In this episode, some final thoughts on Digimon Adventure and its second ending “Keep On.”
So here we are, one season down and one sixth seventh of the way through (damn you, Hunters). Thanks to all of you for reading, especially everyone who has commented, e-mailed or passed the site along on Facebook or Tumblr. Zero Two starts up Thursday!
Adventure was always going to be the most interesting re-watch, since it was the only one I'd never watched straight through. It's also the only season that is universally liked among Digimon fans. While everyone may not call it their favorite, it manages to avoid the polarity of future series like Frontier or Xros Wars.
Nostalgia is probably a big factor in that. Adventure is certainly not without its faults. It takes the longest to get into full gear. Most seasons start out with several introductory episodes to showcase each of the characters and their Digimon. All of the other seasons do it better. It also must be said that the other seasons drastically reduce the number of times someone gets crap thrown at them.
It's a shame that the first season has a rocky start. Who knows how many impressionable young viewers never got to see the full glory of the franchise because they dismissed the show too soon? Probably the most amazing thing about Adventure is how the poorer episodes early on are completely removed from the equation in favor of the second half, which is just plain outstanding. Each kid gets their own story, family issues reach the surface and the sight of Tokyo under direct attack weighs far more heavily than the passive approaches Devimon and Etemon had taken against the Digital World. By the time the Dark Masters tear up the place, sights of previous landmarks in disarray have more sentimental impact.
The hidden key to that arc is the cumulative toll of all this battling. It wears down on everybody and deters the effort more than any of the Dark Masters are able to. This is something that is rarely seen again as most of the remaining seasons take place over a longer stretch of time. It's a unique element that adds so much to the series, and it will be missed.
In that regard, the biggest revelation to me was Mimi's role in all this. She ended up being stress exemplified and I found myself liking her more for it. Her breakdown adds a huge sense of realism to the picture, and despite never catching a break she manages to overcome it. She was a necessary annoyance in the first half, but in the second she becomes the necessary dose of sincerity for the series as much as the team.
It's not as sad a farewell as it will be later, as we all know we're seeing these guys again next season. Still, season one's all over, so there's nothing left to do but cue up the ending theme!
Catchier song... more interesting graphics... still next to no animation. Yes, they started using this ending in the episode Gatomon was introduced as Myotismon's servant. You can also catch a few shots that were assimilated into the dub opening once Kari joined the team.
Yes, Mimi was amazing this season. I feel like she's one of the strongest female character's Digimon has ever had.
ReplyDeleteI'd definitely agree with that. Although she'll never be compared to someone like Rika(which coincidentally, both appear in the same scene in Hunters) Mimi will always be one of the more criticized but underrated characters in Digimon. She's personally my favorite female character from the franchise because even though she can be annoying and whiny, she's always true to herself and what she feels about everything and everyone and doesn't let anything deter that but she knows when she's pushing it too far. (I.e. Princess Karaoke) People have to realize she was living a happy life before she got sent to the Digital World and really, who wouldn't freak out and complain when you're so accustomed to the life she has and then she's just sent off to some different world where almost everything around them could be a threat to their lives? Add in the harsh conditions and you have a personal hell for her. Easily, her and Joe's reactions to the Digital World when they first enter it and when they start traveling are the most realistic of any of the kids(though Tai freaking out at the sight of Koromon was realistic as well) and that's what made me appreciative of them. They may have been annoyances at times but they fit the story and their roles in it. To what Pulver said about the culmulative toll on the kids, it really sets in for Mimi from the beginning but it hits her breaking point from when Wizardmon dies and so on. Their home and the world were at risk by Myotismon and when they thought they were done, they have to go back to the digital world and set things straight. Add in the fact that she's seeing her friends continously sacrifice themselves for her and her friends' sake, its not really a surprise she wanted to get away from the fighting. It gave me a newfound respect for her because it showed that she really cared for everyone around her other than just herself(justified when she's ok with being friends with Ogremon) Where she grows out of this is when she realizes that sometimes, fighting is neccessary for things to get better and that not fighting at all can be just be as harmful as fighting all the time. Coming back with an army of their friends was pretty badass of her and realized she could help out the cause. Her caring and the sense of realism she adds to the series is what makes her character. I wish more people could see that instead of just seeing her as a spoiled, whiny brat and appreciate for what she really brings to the show. One of the more underutilized characters of the season but she fits her role well. She and Joe will always be my favorite characters in the franchise, not to mention couple. :3
DeleteIt's also the only season that is universally liked among Digimon fans. http://adventurefootstep.com/best-machete/
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