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tobiasdrake · 5 months ago

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Digimon Adventure 01x30 - The Digimon's Great Traversal of Tokyo / Almost Home Free

Previously on Digimon Adventure: The Chosen Children searched for the Eighth Child in Hikarigaoka's local library, where they were able to look up a copy of the OVA and remember the plot. Mammon tried to cause a ruckus when they got to the Parrotmon part but it's okay 'cause Garudamon stepped out and took care of it.

The Chosen Children and Tailmon's mercenaries have all failed to find the Eighth Child in Hikarigaoka. But the Children have learned much about how they were Chosen.

This episode comes with a trigger warning: Human adults being child predators.

We open on PicoDevimon reporting back to Vamdemon about what happened.

Vamdemon: What? Garudamon has been sighted? PicoDevimon: Yes, sir. It's been reported that the Chosen Children have arrived in this world. Vamdemon: Have you located the Eighth Child yet? PicoDevimon: We're currently raising our efforts and expanding our search perimeter.

As he speaks, we see glimpses of Tailmon and a few mercs no longer in silhouette.

Tailmon is roaming around the city, continuing her manual search from last episode.

Wizarmon is street performing at the amusement park to lure in children so he check the counterfeit Crest against a crowd.

SkullMeramon is skulking about in a trenchcoat watching children like a creep.

Gesomon is patrolling the waterways. I... guess he's looking for water children?

(Wizarmon is the stand-out smart guy of the bunch. He's letting the children come to him in an innocuous fashion. SkullMeramon, meanwhile, is likely to be reported to police by concerned onlookers. As he should; He has hostile intentions towards children.)

Vamdemon: The children must also be looking for the Eighth Child. Hurry! We cannot let the children gain the upper hand! PicoDevimon: Yes, sir!

Almost no change in the dub, with the exception of silence-breaking dialogue added to the shots of the searching Digimon.

DemiDevimon: We're looking everywhere! Air, land, and sea! We've got it covered, no problem!

I'm as confused by why the Eighth Child would be in the air as I am by why she'd be in the sea.

Then again... frame of reference. Aerial children and aquatic children are completely normal where Tailmon and PicoDevimon come from.

Meanwhile, the children make plans to leave Hikarigaoka.

Taichi: If the Eighth Child's not here in Hikarigaoka, we should hurry up and look in other places. We can't waste time here or Vamdemon will get ahead of us. Mimi: But couldn't they just be goofing off somewhere? Koushiro: No, I don't think so. The other connection between all of us is.... Sora: We all moved away from Hikarigaoka? Koushiro: Yes. Unless that is a coincidence, we should assume that the Eighth Child also moved. Taichi: So they could be in Odaiba like us? Koushiro: That is our most likely possibility. Mimi: (excited) I want to go home! Taichi: Yeah... Alright, let's head for Odaiba first!

Irony: We didn't actually need to come to Hikarigaoka and spent all that time manipulating Fujiyama for nothing. And now we have to find a way to reach Odaiba 27 miles away, because we got off our transport to Odaiba so we could come to Hikarigaoka.

The dub skips the discussion of why we're going to Odaiba. Tai is convinced right from the get-go that the Eighth Child is in Odaiba, for reasons unexplained.

Mimi: Can we get a snack before we go looking? Tai: There's no time. We've got to get to Odaiba and find that Eighth Kid before somebody else does! Mimi: How will we get there? Do you think there's any fast food places along the way? Tai: Would you knock it off about the food? Anyway, we've only got enough money for our subway tickets. Joe: Subway? Oh, wow. My parents won't let me ride the subway by myself. Tai: You're not by yourself. Now come on! Mimi: Are subways like regular trains? I mean, do they have snack cars? Tai: JUST DROP IT!!! And stick together, everybody. It can get kind of confusing down here.

They also tweak Mimi's dialogue so that Tai can yell at her. This one's a bit odd, in that it actually fits Mimi's established characterization from the original pretty well. As we know from the Kentarumon episode, Mimi's stubborn when she's hangry. So, unlike the Valley Girl bits, this bit is rooted in her original persona pretty well.

But I'm still miffed that Mimi gets three lines in this scene and they're all prompts for Tai to tell her to shut the fuck up.

Also, Joe gets one too. Pretty much the entire scene has been replaced with Tai dunking on Joe and Mimi to show how much of a boss he is. Izzy, the actual main character of this scene, doesn't even get a word in.

The Chosen Children descend into the incredibly complex Tokyo rail network.

Jou: Let's see... The fastest way to reach Odaiba is.... Mimi: (shrug) I can't tell because there's so many routes available. Koushiro: (laptop) Please wait just a minute. The fastest way to get there is... If we take the Toei #12 Line from here to Nakano-sakaue, transfer to the Marunouchi and Ginza Lines and leave from Shimbashi, the Yurikamome route will take us to Odaiba. Taichi: Okay then! (approaching ticket machine) Let's head to Nakano-sakaue first.

Glad we have Koushiro here to Computers our way through the incredibly intimidating Tokyo rail network because Jou probably would have been here all day and Mimi, I'm sorry but you are no help here.

In the dub, Joe starts us off with a quip and Mimi's still on about the food.

Joe: I just hope Myotismon has as much trouble reading this map as I do. Mimi: Okay, what do we do now!? Besides starve to death! Izzy: I'm just figuring it out. ...okay, that'll work. Now, the fastest route to Odaiba is to take the #12 train to Nagano and transfer to the Marunouchi Line. Then transfer to the Ginza and get off at Shimbashi. Mimi: ...huh? Tai: Sounds simple enough. (approaching ticket machine) Now we just have to figure out the right fare.

Surprisingly, Izzy relays Koushiro's directions for navigating the Tokyo subway system almost word for word.

He cuts Nakano-sakaue down to "Nagano". Point off for mispronouncing it, but dropping the "-sakaue" isn't necessarily wrong. Nakano-sakaue is the name of the subway station for Nakano Ward, so both ways of saying it work.

In a refreshing change of pace, this scene is completely unafraid to be in Japan. They even show us the subway map unedited, with all of its Japanese text marking the different stations intact.

While Taichi's buying tickets, the Digimon chime in.

Koromon: (hops up on the counter) Hey Taichi, what's that? Taichi: A ticket. This is what we use to ride the subway. Palmon: Subway? Patamon: What's that? Jou: Shhh! Don't talk so much in front of other people. This place isn't like your world. If anyone sees you talking, they'll cause a fuss. Sora: Listen, while you're here, you need to pretend to be stuffed animals. You can't move around, okay? I know it's going to be tough, but please bear with it. Pyokomon: Okay, I understand! I won't talk or move. It's much easier to be carried around by Sora anyway. (wiggles and sings) Hehe ~Sora~-- Sora: I just said not to move!

It's not easy being Digimon in the human world. I feel for them. I'd hate to have to pretend to be a plushie all day too.

(Oh, so that's why Mimi's so hungry. Off-model Chonky Patamon ate all the food. Now he can see through time.)

The dub follows the script until it gets to Sora and Yokomon. Pyokomon's bit is a callback to her and Sora's first episode on File Island, but the dub cut the clingy ~Sora ~Sora ~Sora conflict from the episode so the callback doesn't work here. Instead, Yokomon has an idea.

Sora: Yeah, while we're here, you've got to pretend to be toys or stuffed animals. But remember to keep still and no fidgeting. Yokomon: Here's an idea! I'll be one of those dolls you told me about. The kind where you squeeze them and they go... (wiggles and sings) ...WAHH! WAHH! WAHH! Sora: Be a doll that doesn't talk!

Once the tickets are purchased, IT'S FIGHTING TIME!!!

...wait, what?

While the Chosen Children wait for the train, Tsunomon and Koromon start chatting despite what Jou said a moment ago.

Koromon: Is this a cave? Tsunomon: It's a weird cave. Yamato: (hisses) Hey! Be quiet. Announcer: The train is arriving on time. Please remain behind the white line.

Hearing the rumbling of the approaching train, the two Baby Digimon grow concerned.

Koromon: W-What's that sound? Tsunomon: Is that a Digimon's voice!? Koromon: LOOK!!! THERE'S SOMETHING GLOWING IN THE CAVE!!! Tsunomon: That's it! It must be one of Vamdemon's minions!

Before Taichi and Yamato realize what's happening, Koromon and Tsunomon leap onto the goddamn train tracks to fight the oncoming train.

Taichi: HUH!?!? Yamato: TSUNOMON!!!

They realize their mistake once they see the train approach. It's not super clear how Koromon and Tsunomon survive this, but they're intact after it passes and seem to have pressed themselves against the back wall to avoid being hit.

Fortunately, this train is apparently not stopping here and speeds right on past. I guess that one isn't not ours.

In the dub:

Koromon: It's some kind of cave. Tsunomon: I don't like being underground. Yamato: Hey! Put a lid on it. Announcer: Attention, attention. #12 train now arriving at platform 7. Koromon: What? Where'd that voice come from. Tsunomon: You heard it!? Then it's not just inside my head! Koromon: SOMETHING'S COMING!!! Tsunomon: LOOK AT THOSE GLOWING EYES!!! IT'S ONE OF MYOTISMON'S GOONS!!! (Koromon and Tsunomon leap onto the tracks) Tai: HEY!!! Matt: Watch out!

The dub puts a commercial break right here, moments before the train threatens to splatter Koromon and Tsunomon. Which is honestly a great place for it. A+ commercial placement. Solid cliffhanger to keep the kids from changing the channel.

It also claims that this is the train we're waiting for. Which makes it odd that the train doesn't stop at our platform. Excuse you, we would like to get on, please.

The kids board the subway with their "stuffed animals".

It does not go well.

The seven Chosen Children have a row of seats to themselves on the crowded train, with their Digimon in their laps.

Taichi: (angrily) Making me worry....

Taichi punches Koromon in the head for that stunt.

In the dub, it's:

Tai: We can't take you guys anywhere!

Suddenly, they overhear a baby crying. A woman, forced to stand for lack of available seating, is trying to soothe her crying baby. Sora stands up, offering her seat to the woman.

Mother: There, there. Stop crying and be a good boy. Sora: (stands) Um, here you go. Mother: Oh! Thank you so much. (sits, patting her baby) Good boy... Good boy... Don't cry.

Suddenly, the baby stops crying. He sees Pyokomon in Sora's arms. Without warning, he reaches out and grabs her pistil.

(RUDE. In case you are not familiar with the anatomy of a flower, that orange stem sticking up from Pyokomon is her pistil. It's the female sex organ, containing her seed pod. The yellow ones are her stamens, which are male sex organs that produce pollen for germinating the pistil. Flowers have both.

This child is basically yanking Pyokomon's ovaries. Her pistil and stamen may be strictly aesthetic but it's still rude!)

The child's mother is oblivious to the yanking, having shut her eyes to enjoy a blissful moment of rest once her child stopped crying.

Sora: E-Excuse me. Mother: Huh? ...oh, I'm so sorry. Come on....

She tries to pull her child's hand off of Pyokomon's pistil, but that infuriates the boy. He starts yelling and tugging harder, as if trying to rip the pistil out.

Mochimon: ...that has to hurt....

Finally, Pyokomon reaches her breaking point and screams.

Pyokomon: THAT HURTS!!! STOP PULLING ON ME!!!

The entire train goes deathly quiet.

In the dub:

Mother: Aww, there now. Hush. Come on. Sora: (stands) Here, take my seat. Mother: Huh? Oh! Thank you! (sits) Wasn't that nice of that girl? We've been on our feet all day, haven't we? (The mom shuts her eyes and the baby starts yanking on Yokomon) Sora: Uhh! Excuse me! Mother: Huh? Oh! What are you doing now!? No... (The mother tires to pull the baby's hand away; The baby yanks harder) Mother: No no, honey! Let go now! That's the girl's toy. Come on! Honey! Motimon: Ouch, that's gotta hurt. Mother: Oh come on, honey. Let go of the girl's toy before you break it! HONEY.... Yokomon: HEY!!! WILL YOU LET GO OF ME!?!?

The mother gets some silence-breaking dialogue during the hard yanking, which comes through pretty well here. We don't really see much of the mom after that initial attempt, so the implied continued effort to control her child is good for the scene, I think.

Also, "We've been on our feet all day, haven't we?" is a lovely addition to the scene. I really like the dub's take on the mom here.

I do think the original version of Pyokomon's outburst hits harder than Yokomon's. Pyokomon breaks protocol because her pain tolerance has hit its limit and she can't take any more of this torture. Motimon tries to sell it and we do see Yokomon grimacing in pain, but Yokomon's line just sounds like she's mad that her personal space is being violated.

For a good ten seconds after Pyokomon's outburst, you can hear a pin drop. Then a kid points and shouts.

Kid: IT TALKED!!! THE DOLL TALKED!!! Sora: (lightbulb) That must have hurt! You poor thing! There, there....

Sora gently pets Pyokomon and whispers the plan to her. From here, when Pyokomon speaks, Sora covers Pyokomon's mouth with her hand and subtly moves her own lips to make it look like she's throwing her voice.

Sora: (whisper) Play along with whatever I say. Pyokomon: U-Uh-huh. Sora: (loudly) But you know, the baby only did that because he really likes you, Pyokomon! Pyokomon: Really? Sora: It's true! So forgive him for what he did, okay? Pyokomon: I'm sorry for yelling at you.

The plan works. The baby starts laughing and having a good time.

The dub starts this scene with another Good Actually silence-destroying line, with a bewildered Sora attempting to explain. Meanwhile, the pointing kid is noticeably played by Izzy's actor trying and failing to differentiate his voice by putting on a Rough Kid tone.

Sora: ...I guess my toy didn't like when you pulled on it.... Kid: Did you hear that!? That stuffed animal talked! Sora: ...AH! It worked! All that practice is paying off! Fooled 'em, didn't we? (pets Yokomon and whispers) Hush, just keep quiet and play along.

In the original, Pyokomon speaks while Sora subtly but visibly moves her lips to disguise the source of her voice. Sora holds her hand over Pyokomon's mouth to disguise the movement of Pyokomon's own mouth, so it looks like the one speaking is really Sora.

In the dub, Sora tells Yokomon to keep quiet, then she badly attempts to imitate Yokomon's voice with her subtle lip flaps.

Sora: Come on! The baby pulled your hair because he likes you, that's all! Sora-Yokomon: Oh, really? Sora: There's no reason to bite the poor thing's head off! Sora-Yokomon: Oh! I'm very sorry I shouted!

Since Sora has no experience with ventriloquism and obviously can't be throwing her voice correctly, I'm not sure why the dub ploy works. There's also no reason for her to be covering Yokomon's mouth, since Yokomon isn't saying anything.

The plan works well and the crowd buys it. In fact, the plan works too well.

Kid's Father: Oh, she's doing ventriloquism. It's really the young lady who's speaking for the doll. Isn't that amazing? Bystander 1: It's just ventriloquism. Bystander 2: I really thought it talked! Bystander 3: Obviously, it couldn't have!

The other Chosen Children, watching Sora's near-disaster with bated breath, finally exhale. Everything looks to be ov--

Kid: I want one! Dad, I want that doll! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it, Dad! Come on, buy it! Father: (gets up and approaches Sora) Excuse me, miss. Sorry to bother you, but where did you get that? Sora: W-Where...?

The other kids watch Sora with fear and horror on their faces once more. How the hell is she supposed to answer this question? Ten seconds of silence pass as Sora struggles to think of something to say.

Announcement: (bing bong) Nerima. This is Nerima. Please exit to your right. Sora: ...the... NERIMA DAIKON DEPARTMENT STORE!!! Father: Aha! Thank you!

Father, son, and every other passenger all rush out the door at once, leaving the Chosen Children alone on the train. Except the mother and baby, who wait for the rush before departing much more calmly.

Mother: (to Sora) Thank you very much. (disembarks) Pyokomon: Farewell!

At long last, we are out of the danger zone.

Over in the dub, the pointing kid manages to be even more obnoxious, and the father fills those ten seconds of silence with dialogue.

Kid: I want one! Daddy, give me that toy! I want that doll! If I don't get one RIGHT NOW I'LL START SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS!!! Father: Shhh. (gets up and approaches Sora) Excuse me, young lady. Can I ask where you bought that doll? I need one right away. Sora: Uh... Where I bought it? Father: It's not that hard a question, is it? Come on. You'll be doing me a big favor. Where did you find it? Announcement: This stop is Nerima. Please watch your step. Again, this stop is Nerima. Sora: Ohh... THE NERIMA DEPARTMENT STORE!!! Father: What? Nerima! Thanks a lot! Come on, son! (Crowd races out; Mother stands up to leave last) Mother: (to Sora) Thanks again. (disembarks) Pyokomon: Goodbye!

Nobody does pushy, entitled brats like Americans. We are the MVP of spoiled rotten children. And spoiled rotten adults, too. That the Japanese father patiently waits for Sora to come up with her answer while the American father jumps down her throat and won't let her think seems very fitting of both cultures.

Though he's actually supposed to be Japanese in both versions so... IDK.

Now that we're finally alone in the car and we've managed that crisis, the kids start to relax. Sora returns to her seat and everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief.

Sora: That was a close one. Taichi: I thought we were goners for a second there. Jou: What is the Nerima Daikon Department Store? Sora: No idea. Takeru: I'm tired.... Mimi: Now that my tension's drained, I'm starting to feel sleepy.... Yamato: Yeah, me too.... Takeru: Hey, where are we supposed to get off again? Koushiro: At Nakano-sakaue.... Takeru: Nakano... sakaue....

Coming down off the adrenaline surge and already tired from a long day, the children drift off to sleep.

In the dub:

Sora: Wow, that was a close one. Tai: Pretty weird how nuts that kid went over Yokomon. Joe: If we don't find the Eighth Child, we could go into the-- Sora: --toy business? T.K.: How much longer? Mimi: Who knows? Someone wake me when we get there. Matt: Yeah, me too. T.K.: What's the name of the stop where we're getting off again? Izzy: We get off in Nagano. T.K.: Okay... Nagano....

We lose Sora's admission that she made up the department store she just sent those people to, which is a funny punchline replaced by an awkward quip about selling toys if Myotismon kills Kari.

We also lose Mimi's exposition that coming down off the adrenaline high is why the kids are suddenly taking inappropriate naptime.

By the time the train pulls into Nakano-sakaue, the children are fast asleep.

Patamon wakes up to the announcement they've arrived.

Announcer: Nakano-sakaue. Nakano-sakaue. Please exit to your right. Patamon: Nakano...saka... Huh? Why aren't we getting off here? Palmon: Shh. Don't talk.

Patamon claps his front paws over his mouth and hushes up. The train doors close and the train continues on its way.

In the dub, an interesting thing occurs with the announcement. The sign over the door in the original has the kanji for "Nakano-sakaue" in orange lettering, with red English lettering under it that says the same.

Despite all the uncensored Japanese lettering we've seen up to this point, apparently that sign is a bridge too far. Odd place to draw the line in the sand, given that this one comes with built-in English next to it, but okay.

The dub edits it for the "Nagano" station, so that it just has large, orange English lettering. The new orange lettering spells out "Nakano-sakaue".

Announcer: This stop is Nagano. Please watch your step. Again, this stop is Nagano. Patamon: Ohh! Huh? Hey! Here's our stop! Loo-- Palmon: We're supposed to be quiet.

So chalk this up to yet another example of the people editing the animation not communicating with the scripting team, I guess. The voice saying "This stop is Nagano" plays while the Nakano-sakaue sign is front and center onscreen.

At least it's not as bad as Shogunmon.

Eventually, the children wake up to find themselves at the wrong stop.

Sora: Huh? Jou: This is... (Cut to the sign) Jou: SHINJUKU!?!? GACKKKKK!!! Taichi: WE SLEPT THROUGH OUR STOP!!! Takeru: Patamon, you were awake!? Patamon: Yes. Takeru: Why didn't you wake us up!? Patamon: Because you told us not to talk. Children: (collective heavy sigh) Jou: Should we go back to Nakano-sakaue? Koushiro: No. I think we can still transfer to the Marunouchi Line from here.

In the dub, it's Mimi that notices where they are. Tragically, she does not make angry throat noises.

Sora: Ugh... huh? Tai: Huh? Joe: Whuh? (Cut to the sign) Mimi: HOW'D WE MISS OUR STOP!?!? Patamon: All of you slept right through it. T.K.: Patamon, you were awake!? Patamon: Sure! T.K.: What's wrong with you!? Why didn't you wake us up!? Patamon: How could I? You told us not to make a sound! Children: (collective groan) Joe: What now? Go back to our stop? Izzy: No. It's out of our way, but I think we can change trains here and be okay.

With the exception of Jou's angry throat noises, this is otherwise mostly the same. The other main difference is that they give Patamon a line for T.K. to react to. In the original, Takeru just sort of... somehow knows Patamon was awake, without explanation.

So this one goes down as a rare improvement over the original.

As the kids make their way through the station, appetites begin to flare up.

Koromon: Hey, Taichi, I'm hungry.... Tsunomon: Me too.... Palmon: So am I. Taichi: Deal with it. I'm hungry too, y'know. Mimi: I want to eat a hamburger.

Yes, Mimi is actually craving a hamburger in the original. "Watashi hamburger tabetai." That is not a dub line change. The thought of a hamburger, in fact, brings the group to a halt.

Sora: A hamburger? Yamato: I haven't had that in a long time.

Then they just stop. Looking to one another with glum expressions; The weight of this simple pleasure they've been deprived for so long hanging over everybody's heads. Seven seconds of silence pass as everyone processes what they've been missing. Finally broken when Mimi offers everyone a pleasant smile to try and raise the mood.

The dub plays this straight from the start, but then breaks script at Mimi's line and extends conversation to break the silence that follows.

Koromon: How much longer? I'm getting awful hungry, Tai! Tsunomon: Yeah, I'm starving! Palmon: Famished! Tai: It can wait. Hey, I'm hungry too, y'know! Mimi: I keep visualizing cheeseburgers. And I don't even eat cheeseburgers! (Group stops, beat) Matt: It has been a long time since any of us have eaten. And our Digimon get weak when they're hungry. (beat) Tai: ...okay.... Mimi: (pleasant smile)

Tonal shift. The English scene uses the burgers to point out that the kids haven't eaten since arriving in the human world, rather than that they've been away at war for several months. This is a tactical conversation, rather than a lingering realization of mutual hardship.

Additionally, it's Tai that cheers Mimi up by agreeing to get food rather than Mimi attempting to cheer everyone else up by putting on a brave face.

Two members of our nakama, however, are suspiciously absent from this conversation.

Jou and Koushiro navigate a crowd of people, trying to find their way.

Koushiro: The Marunouchi Line.... There are a lot of stations here. Jou: (calling over the noise) LISTEN UP, EVERYONE!!! BE SURE TO STAY CLOSE BEHIND US AND.... Uh.... (beat) Jou: (meekly) Hey, Koushiro? Koushiro: What is it, Jou-san? Jou: (meekly) Everybody's gone. Koushiro: Eh!? Jou: Honestly, where did they all go!? Koushiro: Oh, right. (pulls out Digivice) If we use this, we can find where everyone is right away! (looks at it) Wait. Why isn't it reacting? It worked fine when we were in the Digimon's world. Jou: Maybe it broke when we got here. Koushiro: (shakes the Digivice) That can't be right.

Koushiro tries shaking his Digivice to rattle it into working. I see he's finally beginning to side with Taichi on the topic of percussive maintenance.

As they walk, a woman in cosplay offers Jou a free sample of something.

Woman: Here you go.

Gomamon opens his mouth and happily bites it out of her hand.

Woman: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! (beat) Jou: AHHHHHHHHHH!!! THIS IS A TOY!!! A TOY!!!

Jou very unsuspiciously runs like hell while screaming "It's a toy" over and over at the top of his lungs. We are doing such a good job of keeping a low profile. :D

In the dub, Izzy and Joe seem to have psychically predicted that we'd be going for food because they are not looking for the Marunouchi line.

Joe: This place is a zoo! And not a restaurant in sight. The first one to see someplace to eat, give a shout, okay? ...huh? (beat) Joe: Oh, uh, hey, Izzy? Izzy: What is it? You see something? Joe: The other guys. They're gone. Izzy: WHAT!?!? Joe: I can't believe this! They ditched us! (groan) Izzy: Okay, okay. Don't panic. (pulls out Digivice) As long as we have this, we can always find them. (looks at it) Huh? That's funny. Why isn't it working? You think something might have happened to it when we came back to the real world? Joe: All I know is that this is one of those days where everything goes wrong. Izzy: (shakes the Digivice) Come on!

He also has a different terrible excuse for the sample incident.

Woman: Free samples! Gomamon: (chomp) Woman: AHHHHHHHHH!!! (beat) Joe: Uh... BAD DOG BAD DOG!!! (runs like hell)

So it seems like, in the dub version, Koushiro and Jou were just offscreen during the last scene and then this one takes place chronologically after. Tai and the others ditched them once they'd all decided to go look for food.

This is particularly weird, given how Jou will react to them finding food later in the episode.

In the original, they weren't in the scene because they'd already gotten separated. Koushiro and Jou were not privy to the hamburger depression spiral.

Jou and Koushiro leave the subway to look for the rest of the group. We're treated to an ominous and tense sequence of Jou and Koushiro hurrying down the sidewalk one way while SkullMeramon in his trenchcoat comes around the other side of the building.

As they approach collision, suddenly Jou spots the other kids. Taichi and the others are eating hamburgers in an upper floor of a building across the street, visible through a window.

Jou: AAAAAAAUGH!!! There they are! Koushiro: EHHHHHH!?!?

Against all odds and reason, despite the Digivice trackers not functioning, Jou manages to find the other kids with nothing but the notion that they're probably somewhere in Shinjuku to go off of.

(This would make way more sense if the trackers still worked. Why turn them off, show? Is it because you left a Digivice at Hikari's house during Taichi's visit and then realized that her having that would completely destroy this entire Search for the Eighth Child plotline?)

I guess his Senpai Sense told him where to go. His wards are kinda misbehaving....

In the dub, Joe and Izzy's exclusion continues to be extremely rude for reasons unknown.

Joe: Huh!? LOOK!!! THEY'RE EATING WITHOUT US!!!

Fucking jerks. They'd better have a good explanation for this.

Suddenly, Jou and Koushiro get the green light to go. Miraculously, a pair of workers carrying a large painting walk by, with the painting obscuring them from SkullMeramon as they pass in front of him. Jou and Koushiro continue on their way and SkullMeramon on his, neither aware of the other's presence.

Inside the restaurant, five of seven Chosen Children enjoy the first taste of greasy Western fast food they've had in years.

Taichi: Ahhh! Delicious! Mimi: So good! Sora: I almost forgot what this tasted like! Tsunomon: This isn't fair, Yamato! You get to eat tasty stuff like this every day! Yamato: Be a little quieter while you're eating. What if the other customers see you? Mimi: No one is paying attention to us, though.

Jou and Koushiro enter and approach their table.

Mimi: Huh? Takeru: It's Jou-san and Koushiro-san! Taichi: Hey! You guys should get something to eat too! The food's amazing! Jou: (quietly fuming) You... You guys didn't use your fare money for this, did you? Mimi: (cheerful) Yeah! We used all of it!

Jou fucking drops Gomamon on the floor and hangs his head, despondently groaning and shaking.

Sora: Sorry. We just couldn't resist the temptation of hamburgers. Jou: A-All of you... (eruption) WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU ALL THINKING!?!?

Suddenly, Jou's stomach rumbles, undermining his outburst. He slowly turns beet red, then storms off to go order food.

Jou: (furiously) I'll eat. I'll eat using ALL OF THE MONEY THAT I HAVE!!!

Guys, I think we broke Senpai.

Fujiyama was right when he tried not to let us go to Hikarigaoka. Now we're stranded in Shinjuku burning our fare money on McDonalds.

In the dub:

Mimi: I feel like a new woman! Tai: Man! Tastes great! Mimi: Yum-ilicious! Sora: Boy, I sure needed this! Tsunomon: You people are lucky! Yum yum! You get to eat this stuff every day! Matt: A little louder, why don't you? There's a couple of people that aren't staring yet. Mimi: Actually, nobody noticed yet but Matt's right, you should-- (gasps, seeing Joe and Izzy enter) Ohhh! Patamon: Uh-oh. T.K.: Joe! Izzy! Well, it's about time. Tai: Hey, what are you guys waiting for? Order something! Joe: How? When you guys have got all the money? Huh? Mimi: Whoops! We went and spent it all! Joe: (drops Gomamon, hangs head, and starts shaking) Sora: See, we were all so hungry, we ordered the super duper combos. Joe: Great. You spent it all? (eruption) THAT WAS ALL THE MONEY WE HAD IN THE WORLD!!! (Joe suddenly stops for no clear reason. He slowly turns beet red, then storms off) Joe: (muttering) Of all the dumb, greedy, selfish little things. It's unbelievable. These guys are supposed to be my friends! My friends! My friends!

Completing the dub-exclusive saga of Joe and Izzy being on Team Restaurant, it turns out he's upset in this version because they spent all the money on food for themselves and didn't get him anything. After ditching him and Izzy in the subway.

This scene is super ambiguous with regard to how malicious the other kids are being. On the "This is unapologetic bullying", we have the fact that they ditched Joe and Izzy in the subway to begin with. Why did they ditch them?

Patamon even gives out a little "Uh-oh" when Joe enters, like he's realizing they're about to be caught red-handed betraying Joe and Izzy. That "Uh-oh" is peculiar if they aren't doing anything wrong.

They just. Stole away with all the money, then burned it all on themselves and let Joe and Izzy starve. Fucking assholes. Joe's usually a target for the American group's bullying but what did Izzy do to deserve this? He's been trying to help them navigate the subway! Pricks! All of them pricks!

...part of me appreciates that Mimi gets to be on this side of the bullying for once.

But on the other hand, Tai's just like, "Hey, order food!" when he sees Joe. So. Like. It's possible they just got separated, like in the original. And also Tai somehow doesn't know they inexplicably pooled their money in this version, even though one of them has the entire money pool? I guess?

Who did we trust to carry the money pool? Because that person is still a complete fucking asshole. That kid knew they were screwing Joe and Izzy, even if the others forgot somehow. That kid should have said something when they were all ordering "super duper combos".

Probably goes without saying that I like the Senpai Meltdown version better, right? Because if they really did maliciously ditch Joe and Izzy, steal all the money, and go splurge on themselves, that is unacceptable character assassination of every single kid at this table. They would not fucking do that.

They made questionable choices in the original too, but they aren't actively hurting other members of their nakama in the process. Jou and Koushiro can still eat. This slap in the face to Joe actually made me angry.

Anyways. Moving along.

While Jou is furiously ordering his own food, Koushiro checks his Digivice to find that it's showing radar blips for everyone now.

Koushiro: The Digivice is reacting. Sora: It's because everyone's here, right? Koushiro: No. I mean, when I looked at it earlier, it wasn't reacting at all. Sora: That's strange. Koushiro: Maybe it only works at short distances in this world.

You were also in the subway when you checked it, Koushiro. We should consider the possibility that you had bad phone reception.

This is the human world. We have signal limitations. You can't coast on the fabric of reality itself being made of wifi anymore.

(This makes it even weirder that the writers turned off Digivice Tracking for the Shinjuku search then turned it back on right after they miraculously found everyone.)

Mimi: Hey, more importantly, where do we go from here? Takeru: Yeah, we don't have any money so we can't ride the trains anymore. Yamato: How do we get to Odaiba for free? Taichi: Hehehehe... Leave that to me! I have a fool-proof plan. Yamato: (curiously) Do you, now?

In the dub, Izzy's chat with Sora has no changes. T.K. brings up an idea for how to get home.

Mimi: That's great but, meanwhile, what are we going to do now? T.K.: We start walking. They won't let us back on the train without any money. Matt: I'm sure not looking forward to walking all that way. Tai: Ha! I know a way that won't cost us a penny! Just leave everything to me! Matt: (sarcastic) Oh, great. You're a genius.

I like that they discuss walking in the dub, because it is a viable option. It would suck but Shinjuku is close enough to Odaiba that we can walk if we must.

The kids are about 9 miles from home right now. It would take them probably 3-4 hours to get there, but they're now well-fed and they're all at least somewhat athletic after several months of exploring the Digimon World on foot. It would be nice if an alternative means of transit could be employed, but we should at least consider walking.

It can't be worse than Etemon's desert.

The kids head outside to put Taichi's master plan into action.

Taichi holds out his thumb to hitchhike, but the cars speed right on by.

Taichi: HEY!!! SOMEONE GIVE ME A RIDE!!!

Then he tries jumping, screaming at the top of his lungs, and flailing his limbs like a wildman for attention.

Taichi: HEY HEY HEY HEY!!! COME ON!!! LET ME IN!!! Yamato: Oh, come on. Hitchhiking in this modern day and age? Koushiro: It's not as easy as it looks on TV.

A car almost hits Taichi because he's out too far in the road. They honk angrily at him while he screams back at them.

Car: HONK HONK!!! Taichi: THAT'S DANGEROUS, YOU MORON!!! Yamato: Speak for yourself. Jou: It will take three days for Taichi to get us a ride. Koushiro: Agreed. Taichi: I'd like to see you try it, then! Jou: YEEP!!! U-Us!?

The dub cuts the shots of Taichi holding out his thumb to hitchhike. We go straight to Tai jumping and flailing his limbs.

Tai: HELP!!! POLICE!!! MY CAT IS STUCK IN A TREE IN ODAIBA AND I'VE GOT TO GET THERE RIGHT AWAY SO I CAN GET HER DOWN!!! HEY!!! Matt: The police!? That's his brilliant idea!? Izzy: If the police do stop, they'll lock him up for disturbing the peace. Car: (nearly hits Tai) HONK HONK Tai: HEY!!! I've got the right of way! Matt: (sarcastic) Looking good, Tai. Joe: Good grief. At this rate, we could be sitting here all day. Izzy: And night. Tai: THEN YOU TRY AND GET US A RIDE!!! Joe: Me!? No way! Tai: How about you, Matt!? You think you're so smart!

I'm going to guess this was edited because they didn't want children to see their heroes hitchhiking and try to copy it, or something like that. The 90's were really nervous about imitable acts on children's television.

It's the reason Spider-Man could grab a crate with his webs and smash it on a bad guy's head but was forbidden from throwing a punch. Children can't grab crates with webbing but they can throw punches, and parents thought if they saw Spider-Man punch someone, they might start punching people.

So now Tai's plan to get to Odaiba is to scream at random passing cars that he wants the police. You know, they probably had a phone back in the diner. You could call the police. On the phone.

Taichi makes Jou and Koushiro try next, in retaliation for their mockery. They both awkwardly stick out their thumbs.

Jou & Koushiro: ...y...yay?

Multiple cars speed by and honk at them. Realizing this isn't working, they both exchange uncomfortable glances, then take a deep breath.

Jou & Koushiro: Ready. Set.

And then they begin screaming at the top of their lungs and flailing their limbs like wildmen.

Jou & Koushiro: YAY-AY-AY-AY-AY-AY-AY-YIIIIII!!!

And it fucking works. A car pulls up to the restaurant to let them in.

It's. Uh. It's a taxi. The taxi closes its doors a moment after, presumably after being informed they do not have money, and drives away. Jou and Koushiro hang their heads in failure while the other kids laugh.

(Still better than Taichi managed.)

Yamato takes the third attempt.

It does not go well.

Yamato takes a deep breath and slowly, reluctantly, puts out his thumb. The instant his thumb is raised, a pedophile pulls up to the curb.

Yamato: (blush) Woman: (sultry) Hi~! Come in, little boy. Yamato: (blush intensifies)

Yes, she is doing graspy fingers with that hand up there. It's incredibly uncomfortable. Cut immediately to Yamato reporting to the others, still blushing and bowing his head in embarrassment.

Taichi: WHY DID YOU SAY NO!?!? Yamato: WE COULDN'T ALL FIT IN THAT CAR!!!

Taichi and Mimi both grin and giggle at Yamato, implicitly teasing him for what they all know just happened.

Asshole behavior from the both of them but in their defense, children don't know better. They don't have the perspective to understand how fucked up that was. That's why it's the responsibility of adults to protect them from shit like this. Yamato was just accosted by a legitimate Stranger Danger.

No surprise: The dub heavily edits this scene to remove the pedophile. Matt stands there for a moment, but can't even bring himself to... do whatever he would do since we aren't hitchhiking. He just turns right around to the others in failure, with a blush of embarrassment.

Tai: I'm waiting! Matt: (turns around in surrender) Tai: NOT SO EASY, IS IT, MATT!?!? Matt: WELL, AT LEAST MY CAT'S NOT STUCK IN A TREE!!

Then Tai and Mimi grin and giggle at him, presumably entertained by his snappy comeback.

The dub then puts Izzy and Joe's attempt here, moving it to third place after Matt's. Like Tai, their initial thumb-out try is cut so their attempt at hitchhiking can be disguised as something else: They're intentionally trying to hail a taxi despite being broke.

Joe & Izzy: (deep breaths, then flailing) HEY HEY TAXI TAXI OVER HERE TAXI HEY TAXI TAXI Taxi: (pulls up) You kids want a cab? Joe & Izzy: YEAH!!! Taxi: You got any money? Joe & Izzy: ...no.

This was almost as bad an idea as hailing the police. I don't know why they thought they could take a taxi for free.

Finally, Sora and Mimi take their turn.

Sora & Mimi: Take us to Odaiba! Jou: It will definitely work this time. Koushiro: Girls are better at this. Mochimon: That's right. The men will be all over them! Koromon: Is that how it works, Taichi? Taichi: Yep!

Sure enough, a blue minivan pulls over pretty quickly. We don't hear the conversation between Sora and Mimi and the occupant of the car.

Takeru: Someone stopped! (Sora and Mimi turn towards the others and give them okay signs) Jou: Yes! It's okay! Taichi: Hehe! Piece of cake! Koromon: (awestruck) So that's how it works....

Teaching Koromon very dangerous behaviors here. We have learned nothing from Yamato's attempt.

Dub Sora and Mimi don't even get to make an attempt. The driver of the minivan is reimagined completely. The car just pulls up all of a sudden, unprompted by anything. They even edited the footage to erase Sora and Mimi with their signs from the scene of him pulling up.

Driver: Sora!? Sora: It's my cousin! Hi, Duane! Duane: Need a lift? (Sora and Mimi turn towards the others and give them okay signs) Mimi: YAAAAAY!!! Sora: Alright! Mimi: GIRL POWER!!!

Mimi, how is Sora having a cousin a triumphant moment of girl power? Why are you even over at the car?

The dub then moves the scene of the boys grossly commenting on the girls' ability to lure in vehicles to after "Duane" shows up.

T.K.: Her cousin!? Joe: What are the odds of that happening? Izzy: One in 4.2 million. Motimon: Whatever! I'm just glad we have a ride! Koromon: Excuse me, but what's a cousin? Tai: Skip it.

Just like that, the hitchhiking sequence is complete and the censors can go cry themselves to sleep in a closet somewhere for how much work that was. (Wait 'til we get to Pinocchimon.)

As the minivan makes its way, the visibly unhappy driver calls out:

Driver: Those of you in the back! Everyone in the back: Yes?

Small note: He's trying to address the boys, but Japan's frequently gender-neutral language causes a small miscommunication and Sora answers with them.

Driver: You're extras that Sora-chan and Mimi-chan brought with them. Understood? Boys: (resigned) Yes, sir. We're extras. Driver: Extras better keep quiet. Otherwise, I'll dump you on the side of the highway or something. Boys: (resigned) Yes, sir. We'll be quiet.

The car pulls up to a red light.

Driver: Would you like some candy, Mimi-chan? Mimi: Yes! Driver: (gives a candy to Mimi) You too, Sora-chan. Sora: Thank you.

As the driver passes the candy back, Pyokomon's eyes follow it. She opens her mouth, wanting, but behaves herself and doesn't say anything. Sora, seeing what Pyokomon wants, quickly feeds the candy to Pyokomon rather than eating it herself.

Taichi whispers to Sora from the back.

Taichi: (whispers) What's the deal with this guy? He pisses me off. Sora: (whispers) It can't be helped. After all, he is taking us to Odaiba. Jou: (whispers) Actually, are we sure that he's taking us to Odaiba?

Senpai coming in with the real questions now that it's too late to back out. He really shouldn't have let us do this to begin with. What would Fujiyama say, Jou? He trusted you.

In another brief near-encounter with one of Tailmon's mercenaries, Wizarmon, carrying balloons, leads a group of children over the crosswalk in front of this creep's car.

Mimi, too, feeds her candy to Palmon rather than eating it herself.

In the dub, Duane lays down the same obnoxious rules. Kinda weird that Mimi's riding shotgun in Sora's cousin's vehicle, gotta say.

Duane: Okay, here's the rules. I'm gonna say this once, so listen! Everyone in the back: Yeah? Duane: You're only here 'cause Sora's my cousin. You're like her luggage. Boys: (resigned) Yeah. We're like her luggage. Duane: And luggage doesn't make a sound. You got me? Or else it's liable to get itself thrown out of the car, right? Boys: (resigned) Right. Luggage doesn't make a sound. Duane: (to Mimi) You want some gum? Sugarless. Mimi: Sure. Duane: (gives one to Mimi) How about you, Sora? Sora: Thanks, Duane. (takes the gum and feeds it to Yokomon) Tai: (whispers) Hey, Sora, I think your cousin's a major lame-o. Sora: (whispers) He's sorta the black sheep of the family. But he's giving us a lift, so be nice. Tai: (whispers) I will! But just make sure he takes us to Odaiba.

Jou's concern about Stranger Danger running off with us is a valid thing to worry about. Not sure where Tai thinks Duane is going to take us, though.

Also, the weirdness of Mimi being up front continues. Why isn't she luggage? Is it for creepy reasons? I bet it's for creepy reasons.

While Tailmon's mercenaries continue expanding their search of Tokyo, PicoDevimon rides the ferry and complains.

PicoDevimon: Vamdemon-sama's always beating and shouting at me. It won't get better unless I can achieve something soon. Where could that kid be?

Over in the dub, he's having a crisis.

DemiDevimon: How did I ever get into this!? Knocking myself out searching for some pipsqueak kid! I've got half a mind to chuck this whole lousy job! But... The master might not like that....

I feel DemiDevimon. This job sucks. Aimlessly wandering around the city hoping to stumble onto a person is the worst way to find someone. The Eighth Child is a needle in a haystack. A haystack that is hostile to discovery of your true identity.

So. Like. A haystack full of bees. And fourteen wasps.

In the car, the nameless driver blasts deafening music. Mimi tries to get his attention.

Mimi: E-Excuse me, Onii-san! Driver: (head banging to the music) Mimi: ONII-SAN!!! Driver: Eh? Did you say something? Mimi: COULD YOU PLEASE TURN DOWN THE VOLUME!!! Driver: Eh? What did you say? Mimi: VOLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUME!!! Driver: Bathroom? You need to go? Mimi: THAT IS NOT WHAT I SAAAAAAAAAAAID!!!

In Japan, it's common to use respectful familial terms like onii-san to address older people. By addressing the driver as Onii-san, Mimi is respectfully addressing him as an older man, but not so much older that otosan (father) or ojisan (grandfather) would be more appropriate.

Before this argument can continue, the driver's music is interrupted by a news broadcast.

Reporter: We interrupt this broadcast for important news. A few hours ago in the Nerima district, a bombing occurred near the housing complexes of Hikarigaoka. This may have been responsible for putting telephones, wires, and optical cables in Hikarigaoka into temporary disservice. Investigations are underway in the local area. We will bring you a news update if anything is uncovered. In other news, unconfirmed sources have insisted that an elephant and a huge bird were witnessed at the scene of the crime. Investigation into these claims is also currently underway. Driver: Whoa! An elephant! Freaky. It must have escaped the zoo! Hehe! Reporter: There is some speculation that this incident may be related to the terrorist bombing that occurred four years ago in Hikarigaoka. To those just tuning in, a few hours ago in the Nerima district, a bombing occurred near the housing complexes of Hikarigaoka....

Haha. Hahaha. Hahahahaha we are wanted fugitives that's great.

In the dub, Duane calls Mimi "babe", confirming that she's up front for creepy reasons.

Mimi: Excuse me! Do you mind? Duane: (head banging to the music) Mimi: EXCUSE ME!!! Duane: Oh, what's up, babe? Mimi: THE RADIO'S KIND OF LOUD!!! Duane: The tunes are kinda what!? Mimi: LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUD!!! Duane: The radio? It's too loud? Mimi: MAYBE JUST A LITTLE!!! (news report interrupts) Reporter: And now for a news update. Officials have yet to find a clear explanation for the devastating explosion that rocked the Highton View Terrace apartments in the Nerima district earlier today. Power in the area is still out and the injured are still being counted after the bizarre incident. While official sources have offered no further information, there are reports of several eyewitness accounts. However, these accounts have only served to further mystify investigators. The details of their accounts differ but several of these eyewitnesses agree that an elephant and something described as a giant firebird were seen in the vicinity. Duane: (laughing) A giant WHAT!?!? Firebird!? Hehe, you gotta love the crazies in this town, HAHAHA!!! Reporter: When asked about the accounts, officials would give no comment. A similar incident took place at the Highton View Terrace Apartments four years ago. It's unknown if there is any connection between the two.

Mostly the same, but of note: This is actually darker in the dub. The dub blames the electrical chaos in Hikarigaoka on Mammon which isn't entirely wrong. The original instead talks about a power outage and "still counting the injured", meaning there were a lot of human casualties from the fighting between Mammon and Birdramon/Garudamon.

According to the dub, while we were drifting in and out of OVA flashbacks, people were exploding and being crushed by debris offscreen.

You know, it's funny the driver mentions going to the bathroom because Koromon suddenly has an emergency right there in the car. Taichi manages to dodge aside just before Koromon would have shit on his lap, causing it to hit the seats instead.

Driver pulls over and everyone evacuates immediately to escape the smell.

Jou: GAAAH IT STINKS!!! Driver: (furious) ...you bastards... WHO THE HELL JUST TOOK A DUMP INSIDE MY BELOVED CAR!?!? Taichi: ...sorry, I-- Sora: ME!!! IT WAS ME!!!

Sora takes the fall for Koromon, likely realizing that the guy isn't going to treat her the way he would one of the "extras".

Her lie is terrible, of course. She was in the passenger side of the second row, while Koromon pooped in the center seat of the back row. It's actually quite impressive, given that Taichi was in the back row passenger side and jerked away towards the center, which would push Koromon towards the door. But Jou was sitting in the center seat there.

In order to make this happen, Koromon would have had to leap for it, hurdling Taichi to dive-bomb projectile-shit at Jou, who clearly scrambled out of the way as Koromon deposited right between his legs. I take it back, this is way worse than ditching Joe at lunch.

I guess he panicked and was hoping Senpai would take care of it.

In any case, Driver takes a moment to process the claim that a girl like Sora would do something so vulgar.

Sora: I'm so sorry. I'll be sure to clean up all of it! Driver: ...LIAR!!! I know you'd never do something like that, Sora-chan! The one sitting in the back was... you, right!?

The driver correctly identifies Jou as the occupant of that seat.

Jou: Eep!? Driver: Don't try and fool me with that nice guy face of yours!

The driver grabs Jou angrily by the his collar. Koushiro tries to pull him off.

Koushiro: Please stop! Driver: SHUT UP!!!

The driver backhands Koushiro away, sending him stumbling back into the barricade. Both barricade and Koushiro go over the edge, plunging off the bridge.

In a subtle moment of characterization, despite being in the clutches of this (rightfully angry but still) asshole, Jou-senpai is more concerned with Koushiro's wellbeing than his own. His eyes are on Koushiro after the backhand, and he screams when Koushiro goes over the edge.

The dub, for once, lets a poop be a poop. They don't even edit out the onscreen shot of it. I guess there was no way they were going to be able to claim it was hair gel or whatever.

Duane: WHOA!!! WHAT IS THAT!?!? Tai: Koromon, you couldn't wait!? Duane: Okay, who did it!? HUH!?!? WHICH ONE OF YOU MADE A MESS ON MY NEW SEAT COVERS!?!? Tai: ...I'm sorry, I-- Sora: RIGHT HERE!!! I'm the one! Duane: Huh? Sora: I'll clean it up. I'll even detail it for ya! Duane: ...RARGH!!! Don't try covering up for these losers! Which one of 'em was it!? (Driver looks around, then spots Joe) Duane: YOU!!! Mr. Peepers! IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT!?!? Izzy: Hey, let him go! He didn't d-- Duane: Back off! (backhand)

Sora trying to take the fall works just as well for Cousin Duane as it does with the creep who wanted to be alone with minor girls. The sentiment is pretty similar: She knows he won't lash out at her the way he would the others, so she steps up to try and de-escalate.

They did cut out the driver's reasoning for blaming Jou, though. Duane just seems to select him arbitrarily.

They also put another well-timed commercial break in right as Izzy goes over. Once again, good spot for a cliffhanger..

As Koushiro goes over the edge, Motimon suddenly evolves into Tentomon to catch him by the ankle. Trying with all his might to lift Koushiro. Unfortunately, something else is lurking in the river, which notices the Chosen Child suspended in the air.

Tentomon: (catch) Koushiro: Tentomon! (They drop a foot sharply) Tentomon: Ack! Heavy.... (Gesomon explodes from the water) Tentomon: IT'S GESOMON!!! Koushiro: Gesomon!?

Gesomon is an Adult-stage Virus-type Mollusk Digimon. Their name comes from the Japanese word gesou, which are the tentacles of a squid.

Gesomon is not a Nightmare Soldier. They're from the Deep Savers line; One of the few non-Nightmare Soldier's we'll be facing in the Tokyo sub-arc.

Narrator: Gesomon. A Mollusk-type Virus Digimon. Their special attack, Deadly Shade, paralyzes their enemies! Driver: AHHHH!!! A SQUID BAKEMONO!!! (runs away) Gomamon: I can handle ocean Digimon!

Remember bakemono, shapeshifting yokai who impersonate people, animals, and objects? The driver accuses Gesomon of being a bakemono in the guise of a squid. Which. Isn't that far off, really.

In the dub, Tentomon quips about Izzy's weight.

Tentomon: I've got you, Izzy! (catch) Izzy: WAAAAAUGH!!! Thanks, Tento! (They drop a foot sharply) Tentomon: Eugh, you had to have that extra side of chili fries, didn't you? Izzy: Hey, what's that!? (Gesomon explodes from the water) Tentomon: Yow, it's Gesomon! Izzy: It's what!? Tentomon: (rundown) Gesomon. Take a bit of everything nasty that lives underwater, stick them together, and that's him. Duane: YOU KIDS ARE ON YOUR OWN!!! (runs away) Gomamon: Good riddance! You were a lousy driver anyway!

Izzy didn't get to eat chili fries. He and Joe went hungry. I have no idea what Tentomon is talking about. Unless they were lying to Joe about spending all the money and then bought Izzy a meal after Joe left? I guess that's what happened.

Man, this dub plot point just gets worse and worse.

Gomamon hits the water and evolves into Ikkakumon.

Driver: AHHHHHHHHHH THERE'S ANOTHER ONE!!!

While creepy driver offscreen becomes the next person to shit himself, Ikkakumon attacks, bashing Gesomon back with a headbutt. Gesomon tries to slap one of their tentacles down from above. Ikkakumon sidesteps, then fires a Harpoon Vulcan point-blank through another of Gesomon's tentacles. The missile penetrates Gesomon's claw and detonates, blowing the limb to shreds.

In the dub, Duane bailed much more concretely than Driver so he doesn't get to scream and cry about Ikkakumon's arrival. What we get is a line from Tentomon while he and Izzy flutter offscreen.

Tentomon: I think we'll just get out of the way!

Like Mammon, Gesomon is one of those bestial Digimon that doesn't speak, but the dub lets him nonetheless call attacks in English. When he tries to slam his tentacle down on Ikkakumon, he calls it "Coral Crusher".

This extremely public kaiju brawl draws spectators.

A crowd gathers around the Chosen Children on the bridge.

Bystander 1: Senpai, look at that! Bystander 2: Are those kaiju!? No way! Bystander 3: Dad, get the camcorder! HURRY!!! Bystander 4: They're pretty well made. Bystander 5: Do you think they're real? Bystander 4: That's impossible. This must be some kind of event.

Meanwhile, in a nearby cafe on an upper floor of a building, three girls have a bird's-eye vantage of the kaiju brawling in the river.

Girl 1: It's so annoyi-- Girl 2: EH!?!? WHAT IS THAT!?!? Girl 3: Awww, they're so cute!

At a rest stop, one salaryman gets a drink from a vending machine while another reclines on a bench; The fight raging behind him. The first salaryman suddenly sees the fighting and stops in his tracks.

Salaryman 2: What's wrong? Salaryman 1: (sigh) I can't even. (drink)

I guess this is happening now.

XD That salaryman is the entire vibe of my generation.

In the dub, it's ads.

Bystander 1: HOLY COW!!! WHAT'S GOING ON!?!? Bystander 2: They must be advertising something! Bystander 3: Advertising something!? Get out of here! Bystander 4: Maybe they're shooting a movie! Bystander 3: I don't see any cameras! Bystander 4: Oh well. Maybe they're just rehearsing.

Bystander 3, get out of here with your naysaying. Also, Bystander 2 was ahead of his time. Modern-day Digimon would stop what they're doing every five minutes to tell you about Surfshark.

Girl 1: And so then do you know what he said? Girl 2: OH! WHAT'S THAT!?!? Girl 3: What's going on over there!?

And Zero Fucks Salaryman remains a legend.

Salaryman 1: Rough day at work, huh? Salaryman 2: Eh, you know. Same old, same old. (drink)

Finally, Ikkakumon strikes the killing blow: Stabbing Gesomon straight through the head with his horn and driving him down into the water. We're spared any shots of impalement, as Gesomon implicitly dissolves into pixel dust offscreen after being submerged.

Since Gesomon dies underwater, the bystanders are also spared from having to see that. The only confirmation of Gesomon's death is that the fight music dies down and Gesomon's counterfeit Crest is seen floating down the river.

(Another Digimerc isn't going home.)

Bystander: (disappointed) What the hell? It's already over!? Driver: ...oh, right! The kids!

Too late for him, the kids are already gone. I guess he'll have to clean Koromon's poop out of his car by himself.

(Honestly, probably for the best. I'm not saying it's good that we pooped in his car, but Mr. "You're all just Sora-chan and Mimi-chan's luggage!" did not have good intentions and was probably going to pull some dudebro shit when we got to Odaiba. So bailing on him in the chaos is a good idea.)

The dub adds a silence-breaker when Ikkakumon stabs Gesomon.

Bystander 1: My money's on the big hairy one!

Then, after Gesomon's implied disintegration:

Bystander 1: (same as the previous comment) Aww, they're gone. Too bad! Bystander 2: Man, did you guys see that? Duane: Sora? HEY, SORA!!! Where'd all those kids go!?

Dub Sora is not so lucky as original Sora, as she will most certainly get an earful from furious relatives over the poop we left in Duane's car.

With new transportation options opened up, the children tie logs to Ikkakumon and swim to Odaiba. It's Jou's Digimon so he gets the seat of honor. Sora and Mimi get to ride on Ikkakumon's back while the boys take the logs.

Sexist, but they were the ones who got us this far by putting up with being leered at by a pervert. If we'd gone with the convertible lady then maybe Yamato could be on Ikkakumon's back.

Yamato: We drew a big crowd back there.... Taichi: Couldn't be helped. Oh, well! It'll all work out. Jou: Set course to Odaiba. LAUNCH!!! Narrator: And so the Children made their way safely to Odaiba. However....

PicoDevimon: I've found you. I must inform Vamdemon-sama right away! (flies off) Narrator: Where could the Eighth Chosen Child be? Vamdemon's night draws closer.

Yeah, those skies are looking pretty sunset-y. We close on the ominous reminder that Vamdemon will be loosed upon Tokyo soon.

In the dub:

Matt: Well, so much for keeping a low profile. Tai: At least we got away from Lame Duane and we're all in one piece! Joe: Nice work, Ikkakumon. You NAAAAAAILED him! Ikkakumon: RAAARHAHAAAA!!! Tai: Anyway, wouldn't you rather travel in the fresh air than under the ground in that subway? Sora: Oh, yeah! This is great! Tai: And best of all, it's free!

Since Tai and Sora are filling space where the Narrator should be talking, they have to play a really noticeable game of "Only speak when the camera isn't on you". The camera is on Sora and Mimi for Tai's subway line. Then Sora speaks when it shifts to Tai, Matt, and T.K. And then Tai starts talking again as soon as it moves to Izzy.

DemiDevimon: Here's good news! Now that they've shown themselves, we can finally take care of them! (flies off) Tai: Next stop: HOME!!! Kids: YEAH!! WOOHOO!! WE'RE GOING HOME!!! Mimi: Does anybody have something to eat? Tai: Ugh, Mimi, not that again! Mimi: I was just asking!

The episode closes on one last Mimi gag for good measure.

Assessment: The hitchhiking portion of this episode made me feel my age. Watching these children get sexually harassed by people old enough to drive is deeply uncomfortable. But creeps like the ones these kids ran into are a genuine peril of attempting this.

The dub censored that sequence heavily because, I guess, they don't want kids to try doing what the Chosen Children were doing. But the original sequence goes to great lengths to examine the perils of what the Chosen Children were doing. Yeah, we don't want children hitchhiking, here's why.

In fact, points from me for pointing out that boys can be victimized by predatory adults too. It's not just something that happens to girls. Both Yamato and Sora/Mimi get preyed on by exactly the kind of people who would eagerly pick up isolated 11/10-year-olds off the side of the road, though Yamato gets it much more directly.

This was a terrible idea that Taichi had.

The dub, meanwhile, was very polarized. This episode's dub has high highs and low lows. Some fantastic dubbing and even a scene that's improved on the original one minute, and then total dipshittery the next.

This is the meanest episode to Joe and Mimi that the show's been yet. Mimi got it in quantity but Joe got the fucking "Ditch Joe and go eat" bit. A bit which wound up becoming a plot hole later on when Tentomon clearly mentions Izzy eating.

...wait a second, why can Dub Gomamon evolve? Shouldn't he also be starv-- Holy shit, did they feed Gomamon too? Joe did drop him in the diner before storming out. It really was just Joe that they screwed?

#digimon #digimon adventure #revisiting digimon #revisiting digimon adventure

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tobiasdrake · 6 months ago

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Digimon Adventure 01x18 - Piccolomon, the Fairy! / The Piximon Cometh

Previously on Digimon Adventure: What was supposed to be a lovely vacation cruise to get away from it all was ruined by undercooked poultry. Mimi and Sora were forced to skewer and roast it themselves. After filing a complaint with the manager, the kids returned to their journey.

The kids continue their march through the desert, though Taichi and Agumon immediately inform us that at least the heat isn't insufferably blazing this time.

Taichi: Nice weather we're having! Agumon: The wind feels great!

A cool breeze has blown in today, making for a nicer walk than usual. The dub gets this point backwards.

Tai: Okay, I admit a little breeze would be nice, but it's still a beautiful day! Don't you think? Agumon: Yeah, maybe for a scorpion!

Dub Tai is being relentlessly optimistic even though the weather sucks as much as ever. Even Agumon isn't having his bullshit.

While those two march ahead, the rest of the group hangs back behind them, deliberating Mimi's new Crest.

Mimi: I got a Crest, but.... Jou: We don't know how to use them. Sora: How do we raise our Digimon correctly? Yamato: Hang on. We haven't found all the Crests yet. Koushiro: That's true. We should shelve this conversation until everyone has their Crests. Taichi: HEY!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING BACK THERE!? Agumon: HURRY UP!!! Taichi: YOU'RE GOING TO GET LEFT BEHIND!!! Takeru: We're holding a really important conference about the Digimon right now! We'll be right there, so just wait a minute, okay?

Man, Taichi just got told by an eight-year-old. Sorry, Tai, but when twelve people are in the back and you and Agumon are way out front, they aren't falling behind. You're running ahead.

The dub kicks this conversation off on a different tone, matching the tonal shift in the previous episode's ending.

Mimi: It's beautiful, isn't it, Joe? And every Crest we've found so far has been different! Joe: Yeah, but... We need to learn how to use them.... Sora: Or else our Digimon could Digivolve all messed up, right? Matt: Yeah, but none of that really matters until we find all the Crests. Izzy: Hmm, I think you're probably right about that one, Matt. Maybe the Crests' power comes from having them all! Tai: Hmm... What are they doing back there? HEY!!! WE GOTTA MOVE ON!!! IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE SOME DOWNTIME THEN WE NEED TO FIND SOME SHADE!!! T.K.: Oh, thanks, Tai! We were right in the middle of a serious Digi-conversation about the Crests and everything, and then YOU made me forget what I was saying! You be in charge of finding the shade; We'll catch up!

Even though the dub changed the weather, Tai won't need to find any shade because T.K. threw so much at him already. XD Tai just got told by an eight-year-old squared.

We see a couple shifts here based on previously altered context. Mimi loves her Crest and is excited to have it. Sora's line is altered to emphasize the risks while de-emphasizing the whole "proper care of your Digimon" thing, similar to last episode.

Suddenly, the sand beneath Taichi's feet opens up.

A huge Kuwagamon emerges from the ground, flinging both Taichi and Agumon.

(I guess he wasn't amused by Taichi's impatience either.)

Even though we've already encountered one of these, the narrator gives us a rundown all the same. Kuwagamon is an Adult-stage Virus-type Insect Digimon.

Narrator: Kuwagamon. When using his special attack Scissor Arms, the pincers on his head can slice through anything. He's far stronger than the one on File Island.

The dub seems to think this is actually the same Kuwagamon we met before.

Izzy: AHHHHHH!!! IS THAT THE SAME ONE FROM LAST TIME!?!? REALLY!?!? Palmon: It's Kuwagamon alright. There's no mistaking that ugly face! But he's sure bigger than he was the last time.

A week of flying over solid ocean with nowhere to land does spectacular things for your lats, I guess.

Agumon pelts him with a Baby Flame, but Kuwagamon shrugs it off.

Agumon: He's a lot stronger than the one on File Island!

In the dub:

Agumon: Uh, we have a big problem; This guy's much stronger than he used to be!

The rest of the group stands around watching like a bunch of useless chodes while Agumon's forced to fight alone. Gabumon yells at him to evolve, but Taichi and Agumon hesitate.

Taichi: If... If he evolves wrong this time.... Agumon: If I don't turn into Greymon.... Taichi: (races towards Agumon) AGUMOOOOOOON!!! Gomamon: WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!? If he gets you with his Scissor Arms, that'll be the end for you!!!

Establishing a big part of the episode's plot, we see that Taichi and Agumon are still traumatized by the SkullGreymon event. They're afraid to even evolve at all without the certainty that it won't happen again.

In the dub:

Tai: Alright, rethinking our training program here. Oh man, I hope Agumon doesn't freak out. Agumon: What if something's wrong with me? What if I can't become Greymon? Tai: (racing towards Agumon) Agumon, stay away from his choppers! Gomamon: Ahh! Move, Agumon! Move! Move! Do something! Get back!

The first two lines aren't so clear about Tai and Agumon's trauma. Tai makes it sound like Agumon's the one with the problem, while Agumon seems physically unable to Digivolve rather than reluctant to.

Taichi tackles Agumon to the ground just as Kuwagamon's Scissor Arms snap shut overhead. Kuwagamon comes in for another swipe and--

A mysterious voice calls out "Pit Bomb" as this single shot erases Kuwagamon. The dub calls it "Pixie Bomb Seek and Destroy", which is a mouthful.

Shortly after, the kids meet their adorable savior.

While Taichi and Agumon unbury themselves from sand and disintegrated Kuwagamon ash, this little guy marches past and lets out an adorable "Pi!" with every step.

Sora: (to Taichi) You look okay. Jou: Where's Kuwagamon? Takeru: Who's that? He's weird. Digimon: PI! Hey, amateurs! Piyomon: WAUGH!!! You're Piccolomon! Mimi: (picks him up) Cute!

Pretty basic dialogue. The dub spices it up with gags.

Mimi: A powderpuff with wings! Sora: Just don't use it on your face. Joe: And where's Kuwagamon? T.K.: Oh man! Maybe that's him! Digimon: Ha! I am no enemy, nope-nope! If anything, you are your own enemies. Biyomon: Oh! I've heard of you! You're the famous Pixiemon, right? Mimi: (picks him up, impressed) You are!?

The dub cuts out his marching Pi's, instead having him hum a marching tune. We also see that here that's very verbose. Dub Piximon speaks very quickly and with peculiar mannerisms to make him odd and quirky but in a different way from the original adorable fluffball.

From here, we go into his rundown. Piccolomon is a Perfect-stage Data-type Fairy Digimon. Notably, his attack is actually "Bit Bomb" but he says "Pit" due to his verbal tic of uttering "Pi" all the time. His name is rooted in the italian word for "small". Dragon Ball fans may also recognize it as a musical instrument; Specifically, the piccolo flute, so named because it's a half-size flute.

His dub name is, of course, a play on "pixie".

Narrator: Piccolomon. A fairy Digimon who brandishes his favorite spear Fairy Tale and wields strange magic.

Since she's the one who recognized him, Biyomon handles the rundown in the dub.

Biyomon: Piximon is famous in the Digital World for his skills and training, but few have ever met him!

As soon as the rundown's finished, Piccolomon lays into the kids for being weak and useless.

Piyomon: It must have been Piccolomon who defeated Kuwagamon for us! Piccolomon: PI PI PI!! Impressed by the strength of my magic, aren't you? (jabs spear in the kids' direction) PI! You're all supposed to be the Chosen Children, aren't you? You're all so weak, I could barely stand to watch, pi. If you keep up like this, then the Tags and Crests will just go to waste, pi. Mimi: This Digimon isn't cute at all. Piccolomon: The same goes for you Digimon PI! You're slacking off PI! You aren't trying hard enough PI! You're gutless PI! Yamato: (grumpy whisper) Pi-pi-pi-pi. He's so noisy. Palmon: I hate exerting myself.... Gomamon: I didn't have any guts to begin with. Piccolomon: That's why all of you are coming with me for training, starting today! Sora: Training? Tentomon: What do you mean? Piccolomon: Especially you two over there! Taichi & Agumon: Me!? Piccolomon: (flies out of Mimi's hands) You and your Agumon win the grand prize. You'll receive intensive training from the Special Menu PI! Taichi: Special Menu!? Agumon: Intensive training!? Piccolomon: Now, follow me! (lands and starts marching) Pi pi pi pi pi pi pi pi....

Piccolomon is incredibly rude and calls them all wankers. It's almost like they're lost children or something. Who could have predicted this?

He doesn't so much invite them to come with him as take ownership of them. He's telling, not asking. These are supposed to be the heroes of legend but he finds them woefully unimpressive, so he's going to fix it.

In the dub, Biyomon continues on from her diegetic rundown.

Biyomon: His secret home is the training ground for all the great Digimon fighters! Piximon: And I've heard all about you two but so far I am NOT IMPRESSED!!! You seven are supposed to be the DigiDestined!? HA! You'd better be more careful or you'll end up DigiDinners yup-yup! Without my spears and my magic, Kuwagamon would be eating you with a side of DigiFries! Mimi: That's gross! Thanks a lot. Piximon: And that's not all! You Digimon there! You're supposed to protect the children, but half the time they're protecting you! I wanna see some guts! I wanna see some courage! Matt: (grumpy whisper) This guy reminds me of a gym teacher I once had. Palmon: He's right. We just don't have any guts. Gomamon: Aww... Don't we get points for enthusiasm? Piximon: But the news isn't all bad! Yep-yep, from now on you're all going to train with me! Sora: But why? Tentomon: Let's not go overboard, Piximon! Piximon: Especially you two guys! Tai & Agumon: Wha--!? Piximon: (flies out of Mimi's hands) You heard me! You two need lots of help and I have a special extreme training program just for you! Tai: Did I hear him right? Agumon: Sounds kind of extreme. Piximon: Yep! Follow me! (lands and starts marching, humming his marching cadence again)

His quickly spoken dialogue peppered with yep-yeps and nope-nopes are what replace the pi pi pis. Otherwise, this scene is mostly identical. The only difference here is Matt's barb. Since he can't make fun of the "pi pi pi", he drops a solid crack about gym teachers who think they're drill sergeants.

Gomamon's line is also different, but it's actually improved over the original line. "Points for enthusiasm" is a better line for him than "I don't have any guts" because. Like. What are you talking about, Gomamon? You're a rowdy thrill-seeker. You have guts for days. Jou wishes you had less guts. Remember that time you tried to fistfight him?

The kids huddle up to decide what to do from here.

Taichi: What should we do? Jou: Can we even trust that Digimon? Yamato: What's your take, Gabumon? Gabumon: He complains a lot, but he's not a bad Digimon. Palmon: I didn't see a Black Gear or Cable either. Sora: Why not give it a try? After all, we don't know how to raise our Digimon correctly. It'll be fun if we think of it like a training camp! Mimi: It may be more relaxing than wandering around.... Yamato: What do you think, Taichi? Taichi: Let's try it. It sounds interesting. Takeru: It's decided! Group: YEAH!!! Piccolomon: WHAT IS TAKING YOU SO LONG!?!? HURRY UP PIIIIIII!!!

Wouldn't count on intensive training being relaxing, Mimi. You're gonna eat those words in a few hours. Also, I'm amused by the implication that Palmon was cautiously inspecting Piccolomon during all that time Mimi was holding him.

In the dub:

Group: (unintelligible murmurs of suspicion from everyone) Mimi: I don't know about this. Joe: I have a question. Do we trust a ping-pong with wings? Tai: But he did save Agumon and me. Why would he do that if he was no good? Izzy: Precisely! He didn't have a Black Gear anywhere on him; I checked. Joe: What do you say, Biyomon? After all, you seem to know a lot about him. Biyomon: Well, it's an honor to be chosen for training by Piximon! Mimi: Sounds like a lot of work to me. Sora: He's right, though. We could use some help. Tai: How can you say that? Just cause we've nearly been eaten a hundred times...! Matt: Well, there are worse options? I mean, do we have a choice? All in favor, say aye. Group: AYE! Piximon: WOULD YOU ALL JUST HURRY UP!?!?

Having a still image of a huddle with no lip flaps moving gives them the flexibility to change who's talking around quite a bit. Joe seems to lead this discussion instead of Taichi and Yamato, though Matt comes in for the vote at the end.

Notably, it's Izzy who inspected Piximon instead of Palmon. He was also less thorough, only checking for a Black Gear and not, like... a cable sticking out of Piccolomon's butt or something? Honestly, not sure where Palmon expected to see a Black Cable.

Biyomon continues to fangirl over Piximon-sama.

And another line about "how to raise our Digimon properly" gets cut down into vagueness.

As the kids trudge through the desert, Mimi complains.

Mimi: Are we there yet!? Piccolomon: A little further PI! Palmon: 'A little further, a little further', that's all you've been saying! Piccolomon: (ten feet later) Here we are pi. This is the place pi. Sora: Here? But I don't see anything. Piccolomon: PI!!!

In the dub, more kids get in on the complaining so it's not just Mimi.

Mimi: Are we there yet!? Piximon: Just a little further! Joe: That's about the seventh time he's said that. Matt: I think he's lost. Tai: So what do we do, ask a cactus for directions!? Sora: ...ice cream... cold root beer-- Group: STOP THAT!!! Piximon: Halt! We have arrived! Sora: What are you talking about!? There isn't anything here.

The dub's so good at its banter. XD

PIccolomon casts a gibberish incantation to open the way, while Piximon calls out "Pixie Portal!" and then spends the rest of his lip flaps giggling like a madman. His spell unseals a hole in reality, leading to a tropical jungle.

Jou: WHAT!?!? Piccolomon: Nothing to fear pi. This is just the entrance through my barrier pi. Now follow me pi.

After a moment of hesitation, the kids cross through the barrier.

In the dub:

Mimi: It's a hole in the desert! Joe: Am I the only one who thinks this looks like trouble? Piximon: Actually, it's just my front door. Come on in now! Quickly, before it closes, yep-yep!

Mimi gets to chime in, while Jou's shocked reaction is changed to conscious whining.

As the kids enter the jungle, Takeru exclaims:

Takeru: (gasp) A jungle!

But most of it is just 13 seconds of looking around the jungle. Prime opportunity for the dub to add banter.

Tai: Cool! A jungle inside a desert! T.K.: I bet you've got LOTS of friends who want to play with ya! Piximon: You should have seen it when I first got it!

Not their best work. T.K.'s line doesn't seem to connect to anything and I'm not sure what Piximon even means by that. Is he trying to compare his jungle to a used car?

Suddenly, Sora hears something. The sound of a horn, like on a car or train, honking in the distance. Whipping around, she spots Etemon's trailer crossing the desert sands just outside the jungle's border where they'd been moments ago.

Sora: Hey! Behind us! Jou: What do we do now!? Piccolomon: That's Etemon's trailer pi. Jou: Ehhhhh!?!?!? Piccolomon: Nothing to worry about pi. He can't see through my barrier on the other side pi.

This is a fun bit because it's something we've glimpsed in past episodes. It's such a minor detail, I haven't even bothered to mention it. Etemon likes to honk his horn when his trailer's getting hauled around, for no apparent reason but shits and giggles. Because he may be Perfect-stage but he is an absolute mon-child.

Suddenly, his unnecessary honking is plot relevant.

The dub makes the inexplicable decision to cut the car horn from Etemon's trailer. So Sora, I guess, has a psychic premonition and that's why she turns around.

Sora: (reacting to nothing) Huh? (turns around) Heads up! BEHIND US, GUYS!!! Mimi: Oh no, it's Etemon and his trailer! Joe: Oh boy, this is bad! Piximon: And right outside the front door he is too! Joe: Huh? Piximon: Oh, don't worry about it. He isn't able to see through the barrier. He sees nothing but desert.

They add in Mimi to ID Etemon in case kids have forgotten. This, however, creates a second continuity error right alongside the lack of the horn.

The kids have never seen Etemon's trailer until now. That's why Jou had the big "EHHHHHH!?!?" reaction when Piccolomon ID'd it. He knee-jerk reacted to the strange vehicle by assuming they were in peril, and then Piccolomon's explanation upgraded that to THE MOST PERIL. So I guess Mimi's having psychic premonitions too today.

I can forgive Mimi's continuity flub. I don't think the dub team approached this show as a serialized story and were instead looking at it like an episodic cartoon, since that's what most cartoons in the 90's were like.

But removing the car horn is an incomprehensible choice to make.

Inside the trailer, repairs on the Dark Network remain underway, though they seem to have several sectors now online. Etemon, however, is throwing a hissy fit.

Etemon: HAVEN'T YOU FIXED IT YET!?!? Gazimon 1: It's being restored at an incredible rate! Gazimon 2: Please wait just a little longer! Etemon: (bouncing on chair) I can't wait anymore! Hurry up and REPAIR MY NETWORK ALREADY!!!

As someone who works in tech, I feel for these Gazimon.

The Gazimon are bolder in the dub.

Etemon: The stupid screen is still broken; What's taking so long!? Gazimon 1: We've almost got it fixed, Etemon. Gazimon 2: No need for a conniption fit! Etemon: (bouncing on chair) I'LL SHOW YOU CONNIPTION YOU INSOLENT LITTLE WORMS!!! Fix it right away; I have a show to get on!

The boldness to say that straight to an already agitated Etemon's face. Holy shit.

So the kids come to Piximon's home. A tall mountain with stairs spiraling up it, leading to the various structures.

How's that "more relaxing than walking" thing coming along, Mimi?

Jou: ...up there...? Mimi: What is that!? (crying) I don't believe it.... Koushiro: We have to climb that? Takeru: How many steps are there? Yamato: There's no use counting them. Sora: Wait, does this mean our training has already started? Piccolomon: That's right PI! Tentomon: (quietly, to himself) Hehehe, this is a piece of cake. I can just-- Piccolomon: By the way, flying is forbidden during training pi! Tentomon: Aww.... Piccolomon: Stop whining and start climbing pi!

Nice try, Tentomon, but no dice. Start walking, everybody.

In the dub:

Piximon: Alright, everybody, home we are! My house is just up these steps. Joe: We have to walk up there!? Mimi: But I didn't bring my stair-climbing sneakers! Tai: Uh, yeah... And I just remembered I'm afraid of heights! Izzy: Purely from a logical standpoint, it doesn't look very safe. Sora: Is this part of our training? Piximon: Exactly! Tentomon: (loudly, to everyone) Hey, no sweat! I'll just FLY up there! Then, before you know it, I'll be chilling by the pool while you guys are still-- Piximon: And oh, by the way, did I mention there will be no flying by anyone during all my training? Tentomon: Aww.... Piximon: Haven't you rookies learned that the easy way is sometimes a TRAP!? Now let's move out! Joe: I guess Piximon never heard of elevators....

Low blow on that last line. XD These kids do struggle with that. They walk into traps so easily.

Meanwhile, Dub Tentomon deserves to walk. The original was whispering to himself about his loophole; In the dub, he's openly gloating.

On the way up the mountain, Piccolomon motivates the kids to reach the very top by promising food when they get there. And by food, he means:

Gomamon: Hey. Where's the food? Piccolomon: You'll have to finish your next training first pi! Gomamon: (distraught) I knew it.... Piccolomon: (conjures up buckets and washrags) You'll be scrubbing all of these floors pi! Yamato: Scrubbing all of the floors!? Jou: All of them from top to bottom!? Mimi: (crying) No way! Piccolomon: (to Taichi and Agumon) You two have the Special Menu pi! Come with me pi! Taichi & Agumon: (groan) Special Menu....

This is the same in the dub but with all of the kids complaining at once upon hearing about the scrubbing such that it's hard to make out any one complaint.

Until we get to Tai and Agumon. Then they drop this gem.

Piximon: But not you, Agumon and Tai. Come now, I have a special chore for you. Tai: Great; We probably have to paint the place!

XD Yeah, probably.

The kids get to work on scrubbing the floors, with various grumbles arising.

Sora: There's no other choice. Let's get this over with. Mimi: I've never scrubbed a floor; Not even in my own house.... Piyomon: Is this really training!? Palmon: Maybe he's just using us to work as his maids! Gomamon: FOOD!!! Takeru: Tokomon, let's race to see who's faster! Tokomon: Okay! I won't lose to you! Yamato: (stops cleaning to watch his brother and smile) Takeru....

In the dub:

Mimi: The last time I scrubbed a floor was... Never! Izzy: It's a simple task, Mimi; Even you'll catch on. Matt: Is this really training or is this just Piximon's maid's day off and he doesn't like to vacuum!? T.K.: Tokomon, let's have a cleaning race! Ready, set, go! VROOM! VROOOOOOM!!! Matt: (stops cleaning to watch his brother and smiles) Ahaha....

Two key differences here, one I appreciate and one I hate. I like that they composited Piyomon and Palmon's lines into one for Matt. It feels a little weird that, in the original, all of the girls grouse while the boys mostly just get straight to work. Except Gomamon, of course, who's still mad about the food fakeout. This way, it's more even.

But also, they add a line that's just Izzy being mean to Mimi about her line from the original. Thanks, I hate it.

For the Special Menu, Piccolomon drops off Taichi and Agumon in a small, pitch-black cave. As they enter, they sink through the ground and are lost to places unknown. Training has begun.

Later that night, the group goes to sleep on the floor of a miserable looking waiting room with one chair and a couch. Jou-senpai takes the chair (perk of being the oldest, I guess) while Sora and Mimi share the couch, sleeping sitting up and leaning against each other. Everyone else piles on the floor.

But Koushiro can't sleep. Starting to get up, he spots Yamato sneaking out. Yamato shushes him, and the pair leave the room together. Once they're outside, they can talk.

Yamato: Taichi and Agumon haven't come back. Koushiro: Yeah. I wonder what happened to them?

Before they can follow that line of conversation further, Yamato and Koushiro's Tags suddenly begin to pulse.

Yamato: They're glowing! Koushiro: Yamato-san! Yamato: Our Crests must be nearby!

Following the pulsing of their Crests, Yamato and Koushiro descend the mountain. As they leave Piccolomon's home in the dead of night, Koushiro starts to get nervous.

Koushiro: Should we bring Tentomon and Gabumon with us? Yamato: No. We're safe inside the barrier. We should let them sleep.

Trusting his senpai to know best, Koushiro follows Yamato's lead. When their Tags begin to pulse again, they race off from the house, following the trail. As they go, we catch a glimpse of the ever inscrutable Piccolomon watching them leave.

Taichi and Agumon wake up on a boat, floating in a mysterious glowing body of water. Agumon wakes first, then rouses Taichi.

Taichi: Wh-Where are we!? Agumon: I don't know! I thought we were in a cave! Taichi: (stands up in the boat and calls out) HEY!!! PICCOLOMON!!!

No answer returns to him but he does rock the boat enough to fall out so that's a reaction, at least. Agumon grabs an oar to fish him out.

Agumon: What are you doing? Taichi: Oh, be quiet. Is this really training?

Tai doesn't get to talk in the dub; Agumon eats up the screentime for both of their lines so he can chastise Tai more.

Agumon: Don't you know not to stand up in a boat!? Here, grab this.

Unfortunately, a sudden bright light in the distance appears, distracting Agumon.

Agumon: Taichi! Something's shining over there! Taichi: H-Hey! Keep looking this way!

Too late. Agumon's so distracted, he can't pull Taichi in properly. Instead, Taichi ends up pulling him out of the boat.

Surfacing, they both end up clinging to the side of the boat and lay into each other.

Taichi: Crap, Agumon! What are you doing!? Agumon: I was just trying to help you! Taichi: That's a lie, you were staring off at something else! Agumon: But the light! Taichi: Wait a second. This boat is drifting somewhere. Come on, hang tight! Agumon: Don't change the subject! To start off, Taichi, you were--

They squabble just as hard in the dub.

Tai: Now look what you did! We're both in the water! Agumon: What I did!? You were the one standing up in the boat. I was just trying to pull- Tai: Well, if you'd been watching what you were doing instead of looking at some stupid light in the distance-- Agumon: Well, if you hadn't pulled on the oar, we wouldn't be swimming like tuna in pea soup! We'd be back in the boat warm and dry! Tai: I do not swim like a tuna fish and where do you get off blaming--

I'm not sure what swimming like a tuna means but it sounds scathing. Take that, Tai!

As their boat drifts further away, the light slowly moves in. Taichi and Agumon fade away as it passes.

The following morning, the kids remaining at the house are woken up by Piccolomon banging on a metal bucket.

Mimi: What is that racket!?!? Piccolomon: Morning! How long do you plan on sleeping, PI!? Look sharp PI! Tentomon: Has anyone seen Koushiro-han? Group: (suddenly alert) Huh!? Gabumon: And Yamato! Takeru: Piccolomon, do you know where they are? Piccolomon: Those two left to find their Crests pi! Tentomon: (grumpy) Oh. So he left me behind.

So help me, if he wasn't Perfect-stage, they would probably make him eat that bucket.

In the dub:

Mimi: ...what is it? What's going on? Piximon: Rise and shine, everybody! Everybody up! Come on, people! Tentomon: Picomon(sic), do you know where Izzy went? He's not in his bed. Group: (suddenly alert) Huh!? Gabumon: And I can't find Matt! T.K.: What!? Hey, did you send my brother somewhere? Piximon: Your brother and his pal left to look for Crests about midnight. Tentomon: Ohh, I don't believe it! Why would Izzy leave me behind!?

Got another flagrant line flub here. Tentomon's actor says "Picomon" instead of "Piximon", as if starting to say Piccolomon but then realizing and snipping it off. Yet again, they just left it in and didn't shoot another take.

Realizing that three people are now missing, the girls do the only sensible thing.

They bully Jou for absolutely no reason. XD

Sora: Taichi and Agumon haven't returned since last night, and now it's Koushiro-kun and Yamato-kun. What a mystery that they keep disappearing, one after another.... Mimi: Maybe Jou-senpai is next. Jou: H-Hey, don't say weird stuff like that! P-Piccolomon might-- Gomamon: D'aww, Jou. You get scared too easily. It's fine. We can trust Piccolomon! Jou: Are you sure...? Piccolomon: Now! Time for training PI!

Savage.

While everyone's triggering Jou's neuroses on purpose for funsies, we return to Yamato and Koushiro. They've descended all the way to the jungle in search of their Crests.

Trudging through the underbrush, they discuss their own motives for pursuing these ambiguous little macguffins.

Yamato: Hey. Why do you want your Crest, Koushiro? Koushiro: Why? I want to see what Kabuterimon evolves into next, of course! How about you, Yamato-san? Yamato: I, uh... I want to improve myself! It's not only Digimon who evolve and grow stronger. I want to mature alongside them and grab hold of a part of me that's different from before.

Yamato putting off incredible senpai energy right now.

The dub expresses the same sentiments but the way they phrase it is interesting.

Matt: Why do you want to find a Crest, Izzy? Izzy: I guess it's mostly because of Kabuterimon. I would like to see which stage he will Digivolve into after that one. Isn't that the reason why you're looking for a Crest? Matt: No. I want to use the Crest to Digivolve me! Izzy: Oh? Matt: Not into a Digimon, but to make me stronger and smarter. Maybe learn something new about myself. Y'know, to reach my next level!

Matt captures the sentiment from Yamato really well. The phrase "Digivolve me" is a bit awkward, but purposely so. It's attention-grabbing and demands explanation, which he provides immediately.

Izzy, however, tries to sound smart by asking what stage Kabuterimon's going to Digivolve into which. Uh. Isn't. Really. A question. It's Perfect/Ultimate, Izzy. He's going to Digivolve to Ultimate stage. That's how the stages work. The question here is what specific Ultimate-stage Digimon he's going to become.

(It will always be confusing that the dub calls Ultimate-stage Mega and Perfect-stage Ultimate.)

Finally, they come across their destination.

Yamato: We're at the edge of the barrier. Koushiro: We came this far only to reach a dead end. (The well in the desert begins to glow) Yamato: Hey! Koushiro: The well is glowing! Our Crests must be inside it, Yamato-san! Yamato: But it's outside the barrier!

Koushiro approaches the barrier and touches it with his hand, testing whether it's a physical obstruction or not. As he slides his hand through, Dub Izzy utters:

Izzy: Hope my hand doesn't melt....

Fortunately, his hand passes through easily.

Koushiro: We can pass through! Yamato: (nods approvingly) Okay!

Yamato descends the well first, with Koushiro following behind. Before long, they're both able to find their Crests glowing along the walls.

Their Crests activate at the same time, slotting into their Tags. Five down, two to go.

It's just too bad they left the barrier.

The Dark Network is back online and fully functional. Yamato and Koushiro appear circled on Etemon's map. They've been found.

Gazimon: There's a signal in Area K-1! Etemon: What!? HEY!!! (strangles the Gazimon) WE JUST PASSED THAT PLACE!!! REEEEEEEEEEEEEEGH!!! (Etemon goes to his console once he's done throttling his technician) Etemon: Area K-1 is Tyrannomon's territory. Alright, I'll teach them a thing or two!

The dub calls it area G-3 but the dialogue is otherwise identical.

As the boys emerge from the well, they soon realize that the enemy is onto them.

It's not subtle.

(Huh, look at that. The Dark Cables really are coming out of his butt. I owe Palmon an apology.)

Koushiro and Yamato run screaming for their lives while the narrator launches into our rundown. Tyrannomon is an Adult-stage Data-type Dinosaur Digimon. Named, of course, for tyrannosaurus rex.

Of note, some sources say Tyranomon with one 'n'. This is because, in Japanese, it's Ti-ra-no-mo-n. However, that's also how the word tyrannosaurus is spelled: Ti-ra-no-sa-u-ru-su. So the intent, to me, for it to be named Tyrannomon with two 'n's is pretty clear. It's supposed to be spelled exactly like tyrannosaurus.

(The t-rex is also called 覇王竜 haou ryuu, which translates literally to Emperor Dragon or Overlord Dragon. Compositing the kanji ha meaning conquest or domination, ou meaning king, and ryuu meaning dragon. So that's pretty badass.)

Narrator: Tyrannomon. A Dinosaur Digimon well-prepared to survive in the wild. His special attack is the scorching flame Fire Breath.

Piximon handles our diegetic rundown from... wherever he is.

Piximon: Tyranomon. A huge Digimon with fire breath strong enough to cook a couple of boys like you!

Koushiro and Yamato sprint as fast as they can for the safety of the barrier. Koushiro barely makes it inside with Yamato about to follow when Tyranomon lets off a shot of Fire Breath. Unfortunately, the barrier doesn't prevent objects from passing through, so they're both caught up and thrown into the jungle by the explosion.

It also has... other consequences....

Up the mountain, Piccolomon is leading the kids in a meditation session when he hears the explosion. Everyone races outside to see to Yamato and Koushiro.

Tyrannomon enters the jungle. The tree cover hides Yamato and Koushiro, so Tyranomon opens fire blindly. Sending off projectile shots of Fire Breath into the jungle indiscriminately.

A subtle blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment I really like: Koushiro starts falling behind and calls out in fear to Yamato to wait for him.

Koushiro: P-Please wait for me, Yamato-san! Yamato: Hurry, Koushiro!

In the next shot, Yamato is leading Koushiro by the hand so they don't get separated by the huge difference in their stride. Big Brother Yamato is such a good senpai.

The dub downplays this gesture, unfortunately. We still get the shot of Matt leading Izzy by the end, but it doesn't connect the same because the dialogue to set it up is gone. Instead, we have a quip.

Izzy: Didn't I see this guy in one of my nightmares!? Matt: I wish you'd be more careful what you dream!

This doesn't segue into the handholding as directly so it's easier to overlook.

Eventually, the rest of the group finds Yamato and Koushiro, joining them in the jungle.

Gabumon: Yamato! Yamato: (releases Koushiro's hand) Gabumon? Tentomon: This is what you get for leaving me behind! Koushiro: Tentomon! Sora: Are you guys alright!?

XD Sassy Tentomon will never not be funny.

Sadly, his sass doesn't make it into the dub.

Gabumon: Matt! Izzy! Over here! Tentomon: Oh, thank goodness you're safe! T.K.: Oh, hey bro!

There's a cacophany of voices talking at once. Matt and Izzy don't respond to the crowd shouting at them. Those three lines are the ones most audible over the crowd, though T.K. sounds like he's running into Matt at the supermarket.

Fortunately, the group's all together now. Unfortunately, the Dark Network is back up and running in full. You know what that means.

Black Cables surge up through the trees so Etemon can be heard. Etemon takes to his guitar, sending out Love Serenade through the jungle and suppressing the Partner Digimon from being able to evolve. All while Tyrannomon makes his way inward, continuing to fire blindly into the jungle.

In their cave, Taichi and Agumon continue drifting through the mysterious glowing water. They've made it back in the boat, where they lie curled up together and float through memories of human buildings and structures.

Until they come across a bridge. There, they find a visual metaphor for the uncertainty and hesitation gripping Taichi's heart.

A younger Taichi is trying to ride his bicycle, but keeps falling down.

A brief cut back to the world outside shows Piccolomon sustaining a dome barrier to block Tyranomon's Fire Breath from hitting the kids. Looks like they've been made.

Taichi watches his younger self pick the bike back up, but start to cry.

Young Taichi: I can't do it. I can't ride a bicycle. Taichi: Don't give up! You can't quit just because of one or two failures. Don't be so faint-hearted. Believe in yourself. Believe it will work out this time Agumon: Taichi....

Encouraging Taichi's younger self to get back on, Taichi and Agumon hold the bike steady for him while they start running. Then they let go, allowing the young Taichi to ride the bike all by himself.

Young Taichi: I'm pedaling on my own! I can ride a bike! Taichi: I almost forgot, Agumon. I forgot that I can't lose heart. I lost my nerve because I was afraid you'd evolve into a strange Digimon again. Agumon: I felt the same way. That's why I couldn't become Greymon. But it's just like riding a bicycle! If we combine our powers, I feel like I can evolve again!

Taichi and Agumon get back in the boat, taking up the oars and paddling their way back to the others. As they paddle through the mysterious glowing plane, they start hearing the terrified screams of their friends and realize they're needed. Agumon SHINKAAAAAA!!!

During Agumon's transformation, we briefly cut to Piccolomon for a line that, though brief, explains an important detail.

Piccolomon: I can't wait for Taichi and Agumon any longer! I'll have to take care of Tyrannomon myself....

As a Perfect-stage Digimon, Piccolomon is more than capable of shutting down Tyrannomon. He's done nothing but sustain a magic barrier to protect the kids and their drained Digimon because he wants to use this as a training exercise for Taichi and Agumon.

However, at the last second before Piccolomon takes the field, it finally happens. Greymon comically flips Tyrannomon over and charges into the jungle as if he wasn't even there. Letting off blasts of Mega Flame from a distance, Greymon destroys the speakers that were blasting Love Serenade into the jungle.

Then he turns his attention back on Tyrannomon.

Greymon hoists Tyrannomon up into the air, tearing the Black Cables attached to him out of the ground and snapping them from the tension. Then he brings him down into the jungle in a crushing suplex.

We don't see the gory details, but we do see the dust of Tyrannomon degenerating rise into the air from the jungle below, signaling the end of this battle.

To prevent kids from realizing that we just fucking killed that guy, the dub adds some dialogue here. When Greymon first starts lifting Tyrannomon, Sora shouts:

Sora: Greymon's pulling the cables out!

Then, once the degeneration dust emerges from the jungle, we get:

Tai: He did it! Greymon did it! Sora: Look at the Black Cables all shattering into pieces!

What happened to Tyrannomon? Don't think about that. What's important is that Greymon destroyed the Black Cables. That is most certainly what he did, and it's what you're seeing onscreen right now.

Cut to Etemon throwing a tantrum in his trailer.

Etemon: Those children piss me off!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEGH!!!

In the dub:

Etemon: Those rotten kids beat me again! Ugh, I gotta find something easier to beat like some cardboard boxes or something!

XD If it makes you feel better, you got to throttle a Gazimon earlier. Those are way easier to beat!

Now that everyone's back, the group decides it's time to move on from Piccolomon. Quickly.

Taichi: Really. Thank you for everything. Agumon: Thank you for taking care of us. Piccolomon: Don't think your training is over yet pi. Everything in life is training pi. Work hard and never give up pi! Taichi & Agumon: Yes, sir!

Nobody else thanks Piccolomon. I don't think the rest of the team's Yelp reviews are going to be as glowing as Taichi's.

Though they do speak up in the dub.

Matt: Thank you, Piximon! We've learned a lot from you. Joe: Yeah, like how to scrub floors and starve half to death-- Mimi: Joe! That's just Joe's stomach talking. Piximon: Far from over, your training is. Remember, life itself is a training session. Learn all you can. Everyone: RIGHT!

Tai and Agumon only speak up when the camera fixes on them for their "Yes, sir!" moment. For some reason, the dub chose to put everyone else at the forefront of this scene, even though they didn't learn shit.

We close on Piccolomon watching the kids depart his magic jungle.

Piccolomon: Only you can save this world pi. Do your best, Chosen Children PI!

In the dub:

Piximon: They truly are the DigiDestined yep-yep! No doubt have I, for though they are sometimes foolish, I have seen the love in their hearts. With a little luck, they just may succeed and save our Digital World.

Hey, Piximon? Question. What part of the preceding events hinged on "the love in their hearts"? Was it when Matt and Izzy hurt their Partners' feelings by going to the well alone or was it when Sora and Mimi bullied Joe for no reason?

I think the dub is rambling off Generic Good Guy Speech again.

Assessment: With two Crests in one episode, we are ramping towards endgame. The Etemon arc is surprisingly short, lasting only 7 episodes compared to the 13 that Devimon got.

Piccolomon's episode is kind of dull. For all the talk about offering training to everyone, we only really see it with Taichi and Agumon. It feels like he's doing the Wax On Wax Off esoteric martial arts master shtick. However, the purpose of scrubbing his floors is never explained, so it kinda feels like the sharp comments about doing maid service were right.

I'm not going to be hard on literally using "riding a bicycle" for the metaphor because it was the 90's and Japan. I don't remember when that became a tired metaphor and I certainly have no idea if it ever did in Japan. Taichi and Agumon's stuff worked for me. But a lot of the other "training" felt like space filler.

Yamato and Koushiro's segment was gold, however. Their brief discussion on the way to the well, and Yamato grabbing Koushiro's hand as they fled Tyrannomon? Loved that.

The dub nails a few moments, but it's also peppered with continuity mistakes, weird lines, and inexplicable choices. And the triumphant return of adding in dialogue just to be mean to Mimi. Overall, I'd say I'm tepid on this one.

#digimon #digimon adventure #revisiting digimon #revisiting digimon adventure

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