that tried to kill them. To top last week's act, they all voluntarily accept Monzaemon's signature attack. It's all giggles and sunshine.
If you could improve this episode, what would you change? Currently I've deleted the opening song, made Mimi slightly less bitchy (she asks the Numemon to guide her to Toy Town), and I'm having Monzemon give the kids directions. There's also an issue with a twin of Mimi's who takes up the role of Alpha Bitch, while Mimi sort of swings back and forth. I'm just looking for ideas because this really is the only really bad episode in the beginning (they all have quirks that could be chalked up to early installment weirdness but this is the worst offender). Also I transfer the Sorangst to Mimi, while giving a vague hint about Sora's mommy issues.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit more understandable in japanese, the beginning I mean, as they're playing the back-and-forth singing by starting the next song with the last character from the previous, Kids start something that ends with 'su', Digimon start something with 'su' and end with 'e', which the kids don't know how to continue until Mimi sings and enka her father sings when he does karaoke (frequently apparently) Takeru asks her what it is.
ReplyDeleteWhen they're talking about 'things they want to do right now', Yamato 'Matt' just mentions BBQ, while Takeru says nothing except making motions, Matt laughs at him saying 'what are you doing thinking about video games right now?' (punny given where they are and who they're with), but says he can't really be laughing at him and continues with his own piece.
In this case, with Mimi's singing, the dub made the continuity difficult for itself I suppose.
Can't say much about Monzaemon or Mimi's actions, I'm not sure about her trying to play hero instead of opening the chest with other DIgimon, because the Digimon inside say that it's impossible to open and that they tried attacking togeather calling Mimi and Palmon 'their only hope'
I actually really enjoy this episode because of how bizarre and silly and sometimes unsettling it is. Toy Town is just a neat concept for the Digital World, and you gotta love the Numemon in those vending machines too. Monzemon really isn't too scary, but there's still something frightening about being chased by a giant teddy bear who shoots laser beams from his eyes and can trap you in heart shaped balloons - that's just nightmarish, really! And the whole bit with him having the toys play with the kids as though the kids were the play things was just brilliant, especially how the kids were zombified into being happy and having fun. Oh yeah, and the slugfest between Togemon and Monzemon was great, and surprisingly kept in tact in the dub!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the dub, I think this is the first of other Mimi-centric episodes to come that shows the dub script writing for Mimi is for some reason more tolerable and enjoyable when she's the focus of the episode. I really liked how she was portrayed here - except for the whole "she's a bad singer" bit, since that obviously wasn't there in the original and a later episode will contradict it COMPLETELY.
haha
ReplyDeleteAre we going to ignore the fact that Togemon (literally) beat the stuffing out of a Digimon a level above her?
ReplyDeleteA good toy is one that is fun for your child and suitable for his age, developmental needs, and personality. Generally, it also has one or more of the following qualities: Inspires active play. If the toy does all the work, then it loses its appeal after the first half hour.Toy HQ
ReplyDeleteOpen ended toys typically spark play. They are meant to hold little attention spans and allow for creative usage. For more information, don't forget to visit sparrowkids.co.uk
ReplyDelete