In this episode, downtown Tokyo proves to be just as perilous as the Digital World, with crazy subways, babies, crowds and hunger pangs. And yes- the infamous hitchhiking scene.Even with the dub's cuts, this has to go down as one of the funniest episodes in the franchise. While last episode had everybody adjusting to the real world, this time the kids are pretty well acclimated and it's the Digimon left to struggle with their new surroundings. The kids just have to deal with navigating Tokyo, which is a challenge for anybody their age with limited coin.
At least the children know what they're supposed to be doing. They know the Tokyo subway is chaotic, but they are able to navigate a route, buy tickets and wait behind the yellow line. The Digimon have no idea what's going on, and make mistakes such as jumping in front of a subway train, believing a monster is emerging from the tunnel. I'm not going to be too hard on Koromon and Tsunomon for this mistake, since in season three this actually happens.
As an added complication to their mandate to stay quiet and motionless, the Digimon also have to deal with annoying onlookers, such as the baby that yanks on Yokomon's stigma and will not let go. The horrified looks on Motimon and Patamon's faces say it all. When Yokomon finally yells at the baby, Sora has to play ventriloquist to cover it up, then lie and say her Yokomon doll is available at the next stop... which unloads the train. Second complication- after everybody falls asleep, Patamon thinks he has to stay quiet instead of telling them they're at their stop. Oops... suddenly they're in Shinjuku. While you're in town, say hi to the Tamers crew!Although Izzy is able to adjust the route, everybody is so famished that they decide food is a bigger priority than reaching home. In fact, food is a bigger priority than staying together. Joe and Izzy end up lost in the throng of people and narrowly avoid a run-in with one of Myotismon's goons. After reuniting, they find themselves broke and forced to use dubious means to get to Odaiba.
In the dub, Tai tries calling for a police vehicle, Matt chickens out, Joe and Izzy succeed at hailing a cab but fail to promise money, while Sora's douchebag cousin Duane pulls up and offers them a ride.
In the original Japanese... just watch it:
You don't even need subtitles. It's one of the funniest damn things in the franchise.
I understand the logic in cutting out some of these scenes: we don't want to encourage the kids to hitchhike... and that woman preying on Matt was really scary. But honestly, kids watching that scene would see that the only people that would pull over for them are some cougar chick who really likes 'em young, and some Jersey Shore castoff driving a van normally reserved for sexual predators. That's the best hitchhiking deterrent you could ever create!
Anyway, Duane “The Situation” Takenouchi plays deafening music, treats the boys as luggage and flirts with Mimi. There's probably a date rape drug in the gum he gives the girls (which they wisely pass off on their Digimon). And yet he has the audacity to freak out when Koromon takes a crap in his van! In a shameful scene that is somehow still funny, Sora attempts to take the rap while Duane blames Joe. In the process, Izzy's knocked over a bridge, Tentomon saves him and Gesomon shows up to raise hell. Ikkakumon stops him but as a result, people start to take notice of the monsters appearing in town. The digidestined ride Ikkakumon the rest of the way home, but they do give their location away to Demidevimon. That's probably a bad thing.My Grade: A-
Loose Data:
- Hey, there's an arbitrary shot of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, better known to Digimon fans as creepy Hypnos tower! Premature Tamers reference number three!
- I love the random Wizardmon sightings. And that Demidevimon called Myotismon “Malignant One.”
- It says a lot that the innocent bystanders refuse to accept all these monster sightings until they are directly confronted with them. It's either all in their heads or a movie shooting or a figment of those wackos over in Highton View Terrace. Can't be real, right?
- Look what I found! This site, bearing the classy name Odaiba Memorial, has side-by-side comparisons between shots from the show and real-life locations. This page features the Hikarigaoka (Highton View Terrace) area and the train station, but the site has many of the major locations from the first two seasons, along with a map of Odaiba. The animators certainly did their homework.
I think what you said about episode 10 could have worked here. Duane's being an asshole, thinks Joe(of all people) took a shit in his car, and is about to strangle him. I remember you saying Mimi didn't have any redeeming moments at the beginning when she was acting whiny and selfish and that she could have slapped Izzy to bring him back to reality. This could have worked here although it may have seemed out of place. I really wanted her to slap Duane given how he's treated her and her friends. Given the situation(no pun intended lol) they're in on trying to get home, nobody really would have considered doing this because how else would they get home?(other than exposing their Digimon in their larger forms, of course.) Sora tries to make up an excuse for the turd in the car, Izzy, even though he stood up for Joe, isn't exactly the violent type. We all know Mimi would have been capable of doing this and is the most logical choice for it. This episode shows how Izzy's character is growing by standing up for Joe against a guy who towers above him.(In the beginning of this season, he probably might not have done this.) But it could have been a good character moment for Mimi as well. Not to mention it would have been funny as hell. Haha
ReplyDeleteIzzy might have ended up standing up to Duane anyways even if Mimi slapped him and he would have ended up getting pushed off the bridge anyway.
DeleteDefinitely among the funniest episodes in the series, I agree. The looming threat of Myotismon's forces being around town in different areas out looking for the eighth child (using the copies of the eighth crest) being a background occurrence and footnote in the episodes' plot was genius, in my opinion. It really gives the sense that stuff is going on with the villains but the kids aren't going to see all of it, especially when they're so occupied with trying to get back home to Odaiba. The antics the heroes get into outside of Hiighton View Terrace, Nerima, and Shinjuku are just priceless too. The awkward silence following Yokomon yelling at the baby tugging on her and the excited, frenzied reaction it gets from the train passengers, plus Sora's nervous responses, was hilarious stuff, with the outcome being the best part - Sora claims it's a new stuffed toy she bought and says it came from the Nermia department store upon seeing that the train is stopping at Nerima. Brilliant! And Joe and Izzy getting lost downtown never fails to crack me up, especially the "bad dog!" bit.
ReplyDeleteThe hitchhiking part was clearly censored, but still a lot of fun to watch in the dub too. (Though using footage of Duane driving down in his car that would be shown later on was incredibly cheap). Making him Sora's distant cousin was actually worth it just for Joe's line of "what are the odds of that happening?", clearly pointing out the absurdity of this coincidence. Plus, there's no way the dub would keep in that the guy was not only a total stranger, but a possible statutory rapist. The big fight between Ikkakumon and Gesomon, which spectators are again around to see, at the end was the perfect-cap off before we got the BEAUTIFULLY animated final scene of our heroes sailing towards home. Unfortunately DemiDevimon sees where they're headed and will no doubt inform Myotismon. Oh shit. This arc is really, really great stuff!
WHy didn't they just call their parents?
ReplyDeleteBecause in 1999 teenagers had no mobile phones, and they had no money for using a public phone
DeleteGoof: Tentomon tell Izzy " He had to have those Chilli Fries". What Chilli fries? Joe and Izzy missed out on the McDonald's meal.
ReplyDelete