#Yuuko Yagami

[lavendorii]

this happened in digimon adventure

[ashxketchum]

[robowilofficial]

So apparently if the calendar in the first screencap, and the receipt in the second are to go by, Digimon Adventure: Our War Game takes place on March 4, 2000.

This not only lines up with the film's initial release date, but it also means that it takes place exactly two years before I was born (which was 2002).

In other words, a major Digimon event happened on a day that's also my birthday.

[jichanxo]

sunday six (i have been writing i pinkie promise)

tags: @four-white-trees @passthroughtime @phantasy14 @overdevelopedglasses @skysquid22

all my wips are spiralling out of control. anyway here's kuwagami again

“Slow down.” Kuwana spoke over him. “And breathe. You’re panicking again.”

Yagami went quiet and did as he was told, but only because it sounded like a good idea. Breathed in, out. Kuwana listened as he did.

“It’s just me.” Kuwana told him. “Talking to me isn’t a big deal, alright? You don’t have to be like this, like you’re... scared, or something. It’s not like you.”

Yagami laughed, ringing hollow even in his own ears. “Scared?”

“Then what is it?” Kuwana prompted. “That you feel about me?”

His heart supplied the word immediately, but it caught in his throat awkwardly. He choked around it, unable to get it out. Yagami’s mouth was open, but he didn’t say it, didn’t know if he could, if he wanted to.

[sluggybasson107]

(also feel free to suggest ship names for some of these couples if the ones I used weren't good)

[naturenaruto]

reblog and put in the tags the top 3 characters you wanna be more like in 2023, and then the top 3 characters you wanna be less like in 2023~!

[taichi-x-koushiro]

@taikouvember

Digimon Adventure/02/tri. ~ Japanese Version + Families (+Favorite Families) + Headcanons + Canon Adopted Characters {Koushiro Izumi} featuring DUO/SHIP: Taichi Yagami [Taichi “Tai” Kamiya in U.S.] x Koushiro(u) Izumi [Koushiro “Izzy” Izumi in U.S.] [Taishiro(u)] + IZUMI FAMILY: (Kae* Izumi + Masami Izumi) [*Note: Mrs Izumis name can also be read in Japanese as “Yoshie”] + YAGAMI FAMILY (Yuuko Yagami + Susumu Yagami)

{+We don’t know exactly WHO, EITHER Taichi or Koushiro marry…}

BONUS:

Bonus gifs and image usage rules under the ‘read more’! {Contains light spoilers for 02 ending + Our War Game}

{Do Not Repost} {Do Not Remove Caption} (Please ASK to Use)

Keep reading

[seventeenlovesthree]

@digimonadventureweek Day 6, March 6th - Favourite episode: #31 - "Raremon! Surprise Attack on Tokyo Bay"

I have once made a list of my "Top 16 favourite Digimon Adventure episodes" and no matter what I do, I always come back to this one. Not only is this one of the episodes my dad had recorded for me when I was a kid because I couldn't watch it when it first aired on TV, but it also basically contains everything that I love about Digimon Adventure as a whole. It also justifies a lot of my biases and headcanons in the process, but that's just a side note.

This is the closest we've ever gotten to a "slice of life" anime that includes the original cast, as it contains several of its typical elements while focusing on and mirroring primarily Taichi's and Koushirou's experiences on their first evening back home in the real world. I could have taken approximately 100 screenshots of it, because the storytelling and pacing are just so marvelous to me:

Even though it definitely IS a slice-of-life-ish episode, it doesn't lose the main plot at all, but intertwines it perfectly into the story: The kids are looking for the eighth child and Taichi, rightfully, suspects Hikari, since she had been with him during the Hikarigaoka incident. Thus he and Koromon ask her if she owns a Digivice already, which she denies. The viewer can tell that she does own one, it was just stolen and played with by their housecat Meeko/Miko - and she is the reason we're gonna get an action-packed chase scene later down the line of the episode...

Then there's the secondary plot - I refuse to call it B plot, because it is so in the forefront of everything that happens. As mentioned, it's all about Taichi and Koushirou reuniting with their families and trying their best to hide their Digimon from them. They're both having rather warm, heartfelt and happy moments that feel light-hearted (and even a bit comedic) on surface level. The difference here is that Koushirou's personal backstory is also given more space to bloom; while both Taichi's mother, Yuuko, and Koushirou's mother, Kae, sense that something about their sons is off, the latter seems to be ridden by melancholy and guilt about it. Koushirou has been acting nothing but polite and grateful towards her, but she feels like this is not how he should be like, that he is hiding something - which, as her husband, Masami, puts it, "is nothing we can blame him for, since we're hiding something from him as well".

It's the first time the viewer actually hears that Koushirou was adopted - we have seen him having flashbacks and getting somewhat distraught and sad about something, but we didn't know what it was. One can tell that he means it when he tells his mother that he's grateful - we see it when he keeps smiling happily to Tentomon about everything -, but there is that barrier. He IS hiding something from them - and we know it's not just Tentomon, even if that is perfectly mirrored with Taichi hiding Koromon as well -, but she cannot grasp what it is. And he is burdening himself with it, everything: Caring for and hiding his partner, sneaking out of his room to deal with a rampaging Digimon in the middle of the night while (potentially) chasing the eighth child around town - on his own, because the others are already fast asleep -, having a one-on-one fight with an evil Digimon and almost gets impaled, while also trying to reassure his parents that everything is alright. A lot to bear for a 10-year-old, huh...

And why was he prompted to act in the first place? Not only because he was notified of Raremon being a threat, but also because the Yagami cat went on a stroll with the eighth child's Digivice and lost it several times over.

This episode simply has it all: It has a sense of happiness and peacefulness, it has comedic elements, it has a suspenseful fight and chase scene; the main plot and character development are perfectly intertwined and even though there is so much going on, it doesn't feel rushed, bloated or like anything shouldn't be there. The characters are pretty unreliable narrators while the viewer can see everything that happens - nothing gets resolved in this episode, it consists of a repeated "Almost!", but that is fine, because it contextualizes everything that will happen from now on.

It also tells us so much about the Yagami and Izumi family dynamics, including the fact that the mothers are very familiar with the fact that their sons are close friends who call each other at very odd times...

The adoption topic is rather heavy, not downplayed and presented in a light that makes you hope that all of this will eventually resolve.

It's just very dear to my heart and I would absolutely love a whole anime that deals with all of the kids and their backstories similarly, giving them all temporary main-character status.

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure: Our War Game, Part 2 of 2

Previously on Digimon Adventure: After recovering her hat from the Digital World in a wild spinoff adventure that lasted at least 45 episodes, Mimi went on vacation to Hawaii and is living her best life. All of her friends miss her terribly to the point that Jou ended up vandalizing her family nameplate out of grief, which goes to show what a vital and important cornerstone of this team she is.

Meanwhile Tokyo's phone system is glitching out 'cause too many people are prank calling each other or something. IDK the B-plot didn't seem that important.

While Taichi is contemplating how unbelievably difficult the task of getting a hold of Mimi has become, Koushiro returns.

Yuuko: Oh, welcome back. Koushiro: Thank you. What's wrong, Taichi-san?

His answer is to once again flop helplessly over the couch.

Cut to the interior of Susumu's office, where Koushiro's once again at work with the computer while Taichi lies helplessly on the floor. I choose to believe Koushiro dragged him in here by his ankles.

Koushiro: Hawaii, huh? Taichi: We're completely screwed! Koushiro: We won't be able to assemble everyone, will we?

Unless we have a way of reaching Mimi in Hawaii, no. For the first time, the team's going to have to make do with whoever they have on-hand, rather than the whole crew coming together for the big fight.

Well, I say 'first time' but two out of four Dark Masters and MetalEtemon were fought that way.

Taichi: By the way, where'd you run off to?

Koushiro holds up an unusual looking black phone.

Koushiro: This is a satellite phone. Taichi: Satellite? Koushiro: With this, we'll be able to directly connect with foreign access points without having to go through NTT's switchboard. Taichi: So then we can call Yamato and the others-- Koushiro: That won't be possible. Local calls still go through the switchboard. Taichi: Oh, what the hell!

Sat phone is going to bring us back from the brink of Complete Annihilation, but isn't going to solve all of our problems.

In the dub:

Yuuko: Hi, Izzy! Welcome back! Izzy: Thank you. So, uh... When's everybody coming over? Tai: NYAAAAGH!!! (flop) (Cut to office) Izzy: Cheer up already! Tai: What happened to the good ol' days when we were a team? Izzy: We are a team, Tai. But we're just kinda spread out right now. Tai: By the way, where did you disappear to? (Izzy shows him the sat phone) Izzy: Well, I went to pick this up. Tai: What is it!? Izzy: A satellite uplink. We can get onto the internet by tapping into the military satellite system! Tai: Izzy, you're a genius! How does it work!? Izzy: Well, do you know what a semiconductor is? Tai: ...a guy who works part-time on a train? Izzy: Never mind.

The dub misses the kind of important detail that we can't call the others on the sat phone. The put the semiconductor quip where that should go.

Which is a pretty good quip. XD A funny joke that also plays off the relative difference in Tai and Izzy's knowledge bases, so there's some neat characterization embedded in it.

The dub adds that we'll be accessing "the military satellite system" specifically.

Well, if we can't use the sat phone to contact the others, there's one other option.

Koushiro: Why don't you call 171 and see if we have any messages? Taichi: Oh, right, I forgot about that!

Taichi calls the number, and he and Koushiro listen in.

Recording: Playing message. Yamato: (beep) Moshi moshi? This is Yamato. What was so urgent? Koushiro: We did it! Taichi: I knew we could count on him!

The boys record a message for Yamato, and we cut to grandma's villa.

Koushiro: (beep) You both have your Digivices, right? Yamato: Koushiro...? (Back to Yagami residence) Takeru: (beep) We have them. Yamato: Hey, what's going on here? (Back to Grandma's) Koushiro: (beep) Please find a computer to use. A new kind of Digimon appeared inside the internet. Taichi: We need you to help us fight! Takeru: ...this is really bad. (Back to Yagami residence) Takeru: (beep) We have our Digivices, but there's no computer here at Grandma's house. Yamato: There may not be any at all. We're in Shimane, after all.

The Shimane prefecture is one of the least populated regions in all of Japan. They are deeply rural right now. This realization causes Taichi to flop right back over onto the ground.

Taichi: (overdramatic) WE'RE COMPLETELY SCREEEEEEEWED!!! Koushiro: (beep) Please, try to find a computer! There has to be a computer somewhere in Shimane!

Matt and Takeru sprint out of the house, descending a long staircase from their grandmother's home.

Yamato: Hurry, Takeru!

Fingers crossed 'cause it's a ten-hour train ride back to Tokyo. We're not gonna be able to ford the Tokyo Bay on Zudomon's back with this one.

In the dub:

Tai: Is it hooked up yet? Izzy: Almost. In the meantime, check the messages to see if anyone called back. Tai: Oh! I forgot! (Tai checks messages) Matt: Hey Tai, it's Matt. So what's the big emergency? Call me back? T.K.: WAUGH!!! Matt: Oh, I gotta go. Grandma fell asleep on T.K. again. Izzy: Good ol' Matt! Tai: I knew that somebody on the team would come through! (Cut to Grandma's) Tai: (beep) Hey Matt, did you and T.K. bring your Digivices with you? Matt: Did you pack them? (Back to Kamiya residence) T.K.: (beep) This is T.K. Of course we have them! What's going on? (Back to Grandma's) Izzy: (beep) An evil Digimon has taken over the internet. Agumon and Tentomon are fighting it now but they need help! Get your Digivices to a computer as fast as you can! T.K.: ...what do we do now? Matt: (beep) Guys, the closest thing our grandmother has to a computer is an egg timer! We're going into town to find one.

The dub snips a round of phone tag, including Taichi comically flopping back over and wailing about how screwed we are. But to avoid losing the vital exposition that computers are hard to come by in Shimane, they play Matt's final message over the footage of the boys racing down the stairs.

Izzy lies to Matt and T.K. here. Agumon and Tentomon are resting, not fighting Infermon right now.

With Yamato and Takeru now on-mission, Koushiro finishes reconnecting.

On the screen, the images of Kabuterimon and Greymon ready to fight appear. Uh, having somehow re-evolved to Adult-stage without Taichi and Koushiro connected to them. But Infermon's icon is missing.

Koushiro: Alright, we're connected! Taichi: The satellite phone worked! Koushiro: Hang on, it isn't there! Did it leave NTT? Taichi: Hey....

A new email comes in from Infermon. It has a new message, all in Katakana like the others. It reads "イナイイナイバ Inai inai ba!" Pretty sure the last letter is the creature making sounds, while いない inai in Hiragana means "Not here".

The message seems to be, "Not here not here BLEH!" Infermon is taunting them. More importantly, the email address it's using is "@@@@@@djm.dot.gov.ny.us".

Koushiro: Found it! This thing... It's in America! Taichi: America?

While that's going on, Yamato and Takeru roam the long stretches of land in Shimane searching for a functioning computer they can connect to the internet with. The first house they stop at is no good, as a man out on the porch explains to them.

Man: Computer? I have one, but it's broken right now.

At the next house, the now out-of-breath brothers are again turned aside by a middle-aged woman at the door.

Woman: A computer? I don't have anything like that.

At the third house, as the brothers now gasp for air, they're met with further failure from an elderly couple.

Old Man: A com... what? Com....

Leaving there, the boys wander the street looking for new options.

Yamato: Like I thought, there's no computers anywhere in Shimane!

Well, the good news is that when Infermon collapses society, Yamato and Takeru will be well-insulated where they are.

In the dub:

Izzy: The uplink's working! We're back online! Tai: Now let's exterminate that bug! Izzy: ...he left the phone company!? Now where is he? Tai: Look! He sent another email!

As with Infermon's previous messages, the dub rewrites the email in English. This one reads "I'm close to him." Presumably referring to Willis.

Tai: "I'm close to him"!? Close to who!? Izzy: He's in America! Tai: He doesn't even have a green card!?

By pure serendipity, this time we are in fact talking about the United States. The dub didn't have to change this one. Infermon is in America.

The following scene featuring the boys' search for a computer was cut.

Yamato and Takeru's search continues until, suddenly, they strike gold.

The boys discover a small storefront called タクシタでんきTakushita Denki, or Takushita Electric. Writing on the shop window generically advertises "あなたの街のでんきやさん Anata no machi no denkiya-san" or "Your town's electric appliance shop!" Probably don't need much of a pitch in Shimane.

It's not exactly Radio Shack but it's in the right ballpark so we should be able to--

Woman: I'm sorry, but I don't have an internet connection for this computer.

At this point Takeru is straight-up crying. The boys are so fucked that it provokes an argument between the man and woman running the shop.

Man: Oh come on, just let them use it. Woman: (pointed) Sho-chan, don't you have deliveries to make? Sho: I feel bad for them! Woman: (getting heated) But it doesn't connect to the internet! Man: (pounds fist on the table) Then hook it up! Woman: SHO-CHAN-- Yamato: Hey, hey, both of you....

Yamato puts a stop to this before it gets ugly, and we cut to the boys on Sho's delivery motorcycle.

Yamato: Where are we going!? Sho: Leave this to me!

Three cheers for the random deliveryman who wouldn't hang these boys out to dry.

As with the rest of the boys' search, the dub cuts the electric shop too. All we get is the boys on Sho's motorcycle, which is quickly recontextualized to explain who he is.

Matt: UNCLE AL!!! I SAID SLOW DOWN!!! Al: STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!

As with "Sora's cousin Duane", the dub's invented a new relative to transport the Chosen Children. I wonder if the kids accepting rides from strangers made the censors uncomfortable?

Meanwhile, in the United States, Infermon rampages unchecked across American systems.

Devouring everything in its path, we see multiple effects of the havoc it's unleashing.

Bus destination signs flickering into gibberish. Cab drivers' navigation systems replaced by static images superimposed by Infermon's face. The same happening to the giant screens in New York City, as well as airplane and flight control instruments at airports.

There's also one really cool metaphorical shot, gradually zooming out on an American flag while Infermon crawls up one of its stripes like an infectious parasite. Gives me the heeby-jeebies.

Finally, we end Infermon's rampage on a shot of NYC at night, as lights flicker in every building and police sirens scream through the night.

Taichi: Bastard! It's having fun! Koushiro: Despite being Perfect-stage, it's still a newborn child. There's no way to know what it's going to do. Taichi: Can't someone do something about this? Koushiro: I'm sure there's adults out there who've figured out that they aren't dealing with an ordinary computer glitch. But they have no way of realizing that it's a Digimon causing all this. Taichi: Then... What can we do!? Koushiro: All we can do is have Agumon and the others fight it. Taichi: But even then....

Taichi is pissed. He whips out この野郎 konoyarou, one of anime's favorite vulgar Fuck Off And Die insults.

The dub plays Infermon's American rampage for fun times. They set it to the song "All My Best Friends are Metalheads" by Less Than Jake.

Izzy: Well, the Digimon's in New York. He's eaten all the data at Kennedy Airport and he's headed for the subway system. Tai: Good! That will definitely slow him down, for sure! Izzy: I'd better email Willis and let him know that Infermon is heading in his direction. I do have one question, though. What do you think that Digimon would have been like if the virus never attacked him? Tai: I have a question too: WHY ARE YOU STILL DRINKING THAT JUNK!?!? Izzy: Look, just because you don't like to eat healthy, doesn't mean that I don't. Tai: Don't say I didn't warn you....

This isn't even a different take; They flat-out replaced this scene with a brand new one. Referencing Infermon's new goal of finding Willis and making jokes (and foreshadowing) about Yuuko's recipes.

Also, Izzy ponders what Infermon would be like if it wasn't infected by the virus, which is a funny question to ask when the dub added that detail in the first place. Speaking from the Japanese side? The same, Izzy. It's the same. Without a virus, Infermon is the same.

Well. Less talkative, so the virus did change some things, but not as much as you might think.

Suddenly, the boys receive a videocall. Man, it's a good thing Infermon left NTT 'cause good luck finding a satellite phone in Shimane.

Taichi: Yamato! Yamato: Sorry to keep you waiting! Takeru: We have our Digivices! Koushiro: I see. That's good. You found a computer? Yamato: Uh, well....

Cutting to their perspective, we see that the brothers are at a computer in a barber shop. The barber does not seem very thrilled about letting them use his computer.

Barber: Are you sure it's okay to let these kids touch it? Sho: (jolts upright) Stop whining and let them use it!

While I doubt it was intentionally tactical, Takeru's waterworks worked. Sho is invested in getting the boys online. They are, however, not exactly in a private space.

Elderly Man: Those are Kinu-san's grandchildren. Elderly Woman: Life in Tokyo sure is different. Taichi: Hey! What's wrong, Yamato! Hey! Yamato: N... No... It's nothing.

Returning to Odaiba, Koushiro chugs his glass of oolong tea from the tray they brought.

Taichi: Whew. You know, I was worried there for a moment. Koushiro: Taichi-san, can I have your oolong tea? Taichi: Haven't you drank too much already?

Koushiro doesn't wait for Taichi's answer. He chugs Taichi's glass too.

In the dub:

Tai: Matt! Matt: We've got the Digivices! T.K.: Now what? Tai: Awesome! We'll tell Gennai to upload Gabumon and Patamon onto the net! Matt: You can do that? Barber: That sounds like fun! Usually I just play Solitaire on that thing, but I-- Al: (jolts upright) Careful, Floyd! You almost cut my ear off! Elderly Man: Kids today are so smart, aren't they? Elderly Woman: I still can't set the time on my VCR. Tai: Hey Matt, who are all those weird people? Matt: (loudly) They're not weird! They're my best friends! (bitterly mutters) Considering this is the only computer in town! (Meanwhile, Izzy chugs his glass) Tai: Gennai's transfer of the Digimon is almost completed. Izzy: Hey, can I have yours? Tai: (despondent) Izzy, you're the bravest kid I've ever known....

The dub adds the detail of Tai "having Gennai move Gabumon and Patamon onto the net", which is a pretty detail to add. The barber is also a lot more friendly about letting random children use his computer.

It's ironic that Random Stranger Sho is a lot more gung-ho and aggressive about helping these kids than Uncle Al. Al got them to a computer too, but he's not throwing hands with everyone in Shimane over it. XD

Inside the internet, Agumon and Tentomon fly through cyberspace, ready for another round.

Tentomon: Aren't the others connected yet? Agumon: If not, we'll just have to fight it again by ourselves. Tentomon: Yeah, but-- Gabumon: Agumon! Tentomon! Both: Hm?

Gabumon and Patamon enter the circuit they're flying through from another tunnel.

Tentomon: Ah! Gabumon and Patamon! Patamon: We're coming too! Gabumon: Sorry we're late! Yamato: We're counting on you, Gabumon! Takeru: Ganbatte, Patamon! Koushiro: I'll guide all of you. Digimon: Okay! Agumon: This time, we'll definitely defeat this thing!

Reminder: Ganbaru is the Japanese cultural value of perseverance through tremendous adversity via hard work and dedication.

Arrows appear along the path, marking the route and guiding the Digimon to a new virtual space. This one is full of floating construction beams everywhere.

Perched atop one of those beams is Infermon, along with a video game compass marker helpfully pointing it out and a sign. A sight that has only gotten funnier in this modern age of gaming.

It's not Koushiro doing that part, though. The sign's origin is clear from the fact that it's simplistically written in strictly Katakana, like Infermon's earlier messages. It reads コッチダヨーン Kotchidayoun, which translates to こっちだよーん Kotchida youn which translates to "Over here".

Yamato: Is it playing with us!? Taichi: Yamato, let's go all out! Yamato: Straight to Ultimate level!

Yes. Yes, it is playing with us. Its age can be measured in hours. This is all a game to it.

In the dub:

Agumon: We're going back in! Tentomon: I assume Izzy and Tai were unsuccessful in finding anyone else. Agumon: Then you and I will just have to beat that thing by ourselves! Gabumon: Sorry we're late! Patamon: I was surfing the net and I wiped out! Agumon & Tentomon: Huh!? Tentomon: Gabumon and Patamon! Patamon: Is T.K. on this ride? Gabumon: He's not tall enough. Yamato: Hey, Gabumon! T.K.: Patamon! Izzy: Say hello later! We have work to do! Tentomon: Keep your legs and wings inside this ride at all times! Izzy: Just a little further, guys. Just remember: He's dangerous so stay focused! (The Digimon spill into the new area of the internet) Infermon: I'm looking for the programmer; Don't interfere! Matt: He's teasing us! Tai: Oh, yeah!? Then let's get him! Matt: It's time to Digivolve!

Patamon "surfing the net and wiping out" is a nice bit of wordplay for his punny quip, though I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean in a literal sense.

Izzy does not offer to guide the Digimon to their destination, the message remains untranslated in Katakana, and Infermon explicitly wants them to stay away from him rather than goading them. So. I sincerely have no idea who put the pointing arrow over Infermon in this version. It just kinda happens.

As Taichi and Yamato agreed, it's time to evolve straight to Ultimate.

While Agumon and Gabumon Warp-Evolve, we jump around the globe once again to people watching their evolution sequences. This fight, too, will be broadcast worldwide.

I'm really fond of how this is presented. Show Me Your Brave Heart begins like usual when the Digimon evolve, but we jump to a different country and different group of people with each note of the song.

The dub uses their typical Warp Digivolve reprise of their opening theme, but they aren't able to time the shots to the notes for obvious reasons. It still flows pretty well.

Also, for Digimon: The Movie synergy, there's a blond boy watching in one of the shots that you could totally assume is Willis. Maybe he is! Or he could be Michael from 02. Who knows.

WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon take turns boxing Infermon around, making hit and run swipes at it.

Taichi: Nice! Takeru: Patamon, you evolve too. Patamon: Uh-huh!

A neat detail of Patamon's attempted evolution is that the stock animation footage appears diegetically on a screen directly behind him. We see him with the screen at an angle while the startup "Digivice meter rises and overtakes the Digivice" bit plays.

(This might be why Infermon can interfere with evolution sequences. Others have fucked with evolution before but not this directly. It's never been implied that a Partner Digimon in-universe stands there frozen in place for upwards of 40 seconds when evolving.

But we're not in the Digital World right now. We're inside the internet itself, so maybe the data stream is something that can be seen and interacted with. Or something.)

Whatever the case, Infermon's not letting them get away with this one. It lunges, undergoing its own evolution into Diablomon.

Yamato: It evolved!? Taichi: How is it so fast!?

I'm not sure if Taichi means it's moving fast, it evolved fast without a fancy sequence like the Partners have, or that it evolved quickly in the sense that it's gone from Digitama to Ultimate in the span of like a few hours. Honestly, all of these are valid questions.

In its new form, Diablomon has stretchy rubber-band limbs, which it demonstrates by punching Patamon out of his evolution sequence and pinning him against a girder.

Takeru: Patamon! Tentomon: Patamon--DAUGH!!!

Also, it has two arms, so Tentomon can have one too.

In the dub:

T.K.: Patamon, you'd better Digivolve! Patamon: Right! Patamon, Digivolve To.... Infermon: Infermon, Digivolve to: Diaboromon!

"Diaboro" is an obvious r/l mistranslation of "Diablo", the Spanish word for devil. What's less obvious is whether they did that by accident or on purpose. Might be an error, might be they fudged the name on purpose to remove the Satanic reference. Both are plausible.

Matt: What's going on!? Tai: He Digivolved.... Diaboromon: CABLE CRUSHER!!! (Diaboromon punches Patamon out of his evolution) T.K.: Look out, Patamon! Tentomon: I'll save him! (gets punched)

The stretchy arm punches are called Cable Crusher in the dub.

Gotta love T.K. yelling "Look out!" like a second after Patamon already got hit. XD THANKS. HELPFUL.

Takeru and Koushiro check on their pinned down Partners.

Takeru: PATAMON!!! ARE YOU OKAY!?!? Koushiro: Tentomon! Tentomon: I'm fine... Patamon.... Takeru: (crying) Patamon, I'm coming to you! Patamon! Patamon! Patamon!

Meanwhile, at the barber shop, everyone's dropped what they're doing to stare at these strange boys getting very emotional about whatever they're doing on the internet. Even Sho and the barber have stopped midway through Sho's shave.

Yamato: How dare you... HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO PATAMON!!! Taichi: YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!!!

Resuming the fight, MetalGarurumon goes for Diablomon first. MetalGarurumon unloads his freezing missiles, Diablomon gets pummeled by MetalGarurumon's shots. At speed, it's hard to tell if the blasts are hitting it or if it's dodging, but the freeze-frame clearly shows Diablomon getting tossed around.

Recovering, Diablomon returns fire with a fireball from its chest which hits MetalGarurumon dead on.

WarGreymon pushes through the smoke and closes distance. Diablomon tries to deflect WarGreymon's attack at range, using its own stretchy claw to break WarGreymon's right Dramon Killer off. WarGreymon adapts, turning a stab into a punch and breaking Diablomon's goddamn face.

Taichi: Tentomon! Look after Patamon. WarGreymon, stay on the attack!

Koushiro, next to Taichi, begins sweating and seems to be having, let's say, trouble with something....

As WarGreymon closes distance, the process repeats. Diablomon snaps off WarGreymon's other Dramon Killer, and WarGreymon connects an unguarded left hook into Diablomon's face.

In the dub:

T.K.: Ahh! Patamon, are you alright!? Izzy: Tentomon! Tentomon: I'm fine! What about Patamon? T.K.: Patamon! Speak to me! Come on, get up! Say something! I'm coming! I'll come get you! Matt: T.K.... You can't. (to MetalGarurumon) BUT YOU CAN!!! Tai: WIPE HIM OUT!!!

The dub names MetalGarurumon's missiles Ice Wolf Spikes, despite usually calling it (and most of his other moves) Ice Wolf Claw. Diablomon's fireball is Web Wrecker. WarGreymon's punch is just a punch, though to be honest I was expecting it to be Terra Force or, like, Nova Punch or something. XD

Tai: Tentomon, circle around! WarGreymon, attack!

For some reason, the dub has Tai tell Tentomon to "circle around" Diablomon, as if he's supposed to be moving in for a flanking strike. Um. No. His job is to go make sure Patamon didn't die a moment ago.

Unfortunately, while this is happening, Koushiro continues to have his crisis.

Koushiro: T-Taichi-san.... Taichi: Go! Keep it up! Koushiro: (straining) Taichi-san! Taichi: Right there! Get it! Koushiro: TAICHI-SAN!!! Taichi: The hell!?

Startled, Taichi finally turns his attention to Koushiro, who is visibly in a lot of pain.

As Taichi turns his attention to Koushiro, the line "Show me your brave heart" from their triumphant battle theme gets stuck. The soundtrack begins stuttering, playing that same line over and over and over like a broken record. Our first warning that things are now suddenly going awry.

Koushiro: I can't hold it anymore.... Taichi: What!? Koushiro: I have to use the bathroom, please....

Without another word, Koushiro stands up and staggers out of the office.

Taichi: (dismayed) Hey... Why now of all times...? Hey!

Meanwhile, in the fight, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon both power up their attacks to throw at Diablomon.

Yamato: That's it! Finish it off! Taichi: Huh!?

The pair fire off attacks together that... Sort of look like Cocytus Breath and Gaia Force reimagined by a new art direction.

Taichi: Please! This has to hit!

It does not. Diablomon leaps straight up and hurdles their shots at the last second.

Taichi: FUCK!!!

Frustrated, Taichi smacks the computer monitor and causes it to Blue Screen. He freezes in horror when he realizes what he's done.

Yamato: What's happening, Taichi!? WarGreymon stopped moving!

This is karma for the Andromon episode of the Devimon arc, where Taichi kept smacking computers.

Taichi tries shaking the monitor a couple of times to try and get the connection back, but it's hopeless. Thankfully, Koushiro returns from the bathroom here to discover what Taichi's done.

Koushiro: Sorry about that. Taichi: (desperate, teary) It isn't working! Koushiro: Eh!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?!?

Our polite little Koushiro shoves Taichi away from the computer so that he can get this fixed.

Taichi: I didn't do anything! It's your fault for using the bathroom at a time like this! Koushiro: It's useless.

Koushiro gives up on trying to get the system back on and hard reboots the computer instead.

In the dub:

Izzy: It's... no... use.... Tai: What are you talking about!? We're winning! Izzy: Owaaaaaaugh... goh... This could be it.... Tai: Yeah! Great, huh? Izzy: Not that! Tai: What's going on!? Izzy: There's something... wrong with me.... Tai: What is it!? Izzy: I think it's your mother's recipes.... (Izzy runs off for the bathroom) Tai: See!? I hate to tell you I told you so but... I told you so!

In the original, he just needs to pee. He drank too much oolong tea and now his body needs to drain the excess fluid. He leaves Taichi unsupervised with the computer for less than a minute.

Here, he's got some kind of indigestion or food poisoning going on, which will be similarly quick to handle.

Matt: Tai! Look! Something's wrong! Tai: Huh!? (The Digimon attack) Tai: Oh no! They're slowing down! (Diaboromon dodges) Tai: Huh!? COME ON!!! (Tai smacks the computer and it blue screens) Matt: Tai, where'd you go!? WarGreymon has practically stopped moving! (Tai shakes the computer a couple of times) Tai: Oh no! Oh no! Izzy: (returns) Ah, I feel a lot better. Tai: I didn't touch anything, I swear! Izzy: AH!!! (shove) TAI, WHAT DID YOU DO!?!? Tai: It wasn't my fault! Besides, who told you to go to the bathroom at such an important time!? Izzy: Like I had a choice!

In the original, Taichi and Yamato are gung-ho about landing these shots and finishing off Diablomon. The dub asserts that they're moving slower, which is a later plot point that the dub's incorporating early.

They may have brought this in early to explain why WarGreymon suddenly shuts down when Tai's connection breaks. It's never been a thing before that a Digimon suddenly goes into stasis if their Partner isn't nearby. That's a weird thing for the original to have happen, so the implied whatever-the-fuck could be an attempted story patch.

While the computer's rebooting, Koushiro vents at Taichi.

Koushiro: Why did you freeze the system!? Taichi: I didn't think that would happen! Koushiro: This is why you're bickering with Sora! Taichi: (wounded) I did nothing...!

Jesus. I don't think we've ever seen Koushiro this upset, and he once fought a guy that wanted to eat his parents. Taichi is silent for a moment, nursing the critical hit that remark struck.

Taichi: I just... (mutters) ...got her a present. Koushiro: A present?

We cut to Sora, sitting in her windowsill and watching a jet go by in the sky as Taichi finally opens up about what happened.

Taichi: Her birthday was coming up, so I got her a hairclip. But then she starts saying things like, "(sneering) Oh, you think this hat doesn't suit me!?" So we started fighting....

As Taichi finishes his story, we return to Taichi and Koushiro, with that same jet visible out the window. They're far apart, physically and emotionally, yet under the same sky all the same.

Koushiro: So that's it... Taichi: Yeah, but... I'm supposed to apologize, right?

Taichi's impression of Sora, literally the tone he uses when quoting her, is mean and uncharitable. But that's not unexpected for someone who's in the midst of a quarrel and doesn't understand what he could possibly have done wrong. So far as Taichi figures it, Sora snapped all of a sudden over the hairclip and started yelling at him for no reason.

Okay. We need to take a moment and talk about the hairclip. What did Taichi do wrong? Well. They don't give us a lot of information to go on. We never hear Sora's side of the story. This is all we get.

But from what we know of Sora, we can surmise some things. The explicit point of contention is Sora's hat. Taichi gave her a pretty hairclip and her kneejerk reaction was that he was telling her not to wear her hat.

This is what she's reacting so negatively to; The implicit statement Taichi hadn't realized he was making that Sora's hat is bad. Or, specifically, that it is 似合わない niawanai, unsuitable for her. That she is the kind of person who wears pretty hairclips and not the kind of person who wears hats like this.

Let's take a moment to think about the context Sora exists in. The longstanding personal drama of her life is her conflict with her mother's expectations. Her mother is iemoto, the grandmaster for a school of ikebana, a traditional art of flower arranging. Sora was born to step into the shoes of a very traditional and feminine discipline, which she did not take well to.

Rather than following eagerly in her mother's footsteps, Sora became more invested in sports, a traditionally masculine activity. She presents herself with long pants, short hair, and that big helmet over most of her head, which she's now swapped for a floofy winter cap. She has conversations with Mimi about how assertive and strong she is compared to the more feminine Mimi.

Sora has, for years, felt like her self-expression is under siege by expectations of traditional femininity. And then Taichi comes to her and implicitly says to her, "Hey, you should change your self-expression to be more feminine." Of course she blew up. Of course she did.

Taichi, of course, had no idea the hairclip would be taken that way. He's... just... terrible at understanding other people's feelings. This was stupidity, not malice. But even though Sora and Toshiko have reconciled, that doesn't mean all the sore spots have disappeared. Taichi stepped on an emotional landmine buried in the Demilitarized Zone that Sora and Toshiko's arguments left behind.

Not to be too charitable to Taichi since he was there when she explained all this. He's an idiot who doesn't think things through and isn't good at understanding people. But he didn't mean any harm by it and now has no idea why it created so much tension.

In the dub:

Izzy: Oh, why did you crash the computer!? Now I have to reboot! Tai: Well, it's not like I did it on purpose or anything! Izzy: Yeah, right! Just like it wasn't your fault with Sora! Tai: That wasn't... my fault... Oh, okay, maybe it was my fault. Izzy: What happened? (Cut to Sora) Tai (V.O.): It was stupid. I gave her this really great hairpin for her birthday and then she got all mad and said, "(sneer) Oh, you don't like my hairstyle!?" and I said "Who could tell? You're always wearing a hat!" and then she said "So! Now you don't like my hat, huh!?" It's very confusing. (Cut back to Tai and Izzy) Izzy: That's what you fought about? Tai: I tried to apologize to her but she won't return my phone calls!

Tai and Sora's argument in the dub is a bit longer. A subtle but critical difference here is that Sora in the original is getting mad over whether her hat is suitable to her while Sora in the dub is getting mad over whether Tai personally likes her aesthetic.

Suddenly, the computer finishes reconnecting with an audible chime.

Koushiro: Ah! We're back to normal. Taichi: WarGreymon-- Ah!

The boys reconnect to find the battlefield they left behind has become a debris field. WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon lay motionless, lifeless amid the debris.

Yamato: TAICHI!!! KOUSHIRO!!! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU GUYS DOING!?!? YOU GODDAMN MORONS!!!

Koushiro's only crime was having to pee, and his Digimon was barely even a participant anyway. He probably doesn't deserve to be called 馬鹿野郎 bakayarou, which is the anime classic 馬鹿 baka or "stupid" but in a really mean and vulgar way. It's for when you wanna call someone baka but spit it like a curse word, no playing.

For Taichi, however, the obscenity is well-warranted.

Taichi: (teary-eyed) WarGreymon! WarGreymon! WARGREYMON!!! WARGREYMOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!

While Taichi's screaming for his Partner, we take another cuts around the globe. To all the people silently watching in stunned horror as he all but begs his Partner to be alive.

WarGreymon: T... Taichi....

Finally, Taichi's voice reaches WarGreymon and he opens his eyes again.

The dub catches that an audio cue is supposed to alert the boys, and uses that old 90's dial-up tone.

Izzy: Ah! We're back online! Tai: WarGreymon! (Debris field, half-dead Digimon) Matt: Hey guys, where were you!? You two sure picked a lousy time to take a lunch break! Tai: (teary-eyed) What happened to him!? WarGreymon! (Silence as we jump around the globe, then back to WarGreymon) Tai: WarGreymon.... WarGreymon: ...ugggggh... Tai, I can't move!

The emotions are dialed back quite a bit here. Matt gives them a snarky scolding instead of yelling obscenities in Tai's face while Tai's fear and grief doesn't quite match the bloodcurdling screaming that Taichi's doing.

Good news is that WarGreymon isn't dead. But this is still pretty bad.

Taichi: If I.... If I'd been here, this wouldn't have happened. Koushiro: You lost again? Taichi: WHAT!?!?

Taichi whips around like them's fightin' words to see Koushiro reading emails from the laptop.

Koushiro: And now from Canberra: "You were so close to winning. What were you doing!?" This one's from Berlin--

Out of nowhere, Taichi shoves Koushiro. Then he grabs him by the scruff of his shirt.

Taichi: The hell!? ASSHOLE!!! Koushiro: I was just reading the emails we received! Taichi: Koushiro, you piece of-- Yamato: Cut it out! This isn't the time to fight each other! (beat) Taichi: Keh!

Taichi pushes Koushiro back to the ground and returns his attention to the computer.

Taichi: What's with these emails anyway!?

What gets me about this bit is that it's not a misunderstanding. His この野郎 konoyarou comes before he clarifies, but even after, Taichi still gives him a 手前 temae. That's the second-person pronoun you use when you want to say "you" in a way that expresses contempt.

Taichi isn't confused here; He is legit trying to punch the messenger.

In the dub:

Tai: I let him down! I should have been there! Izzy: Your Digimon's a loser. Tai: What did you say!? Izzy: How could two Mega-level Digimon get beat by one lousy bug!? WarGreymon quit like a coward--OW!!! (Tai shoves Izzy and grabs him) Tai: YOU TAKE THAT BACK OR I'LL-- Izzy: I WAS READING AN EMAIL FROM ANOTHER KID!!! Tai: You didn't have to read it so well! Matt: Hey, you two! This isn't the time to be fighting! (beat) (Tai shoves Izzy down and goes back to the computer) Tai: Stupid emails....

The dub does play this more for misunderstanding. They take out the parts where Koushiro says "This one's from Canberra" and "This one's from Berlin", so it sounds to Tai like Izzy's being mean and cruel out of nowhere.

Tai doesn't apologize after Izzy clarifies, but he also doesn't double down like Taichi does.

Additionally, the kids emailing seem to be a lot better informed than in the original. It's not too big a deal that they can namedrop WarGreymon since Tai/chi says his name multiple times while begging him to be alive. But they also name-drop Mega Digimon and seem to understand what that means.

From here, we go to Diablomon in the depths of the internet.

It's holding a cute pink clock, revealed to be the true source of its weird cackling back in the first Infermon fight.

Clock: Yahahahahahaha! Yahahahahahaha! Yahahahahahaha!

Diablomon waves its hand over the cackling clock and makes it disappear. Cut to an ominous shot of the jet flying in the sky, and then back to the boys.

Diablomon appears on the computer screens in front of Yamato, Takeru, and Taichi. It doesn't send an email this time; It simply composes one in real-time for them to see, typing out letter by letter.

Diablomon types トケイヲモッテイルノハ ダーレダ Tokei wo motteiru noha daareda. Which translates to 時計を持っているのは誰だ Tokei wo motteiru noha daareda. Which translates to "Who has the clock?"

Incidentally, this message is sent from the FactoryMark server so it looks like Diablomon's back in Japan. It did what it needed to do in the U.S.

Takeru: Clock?

This message is then replaced by two entirely different things to freak out about. The first is a red timer counting down from ten minutes. The second is Diablomon's image in the background dividing into two, and then those two dividing into four. Then those four into eight.

Yamato: It's copying itself.... Taichi: These numbers-- Koushiro: What do we do!? Taichi: Huh!?

Koushiro isn't looking at the screen. He's still at his laptop reading emails.

Koushiro: A middle school student from Taiwan hacked into the Pentagon, and they say that a nuclear missile was launched from an American military base thirty minutes ago. Taichi: HUH!?!? Koushiro: It was fired by a computer error. (freaking out) Of course, it was actually that thing that did it! Taichi: Then this number is.... Koushiro: The estimated time until the missile reaches its target.

OH. OKAY.

THAT IS PROBABLY BAD.

In the dub, Diaboromon talks over the ticking of the clock, which is not itself cackling.

Diaboromon: Wahahahahahaha! Go back to the beginning....

His email is rewritten in English once again. This time he types out, letter by letter, "Who can count backwards from ten?"

Tai: Another email!? "Who can count backwards from ten?" Huh!? Is he giving us a math test!? (Cut to T.K. and Yamato) T.K.: What's that? (Timer appears and Diaboromon begins dividing) Matt: Hey, what's with the timer? Tai: He's making copies of himself! (Cut back to Tai and Izzy) Tai: He's multiplying! Izzy: It gets worse! The U.S.A. just launched two nuclear missiles! Tai: Huh!?

Yep, there's two missiles in this version. Also, they were recently fired, as opposed to having been fired half an hour ago.

The dub edits the footage again to remove Koushiro's Taiwanese pal and replace him with Willis.

Izzy: Willis says the government has no explanation for it, but he found out that Diaboromon's in the Pentagon's computers. I hope I didn't lead him there with my satellite uplink! (gasp) One of the missiles is headed for Colorado! THEY'RE GONNA LAND IN LESS THAN TEN MINUTES!!! Tai: That explains the timer. But what's in Colorado!? Izzy: I have no idea! In the meantime, Diaboromon keeps multiplying!

Willis, of course. One missile for the original target and a second missile for Willis.

We cut again briefly to the "jet" leaving its trail in the air. Now with an unsettling new context.

Taichi: Y-You're messing with me.... Koushiro: The nuclear missile is called One-Shot Peacekeeper. Range of 20,000 km, which is nearly the entire Earth. Top speed is 15,000 mph. Taichi: ...what's that in kmph? Koushiro: In parentheses, "Mach 23". Taichi: T... Twenty-three...?

The Earth is a little over 40,000 km in circumference so Koushiro's math checks out. Depending on which direction you shoot in, you can cover almost everything on the planet with that kind of range.

Additionally, the speed required to achieve orbital velocity is about 17,500 mph. So this missile can't reach orbit, but it's close.

As Koushiro says that, we cut to Mimi in Hawaii watching the "jet" suddenly streak by overhead. Seems to be heading westward from the continental U.S.

Mimi: Oooooo!

She has no idea what she's looking at. It's probably just a cool plane going super fast in the air.

Koushiro: But we don't know what its target is or where it is in the air right now. Only that it's going to detonate somewhere in the world... in nine minutes.

Meanwhile, in Shimane, the people in the barbershop have no idea. The elderly couple discuss dark clouds moving in over the region.

Elderly Man: It's getting cloudy. Elderly Woman: So quiet, though. I should probably go bring in the laundry right away. Elderly Man: Right away!

The old woman offers Yamato a grocery bag.

Elderly Woman: Would you bring these things to Kinu-san? Tell her they're from Yasuko. Yamato: ... Yasuko: Huh? Are you even listening?

They are not. Yamato and Takeru stare at the computer screen, paralyzed with terror by the reality in front of them.

An interesting note is that it's only one missile. Diablomon isn't going Full Skynet and trying to annihilate humankind. It only has one target it intends to utterly destroy.

In the dub:

Tai: But the military has the power to stop it, right? Izzy: Every country is trying to intercept them, including Japan. But Diaboromon has infiltrated all the computers and is rerouting them to fall harmlessly in the ocean near Hawaii! Mimi: (Hawaii) Ooooo, fireworks! Izzy: I've got the trajectory for the other missile. Let me calculate. ...carry the two, times three... TAI, IT'S AIMED RIGHT FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD!!! Tai: (frustrated) Ugh....

SPOILERS, IZZY. FUCK. I mean, I think most people already guessed that, but still.

Following Tai's incredibly understated groan, the Shimane scene is cut.

When Izzy says Diaboromon is "rerouting them to fall harmlessly in the ocean", the wording here is a little confusing. I think he means that Diaboromon's sending every country's counter-missiles to Hawaii? But the way he words it makes it sound like he's sending the two nukes to Hawaii.

It's a bit of a word salad to try and justify why Mimi's seeing a missile streak by in Hawaii. Which... is kind of a fair question, because Hawaii isn't between the continental U.S. and Japan. It's pretty far south, between Mexico and the Philippines. So I have no idea why the missile passed directly over Mimi's head.

(It heard how cool she was and wanted to swing by to see for itself. It has more than enough range for a detour.

Back at Taichi's home, more emails come in.

Koushiro: This email's from Indonesia: "You must defeat the enemy somehow." Over here, from Armenia: "You're the only ones who can defeat that monster." From Qatar: "Please ganbatte." Taichi: We should ganbaru...

Watching the screen, they're now up to 64 Diablomon and still dividing.

Taichi: But we can't defeat all of them! Koushiro: A nuclear missile can't detonate unless the fuse is activated. If this is supposed to be a game, then which one of those things has the clock? Defeat that one and the fuse won't activate. Taichi: But how do we find that one? Koushiro: That is... We'll have to defeat them one by one. Taichi: But that will take too long!

Koushiro slowly turns around to face Taichi, so Taichi can see how serious he is.

Koushiro: But that's the only choice we have. Taichi: (stunned) ....

Taichi is left speechless by how dire their predicament is.

In the dub... the hack and slash job continues. The scene continues, but they don't use the footage for it. Instead, remember that bit they cut out where Taichi cries "WE'RE SCREWED!" and falls over? Yeah, they past that part in for the footage of this section.

Izzy: Tai, look! Emails from all over the world! "Get that evil Digimon! You're our only hope!" Here's another one: "Be home by six o'clock!" ...oh, wait, that's from my mom. Tai: I'M TRYING TO SAVE THE WORLD AND YOU'RE READING FANMAIL!!! Izzy: WE JUST LOST OUR CONNECTION!!! Tai: (falls over comically) Greeeeeeeeat. Izzy: Don't worry, I'll get it back! Listen, I think if we defeat the original Diaboromon, the rest will disappear. Tai: (gets back up, excited) WHAT!?!? Izzy: All we have to do is destroy each one until we've found the original.

They then use a shot of the "jet" flying in the sky to reset the positions of the characters and join back up with the original footage at "But that will take too long!"

Tai: Sounds great! How many are there so far? Izzy: Oh no.... (Izzy slowly turns around) Tai: Spit it out, Izzy! How many are there! Izzy: ...there are over 75,000 and counting. Tai: (stunned) ...

In addition to the hack and slash job, we are now wildly off-script.

They keep the basic idea that there is one specific Diablomon we must defeat. But the relationship between that Diablomon, the detonation of the nuke, and the little clock Diablomon showed the camera earlier? Completely wiped off the board.

Along with it goes the characterization that Diablomon is still, even in this form, playing games.

In its place, we get the connection going out for like half a second, which adds nothing to this scene. That's clearly there because they cut out this comical footage of Taichi falling over earlier and wanted to use it somewhere.

And the dub also claims that there are now 75,000 Diaboromon. We're at like 64 or so. The Americans inflated the hell out of these numbers.

While Taichi struggles to process this situation, WarGreymon suddenly reaches out.

WarGreymon: Taichi.... Taichi: .... WarGreymon: Taichi...! Taichi: .... WarGreymon: Taichi! Taichi: (gasp)

That shakes him out of it, and he returns his attention to the screen. The Ultimate Digimon begin to move, ready to go once again despite their injuries and damaged armor.

WarGreymon: Taichi... Pull yourself together, Taichi, and let us handle this. Taichi: WarGreymon.... MetalGarurumon: Do we know where it is? Yamato: MetalGarurumon.... Koushiro: Guys.... (steeling himself) I'm sending the address now! MetalGarurumon: Please.

An exit from their current server appears, and the pair of Ultimates exit into the internet once more.

Taichi: (quietly) You're right. It's the only way. I'm sorry. Koushiro: (quietly) Yeah....

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Yuuko checks on her cake.

Yuuko: Seven minutes left!

Across Tokyo, Jou scrambles to finish his entrance exam.

Announcement: Seven minutes left! Jou: (writes frantically) OH NO!!!

Seven minutes left!

Yuuko's cake provides a curious timeframe. It's been twenty-three minutes since she put it into the microwave, and the nuke was fired thirty-three minutes ago. This means the nuke was launched ten minutes before Yuuko put the cake in the oven. Ten minutes before the fight with Infermon, ending in Infermon using the NTT system to shut Taichi and Koushiro out of the internet.

The timeframe is honestly fascinating, as it implies that the nuke was one of the numerous errors that emerged during Kuramon's hatching. Like when Jou missed his train because the doors wouldn't open. The nuke was fired then, during the opening credit sequence, and has been in the air this entire time.

In the dub:

WarGreymon: Tai.... Izzy: What's that? It didn't sound like my stomach. WarGreymon: Tai! Tai: Ah! (Tai returns his attention to the computer) WarGreymon: Have faith! I'll find... the original! Tai: WarGreymon.... MetalGarurumon: Mrrrgh... I'll help you.... Matt: MetalGarurumon! Izzy: They're so slow.... It's because of all the emails! They're slowing down our Digimon's processing speed! I've gotta write to everybody and tell them to stop emailing us until the Digimon are back to full strength! Tai: Are you crazy, Izzy!? Do you know how long that will take!? There's no time! Now we're-- (Cut to Yuuko) Yuuko: --just about-- (Cut to Joe) Announcer: --FINISHED!!! Joe: (writes frantically) IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS!!!

Love what the dub does with those Yuuko and Jou cuts. Beautiful.

So here we get the explanation for all the "WarGreymon is slowing down for some reason!" stuff. The emails coming in are screwing with his and MetalGarurumon's processing speed.

This is actually a plot point from the original. The dub went ahead and introduced it way earlier so they could build up to it. And use it to explain that weird moment when WarGreymon suddenly froze up after Taichi disconnected. Good call. A+

Seven minutes left!

As WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon fly through the internet, more and more emails come in... including a couple of fairly significant cameos.

One is a certain little girl with purple hair that we'll be getting to know better next season.

Another is a boy named Ryo Akiyama. Ryo is the main playable character for a series of Adventure-adjacent video games that take place in the margins around the anime's continuity. We'll be seeing him cross over more and more into the anime proper with not only the next season of Adventure, but also Digimon Tamers.

Despite Tamers being in a separate continuity. It's weird.

Koushiro: There's so much email flowing in.... "Ganbare WarGreymon" from Costa Rica. "Don't lose this, MetalGarurumon," from the Philippines. Takeru: (gripping Yamato's shirt) Onii-chan... Don't give in.... Yamato: I won't give up... not to the very end. Taichi: I will never give up....

As the boys steel their resolve, the clock ticks down.

The dub plays a snippet of Here We Go by Jason Gochin here for a rock interlude. They snip out Koushiro's dialogue about the email, though they still use the footage so we see his lips move silently.

T.K.: Tell me... Will they make it...? Matt: I'm not sure, T.K. But they're gonna try. Tai: Don't give up, guys. No matter what happens, don't give up!

An interesting note is that the dub treats Tai and Matt as passive observers here while the original treats them as active participants. This is because they may not be the ones throwing the punches but it's their power that WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon are wielding.

Six and a half minutes left!

WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon arrive in an area that has been completely overrun with the growing Diablomon swarm.

Yamato: They're... How many of them are there? Koushiro: 4,000... 8,000... It copied itself again! 16,000! They keep making more!

In the dub, the Diablomon are uttering a chorus of "Don't interfere!" over and over and over again. Presumably referring to his plan to drop a nuke on Willis.

Matt: How many copies of Diaboromon are there now!? Izzy: To be honest, I don't know. I stopped keeping track a while ago. It's gotta be well over a million!

It is not. No reason not to use the original numbers; Dub team's scrawling in some extra zeros for American machismo.

No time to get our bearings. At once, thousands of Diablomon open fire on our boys.

WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon are forced to try and weave through the barrage of incoming shots. They don't last long. MetalGarurumon is the first to start taking hits.

Yamato: Ah! Taichi: MetalGarurumon!

While Taichi's eyes are on MetalGarurumon, several shots catch up to WarGreymon, pummeling him as well.

Taichi: Ah! Takeru: They're moving really weird! Koushiro: It's because of all these emails flooding in from around the world! Having so many emails come in is slowing down our processing speed! Takeru: If this keeps up, we'll lose! Koushiro: (typing frantically) To everyone around the world: WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon's responsiveness is dropping! I'm begging you to stop sending emails!

Anyone who's seen a thousand-strong office "Please stop Replying All" chain knows that ain't gonna cut it.

In the dub:

(MetalGarurumon is hit) Matt: Ah! Tai: METALGARURUMON!!! (WarGreymon is hit) Tai: Ah! T.K.: WarGreymon has started to slow down again! Izzy: It's the emails! They're coming in faster than ever! They're slowing down the processing speed even more! Tai: They're sitting ducks out there! Izzy: (typing frantically) Please, guys, stop writing! I know your intentions are good but you're really hurting our cause! Your emails are putting our Digimon in danger!

The dub seems to think the emails are only affecting WarGreymon. They may have gotten confused over the -tachi suffix. WarGreymon-tachi is being affected.

The -tachi suffix is how you pluralize a group of people in Japanese. When stuck to a name, it basically means, "and others in their group" using only two syllables. In this case, MetalGarurumon is the -tachi.

Despite Koushiro's best efforts, the damage is done. WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon float unmoving in the void once the barrage of enemy fire lets up.

Taichi: WARGREYMON!!!

Letting out slow, hollow breathes, Taichi slowly reaches for the screen. Reaches for his partner. Drawing closer and closer and--

Yuuko: (opens door) Koushiro-kun, will you be eating lunch with us? Koushiro: (doesn't notice; mutters) It's useless. I can't stop these emails. There's only five minutes left... What do we do? Yuuko: (smiling) I'm sorry for disturbing you.

Yuuko quietly closes the door. Then, suddenly, she opens it again.

Yuuko: Huh? Where did Taichi go?

A shot of the room reveals that, indeed, Taichi is gone. Koushiro is alone in Susumu's office.

In the dub:

Tai: (gasp) WarGreymon...!

In the original, the music is silent here. The only sound we hear is the echoing of Taichi's hollow, ragged breaths. The dub adds this incredibly loud, eerie background music that drowns out both Tai's breathing and also the new dialogue they gave him.

Tai: WarGreymon... I've got to help... There must be a way... Somehow.... (Yuuko enters) Yuuko: More juice, Izzy? I just squeezed some onions! Izzy: No thanks! I'm rerouting incoming data from the remote server into local memory. Yuuko: (clearly did not understand that) Oh. Whoops. I'll just leave you two alone. (Yuuko departs, then comes back in) Yuuko: Wait a minute! Where did Tai go?

Koushiro is both freaking out and hyperfocused to the point that he notices neither Yuuko entering the room nor Taichi's mysterious exit from it. It's an established character trait that he sometimes doesn't notice other people when he's hyperfocused.

(It got him thrown off a cliff once. By me.)

But Izzy has the presence of mind to briefly chat with Yuuko.

So, where did Taichi go? Into the computer, of course.

That big square window that the children appear in during all these fights? Taichi passes through his to enter the internet and reach WarGreymon.

He slowly descends until he reaches WarGreymon.

Taichi: WarGreymon! WarGreymon: ...

Some distance away, Yamato does the same. He passes through his light window and enters, floating down to MetalGarurumon.

Yamato: Metal... MetalGarurumon! It's me, Yamato. Can you hear me? Open your eyes! Taichi: Yamato....

Taichi watches Yamato for a moment, then does the same thing.

Taichi: I'm here! I'm here too! I came so we can fight together! WarGreymon: ... Taichi: You... You don't have to fight alone anymore.... WarGreymon: ... Taichi: I'm right here! I'm here with you, WarGreymon!

I love how the screens are angled to create the imagery of the children descending upon the near-dead Digimon like angels from heaven. I see what you did there.

In the dub, Kari's voice-over pops back up to try and explain this.

Kari (V.O.): None of us are sure how, but Tai's bond with WarGreymon was so strong that Tai himself became digital!

"None of us are sure how." Kari, go have some more birthday cake. You weren't even here for this.

This is neither the first nor the last time a Chosen Child's holy light will open a gateway between realities.

Tai: WarGreymon... I'm here.... (Matt descends from the other screen) Matt: MetalGarurumon! Wake up! Don't quit now! Why won't he answer me, Tai? Tai: Keep trying, Matt! (Tai looks down at WarGreymon) Tai: Listen. I don't have a whistle to wake you, but I want you to know you're not alone, okay? WarGreymon: ... Tai: And the mail keeps coming! It won't stop! WarGreymon: ... Tai: Kids from all over the world are writing to you. They need your help. You're the only one who can do it! Feel their hope! Feel their strength!

"I don't have a whistle to wake you" is a reference to Kari's whistle being used to wake Greymon in the first OVA's battle with Parrotmon. Since the OVA formed the first portion of Digimon: The Movie, they reference its events here.

Taichi's speech to WarGreymon is personal and focused on their bond with one another. Tai's speech is about how much the entire world loves WarGreymon, which does segue pretty well into this next bit.

WarGreymon: ...u...urgh....

In the dub:

WarGreymon: ...I feel them!

WarGreymon's body shakes slightly. He doesn't open his eyes; Instead, the holy light glows from within the eyeholes of his helmet.

All around them, a wall of emails appears, forming a barrier between them and the Diablomon swarm. WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon don't come to, but instead seem to vibrate and jitter.

Then WarGreymon disintegrates into data, which collects and pours inside his helmet. The same happens to MetalGarurumon.

Through those email boxes, holy light from all of the kids watching gathers, entering the data space in the glowing silhouette of each child. They collect, pooling into energy between the twin helmets of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon.

Meanwhile, at the barber shop:

Barber: (suspiciously) Hang on, where did your brother go!?

The barber looks around for Yamato. Poor Yasuko, on the other hand, just watched a preteen boy phase inside of a computer screen and looks like she's about to have a heart attack.

Takeru: He's here.....

The energy forms the shape of an egg made of pixels, which then slowly peels back to reveal a new Digimon inside.

Koushiro: WarGreymon and... Takeru: ...MetalGarurumon... Koushiro: ...combined!

The technical term is Jogress Evolution. Jogress is a mechanic from the V-Pet that hasn't yet appeared in the anime, in which two Digimon fuse together to form a Perfect or Ultimate Digimon. Many of the Digimon we've seen throughout the anime could only be achieved through Jogress in the original V-Pets, such as Piemon or WereGarurumon.

The arrival of Omegamon, or Omnimon in the dub, marks the first time this mechanic has been brought into the show. We'll be seeing more of it in Adventure 02.

(The only reason Takeru and Hikari don't have a Jogress with each other is because EnbyAngemon would be so game-wreckingly badass that no villain could ever match them.

Or, more realistically, because predominately heteronormative writers often struggle with the idea of two characters from opposite sexes doing a Fusion. Their eyes bug out and they bluescreen while muttering, "But how would that even....")

The dub crops the barbershop to cut the barber out, though his reflection remains visible in the mirror, but leave Yasuko's stunned face. This is despite the fact that they cut the setup scene for this gag, with Yasuko saying goodbye to Yamato and Takeru.

Barber: Where'd you brother go!? Hjbyhjbyhjby....

They play the barber as freaked out and melting down. In the original, like Yuuko, he didn't see the disappearance happen (but Yasuko did). He just... doesn't trust these random kids to be unsupervised in his shop, and really doesn't like the fact that one stray child is now unaccounted for.

T.K.: They combined! (Omnimon is revealed) Izzy: Part WarGreymon.... T.K.: Part MetalGarurumon.... Izzy: They Digivolved together to become-- Omnimon: OMNIMON!!!

It's nice of Omnimon to introduce himself since we don't have rundowns to tell us about him. For the record, his signature weapons on his arms made from the helmets of his component Digimon are called the Garuru Cannon and Grey Sword. "Cannon" and "Sword" being the English words themselves, as usual.

With Taichi and Yamato perched on his shoulders, Omegamon is born.

The swarm opens fire immediately. Drawing his Grey Sword, Omegamon deflects all of their shots into a line of Diablomon, annihilating a huge chunk.

Koushiro: Amazing!

Koushiro hasn't seen anything yet. With his Garuru Cannon, unloads shot after shot into the enemy ranks. Each blast wipes out a huge chunk of the Diablomon swarm.

The dub uses this as an opportunity for another musical interlude, playing Let's Kick It Up by Paul Christian Gordon over the carnage. They also have Omnimon call these attacks, naming them Transcendent Sword and Supreme Cannon.

Only one Diablomon remains standing when Omegamon's done.

Koushiro: Right there! That's the last one! That one has the clock!

Awfully inconvenient that the one with the clock just so happens to be the only one who survived Omegamon's bombardment.

Diablomon starts moving quickly around the room, making evasive maneuvers to try and run down the clock. Every time Omegamon turns around and aims at it, it darts away again.

Taichi: It's not here! Koushiro: WE HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE!!!

Cut to Jou desperately trying to finish his exam.

Jou: ONE MINUTE LEFT!!!

And Yuuko watching her cake cook.

Yuuko: (cheerful) One minute left!

Finally, we cut up to the "jet" in the sky... which turns out to actually just be a jet, as another much faster object enters the airspace, criss-crossing its contrail with the jet's. Closer inspection of the new object reveals it to, in fact, be the One-Shot Peacekeeper missile approaching Odaiba.

This, I should note, is the first we learn of its destination in the original. No one knew where it was in the air or where it was going to land.

In the dub:

Izzy: Tai, there's the original! Get him! We're running out of time! Tai: Omnimon, quick! Attack!

Awfully inconvenient that the original just so happens to be the only one who survived Omnimon's bombardment.

Like, they changed the plot mechanics behind this fight but this is still a glaring contrivance. XD You could have left it at "We have to destroy every last one" if you wanted to patch this.

Tai: Where is he!? (Diaboromon dodges more) Tai: One minute to go! (Cut to Joe) Joe: ONE MINUTE TO GO!!! (Cut to Yuuko) Yuuko: (cheerful) One minute to go!

Tai calls out the time remaining here rather than Izzy, even though he can't see the clock from here.

As the missile's coming in, the dub also adds some dialogue from some military guys.

Soldier: Squad leader to command: We were unable to destroy the target. The missile will impact. Repeat, the missile will impact!

This ties in with the added detail from earlier, that every nation in the world is attempting to intercept the nuke and failing.

Inside the battlefield, the last Diablomon is still moving too fast for Omegamon to get a bead on it.

Takeru: Onii-chan! You have to find it quick! There's no time left! ONII-CHAN!!! HURRY!!!

45 seconds left on the clock. Koushiro works the problem in his head.

Koushiro: Its speed is too high. At this rate, even with tremendous power, we're going to lose due to the difference in reaction time. What can we do?

Thirty seconds left. Cutting over to the barber shop for a moment, we see that Yasuko's husband has popped over to watch the screen too. No explanation is offered.

(I guess he wants to find out what all the commotion is about? Yamato fucked off all of a sudden and Takeru is shrieking at the computer like it's the end of the world. I'd be curious too.)

Takeru: THIRTY SECONDS LEFT!!! Koushiro: (gasp) That's it....

Koushiro looks at all the incoming emails on his laptop.

Koushiro: A transfer! I can forward all of this email to that thing's address!

Koushiro quickly types in the current address that Diablomon is at, presumably the FactoryMark server we last saw it at.

Koushiro: GO!!! (click)

Koushiro dramatically presses the Enter key. Inside the battleground, Diablomon lands on the wall and prepares to make its next move, but then stalls all of a sudden. It struggles, shaking in place, but can't move. A little Windows hourglass appears over it; the loading symbol for computers from that time.

In the dub:

Tai: He keeps moving! Every time we get him in our sights, he jumps somewhere else! He's too fast for us! (45 seconds remain) Izzy: We have the power to destroy him now, but we don't have the time. Willis was right; We have to find some way to slow down Diaboromon.

...Willis said that after the first fight with Infermon. That he foresaw this exact predicament that far in advance is fucking wild.

T.K.: THIRTY SECONDS LEFT!!! Izzy: (gasp) The emails! If I forward him all the emails, it will slow him down just like it did us! Keep sending them, kids! (Izzy prepares to forward) Izzy: YOU!!! GOT!!! MAIL!!! (click)

Using "You got mail" as a battle cry here is pretty fucking sweet. For those too young to remember, an early form of internet was AOL which had a robot voice chime "You got mail" whenever you received an email.

With ten seconds remaining on the clock, Omegamon moves in for the kill.

Koushiro: Ten seconds left!

Koushiro counts down the seconds while Omegamon moves in. A brief cut of the barbershop shows that now everybody's paying attention to what's happening on the computer screen. Even the barber.

At one second, the attack lands. Omegamon drives his Grey Sword through Diablomon's skull.

At the same time, Yuuko's cake is finished! She takes it out of the microwave to find it grotesquely burnt.

Yuuko: Ah!? It's ruined! That's so weird. It should be controlled by the microcomputer....

COMPUTER YOU SAY

One last bug for the road. Diablomon ruined Yuuko's cake.

Outside, time's up. The nuclear missile crashes into the Tokyo Bay. We briefly see Sora in her room. With Diablomon dead, Taichi's email finally makes it through to her.

In the dub:

Tai: TEN SECONDS LEFT!!!

Again, despite not being able to see the clock, Tai is the one who counts down the seconds in the dub rather than Izzy.

(Omnimon stabs Diaboromon in the head) Diaboromon: Connection... Terminated....

The dub not only gives Diaboromon a line upon being stabbed, but rearranges scenes. Two upcoming shots get moved up to here. The first is of Diaboromon's face melting away to reveal the stabbed clock. The second is the timer stalling out and flickering between 00:01 and 00:02.

This serves to assure the audience that we got it, we stopped the detonation, earlier than in the original. The original keeps the tension ratcheted up as the missile lands, with it not yet clear if we killed Diablomon fast enough.

Yuuko: (ruined cake) Ugh, lousy microwave. How come every electronic appliance has to have a bug in it!? (Missile crashes into the bay) Sora: (email arrives) Huh? It's about time!

I mean. By Dub Yuuko's own admission, this was the first time she ever used flour to make a cake. It's just as likely that she's the culprit here as it is the microwave. :P

As the missile lands, Koushiro sprints out onto the balcony, distraught.

Koushiro: We didn't make it in time!

Cut to the internet battlefield. Diablomon's face melts away, revealing the clock pierced by Omegamon's blade. The timer stalls out, flickering between 00:01 and 00:02.

Meanwhile, Sora reads Taichi's message and notices the little heart he accidentally added when Hikari startled him. She's touched.

Sora: Ehehe... (affectionately) Stupid Taichi....

Success! Taichi accidentally fluked his way into forgiveness!

Out by the bay, people gather to look at the undetonated nuclear missile. It tips over due to its weight and falls flat into the water.

Up on the balcony, Koushiro breathes a sigh of relief.

Koushiro: (exhausted) We... We... We.... Taichi: (exhausted, also on balcony now) We made it in time!

Which is where the OVA ends! Abruptly! On Taichi quite reasonably looking like he's about to cry and then pass out. What did you do for your spring break, kids? Oh, I thwarted nuclear motherfucking Armageddon.

There is an epilogue of sorts in the form of ending slides in the credits. We'll address that in another post.

In the dub, this final sequence plays out with The Impression That I Get from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones playing in the background. Sora reads Tai's English email.

Sora: (reading aloud) Dear Sora, I'm sorry I threw up, hat, so what's a few raindrops between friends, love Tai. ...aww... (affectionately) Stupid Tai.... (Missile tips over into the water) Izzy: (exhausted) I'm... about... to barf.... Tai: (exhausted) Wait 'til you try the cake....

The dub closes on one last Yuuko cooking joke. To be fair, the cake legitimately did come out horribly. :P

There will be no epilogue slides for the dub, because it segues into the third part of Digimon: The Movie from here. We'll talk about that when we get to Hurricane Touchdown.

[atsoraasayoma]

Day One: First Summer:

Story: Goodbye…For Now

Perspective: Hikari Yagami

Characters: Hikari Yagami, Takeru Takaishi, Yuuko Yagami, Natsuko Yagami

Summary: What happens when a misunderstanding reunites you with one of your best buddies from a Digimon Adventure and spirals out of control to a point where both your mom and your friend’s mom are now squaring off to battle? Hikari Yagami is about to find out!

Note: I promised myself I could write a couple paragraph story for Takari Week…Sniff* All of you are so inspiring. I’ll make it one day!

***

Goodbye…For Now.

They say once something is missing from your heart, you will try to fill it with whatever you can. At least that's what one of the soap operas her Mom had watched had explained, Hikari sitting there in her pale yellow shirt and pink shorts. She held her cheeks by her hands, a sniffle of a tear from her mom to the left and a chortle from her Dad to the right sipping on a beer. She sat in-between them, their wavelengths throwing her off.

She had been trying since that fateful day she had said goodbye to her feline digimon friend Gattomon to come up with a solution to the heartache she felt. She couldn't help but be lost in thought, a slight 'meowing' catching her ear, followed shortly by a few paw swipes.

She glanced down at her cat Miko, eager for attention. Hikari felt a bit guilty having been preoccupied with her and not giving enough love to Miko.

"Sorry," she said picking her up, staring her in the eyes, but imagining her as Tailmon for an instant. She nearly dropped her when she realized it wasn't her, Hikari's eyes leaking.

"Hikari dear, whatever's the matter?" her Mom asked.

"Come on, take a seat and tell us about it," her Dad encouraged pausing the show.

"It's nothing," she sniffed wiping her eyes. She then hurried outside the house, the concerns of her parents echoing after her.

She closed the door and leaned on the railing outside her home staring up at the sky. It was still summer. The sun had slightly less fervent heat, and the trees it seemed had started to give into a hint of lower temperature, but still a nice cool breeze felt reassuring that summer would still be here a little while.

She glanced up at the sky, a deep pain in her chest concealing her sobs. She put one clenched fist over her chest and leaned forward her tears leaking down the side.

A muffled shouting sound echoed in her ear as she dared to open her blurry eyes, a greenish clothed boy yelling and shouting towards her. He seemed panicked as if trying to catch her attention.

She listened, squinting down faintly recognizing a certain boy she had not seen for awhile.

"Wait!" the boy shouted, Hikari listening. "You have so much more to live for! Don't do it!"

Hikari realized her position pushed back against the railing with her arms and hurried down the stairs to see him.

"Takerukun?" she questioned relieved, hurrying her footsteps. The closer she got to him the more she could see his kind face, but firmly embedded in concern and a little chastisement.

"Hikarichan?" he said in amazement also running over towards the railing meeting her halfway from the top of the steps. "I had no idea!"

She noticed he seemed as much out of breath as her, the excitement of seeing him again bringing her to a stand still, both of them panting about ready to keel over.

They both sat down on the stairs, the not so blazing sun warming their faces, but for a brief moment a cloud partially gave them relief.

Hikari wanted to say something to him, but, after they all separated and their brothers sort of escorted them their separate ways it seemed a bit awkward, but around him it was still far more comfortable than inside.

She noticed Takeru glanced down at her downcast face. "Is everything all right Hikarichan?" he asked.

"I'm ok," she said swallowing a bit, wanting to conceal her emotions so she wouldn't embarrass herself being seen crying.

Takeru kicked his shoes up a little bit lightly swaying them against the stair back and forth. "You know," he said, "I've seen too many movies like that. Someone gets really sad and then they jump...and that's that," he said. "It's scary. So when I saw you like that I thought no way am I going to let that happen."

Hikari felt her tears dry up and just stared at Takeru comprehending him. He heard before from the others how much the boy would get scared easily and cry, but would do his best. Now, maybe just a little bit he had...become stronger? Maybe more grown up even though he was still the same boy.

"By the way," he said, "Why were you crying?"

Hikari clammed up upon hearing his concern, but not wanting to be vulnerable.

"Come on," Takeru's voice cooed in a soft glowing voice. "You can tell me," he smiled.

Hikari stared transfixed at his calming presence and found herself relaxing a bit more. She took a deep breath and stared up at the sky, resting her palms on the stair.

"It's so...lonely without her," She said.

"Oh? Tailmon, right?"

"Mhm," she affirmed.

Takeru also leaned back resting his head on the back of his hands. "I know what you mean," he said. "I sure miss Patamon. And Yamato won't say anything, but I can tell he really misses Gabumon."

Hikari glanced at the sun still hiding behind the cloud. Maybe Takeru would be able to help her. He seemed like he was ok after everything, though she wasn't quite sure how it might be at home for him.

"How," she hesitated, "How have you made it through these last few months without him?" she asked. "Every day when I wake up I find myself looking for her, but I can never find her."

Takeru lifted himself up and stared ahead, Hikari noticing his eyes firmly focused on the future, the glint of sunlight brightening his eyes into something she couldn't even describe.

"Hikarichan, I know how you feel," he said. He tensed up a bit himself, Hikari curious about his anxiousness. "But, to be honest, I'm...kind of used to it now. It's only because of that I'm still keeping it together."

"You're used to Patamon being gone? Already?" she said, slightly irritated with him, bothered he would say something that insensiti-

"-That's not what I mean," he said frowning looking down at part of an outline of their frames on the staircase. "Sometimes I wonder why I was chosen as the Digidestined with the Crest of Hope. But, when I look back at everything so far I've realized that's all I've had to get me through this far," he said.

"You mean like Myotismon and the Dark Masters?"

He glanced at her, a cheesy grin on his face, but it seemed a bit painful to look at.

"Not exactly," he winced. "It's more like the things I care about the most end up being pulled away from me. Like...My Dad. Yamato. Or Patamon. Or even all of you I met on our adventures in the Digital World," he explained. "And now, once again...Patamon has gone away again."

Hikari listened on, feeling his words as if she herself was experiencing all she had talked about. She placed her hand over her chest again and started to weep looking at him, Takeru with a sad smile on his face, faint tears glistening in the corner of his eyes.

She couldn't help it. Hikari had always been so vulnerable to the emotions of others. Even sometimes she was more impacted by them than her very own. It weirded out some of her classmates, sometimes annoyed her brother, and her parents could only comfort her even though they didn't quite know how.

She closed her eyes embarrassed trying to dry the tears.

"But Hikarichan," Takeru said, "I've learned something very important after all we went through," he said. "All of those goodbyes I've had to say...they weren't goodbyes," he said positively. "They were just...goodbye for now."

Hikari wiped away her tears with her hands, keeping herself together.

"Goodbye for now?" she wondered aloud. "What do you mean for now? We may never...see our partners again," she said trying to keep herself from boiling over with emotion. "So how can-"

"-Hikarichan," Takeru said reaching forward with both hands on her shoulders staring her in the eye, to a point that she couldn't look away. "If we're 'Digidestined' then we are Destined to be with our partners. I just know I'll see Patamon again," he said. "I don't know when or how, but it will happen."

"You just...know?" she asked.

"Mhm," he said. "Like you, Hikarichan"

"Like me?"

"I didn't know I would see you today. But I knew one day I would. I just had that feeling. That belief. Maybe it's because we just, I don't know, it's easy to be around you. So that's why-"

"-Takeru!" a stern voice yelled out as an older woman who Hikari had only seen one maybe twice in her life said stepping forward in a black blouse, conspicuous pearls around her neck. She looked so pretty, a fresh coating of lipstick and her short blonde hair flowing down the sides.

Takeru glanced up at her a bit bewildered. "M-mom?" he said a bit on edge.

Her heels clacked as she overshadowed him in frustration. "I went to get ice cream for the two of us and when I turned back you were gone! I was worried you were kidnapped!"

"But Mom," Takeru protested, "I-"

"I don't want to hear another word young man," she said. "I dropped the ice cream as soon as I lost sight of you. I panicked. Do you know how that made me feel? Do you Takeru?"

Takeru lowered his head, his teeth grit in frustration. Hikari noticed his hand clenched trembling, Takeru being verbally shouted down. That kind boy, with his cheerful smile was now….

...Hikari didn't want to intervene, but seeing Takeru like this, the boy whom she had come to respect, she couldn't just stand by and let this happen to him. Even if it was his own mother.

"Wait!" she shouted, Takeru's mom twitching and glancing at her. "D-don't yell at him!"

"I'm sorry," Takeru's Mom said studying her reaction, "I didn't realize that you were here. You were so quiet little girl I thought you just happened to be standing there."

Hikari stared up at the woman intimidating by her, wondering how she could coldly view other people like that-especially people she didn't know.

She swallowed heavily, remembering how brave her brother was and how brave Takeru had been for her too. In that moment, as if Gattomon was there supporting her, nodding her head, ready to go into battle she felt she could be brave too. She had to!

"I'm," she said, a bit afraid, but not wanting Takeru's mom to get her way. "I-I'm not a stranger!" she shouted. "I-I'm T-Takeru's...friend!" she shouted, her voice echoing out the whole apartment complex, even Takeru's a bit taken by surprise.

"You had a friend all the way out here Takeru?" She asked incredulously. "We moved from here awhile ago. Unless- was this one of the other children that was part of saving the world?"

Takeru seemed like he could breathe again, his voice coming back, daring to speak. "Yes, mom," he said. "That's….Hikarichan." he said, Hikari noticing a bright glint in his eye and a smile returning back to his face.

Takeru's mom seemed to study her even more bending down, her hand on her chin till she was almost level with her.

"My apologies for my rudeness," she said, even though her eyes did not appear sorry at all. "I didn't know my son knew where you lived," he said. "He never said anything before about it so it just kind of threw me off."

"But I didn't know," Takeru said speaking back. "I just saw her and-"

"-You ran away?" she snapped back. "You could have been kind enough to wait and introduce ME," she emphasized. "What would our family think if they found out you ran away just because you saw someone you knew, even though you clearly knew to wait for me. It would give the impression you are disobedient," she said. "And I never raised you to be that way. I-"

Hikari felt scared for a moment, Takeru being cornered again. She had just seen in his smile again, she couldn't let that go away! She had to summon her courage once more! Just one more time!"

She gripped her fists lowered her head and shouted. "He thought I was going to jump off the balcony!" she shouted, her voice echoing out 'jump off the balcony' louder than before, Takeru's Mom stunned by her.

Hikari breathed out heavily, her lungs giving out from all the stress of the moment. She glanced up at Takeru's Mom, Takeru concerned for her, but his Mom a bit on edge shocked by the revelation.

All of a sudden the rushing of footsteps and a shadow appeared above her head, Hikari glancing up, her mouth agape as she couldn't believe her mother had jumped off the balcony to the ground like a protagonist in an anime saving the day.

She landed in front of Hikari, her hair fashioned in a bow, an apron around her waste, Hikari at a loss for words how cool her Mom looked. She appeared headstrong, holding herself up against Takeru's mom both intimidating to look at.

It seemed like there would be a showdown, that is, until her Mom turned towards Hikari, tears leaking down her face and weeping into her shirt. "Oh Hikariiiiii!" she sobbed. "I heard your voice through the window and I thought you were so upset you were going to jump and I couldn't help myself! I'm so glad your all right!"

"M-mommy," she said touched by her emotions. It made Hikari start to get worked up a little bit more too.

"W-wow," Takeru said, Hikari noticing how impressed he was by her. "That was so cool! You're like a super hero lady!"

Hikari's mom smiled, let go of Hikari wiping her eye and walked over to Takeru patting his head. "What a nice young man!" she beamed. "I may not look it, but I was kind of a super hero back in my day. I used to be a volleyball champion!"

"Wow, really?" Takeru said enamored, but Hikari noticed his Mom seemed a bit thrown off her by her.

"And who might you just be?" she asked. "This child's mother?"

Hikari's mom seemed to respond to her just the same. "Oh, I certainly am," she said. "And, just who might you be? His Mother, right?"

"Obviously," she said, her eye judging Hikari's mom a bit, her appearance a bit ragged from being in the kitchen. She scoffed tilting her head away from her.

"Is something wrong with the way I look?" Hikari's Mom asked.

"Obviously," she said, her tone annoyed by her. "What a joke. You hear your own child is going to jump off the balcony, and, like the brutish woman you are jump off instead! This goes beyond common sense! Or any decent way to raise a child!"

"Oh?" her mom grinned with her teeth as if excited by her tone. "I think I've raised my daughter quite well," she said rolling up her shirt sleeves. "But maybe if I was seen yelling at my child in the streets like he had committed a felony, I might agree with you."

Both Hikari and Takeru glanced at their parents a bit nervously, Hikari never seeing anything like their interaction. She noticed one of her vein's pulsing as if Takeru's mom would have an aneurysm.

Her eye twitched feverishly. "You have some nerve," she said. "Do you know just who I am? Do you know what kind of influence the Takaishi family has?"

Hikari's mom grinned her eyes fervent with fighting spirit. "No idea and I don't care," she said her hands on her hips. "But I bet I could take you on."

"You what?" she growled her hand clenched like claw raised as if wanting to squeeze the life out of her.

"You heard me. If you want to go, then let's go!" she shouted, Takeru's mom immediately lashing out and smacking her brushing her cheek, her long nails having scratched her.

Both of them stared at each other, shocked, Hikari's mom grinning. "My turn," she said, her hand turning into a fist and then laying her square in the jaw, Takeru's mom glaring at her wondrously as if she had never been struck before.

"How's that?" she asked.

A bruise welled up on her cheek, Takeru and Hikari both at a loss for words their hands trying to think of ways to calm the situation, but it was useless with their mother's prideful spirit's going at it.

Takeru's mom rubbed her cheek furiously, but she still gave off an intimidating aura. They seemed ready to go at it again for round two, but Hikari with them getting ready to strike each other again if there ever was a time now would be the time to do it.

"Takerukun," Hikari said glancing at him, Takeru immediately glancing back. He looked the same way her as she did at him.

"Hikarichan," he answered back, both of them nodding their heads.

They both ran forward just as their mom's started approaching the other each of them standing in the way of their respective moms.

Hikari closed her eyes shouting stop! Takeru echoing the same words as it felt like the two opposing forces would clash, but instead she felt warmth surround her as she smelled the sweat off her mom wrap around her, her hair following over her.

"Hikari!" She shouted her body bracing for impact. She stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, but, even after all that pressure nothing happened.

Her mom placed her hands on her shoulders and stared at her so tenderly. "Are you ok, Hikari?" she asked, Hikari nodding her head. "I'm ok," she said, relieved that no one had hurt each other seriously.

She turned her head, Takeru's mom also shielding him, a look of concern and worry in her eyes as well. Takeru also seemed cheerful and smiling. The two of them glanced at each other and didn't look away. In fact, Hikari found herself forgetting about her mom for a second and walking over to Takeru both of them standing in front of each other smiling happily, their faces beaming.

The clacking of Takeru's mom's heels caught her attention as she looked at his mom come over in stride, but a bit off, Hikari's mom walking over to them as well.

"I got to say," her mom said, "That was a pretty good smack...for a stuck up snob," she said smiling through her wound.

"Well," Takeru's mom also responded, her lip curved slightly, "You punch quite well...for a barbarian."

The two of them still emitted a fighting spirit, but it seemed a bit more gentle the look in their eyes respectful of each others strengths.

"I don't think I've ever asked anyone this before, but what's your name?" Takeru's mom asked.

"Yuuko. And yours?"

"Natsuko."

They stared at each other some more, Hikari still glad they could prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.

"You know, I think we should apologize to our kids," Yuuko said. "I don't want my Hikari thinking violence is ok."

"A fine idea Yuuko," she said nodding her head.

The two of them exchanged apologies, the conflict finally over, but was it really? The air between them still seemed mutually intense.

"By the way," Yuuko said putting her arm on Takeru's shoulder. "Thank you for watching out for my daughter, Hikari. I'm glad she had you as a friend to watch over her in the Digital World."

Hikari glanced at Takeru's face turning a bit red, a bit frazzled.

"I would never let anything happen to Hikarichan Hikari's' mom!" he exclaimed. "Not even if she jumped!"

Both mothers laughed for a moment, even though the situation was not that funny to Hikari. She couldn't help but giggle with them.

"Oh yes, that's right," Natsuko said, glancing down at Takeru who did not seem so nervous now. "Takeru, I just wanted to say I'm quite proud of you. I know I can be a hard mother sometimes especially after the separation, but this was the first time you stood up to me like this. And you did it for the right reasons. I'm proud of you son."

Takeru looked shocked, but then elated, Hikari not knowing how much more she could smile.

"And I must say," Natsuko said glancing at Hikari, "I'm rather impressed with you too, Hikarichan. It takes courage to shout at someone else's mother like that to protect someone. I know I can be strict with him, but, I would much like it if you could...be my son's friend from now on?"

The look on Natsuko's dignified face softened, Hikari joyful she looked at her that way.

"What are you talking about Mom?" Takeru grinned. "Me and Hikari have already been friends for quite awhile!"

"Oh!" Yuuko said humming to herself.

"You seem so cheerful all of a sudden Yuukosan," Natsuko said.

"It's nothing," Yuuko giggled. "But, I think we should definitely keep in touch," she said. "As the Mothers of the kids who saved the world and all."

"Well, I wouldn't mind," Natsuko said. "Who knows...You might be able to make decent conversation?"

"Decent conversation huh?" Yuuko grinned. "You act all prudish, but I doubt you could hold your own with a bottle."

"A bottle?" she questioned. "You think I, a Takaishi would lose in a drinking brawl, to you Barbarian?" she questioned incredulously.

"Then how about you stop on by and visit for just oooone drink," she challenged.

"Out of the question," Natsuko replied. "For one we have our children present. And two, there is a restaurant I go to that has an excellent selection. Though I'm not quite sure it would be up to your boorish standards," she teased.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see," Yuuko smiled, both of them laughing confidently in their own strength.

Hikari had lost interest with what they were talking about, both her and Takeru relaxed as if they had just achieved victory against a truly evil Digimon.

"We did it Takerukun!" she said excitedly. "We got them to stop attacking each other!"

"I know! That was great Hikarichan!" he grinned from ear to ear. "Man, you were really something!"

"No, we were really something," Hikari said, not knowing where such confidence had come from. "We make a great team!"

"We make the best team!" Takeru replied back even more energetically. "Thanks, Hikarichan for today," he said calming down. "To be honest I was worried I would never see you again. I mean, I knew I would see you eventually, but I didn't think it would be for a really long time."

Hikari nodded her head. "Me too," she said. "But I know you don't live around here anymore."

"Yeah," Takeru sighed. "I've been moving around with my Mom's work. But, we decided to pay a visit to a relative who lives out here and it was great I could see you, but, at least now that our Mom's are talking we can talk to each other whenever we want!"

"Mhm!" Hikari echoed his sentiment. She felt the intimidating presence from their mothers facing each other behind them again Hikari smiling a bit nervously, but not so fearfully this time.

"Hey, Hikarichan," Takeru whispered into her ear, "Next time we go to the Digital World we should bring our moms. They could beat down even the Dark Masters!"

Hikarichan giggled, a blush appearing on her cheeks, realizing just how comfortable and confident she had become because of him.

The sun had nearly disappeared now, a pleasant soft wind blowing past her Hikari's hair towards him.

She looked at his eyes, dazzled by him. "You were right Takerukun," she said softly. "I know one day I'll see Tailmon again. And I'll see you too. Do you know why?" she asked.

Takeru grinned. "I bet I can say it before you can Hikarichan. On the count of three," he said.

Hikari nodded her head excitedly following his lips as they answered in unison:

"It's not goodbye. It's just goodbye...for now."

[bismuthwisdom]

Umineko no naku koro ni Shared VAs - Main Three

Other:

The Cousins

Adult Siblings

Spouses

Servants

'98 Squad

Heavenly Court

Golden Land

Stakes

Battler Ushiromiya - Daisuke Ono

Shizuo Heiwajima (Durarara)

Sebastian Michaelis (Black Buttler)

Shintarou Midorima (Kuroko no Basket)

Sei Handa (Barakamon)

Sinbad (Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic)

Joutarou Kuujou (JoJo's Bizzare Adventure)

Erwin Smith (Attack on Titan)

Kazuma Yagami (Kaze no Stigma)

Beatrice - Sayaka Ohara

Irisviel von Einzbern (Fate)

Sofia Valmer (Jormungand)

Alicia Florence (Aria)

Yuuko Ichihara (xxxholic)

Michiru Kaiou (Sailor Moon)

Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail)

Ouzen (Made in Abyss)

Meteora Österreich (Re:Creators)

Ange Ushiromiya - Rina Satou

Kaoru Tanamachi (Amagami SS)

Hiling (Ranking of Kings)

Shura Kirigakure (Ao no Exorcist)

Kaede Kagayama (Non non Biyori)

Makoto Niijima (Persona)

Rei Hino (Sailor Moon)

Mikoto Misaka (Toaru)

Negi Springfield (Mahou sensei Negima)

[seventeenlovesthree]

I would actually have to look deeper into this, but let's say that it's NOT exactly unusual to use names from production members. My favourite thing to dive into was how the parents of the children were named after some of the voice actors.

Yuuko Mizutani (Sora's and Yuuko's Japanese VA): Yuuko Yagami, Taichi's mother

Toshiko Fujita (Taichi's and Toshiko's Japanese VA): Toshiko Takenouchi, Sora's mother

Kae Araki (Hikari's and Kae's Japanese VA): Kae Izumi, Koushirou's mother

Masami Kikuchi (Jyou's, Jyou's brothers' and Masami's Japanese VA): Masami Izumi, Koushirou's father

I was looking up names for a Digimon/Pokemon fandom swap. Since Ash and Gary are named after real people in Japan, I wanted to incorporate that element. And while I was looking up anime staff-

"Daisuke". Hey, where have I heard that name before? Oh. Yeah.

Interestingly, Daisuke Kawakami only did planning on 02, and wasn't a producer. Not sure how much of a demotion this is in the anime industry, or if it is one at all. But he was definitely still working on the show. Not sure if Motomiya was actually named after Kawakami but it seems likely.

@seventeenlovesthree @shihalyfie Was this officially confirmed anywhere, or is this just a Game Theory?

(Also bonus- "Taichiro Fujiyama" might have funneled into the teacher character Mr. Fujiyama. I know his name wasn't the inspiration for Tai's though- that's the V-Tamer manga.)

[bokura-no-digital-world]

Takari Week 2022 - Day 6: Shopping Date

Days: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Title: Baby Bottles, Pacifiers and Everything in Between Characters: Takeru Takaishi, Hikari Yagami, Patamon, Tailmon, Taichi Yagami, Yamato Ishida, Sora Takenouchi, Yuuko Yagami, Susumu Yagami and Natsuko Takaishi. Summary: Hikari and Takeru go buy things for their unborn baby for the first time and reveal they're expecting to their families. Note: For Takari week, I decided to do something different. All stories will be told in first person, from both Takeru and Hikari's POVs in the same story. It will be separated to make it easier, though. The cool wind breeze messed my hair as I leaned against the balcony, but I didn't mind at all. Grateful was all that I was feeling at that moment. I had my own apartment, the most amazing wife ever and a great job. I would say my life was perfect, but I'd be lying. It would be in a few months, though. "There you are." Hikari's voice echoed around me and I couldn't help but smile at the sound of it as I lowered my head a little. Then I turned around and found her standing by the door that separates our living room from our balcony. "What are you doing here?" "I was waiting for you, actually." I approached her and kissed her in the cheek, while resting my hand on her belly. "Well, I'm ready to go now." "Great." I reached for her hand and then we walked out of our apartment, with Patamon in his usual spot over my head and Tailmon right beside Hikari.

Hikari and I have been married for about two years now. We were engaged for only one year, since we didn't want to spend a long time like that. After the wedding ceremony, she decided she would grow her hair and it was already a little below her shoulders. I think she looks stunning, though I love her short hair too. She said it was the beginning of a new phase of her life and I couldn't agree more with her.

About two months ago, she told me she had something to say to me. Looking back now, I find it hard to believe she managed to stay so serious at that moment, especially because it was a moment of happiness. At first, I was alarmed because that was a side of Hikari that hardly ever comes to the surface, but then she gave me the brightest smile and I knew it was just a façade. She sat down beside me on the bed and handed me a pregnancy test. Our initial reaction was to be shocked and a little nervous and worried. Not because we didn't want to have children at some point, but it wasn't something that we were planning to so soon. But the happiness and excitement quickly replaced it and we assured each other we could do it together. And here we are now. "You seem quiet today." Her voice brought me back from my trance. "Are you sure everything is fine?" "Yes, I'm sure." I reassured her with a grin. "I was just thinking about the day you told me you were pregnant." "Oh." She looked down to her stomach, which was starting to show. "I felt so many things that day. Now I just feel… whole, complete. I don't know if it makes sense or if you feel the same, but…" "I do." I interrupted her, still smiling. "It makes total sense to me." "I'm sure you two will be great parents." Patamon spoke above me and I looked up at him. "I hope so." Hikari's tone was a little worried, so I squeezed her hand a little, in a comforting way. "I know it's scary because we don't know how to take care of a child, but we can do this." "You know what?" She smiled at me. "You're right. We will learn how to be parents together. I wouldn't want to go through this with anyone else." "Me either." I put my arm around her shoulders as we walked out of the elevator.

Keep reading it on FFN or AO3

[stravanerry]

🌸 Happy Mother's Day 🌸

[fraterribilis]

How dare you defame Yuuko Yagami like this!

Does this look like the face of a reckless driver to you?

Yukari from Azumanga daioh is like if Tai's mom from Digimon was a teacher

[seventeenlovesthree]

Digimon shipping dynamic game

Send me two names among the following 12 and I’ll write a short analysis post about them:

Taichi Yagami | Yamato Ishida | Sora Takenouchi | Koushirou Izumi | Mimi Tachikawa | Jyou Kidou | Takeru Takaishi | Hikari Yagami | Daisuke Motomiya | Miyako Inoue | Iori Hida | Ken Ichijouji

Whether canon provides input on them or not:

Taichi and Mimi, at first glance, share one of the less developed bonds in the OG Digimon Adventure canon - despite being a decently popular ship in several corners of the fandom. Similarly to other Adventure relationships, you may have to squint to spot their moments. However, once you do, it becomes understandable why their dynamic and their represented (and torn apart) tropes are so appealing to many. 

As indirectly depicted in the picture I chose for this post, they appear to be quite the “hero saving the princess trope” on surface level; Taichi is the brave main protagonist - and despite him “saving” several other characters throughout the series, Mimi seems to be the one who fits the description best, as Hikari is not part of the squad at first and Sora is usually more of his right hand jumping into action alongside him (even if, as mentioned, he saved her as well as one of his main development points). I keep saying “seems” and “appears”, because it actually doesn’t even happen that often - as mentioned, Taichi does tease her about it, following Mimi’s princess episode and they do have their moments of physical, protective closeness, but it is not made into a big deal. Taichi does in fact not treat Mimi like a girly girl and Mimi, following up to mentioned princess episode, actively fights against being treated like porcelain, even if she does have her moments sometimes. There is a rare, but gentle familiarity that seems to just exist between them naturally. Some of the more famous scenes that come to mind immediately are her clinging onto him (in her pajamas) as they ride on Greymon, them (and their partners) teaming up against Vamdemon’s army - and, one of my personal favourites, German Dub!Taichi saying “Thank you, Madame” when Mimi puts a cover over him to hide from their enemies, as they are very keen on saving Sora from Datamon. They are on good terms, she may not be a main fighter like him, but she supports where she can - and, when in a positive mindset, they share a very charismatic, encouraging, contagious outlook on things (but also both tend to drift in the exact opposite direction if things get dire, with her getting stubbornly defensive and him getting highly depressed, as seen especially in Tri).

There is also a very minor, almost forgotten scene, in which Mimi is the one who tells Taichi that mourning over his past mistakes will not undo them (talking about evolving Agumon into SkullGreymon) and instead softly encourages him to move forward and do what he can instead. If this wasn’t such throw-away comment, it could actually be seen as a huge deal for both of them - because Taichi being in distress over his actions is often confronted by others shouting at/punching him aggressively (Yamato, Yuuko, etc.). This happens during a non-threatening scene, but for someone like Taichi, it’s important that someone like Mimi tells him off softly, as she will later have to come to terms with her own decisions as well. And Mimi does sincerely look up to Taichi being her trusty senpai at this point, which is why she stresses so much over him (and Jyou) turning his back on her in the princess episode. (The reboot switched that trope around a bit by light-heartedly turning her into a “queen” and him into her “servant” instead, but the familiarity between them is easily intact in that timeline as well - to the point that Mimi straight-up confesses to Hikari how much she adores her brother’s smile, honouring her Crest of Sincerity very openly.)

Digimon Adventure 02, the novels, Tri and Kizuna do not give us as much to work with when it comes to the two of them. Mimi does display a more self-confident behaviour as she grows up, being not afraid to push and tease back when Taichi does/says something upsetting, whereas Taichi actually doesn’t always seem to know how to deal with or what is up with her (as she seems to be more in touch with the likes of Koushirou and Sora while being abroad). However - her immediately deciding to return to Japan once Koushirou tells her about Taichi’s football match may be quite an indicator for how important that bond still is to her. The stageplay also provides some subtle moments of her staying behind with him when the team splits up, still indicating her very supportive attitude towards him.

Long story short - there definitely IS a foundation even if it does feel a tiny bit one-sided on Mimi’s part here and there.

Whether I think why and how they’d work:

While their relationship is one I usually do not pay much attention to, because I always felt more drawn to their other relationships they seem to be more invested in and impacted by, looking into the analysis above, I can definitely see why people appreciate their dynamic. Design and personality wise, they are also two of the more flashy characters who would always stand out from a crowd - with “stars” being a shared symbol in both their aesthetics. They’re charismatic and can easily draw people in with their positivity, enthusiasm and leadership skills - but I could also see that turn into a very explosive combination if things are not going well. 

If they team up and are in a good mindset, they could be quite a devious duo together, making plans, driving the likes of Yamato or Koushirou completely insane; they could be up for a fun time and I do like the fanon headcanon of them being workout buddies - doesn’t mean they would get everything done they put their mind to, but it could be fun (and they could mope over someone like Sora being way fitter than them, hiding away the fact that they actually both adore and swoon over her). 

Taichi being in depressed mode could be quite a mixed bag - Mimi’s kindness and sense of sincerity are definitely things that may help him, as pointed out in their scenes during Adventure, but her patience might be tested there as well. Adult!Taichi Yagami in a negative mindset may or may not be able to deal with an Adult!Mimi Tachikawa on her way to dominate the (online) world and generally having herself figured out already. It’d kinda feel like “immovable object vs. unstoppable force” as long as he is feeling stuck, overwhelmed and unable to reach out. I do believe she could manage to pull him out of that state if he lets her - especially since, fasting forward to a happier place, diplomat!Taichi could definitely be a very encouraging force for Mimi once she has a bad day herself. Because as mentioned, they have what it takes to cheer others up and once someone is important to them, they have a rather fond, tender attitude towards them.

To sum it up, I think they could have a very loving bond - but they might need to look out for each other’s more negative moods and needs.

Whether I’d prefer them as platonic or romantic ship:

This analysis may have made me a little bit more fond of them romantically, but I generally prefer them as platonic friends who consistently make fun of and turn around each other’s stereotypes for good (if you don’t enjoy Mimi calling Taichi a “princess”, what are you doing with your life; they’d also share clothes, since they both have stars plastered all over their outfits and Mimi would totally snatch Taichi’s hoodies). I also enjoy them as OT3 together with Koushirou, turning him into a complete bi disaster on every imaginable level - and, as pointed out, they both love Sora a lot, so it’s a shame we never saw more of these interactions together, even on a purely platonic level. Same with them and Jyou, actually... So yes, if we ever got a reboot sequel that focused primarily on their adventures, I would enjoy to watch them still being close friends.