#koushiros computers

[izzyizumi]

Meanwhile on DigiAdvs

PATAMON, agHAST Voice: You KICK Patamon??? You kICK PATAMON LIKE A FOOTBALL?!! Oh! Oh! Shut in the school at night for Takeru and Daisuke (and Miyako, and Yamato, aND--)! Shut in the school at night for One Million Years!!!! Takeru: ...Patamon, but we'd have graduated by--- Patamon: SHUT IN THE SCHOOL at NIGHT for ONE BILLION Years!!!!! DAISUKE: tAKErU---- YAMATO: Koushiro, mental sighing: (I'll just leave some extra keys by the doors and... other places.) Taichi, trying to keep from cracking up nearby: (pppFFFFT....) Tailmon: (It could have been me, but Hikari knows to not "kick me like a football", so I don't care.) Hikari: (... I'll have to be careful when I nudge Tailmon next time.)

[koushirouizumi]

M E: Actually, if (Chosen Child)!Steve doesn't show up for even 0.0001 seconds of screentime in "The Beginning" I'm gonna fLIP---

[hikaritakaishi]

Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning [My Movie Review]

♡ ! SPOILER ALERT! ♡

This review will contain spoilers of the movie, continue reading if you already saw the movie, or just don’t mind the spoiler! Enjoy & comment something if you want to share an opinion! ♡

After what seemed ages of waiting, Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning finally aired in Portugal, on May 16, 2024, several months after it’s national premiere in Japan, on October 27, 2023. I was worried that it wouldn't come to my country, but perhaps due to the huge acceptance of Digimon Adventure: LAST EVOLUTION KIZUNA, the distributor made the hearts of the DigiDestined from the most hidden corner of Europe warm again and brought us the sequel. Thank you remembering us once again! ♡

I really tried to keep my expectations as neutral as possible until the day I went to see the movie, which was pretty difficult, due to the fact that I was constantly being bombarded with online information about it, whether on Tumblr or Twitter, or through video recommendations on Youtube. I was so excited for the movie, that I had to control myself immensely not to go see the spoilers.

Initial considerations? I like it. In general. But let's go in parts!

This will be an analysis of what I consider to be the most important points of the movie and what caught my attention the most. A personal analysis, so don't take it too seriously if I don't talk about a certain point or a certain specific topic, I probably just missed that.

Firstly, I would like to comment on the initial dynamics of the movie.

Everything seems to happen much faster here than it did in Kizuna. Despite being two movies with practically the same time span, this one seemed to go by much faster. But it might just be me. [LAST EVOLUTION KIZUNA have 94 minutes, and The Beginning have 87 minutes total].

 We're introduced to the key plot problem pretty quickly too.

People's digital devices are glitching, and the same message is repeating itself on all of them, not just on the phones and televisions, but on computers and large digital screens in cities all around the world. And this all around the world is very important, because it not only brings us closer to what will be the future of humanity and it’s increasing contact with the Digimon and the Digital World, but it opens the path we take since 2012 [time of the movie] until to the epilogue of 02 (which the production team and Toei animation seem to insist on wanting to keep canon, despite all the script inconsistencies it can cause, or how different from the initial profile of each character it may be).

“May everyone have friends, may everyone have a partner Digimon”

It's the message. Meanwhile, we are told that a suspicious and unknown Digitama appeared in the sky of Tokyo, right above the Tokyo Tower, and it’s been there for a while. Taichi and Koushiro are showned to be trying to help resolve this issue as professionals in the field of diplomacy and technology respectively, but without major progress.

I think it's important to highlight that they are the only two characters from the first season of Adventure who appear in this movie, and even so, without any direct speech or great relevance, beyond contextualization, and later Taichi as well again for the context of “space- time”, in that frame we see in the trailer of the movie with Hikari, which we later discover is located in Hikarigaoka, where Rui also lived when he had his first contact with Ukkomon.

The focus is on the characters from 02, or at least, it should have been. But as in Digimon Adventure Tri, this focus is overshadowed by the introduction of another new character in the story: Rui Owhada [or Lui, in Japanese pronunciation].

Rui [or Lui] is a much more charismatic character than Meiko was in Digimon Adventure Tri. There is no doubt about that.

Meiko was a somewhat empty character. A static character without great charisma. The only pleasant scenes she had were driven by the other characters around her (namely Mimi).

Rui doesn't. Rui is a character on his own. With a much more aggressive personality and a much more interesting past. The only issue here is the length of the movie: This movie is too short; too short for us to get attached to this character and actually be able feel empathy for everything we are shown about him. So short, that it's difficult to develop both this new character and the others around him, which, by the way, is a shame.

I mostly went to see the movie in hopes to see more from the 02 cast, and not because, again, of a random character they created for this new script. Just like what happened in Tri.

And this is important because notice that one of the most complex and best-built characters in the Adventure universe is literally the character with the most screen time: Takeru.

Analyzing Takeru's character as a whole is extremely time-consuming, because he was in every season, and practically involved in all the main events of the plot, either by himself or through the relationships he establishes throughout the plot, which feed the character's emotional charge. Which makes him a very complex character.

There's no time for that here. There is no time to establish a relationship between Rui and the other characters, nor to establish a relationship between Rui… and the audience.

Rui's childhood is very shocking and once again, Digimon brings a very strong narrative based on a complex and deep family plot.

We had already had examples in Adventure of family issues with Takeru and Yamato, Koushiro, and in 02 with Iori and also Ken. To a certain extent, even with Miyako. But here we reach a higher level of complexity... and violence (remember that the age to see the movie is over 12 years old. I can totally understand why).

Rui is physically abused and neglected by his mother, who leaves him out in the cold, starving when he makes a childish mistake or does something she doesn't like... when he is only four years old. His father has a very serious illness and depends on his wife to survive. Rui is then shown as a sorrowful child, lonely and without any support network. We've never had anything in the Digimon Adventure series so… raw. The aura of the movie is deeply heavy and dark.

The evolutions and battles in this movie are far from being the focus, which probably frustrated many people who went to see the movie for this more dynamic side of the anime.

It is a film with a moral content and even touches on the philosophical, about the bonds we create with others and their nature, about how we should relate to others and learn about them every day we have them in our lives.

It's about healthy communication, and how it's okay to correct the people around us, as long as it's made based with pure intentions. Because love is not omissive. Love corrects, love draws the other's attention for what really matters, in the form of love. In the form of companionship. Nothing physical or superficial is worth the price of a real bond.

The movie really grew with it’s audience. It is not, at all, a movie targeted for new fans of the franchise, or for those who know little about the Adventure series universe. It's for those who know the characters, for those who grew up with them. If you don't know the characters, you will miss details and conversations that are important to really understand the plot as a whole.

Daisuke and Ken look on Rui’s past with him. They see the arrival of Ukkomon in his life, who should’ve bring peace and comfort, but it is only the beginning of all his problems.

Let's take a break from the movie's plot to talk about the characters of 02.

I'm going to divide them into groups, because it seems like they individually… don't have much progress or very memorable scenes, honestly. It doesn't even make sense to separate them, in my opinion, and you'll understand why.

♡ Daisuke & Iori

There is not much to talk about them here. Daisuke and Iori are the flattest characters in the movie. Iori much more than Daisuke, let's be honest. Iori barely speaks, and has very few relevant scenes.

Daisuke works at a ramen restaurant, as he always wanted, where he gathers his friends to talk about the problems they are facing right at the beginning of the movie.

His personality is practically the same, Daisuke from 02 is the same Daisuke from The Beginning, and even the same character as in Kizuna, he is just taller here and wears different clothes. He still aspires to have his own ramen business and is extremely focused on his career goals. Which was predictable, given the way he talks about his dream in 02.

Daisuke's only two relevant scenes are seconds long: the first when he convinces Rui that the bond of friendship he and his Digimon partner share is much more than something superficial; it's something that comes from the heart, and that no object makes a difference between them, namely the Digivice, (something we also expected to hear from Daisuke in 02, which justifies my opinion that in the meantime... he remains the same).

The other is a scene that had enormous potential, but is cut short by a comical moment in which Miyako pops up.

Daisuke is talking to Ken seriously about Rui, and how he and his Digimon could understand each other better if they just communicate more effectively and directly, and Ken comments that Daisuke's more serious side is very pleasant and rarely appears. However, Miyako speaks up and dismisses the subject. Sadly.

We could have had a conversation here that could tell us more about Daisuke’s presente self and way he sees life now.

*sigh* Anyway.

Iori, again, doesn't speak much. Seems to only have intermediary interventions, and serves as a “pair” for Daisuke and Rui in the snowball fight that we see at the end of the movie. A very beautiful scene, don't get me wrong, but only if we see it from the perspective of Ken and Miyako, and Hikari and Takeru. I'll talk about that now.

♡ Ken & Miyako

Ken and Miyako are two characters who seem to grow more together than apart within the movie's plot. Which is natural, given that we know at the end of 02 that they become in fact a couple, and that they build a family together in the future. Here we see the first steps towards their future as a couple.

As expected, nothing explicit or direct is given to us about the nature of their relationship, but we can understand that there is progress, especially by the end of the movie, before the snowball fight, when Miyako tells Ken something that seems extremely vague, but actually means something.

 “Let's do it together! "  What? I don't think they are aware yet. Ken also seemed very confused about it.

“ Keep thinking Ken, we have to find another solution. “ We also see Miyako trying to support Ken at that moment when they have to make a decision about the future of Ukkomon and the world.

Here comes what I said above: Love cannot be omissive. We cannot expect the least from those we love. If we know the potential of the person we have by our side, we have to support them. If we see that they are trying to go further, we must support their journey and be a source of advice and rest. Alone we can go faster, but with the right company we can certainly go further.

And I think this is where the movie touches on something really important.

It is in these small moments that we see that they really want to tell the audience something beyond, but we need to have a fine power of perception.

No conversation or comment is random, everything contributes to the story. Digimon Adventure has always been made up of metaphors and subjectivities, it is necessary to know how to interpret and be attentive.

In the midst of that dilemma of whether or not to defeat Ukkomon that we talked about a moment ago in relation to Ken and Miyako, we have another moment that I consider important between Takeru and Hikari, which for those who don't know the characters, can take it as a normal conversation of two people who know each other well. Too well, even.

♡ Takeru & Hikari

Keeping in mind their journey, and everything they went through together, is the key to understand the nature of the relationship they share now. But before that:

Much like Ken and Miyako, Takeru and Hikari do not exist separately in the plot. It's ridiculously difficult to separate them. If you talk about one, you have to talk about the other.

At the beginning we see them together in the city when the electronic devices break down, and this dynamic continues throughout the entire movie.

They practically always walk side by side, Hikari takes the front seat in Takeru's car, and even when they are talking to Rui and trying to understand what happened to him in his past, they were a nucleus apart from the others. Nothing new, really. More of the same. But it's in that conversation I spoke about earlier that we understand something that is even part of the main moral of the movie: the way they now communicate with each other now, is different.

Anyone who has followed Takeru and Hikari throughout the series knows that the main “problem” in their relationship has always been direct communication.

Exposing things to others as they are is scary. And none of them were good at doing that.

Deliberating about feelings, exposing what disturbs us, what distresses us, what we think of a certain attitude of the other person. That was always Takeru and Hikari's problem and what hindered the possible evolution of their friendship, into a real love relationship.

In Tri we discover that Hikari starts to look at Takeru differently. And we know that Takeru has concrete feelings for Hikari (Said by the actor who plays Takeru's voice) And then? It's done? Things… are much more complicated than that.

They first need to accept the situation in question (And I tell you this as someone who also developed a romantic relationship with a childhood friend. It's not easy. Trust me. It's far from easy!)

And far from being quick.

It requires a lot of deliberation mostly. Just accepting the fact that we see that person we grew up with differently, someone who has always been part of our life, and we can lose them. Just because we developed feelings. Is scary. There's a lot to lose. It's all or nothing. Especially when one side has trauma associated with romantic relationships. (remembering that Takeru's parents are divorced) it's even worse.

What seems to exist between them in The Beginning was the result of a long process. But effective, it seems to me. Whatever decision they made, it went… pretty well.

Takeru is completely against defeating Ukkomon, from the moment he realizes that this could also imply the disappearance of his Digimon partner.

He probably saw the suffering Taichi and Yamato went through when Agumon and Gabumon disappeared and the suffering he would go through if he lose Patamon... again. And he is extremely vocal and firm in what he says and what he thinks about all of that. Impulsive really.

Until Hikari intervenes. Which cuts through his catastrophic reasoning. She asks him to think, opening up a new perspective on the situation.

Here we have a conversation between them that is quite lengthy (compared to the fast action standard of the rest of the movie) in which Hikari tries her best to make Takeru use reason and not emotion in his deliberation on the situation.

Takeru who, remember, whenever “darkness” or “sacrifice” is mentioned, leaves his rationality aside, becomes blind with pain because of his past traumas.

Hikari's role here is almost the same as Miyako’s in Ken's case: calling to earth and calming Takeru, always in an understanding way, because you can see that she knows where that feeling comes from and that position initially adopted by him (and it is something which she can almost predict would happen, by the speed with which she responds) but she knows that he is better than those triggers that make him impulsively speak based on emotion and neglect reason.

It's about getting to know each other. Knowing how to talk to our person about the most difficult topics. Because it is necessary to strengthen your union. Predict reactions, and be there to calm them down, because you may even know that the person is not to blame for the feelings and traumas they carry, but believe that they are bigger than them. And expect the same from the other side.

The way Miyako knew that Ken could find a solution, he just needed to think a little more. Hikari understood perfectly where Takeru's impulsive reaction came from, but she knew that if she appeal to his racional side he would be able to think of a better alternative to the problem, which he thought would be the end of the world.

That's why I separated this analysis into groups (although the first one isn't... substantial) and decided to analyze the characters together, because that's what this movie is about.

It's about who you are with your people, and the bond you share with them. In a world so individualized, so selfish and so distant (largely because of technology, which distances us from each other), I found it a very necessary message.

And the role of adults? With children and more painful lives?

It is to understand that children are also humans. Who also think, and feel, and understand things. Just like them. Adults tend to forget that they were once children themselves.

We already saw this topic being developed in Adventure 02, but seeing Rui as an adult, reaching to his mother in the past, and drawing her attention to the fact that she neglects her son, is something very touching. Sometimes, we just need a wake-up call, and we can change the future. Ours, and our future with others.

 The DigiDestined of 02 encouraged Rui not to give up on someone he loved, Ukkomon, because after all, he only acted the way he acted because he thought it would make Rui happier, even though he failed. Several times.

Ukkomon basically gave Rui everything he thought he needed, everything he wanted. But this is not always ideal.

He acted with his partner's happiness in mind, and this blinded him to the risks he was putting him into. He idealized their entire relationship, and everyone's relationship with him. Instead of being, real. And real things are never perfect.

Rui wanted friends? He gave him friends. He even reprogrammed his parents. They became manufactured humans. And the movie is about reality and accepting it as imperfect as it is.

Do you know what that reminded me of? That whole fantasy created by Ukkomon of “perfect world where Rui is never sad and everything is wonderful?” The fantasies in which the characters from 02 cast were trapped in at the end of the series. That world created with the characters’ deepest desires.

Takeru wanted his family united. Iori wanted his father back and to be able to show him the Digital Word. Miyako wanted attention. Ken… wanted to redeem himself. Hikari wanted peace. It's exactly the same thing.

Think about it with me: For example, Takeru's parents could’ve stay together, they could never have divorced, but they would still have problems. They would argue, and there would be conflicts. Which doesn't mean that this wouldn't traumatize their children even more. Maybe the divorce was in fact the best option for all four of them.

Ken felt he deserved the same suffering he inflicted on others. Would that really be the answer to appease his soul?

But none of it was real.

Not even Hikari's utopia of a world constantly at peace is real. Not even the absence of siblings in Miyako's life would solve anything. Things are not black and white and really, what we want is not always what we need.

Rui just needed to talk to Ukkomon and be sincere.

Where is Mimi tho?!

I will end with a few quick notes that I think are worth highlighting: First, the music and animation in general. As expected, they are excellent.

Very well done visually, appealing scenes, and the last snowball fight scene is so simple… but so delightful.

Life is made up of beautiful moments as well as tragic moments, light and darkness.

Did you notice that part of the movie takes place in a much dark environment, and when the main action is resolved, the movie gains light? I believe that is not just because!

Visually it can be very strong because there is blood, there is violence, there are physical wounds, it conveys the affliction in a very literal way.

Another thing that was expected to happen, but that probably wasn't even thought of properly when the Epilogue of 02 was made, was the problematic of whether or not everyone deserves, has enough morals and ethics, to have a Digimon partner.

How do you maintain peace between humans when you give them free access to machines of war and mass destruction? How do we build the world we see bz the end of 02 where everyone lives in peace even under these circumstances? Which is the the role of the government?

We'll probably need one more movie to find out.

Honestly, I hope you enjoyed this short (not... that short in fact) and sincere review. If I were to give stars, I would give the film 4/5 stars.

It could’ve been better, sure, if there was at least another half hour of animation.

But I don't complain. Despite that, I liked it. I cried, I laughed, just like I cried and laughed when I saw Digimon in my childhood, and that's everything for me. I was surprised by the message of the movie and the way they chose to visually convey it to us. Either way, I hope there's one more movie. To finally conclude the arc of all these characters, and finally, reach the epilogue of 02 (but in a dignified way please).

♡ Thank you once again Digimon ♡

[ashxketchum]

They uploaded the video where Agumon, Gabumon, Veemon and Wormon will call out names of fans and look! We get a glimpse at Taichi, Yamato, Daisuke and Ken's rooms!

You know what this means? It's time for a certified Ayushi breakdown 🫡

There is so much blue in Taichi's room hahaha (taiyama win!), the soccer magazines + jump manga reference is so on point. And he has so many bags! Taichi why do you need so many backpacks, one for every outfit? 😆 THE DUMBBELLS THO my boy is working out to maintain that body we got a glimpse of in Tri 😌 The whistle hanging on the wall is also a nice touch, is it Hikari's whistle from when they were kids? 🥹 Or even if it's not, I'd like to imagine a scenario where Taichi helps Hikari with her kindergarten schoolwork occasionally by coaching football to the little kids in his free time! Can you imagine him running around with little kids who are about as tall as the football itself 🤣 I tried to zoom in to figure out what the magazine on his desk is for, and I could make out the word Nakano, so maybe it's just something he picked up on his way home (maybe he lives around Nakano?) since it looks slightly crumpled too, like it was shoved in his bag in a rush. His phone (and is that a wallet?) feel pretty standard. He is the only one who doesn't have a lamp on his desk + has some kind of reminder post-its stuck to his desktop, maybe he's not so good with passwords? Koushiro probably always lectures him about this every time he visits.

Now let's talk about Yamato, FIRST OF ALL I WILL SCREAM ABOUT THE KOD TSHIRT! HE STILL WEARS IT! I'M CRYING RIGHT NOW!!! And then his guitars because I swear I did a one hour deep dive trying to figure out the brand and model and I think they're both Fender (an expensive brand I would say) which once again makes me wonder how much money does the TakaIshi family has for their sons to have expensive, bikes, cars and guitars. TO TOP IT OFF Yamato is definitely an Apple bitch too like look at that monitor and keyboard, that's Mac and his phone is very clearly Iphone. Now his room follows a very warm, muted tones of black and brown. We can spot some music related magazines on his shelf and a big, plain tote bag on the ground (see Taichi one big bag should be enough 🤣) which looks like something he uses for grocery shopping. Yamato is the only one who doesn't have a wheelie computer chair, but rather a wooden one. Now whether he did this to follow the aesthetic of the room (highly likely) or because he doesn't actually spend a lot of time in this space is something we can all think about. He has a framed portrait or photo(?) up on the wall and I did consider him more of a framed art guy over a poster guy always so this is good to see too. Also nice to note that on his desk, he has THE HARMONICA 😭 And the same Jump issue that Taichi has on his shelf! His room is honestly a lot like how I imagined it to be in terms of the furniture and colours so I'm very happy with this sneak peek!

I am not qualified to comment on Daisuke and Ken's rooms, so will leave that to 02 fans!

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 01 - Adrift? The Island of Adventure! / And So It Begins....

Right off the bat, we can feel the tonal difference between how the two shows want to present themselves. The Japanese version opens with narration provided to us by a grim and stone-faced narrator, while in the English version, Tai delivers the exposition himself in a light-hearted and goofy tone.

The Japanese narrator explains to us in a bit more detail precisely what is happening throughout the world. Drought has struck the paddy fields of southeast Asia, heavy rains are flooding the Middle East, and the U.S. is suffering from freezing temperatures.

Tai has similar dreary info to drop on us. He tries to keep it light because that's the tone the dub is going for, but his version's... a little different. In fact, hilariously, Tai's version is much worse.

The way he tells it, the whole rainforest has dried up and oceans have risen to flood "other areas like chocolate sauce". The freezing also is no longer in the U.S.; It's "cities which are normally blazing hot", not contained to any specific region. Holy shit.

So, yeah. Either way, the world's being fucked sideways right now by climate catastrophe, but it's ironically being fucked harder in the lighter and goofier English dub.

With that out of the way, we met our cast of kids - With the English Tai getting in a funny joke, claiming to be "working on my multiplication tables" while we clearly see him snoozing in a tree.

Each character comes with their own special introduction slide to give us some basic information on them. For the Japanese version, the narrator coldly lists them off by name, while their information blurb tells us what grade they're in.

This gives us a general understanding of how old each kid is, relative to one another, which is kind of important for understanding their group dynamic down the road.

6th Grade: Jou 5th Grade: Taichi, Sora, and Yamato 4th Grade: Koushiro and Mimi 2nd Grade: Takeru

The dub omits that particular information and instead gives us some basic information on what Tai thinks of each character.

Sora: "She's okay, for a girl!" Matt: "Too cool; Just look at that haircut!" Izzy: "He should have gone to computer camp." Mimi: "I'll bet you can guess her favorite color on the first try." T.K.: "Matt's dopey little brother." Joe: "Don't ever scare him; He'd probably wet his pants."

For most of the character names, it's pretty obvious which name connects to which. Izzy's the odd man out, as it's an abbreviation for Koushiro's family name Izumi.

The omission of the characters' ages from the dub is something that I think hurts it; It's not super clear, watching the show in English, that Joe's supposed to be the oldest kid by a year or two, or that Mimi's one of the youngest in the cast. However, this is important context for driving some of the plot points that the show has in store for them.

As the kids are struck by a freak blizzard, neither version really stops to explain this but the kids who will be our protagonists get separated from the rest of the campers. In both versions, we just see a group of counselors ushering kids into tents, and then Taichi opens this door once it stops.

I think the Japanese version was trusting its audience to understand from context where they are. Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Jou, Koushiro, Mimi, and Takeru have all taken shelter from the blizzard inside a nearby Shinto shrine.

This is why, when the aurora suddenly arrives and transports them across worlds, no other campers are taken with them. They're in an isolated location away from the rest of the group.

Jou even has a line expressing that he wants to return to the others, to clarify that these seven children are presently alone.

The English version offers no less information than the Japanese. Well, it offers a little less; That one context-clarifying line from Jou is replaced by Joe saying "I was worried I'd catch a summer cold but this is even worse!"

However, more importantly, we don't have Shinto shrines here. So the context isn't quite as evident to a kid watching on TV in the 90's. I always thought they were just in some kind of cabin at camp.

As the kids stare in awe at the sudden arrival of an aurora that's about to ruin the next several months of their lives, Jou again urges everyone to return to adult supervision pronto. This time Yamato agrees with him, pointing out that they could get sick if they stay out here.

Joe and Matt, on the other hand, have different concerns. In the dub, it's Joe that worries they're all going to get sick if they stay out here. This time, Matt disagrees, insisting that they can't miss a sight like this. That they are all alone in the wilderness with no adult supervision is not a concern for Joe at all, apparently.

Koushiro also points out that auroras aren't supposed to happen in Japan, so this is weird. The dub is trying to localize for an American audience, so Izzy's a bit more descriptive here. He calls this out as the Aurora Borealis specifically but says that's supposed to happen in Alaska. "We're way too far south."

Then the Aurora strikes, delivering their Digivices and whisking the kids away on a magical adventure of violence, terror, and coming to terms with the reality of death. YAAAAAAAAAY

So it begins! Taichi is the first we see meet his Digimon partner. This is Koromon. English Koromon explains that his name means "Brave Little Warrior". This is a bald-faced lie.

Like many Baby and Child stage Digimon, his name is based on an onomatopoeia; Specifically, Koromon is named for the sound of a round object rolling around. "Korokorokorokoro". I think the dub version of the character was embarrassed to admit that. :P

Koushiro's partner Mochimon is next. The subtitle here says Motimon but you can clearly hear Mochimon. His name is based on the sound of a spongey goop extending and retracting. Mochimochimochi.

Once these two are introduced, the dub goes in on trying to deliver information to the audience. This place is called the Digi-World, and Izzy speculates that the Digimon are the Digivices themselves, transformed into physical lifeforms.

None of this is in the original; This is a quiet moment as Taichi takes in the magnitude of their isolating predicament. The only information offered is that this is a place called File Island; the word "File" is said in English.

That they've Isekai'd into another world entirely is not something they know as of yet. At this point in time, the possibility exists that maybe we got washed out to sea somehow but we're still somewhere near Japan.

When Taichi tries to scout out what's around them, our central antagonist for this episode arrives: Kuwagamon, an Adult-stage Digimon named for a particular species of stag beetle: Nokogiri-kuwagata.

The first altercation with Kuwagamon goes terribly, forcing Taichi and Koushiro to take cover inside a special program. As Mochimon explains, they're inside a hologram of a tree which will conceal them from Kuwagamon.

The English Motimon offers the less helpful explanation, "It's a Hiding Tree, silly!" That'll do it. All I need to know, thanks.

Once Kuwagamon's gone, we meet up with Sora and our next Partner Digimon.

Pyocomon, named for the sound of bouncing. Pyocopyocopyoco! The dub cuts off the P and calls her Yokomon.

Immediately followed by Takeru's partner Tokomon, named for the sound of trotting around. Tokotokotokotoko.

And Yamato's partner Tsunomon. This one isn't an onomatopoeia; Rather, "tsuno" is the Japanese word for "horn". He's Hornmon. You can probably guess why.

Following that, we have Pukamon, named for the sound of floating or hovering. "Pukapukapuka", though the dub calls him Bukamon with a hard B sound.

We cut to commercial break and then come back to a completely redundant second introduction. Each Digimon takes turns going around and saying their names, and then Tai introduces each of the human characters and tells us which grade they're in; The same information from those slides earlier.

I think the localizers realized how unnecessary this is because they use this time to waffle instead. Rather than intros, the Digimon just say things like "We're super cute!" "And loyal!" Tai, however, once again misses an opportunity to establish the relative ages of the characters and just reintroduces all of the humans by name.

Wait, but aren't we missing someone? As if on cue, Mimi comes screaming out of the woods with her Partner Digimon at her side.

Tanemon, which translates in English to "Seedmon". However, like Tsunomon, her name remains Tanemon in the dub. Mimi isn't screaming because of Tanemon, however; She's being hunted by Kuwagamon.

I should note that the dub characters are extremely rude about Mimi's absence. Sora calls her "the girl with the funny hat" to which Tai replies, in the most eye-rolling and disdainful voice possible, "Now now, her name is Mimi." You can hear him sneering.

Then Izzy chimes in and, in a weirdly bitter tone, suggest she's "picking flowers" or "going on a nature hike". The fuck crawled up y'all's butts and died? This girl has done nothing.

The dub, however, does get in a fantastic line when Kuwagamon attacks again.

As the kids cower in a clearing from Kuwagamon's renewed assault, Joe cries out, "My mom is going to want a complete and total refund!" XD I love that. It manages to land a joke without killing the tension in the process.

Cornered on the edge of a cliff, the partners are forced to fight Kuwagamon.

It does not go well. Real quick, who do you think wins in a fight: An experienced lumberjack vs. several toddlers?

What a lovely start to an adventure. We have no idea where we are or why, and the strange magical creatures who showed up to protect us have all been beaten within an inch of their life by what, for all intents and purposes at this time, just appears to be Random Encounter wildlife.

We're gonna die out here.

With their backs against the wall, Kuwagamon renews the assault once more and the Baby Digimon are forced to break free from their worried kids and fight once more.

The dub tries really hard to downplay the peril these kids are in right now. For instance, when Taichi asks Koromon why he attacked Kuwagamon so recklessly, Koromon uses what little strength he has to state that he needs to protect Taichi. Dub Koromon just says he wanted to show off and look cool.

Similarly, as Kuwagamon comes tromping out of the woods, Taichi expresses hopeless fear, and Koromon then insists that that Digimon must fight. Dub Tai instead says, "Get ready to run!" only for Koromon to argue that he wants to fight instead. Like. They're standing on the edge of a cliff. There is nowhere to run to. The dub's manufacturing retreat options to make fighting a personal choice rather than a survival necessity.

But now the bonds they've formed with their kids are strong enough for the first in what's going to become a major metaphysic for this series: Evolution.

The dub calls it Digivolution, possibly to distinguish it from evolution in Pokemon which was airing alongside this show, but in Japanese it's just "shinka" meaning evolution. As each Digimon evolves, there's a stock quote format that they express in both versions.

In English, it's "Koromon, digivolve to: Agumon!"

In Japanese, it's "Koromon SHINKAAAAAAAA!!! Agumon!"

I admit, ever since the first time I watched this in subs, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the bloodcurdling battle roar of "SHINKAAAAAAA!!!" every time they evolve in Japanese.

While Kuwagamon gets dogpiled by Child-stage Digimon as the Digimon theme song blazes in the background, let's take a moment to go over each of their new names.

Agumon: "Aguaguagu". The sound of biting. Gabumon: A type of puppet used in Kabuki theater. Piyomon: "Piyopiyopiyopiyo". The sound of tweeting. Tentomon: Tentoumushi, a type of ladybug. Gomamon: Gomafu azarashi, a type of seal. Palmon: A play on "palm", a kind of tree. Patamon: "Patapatapatapata", the sound of flapping wings.

The English version replaces the roaring Digimon theme song with some generic fight music.

With Kuwagamon successfully fended off, the vibe of this scene is pure tension-relieving jubilation. The dub slides in Izzy saying, "They made vaporware out of him," and goddammit, that got me. XD The important thing is that Kuwagamon is gone and everyone is safe forev--

Oh, never mind. Everyone fucks off a cliff and probably dies and that's where we leave off episode 1. This sequence features possibly the funniest "Easing Up on the Peril" edit in this entire episode. As Kuwagamon slams his pincers into the edge of the cliff side to send them hurtling to their doom, the English version splices in random still frames of the kids looking tough to show this is no big deal and they can handle themselves in this mess!

Izzy standing there like "GRRR I'm a big strong American boy and they build us TOUGH over here! Me and mah gun can TAKE gravity!"

Before ending on the exact same shot of everyone falling to their doom anyway.

Either way, this is where the episode leaves off. The kids have been transported to this mysterious location. They have no idea where they are, how they got here, or why. They were terrorized around the forest, and now they're all falling to their doom.

This sets the stage for what this adventure is going to be like. This is not a magical journey of whimsey and effortless victories. These children are in extreme peril and nobody is coming to save them.

Man, File Island sucks. I'm with English Joe. If I was one of these kids' parents, I'd be demanding a refund too. Worst camping trip ever.

[ahiddenpath]

Digimon Honorifics help

So in 02, Miyako calls Koushiro 'Izumi-senpai.' Although she also went to the same elementary school as Taichi and Sora, she uses san for them, so I'm guessing the special honorific is because he was her computer club president. So like... He was her senior in a specific setting.

What I'm wondering is, would she change how she addresses him as an adult, when the computer club was like 9+ years in the past? Does she keep Izumi-senpai to be cute/funny? Does she switch to Koushiro-san? It's also totally possible she says his name in Kizuna or The Beginning and I didn't catch it, so if that happened, let me know the canon adult honorific! If not, please use your gut feeling or Japanese knowledge to tell me:

Thank you :D

[lemon-pear]

Some really old oekaki art (circa 2008-2009) of Koushiro/Izzy, for Reblog Day of @izumikoushiroweek !

1) Elementary, 2) Computer, 3) Tento, 4) Bedtime Story :)

[genork-the-fandork]

Cavalry

Word Count: 644 Prompt: Second Year A/N: Although the prompt is mainly a reference to Our War Game, I played with the story we're told in 02 - that is, the day the Chosen gave up the power of their Crests. I like playing with Hikari and Takeru's way of being part of and yet separate from the 01 cast in that they're very different. Not in a bad way! But in a very excellent one. @takariweek

Hikari and Takeru had had a silent agreement ever since they first met—whatever happened, they would stick together. If all else failed within this tightly knit group of Chosen, they would have each other. Hand in hand and side by side, they would defend the Digital World and Earth. Or, less seriously, they would tuck themselves away while the older kids talked about older kids things. They had more important things to talk about.

They had been summoned back to the Digital World for some mysterious purpose. Supposedly, they would find out more when they got there. Koushiro and Taichi were working out the strategy for how to get there while the others offered their own suggestions. Takeru and Hikari, however, sat apart from the others, waiting. Though they were certainly mature enough to join the "big kids" discussion, they often chose not to. It was pointless, Hikari had pointed out. Even when their brothers did listen, they did not truly hear them. So concerned were Taichi and Yamato with their safety that it would take a miracle to trust them with their ideas.

Not that Takeru was particularly bitter about this. Neither was Hikari. They preferred each other's company, where they could come up with a failsafe plan, should anything go awry. Like knights, or angel knights, as Hikari teased, they were the cavalry, ready to swoop in and save everyone at the last possible second. What were Angemon and Angewomon for, if not to make dire circumstances go away?

"So Yamato just—went into the computer?" Hikari whispered, leaning forward in such a way that her hair fell over her face.

Takeru wanted to say he could remember it clearly, but his memory was unreliable in this fact. One moment, his brother had been beside him, and the next, it was as if he was watching a movie on the screen, featuring Yamato and Taichi. Even Koushiro couldn't say for sure what he'd seen. The scene had filled Takeru with a sense of wonder and fear all at once, and he hoped never again to experience that feeling. "Yeah," he said, staring down at his hands. "He sure does have a close bond with Gabumon, huh?"

Hikari's hands folded on top of his, and he glanced up at his friend's smiling brown eyes. Well, some days they looked more amber than the chocolate brown of her brother's, but that was a secret Takeru kept locked away. If he let slip such a thought, she would surely tease him. Even if it would make her smile. "We all have close bonds with the Digimon," his friend gently reminded him. "I don't think they can beat our bonds by a landslide." Hiding her mouth behind her hand, as if that would prevent Taichi or Yamato from hearing, she added, "They need a little extra help—you know, because they're dummies."

The giggle that erupted out of Takeru was a bit loud, and he caught his brother glancing over his shoulder at them. Blue irises, so like his own, zeroed in on their joined hands. A slight smirk climbed up Yamato's face as he turned back to the others, but Takeru could feel the heat that expression had induced. Before he could take his hands away, however, Hikari squeezed them. He looked to her, seeing that her own face was a bright shade of pink. For a moment, they stared at each other. Then they laughed, still holding fast to each other's hands.

Neither they nor the others saw it, but their Crests briefly appeared in a flash of light on the spots over their hearts. It would be the last time the power of Hope and Light would be theirs to hold, for the Digital World had more need for it than they. Yet in this moment, it was all theirs, and it tied them together.

[amethyst-geek]

What school clubs the Digidestined partook in

Since Japanese children are expected to join a school club in their time as students, I thought it would be fun the speculate about the school club participation (or lack thereof) of the main characters from Adventure, 02, Tamers, and Frontier. I was going to speculate on the others well, but that sounded exhausting (plus in the case of Savers, I think it's obvious that none of the main characters were participating in school clubs, at least not during the events of the show).

First, I will list the characters whose club participation has been canonically

Taichi, Daisuke, Ken, and Takuya all play soccer. Sora used to play soccer, but switched to tennis in middle school. Koushiro and Miyako are both in the computer club. Iori is on his school's Kendo team

Now that we've went over those characters, let's speculate on the club participation (or lack thereof) of rest. And since joining more than 1 club is frowned upon in Japan, I will be writing this under the assumption that the kids only do 1 club with a few exceptions .

Adventure

Yamato- I got the vibe he was part of the 'go-home' club

Mimi- Mimi is probably 1 of the few characters I can see participating in more than 1 club. But if she had to only do 1 club, I say she'd be in the drama club, or perhaps a fashion club or cooking club.

Jou- I can see him joining a literature club or perhaps he could be part of a library committee like Komachi from Yes Pretty Cure 5.

Takeru- either basketball or some kind of literature club. I'm leaning towards the latter.

Hikari- Probably photography club.

Tamers- quick note, while I don't think any of them were already in clubs during the events of Tamers, I can see most of them joining clubs in junior high.

Takato- probably art club

Ruki- maybe some sort of sports team or mechanics club

Jian- probably computer club like Koshirou and Miyako.

Juri- home ec club? band? gardening? animal caretaking?

Ryo- I'm just gonna assume he's a member of the go home club

Kenta- upon entering middle school, Kenta considered joining the Chorus club, but much to the relief of everyone's ears, some of his friends out of it, and he instead winds up joining Drama club or literature club.

Hirokazu- drama club

Suzie- she's a little young for me to able to pinpoint what her interests in middle and high school would be, but maybe an animal caretaking like Kotaro in Ghost Game (Hopefully by this point, she's learned to be more gentle with living creatures).

Frontier

Kouji- I can see him joining his school's Kendo or Bōjutsu team.

Izumi- maybe literature club, as she's seen reading in at least 1 flashback

Junpei- one of the CD drama revealed that he took up Opera, so maybe a club relating to music

Tomoki- Once he's old enough to join a school club, I kinda like the idea of him joining cooking club or a home economics club.

Kouichi- maybe a literature club (then again the only time we ever saw him reading a book was in Takuya's imagination). Or maybe soccer, since one of the CD drama reveals that he apparently likes soccer.

[froggie-bolt]

Day 3: Habits and change

Super late for todays entry, but it’s been a day tbh.

I went through some drafts of mine and just picked something I thought might fit the prompt! I’m so sorry if it sounds rough :,)

So this is based off that one drama CD where Koushiro wrote a love letter and everyone was trying to figure out who it was for. I know at the end he did name someone, but it was bleeped. So for the purpose of this oneshot, pretend he never named anyone. I do nooot like this, maybe I’ll go back and do a re-entry for this day after the week is over…

“So, your love letter.” Taichi began.

Koushiro shrank in on himself. Again with this? Why was it so important?

“Taichi-san can’t we just drop—“

“I won’t tell anyone! We’re alone now right..? You can trust me, I just want to know!” He begged.

Koushiro kept his back to the boy but stopped typing as he considered.

Why did he want to know so bad!? Normally if Koushiro wanted Taichi to stop poking his nose in his business, all he had to do was say so.

But that wasn’t working this time.

“Cmon, if..if it’s Hikari I won’t actually mind. I was just saying that, y’know? Or Mimi or Sora too! But Sora’s into Yamato, so I don’t think that would work–“

“That hypothesis of yours is very heteronormative, Taichi-San.”

Taichi looked up at the boy curiously. He’d never heard that word before.

“Heteronorma-what?”

Koushiro spun around in his chair.

“Heteronormative. Denoting or relating to a world view that promotes heterosexuality as the normal or preferred sexual orientation.” he spoke slowly.

Taichi tilted his head and frowned. He still didn’t understand.

“But how is what I’m saying ‘heteronormative’?”

“You’re limiting your guesses to the girls.”

“Well of course I—“

Then the brunette paused as Koushiro turned his attention back to his computer.

The gears slowly began to turn in his head as he considered what his friend just said.

The room stayed quiet for what felt like a long while.

Was Koushiro saying he liked boys? Was that why he didn’t want to tell them?

“Koushiro, I didn’t know you were into guys.”

He heard the boy sigh.

“I’m into both. But the love letter you’re so insistent about is in fact, addressed to another boy.”

Taichi smiled widley. This was progress! Before, Koushiro refused to give them any hint as to who it was, but now they were getting somewhere.

[bagerfluff]

You Might Be A Nerd, but Your My Nerd

Older Izumi Koushiro x Non-Binary

Prompt - Nerd/Jock AU

“Are you listening man?”

You were in fact, not listening. You were too busy staring at Koushiro. He was down the hall at his locker. He was putting stuff away since the last class of the day just gave out.

You were standing with your friends, if you could call them out. You all mostly hung out because you were on the same sports team for the school.

You never really liked them. Loud, annoying, bullies, but you never stood up to them, you just didn’t take part in their not so nice activities.

So you weren’t really listening in the first place.

You didn’t want to hear about the girl they hooked up with or the kid they bullied. But you really didn’t listen when Koushiro showed up down the hall. He was a nerd, that's what they called him.

\He was in the computer club at school and he was one of the smarter students. That made him a laughing stock for your ‘friends’. You never laughed at him, mostly because you found him cute.

His short height, compared to yours, he was actually quite tall. His short red that you wanted to run your hands through. Was it soft, or rough?

Was there actually enough hair on his head that you could run your hands through it? That’s what you were doing. “Y/n!” You looked over at the guy to your left. “Yeah?”

You asked and the guy just shook his head. “Never mind man, we’re going to the field. Want to come?” You glanced back at Koushiro. He had closed his locker and was slowly walking to the main exit of the school, which means he was walking towards you.

“No”, you said before walking away. You heard your ‘friends’ sigh and mumble something but you didn’t care. You were busy trying to find out what you were going to say to Koushiro.

You had tried to become his friend before but he mostly ignored you. Probably because he thought you were going to bully him. But you weren’t! You weren’t like the other jocks. You just happened to play the same sport as them.

You really wanted to be Koushiro’s friend, maybe more. “Hey Koushiro!” You called out with a smile on your face. Koushiro looked over at you. “Hey Y/n”, he said before looking away.

“How was your day?” You asked while walking next to him. “Good, no computer club today though”, you also didn’t have practice today. You nodded but didn’t say anything else.

You walked next to Koushiro, talking to him every once and a while. Koushiro talked more since you started befriending him a few months ago. You found that if you got him talking about coding and tech he rarely stopped.

You loved listening to him talk about the stuff he liked.

He always sounded so passionate about his work, Though you had no idea what he was talking about, that caused you to ask questions and for Koushiro to talk more. You loved it.

Once you both got to the door you sped up and held the door open for Koushiro. You pushed it open and held it with a sly smile on your face. Koushiro said thank you with a slight blush on his face.

You closed the door and speed walked to get back to Koushiro’s side. “It was nice talking to you Y/n, but I have to get home”, your smile fell a bit.

One of the main reasons you talked to Koushiro was because you wanted to ask him out. You’ve been thinking and you thought that Koushiro had a crush on you.

Plus, you’ve seen Koushiro hanging out with his friends and his friends were laughing and pointing at you and Koushiro. That was the same thing the popular kids did.

So you really wanted to ask him out, so you could know if you should stop trying to romance Koushiro or not. You stood there watching Koushiro get farther away, wondering if you should.

“Wait!” You yelled out and ran to Koushiro. Koushiro stopped walking and looked back at you confused. “Let me walk you home?” You asked.

That was a start, plus, if you wanted to ask Koushiro out you’d know where he lived. Koushiro didn’t say anything for a bit, “okay”, he said. You smiled and started to walk next to him.

You two made small talk as you walked to Koushiro’s place.

You told him about your practice and how hard you were working to keep your grades up. Koushiro talked about his work, though he didn’t go into too much detail about it.

You still liked hearing him talk.

You shifted the conversion to Koushiro’s friends. You saw him with at least one of them everyday, for being a ‘nerd’, Koushiro had a decent amount of friends. Though it looked like it, you didn’t really have any real friends.

You didn’t count your teammates as real friends. They only really talked to you to brag, talk about games, practice, or to whine that they are failing half of their classes.

Only really half of those things matter to you. You seemed popular, because you were a jock. People at school envied you. You had status, friends, good grades, good at sports, and could get any one you wanted.

But in reality, you envied them.

You frowned when you thought about it. “Everything okay?” You looked up to see Koushiro looking at you with concern, he was also a few feet in front of you.

You hadn’t realized that you had stopped walking. Koushiro looked concerned, like you were his friend. “I’m fine”, you walked to Koushiro, “just thinking about an up and coming test”, you walked past Koushiro.

Koushiro started walking next to you again. Koushiro still looked concerned, “you sure?” He asked again. You glanced over at Koushiro. He was cute when he was concerned.

“Yes, don’t worry your pretty little head about it”, you said with a flirty tone. Wasn’t the first time you flirted with Koushiro. You had no idea if Koushiro liked the flirting, but you liked the blush that overtook his face when you flirted.

Nothing else was said until you got to Koushiro’s home. “Thank you for walking me home”, Koushiro said as he opened the door. “Of course, but Koushiro?”

You said. Koushiro had opened the door and was about to step inside. You took a deep breath and gathered your courage. “Can I take you out on a date?”

You asked nervously. Koushiro blushed again, making his face darker. Koushiro didn’t say anything until you looked away and stepped back.

“Yes”, Koushiro said and caused you to look at Koushiro. “You can take me out on a date. Sunday”, you smiled. “Thank you, nerd”, though people say that as an insult.

You said it with love.

[dutchforstrangers]

Rouge - Taikoura one-shot for Shades of Red

For @taioraweek 2023 Day 8

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

A/N: Shades of Red is a very precious little story I wrote for digiweek 2021 about Taichi falling for not only Sora, but for Koushiro as well. A story about the wonders of polyamorous relationships and that it takes self-knowledge to take that one courageous step towards a life full of love. So have a new shade of red <3

Based on a little Taiora-scenario I wrote in early 2021 which @seventeenlovesthree made sure to provide with beautiful art which I'm still so in love with :3 You can find it here: [x].

Day 8: Rogue or Blush | Characters: Koushiro Izumi (POV) x Sora Takenouchi x Taichi Yagami | Genre: Romance, some sort of hurt/comfort | Rating: T | Wordcount: 1.293

A yawn escaped him as he stretched his slender frame, the office chair rolling slightly to the back. Koushiro was still up, the different monitors on his desk lined up and on. After much complaining from Sora, who was according to him unnecessarily way too worried about his health, he had installed a filter on the screens. That way he could protect his eyes, but still work during night time.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t work in the day time, no, he had grown fond of working with both Taichi and Sora around. However, they had the tendency to distract them and so, being the night owl of the three, he decided to catch up on work during the night. Koushiro liked the quiet, the only sound interfering his endless thoughts the sound of keys clicking.

Time had already gone way past midnight when the sound of his fingers flying over the keyboard was interrupted with bare feet entering their shared office. Koushiro peeked over his computer screens, his eyes picking up on red-colored messy sleep hair, his nose smelling Taichi’s perfume she was bringing with her into the room.  

“Sora-san, shouldn’t you be asleep?”

His fingers left the keys as he decided to check up on her. He watched her closely and concluded she looked stress. It wasn’t a surprise with the big deadline that was luring from behind a bush called Friday. Koushiro remembered all of her speedy talking which wasn’t very Sora-like, her calm demeanor sliding off.

“I couldn’t,” Sora answered sounding sleepy yet stressed. “Tomorrow’s the first draft for the collection and it feels like I missed a few details. I have to check it.”

Not for one second did she look at him. As if pulled to her drawing table, she walked towards it, her right hand frantically searching for the right pencil underneath the pile of designs. To Koushiro they were all equally wonderful and knowing Sora, he knew she didn’t miss any details. He also knew she was stubborn, perhaps even more so than Taichi, and so he didn’t ask further. Instead he kept a close eye on her while he kept working, thinking it would only be a few minutes before she would return to bed.

But a few minutes turned into over half an hour and Koushiro grew worried. Without saying anything, he stood up to grab the both of them some tea.

“Thanks.” Was all Sora said as he carefully placed the cup on the only empty spot on her drawing table. Her eyes were wide, completely focused on her work. Koushiro looked over all the colors and lines dancing on the papers forming beautiful designs for modernized kimonos.

“I truly admire your skills and ambition, Sora-san. The designs look unquestionably stunning, I’m convinced that they’re enough for a first draft. I’d like to escort you to bed so you can sleep some more.”

“Tell that to yourself, you always stay up late,” Sora snapped back, but immediately realized how mean that was. She finally looked at him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I’m aware. You must be tired, hence why I wanted to bring you back to bed,” Koushiro explained calmly.

Sora smiled in return, her tiredness didn’t allow her to keep her lips curled up for too long. “And I appreciate your worry over me. But I just can’t sleep yet.”

Koushiro nodded in response. She gave off a tired look, the determination however made her glow all the same.

A little bit defeated, Koushiro headed back to his seat behind his desk. He sighed before his fingers went back to the keyboard, then started typing once more, the room filled with the tapping sound again. Per usual, it made him loose track of time.

Eventually from the corner of his eye Koushiro could see Taichi’s sleeping body dragging himself into the office. The brown haired man rubbed his eyes and a yawn escaped him as he placed himself next to Koushiro, looking over the computer screens in Sora’s direction. A worried expression emerged on his face and Koushiro looked up to Taichi.

“How long has she been up an working?” Taichi asked with a hoarse sleepy tone followed by another yawn.

Koushiro checked the time.

“It could easily be over an hour now.”

Taichi sighed. It was all he needed to know. He kept standing there, watching her work, worried yet the fondness in his eyes easily outdid the worry.

Even though Koushiro was well aware of Taichi’s adoration and admiration for both him and Sora, he could never get enough of Taichi staring so intensely to especially Sora. It was something he could observe day in and out, it would never grow old.

“What?” Came Sora’s voice. Clearly she had been taking notice of Taichi’s staring. It made Koushiro snap out of his thoughts, however, Taichi only intensified the eye contact he now had with her. “Do I have something on my face?”

“No.” He replied. The features in Taichi’s face changed from intensity to softness accompanied by a cheeky grin.

“Then what is it?” Sora asked, the annoyance in her voice returning.

In a way, even though Taichi meant it well, these little exchanges of words between his two partners made Koushiro feel uncomfortable. Simply because it could go two ways. They would either start bickering, or…

“I just think you’re beautiful.”

Or they would jump each other in a more sexually physical way.

Yes, Koushiro loved them both very much, but their intensity could sometimes be a tad too much. Making him blush in frustration or ecstasy. Often it was both though.

He looked from Taichi to Sora and back in anticipation. Because with Sora being stressed and tired, you could never predict how exactly she would respond.

Koushiro had not expected the cherry red blush on her cheeks radiating warmth and surprise.

“Go back to bed, Taichi,” she stumbled, failing to hide how that one compliment had gotten to her.

“Well, you’ve heard the boss,” Taichi said to Koushiro, taking Sora’s words as his cue to go. “Can you tell her I’d like to see her back in bed soon? And you too by the way.”

Taichi winked and gave Koushiro a sweet small peck on the top of his head before he turned his heel to return back to bed. Alone.

Or so Taichi thought.

Right before he would have left the office, Taichi was stopped by Sora hugging him from behind. Her graceful arms embraced his athletic body, her one hand just able to hold the wrist from her other hand. She pressed her head to Taichi’s back and rubbed her nose into the fabric of Taichi’s sleep shirt, a genuine smile happily dancing on her lips before she spoke.

“Thank you, I needed that.”

Koushiro looked at the both of them, standing in the door way exchanging love in a to him beautiful way. It was tender and fragile, grand in its simplicity.

Where Sora’s blush turned into a warm and grateful pinkish one, Taichi showed a knowing one. Accepting the love he felt for her. For them. And all Koushiro could do was take in the little loving still he was treated to.  

He recalled how their love wasn’t self-evident from the beginning, especially to Taichi. But the road he had followed together with Sora and Koushiro had led him to being his happy and cheesy self again. Where his blush first was one of confusion and shame, it now showed his pride and a genuine love.

Koushiro smiled, a shared blush like rouge now complimenting his own face. Happy he was here with them, being able to see the love unfold in front of him over and over again.

[otakween]

Digimon Adventure 02 Best Partner Series - Part 1

More image songs! This time for Adventure 02, but I'm starting out with the older kids. I had a lot of fun listening to all of these. They really went all out this time. 12 CDs with 3 songs each (solo human, solo digimon & partner duet)!? Madness!

Taichi & Agumon

New Sun - Taichi (listen here - subbed)

Taichi singing to Daisuke (or maybe the whole new squad) about how they're taking over the original kids' legacy. The lyrics make him sound very wise.

Took me a second to adjust and picture Taichi singing this because his VA kinda sounds like a granny lol

This had very "Mufasa talking to Simba" vibes. The chorus was catchy and empowering.

Agumon Ondo - Agumon (listen here - subbed)

Agumon singing about how he needs/wants to eat a bunch to grow big and strong. Also, apparently he dances to help digestion lol.

Agumon talking to random kids during the song and then having them sing along was adorable. Also made me feel old.

Team - Taichi & Agumon duet (listen here + translation here)

A very generic song about how Agumon and Taichi make a great team, but it's always charming to hear digimon/partner duets.

Yamato & Gabumon

The Key to Granting Wishes - Yamato (listen here - subbed)

A cheesy shounen song about following your heart and friendship and what not. Comparing it to Yamato's image song from the first season, you can see he's grown past his emo, lone wolf phase.

Wasn't crazy about the song itself, but the music was great, especially the guitar solo. Had a nice bombastic intro too.

It's Alright - Gabumon (listen here & translation here)

Gabumon singing about his bond with Yamato. They both hide behind facades (Yamato's coolness, Gabumon's fur) and are misunderstood. I feel like this was a lot stronger as a character song than Yamato's solo song.

Gabumon's one of the quieter digimon so hearing him sing is a treat!

Our Melody - Yamato & Gabumon duet (listen here & translation here)

A touching (and CHEESY) ballad between Yamato and Gabumon about all the good times they've had together. It had strong drunken karaoke vibes haha.

Although cheesy, the lyrics did warm my heart a bit :') I think digimon/partner bonds get to me more than human/human bonds.

Koushiro & Tentomon

Open Mind - Koushiro (listen here - subbed)

Meh, not a fan of this one. I felt like the lyrics were clunky and didn't flow well with the song's melody.

The song is about Koushiro learning new things about himself and his emotions through his journey in the digital world. Even though I didn't like it, I'm happy to hear Koushiro's voice again :')

Dengeki Rhapsody - Tentomon (listen here - subbed)

Tentomon 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️ I love him so much. This song was really cute and plucky. Basically just Tentomon singing about being a good partner and appreciating Koushiro.

The only thing that bugged me (hehe) about this one is that it implied that Tentomon is always obsessing over food but like...I don't remember that ever happening?

The Scenery of the World! - Koushiro & Tentomon duet (listen here - subbed)

Another banger! Mostly just because I love these two and relate to Koushiro's passion so much. He's singing about how excited he is to absorb all of the world's knowledge and to see the whole world with Tentomon. Koushiro would make a good librarian haha. I too have strong urges to learn everything ever (currently reading every page of Wikipedia).

Tentomon's part of the song is kind of exasperated but in a loving way. He sings about how Koushiro is always staying up late glued to his computer, but that he'll still always stick by his side and pep him up when he gets tired. So wholesome <3

Joe & Gomamon

Towards the Wind - Joe (listen here - subbed)

A lot of these solo songs have the same, general theme about growing as a person. I wonder if the vibe will be different for the younger 02 kids?

I liked the mellow vibe of this song. A nice, easy listen. Joe definitely has the most mature vibes of the gang, despite being dweeby.

Invincible Flutter Kick - Gomamon (listen here - subbed)

Gomamon singing about how helpless Joe is and how he'll always be them to protect him and lighten his load. So cute :3

News to me that Gomamon has an "invincible flutter kick" lol. I mean, I can picture it, but usually he just summoned fish.

Crawl the Sky - Joe & Gomaon duet (listen here - subbed)

Joe and Gomamon singing about their unlikely friendship. They balance each other out. I kind of wish the chorus wasn't the usual, cheesy "we can do anything if we're together!" lines. The first part of the song was a little stronger when they were comparing each other's characters.

These songs are making me wish I had a little buddy to explore the world with :'(

Mimi & Palmon

Super☆Girl - Mimi (Listen here - subbed)

Mimi singing about her personal growth. It was a pretty generic, motivational song about being brave to be yourself and not fear mistakes.

I do really enjoy how unabashedly girly Mimi is and her songs always reflect that.

A Little Pinkie's Fantasy - Palmon (Listen here - subbed)

This one was just weird. The lyrics were super awkward. I think they're alluding to a pinky promise when Palmon talks about a "pinkie's fantasy," but the metaphor doesn't really work. Also the line about glittering lips also seems like a non-sequitur.

I've never been a huge Palmon fan, so I think that's mostly why this one was no good for me. (She's also a little tone deaf lol).

Happy Smile - Mimi & Palmon (Listen here - subbed)

It's nice to hear a song where Mimi and Palmon are talking about their friendship cuz Mimi could honestly be kinda nasty to Palmon in the anime lol.

Some of the lyrics in this were a little clunky (they basically said stuff like "fun things are fun!" "Smiling is nice!" "Pretty things are good!") but I liked the sentiments about distance not weakening their bond. That resonates with me as an adult who doesn't have many opportunities to see my friends in person.

Sora & Piyomon

Shiny Days - Sora (Listen here - subbed)

Uhhh I think mostly this one was just poorly translated because it was literally like a word salad. Like, read the lyrics here (or in the video subs) and you'll see they straight up make no sense --> https://www.animelyrics.com/anime/digi02/shinydays.htm

Sora is my least favorite Adventure character so it checks out that here song kinda sucks lol (sorry).

Wait this song has the same title as the Yuru Camp opening!

My Music Score - Piyomon (Listen here - subbed)

A nice straightforward song about Piyomon's love for Sora. I like how they incorporated her name into the song with all the "pipipi" and "piyo piyo." Very cute.

If We Fly Together - Sora & Piyomon (Listen here - subbed)

I feel like there was some nice harmonizing on this one. I hope the VAs had fun haha

The lyrics in this one were sweet. I especially liked this line about "telling each other secrets we hide from the stars." That really illustrates Sora and Piyomon's close bond.

[seventeenlovesthree]

Time to do my go-to rare pair for the ship game: Koushiro/Iori post-Kizuna and Beginning

It really is a shame that, at some point in the middle of 02, they just stopped putting emphasis on the relationship between these two, despite the fact that they were STILL continuously mirroring them to some degree. While Koushirou is the brain everybody naturally turns to for help, Iori, despite being very analytical of situations and surroundings, tends to get himself overlooked more easily. And, even as they grow up, this may be something he would need some help and guidance for...

... Especially if you consider their set-ups as "work-a-holics in shirt and tie". The big difference here is: Koushirou is the CEO of his own company, he has LEARNED to stand up for and assert himself through the course of early Adventure already and it's no surprise that this is the reason why he is considered an "expert on all things Digimon" as a public speaker. Iori on the other hand... Is still the youngest Chosen Child in the group and is obviously being exploited as intern at the company he is working at during his law studies. He IS computer-savvy, maybe not to the same degree as his senpai, but definitely just as prone to stressing himself and taking on more work than he can chew. It almost seems like there'd be a lack in balance - and, as mentioned, maybe a lack in guidance too. And remembering their early set-ups, Koushirou may not always be the most tactful person in EVERY situation, but when it comes to very certain people, he IS observant - and very capable of calling them out for their issues especially those he usually also has himself.

Koushirou is among those who never treated Iori as a nuisance and Iori never felt belittled by him - so the confidence boost he'd get from getting praised by Koushirou is something he definitely needs. For his hard work, ambition, wit... He needs to know that he is being taken seriously and considered an intellectual and compassionate equal - which is something Koushirou would definitely provide, even unintentionally, simply by treating him like he always treated him: Respectfully and with kindness (and also in a somewhat protective manner). Iori on the other hand does look up to Koushirou whether he might surpass him in height is still up to debate though and, upon spending time with him, would get more and more comfortable being honest and calling HIM out as well. It's like an automatic mutual trauma response that goes like "I am tired as heck, but I need to finish this task at all costs, but HOLD THE PHONE, YOU WILL GET YOUR BREAK, MISTER". And it might actually work, because they care about each other a lot.

I could imagine them doing research together, with Koushirou teaching Iori how to use his gadgets and sources to his advantage for the sake of his future career - and with the help of the likes of Takeru, they might actually leave their office spaces and spend time outside, doing cultural activities and historical sightseeing. I really think that is something they'd both enjoy and that'd do them good while improving their relationships even further. Frowning over the others constantly jumping into danger and dragging them with them - but they're the voices of reason, so despite their grouchy faces, they'll happily oblige and share knowing, smiley glances about it.

... On a more romantic route, one might argue that everything I've just mentioned might cause Iori to eventually tell Koushirou that he doesn't "want to be seen/treated as you've always seen/treated me anymore", actively taking a step towards confessing. Because even if they're both rational thinkers, they can be very emotional around the right people - and Iori would be the one to initiate, maybe after harboring a crush for quite some time (which I know is a headcanon we can both imagine going down like that!). Koushirou might not be able to respond to something like that immediately, he would take his time for contemplation - and I wouldn't consider it impossible for them to act on it together.

[atsoraasayoma]

Takari Week 2024

Fourth Day: Fourth Contact:

Title: Digimon ‘Whirled’ Tour Misunderstandings

Summary: Hikari, covered in ink and tired from her journey while traveling home on Imperialdramon after her trip to HongKong has some interesting conversations with Koushirou and Takeru. These talks lead to some misunderstandings due to some poorly timed phrasing from their partners and even hers as well where she will have to clear her name.

***

It had been forever since Hikari had seen Takeru. Ok, maybe less than twenty four hours thanks to Imperialdramon’s blistering light speed taxi that dropped them off to all corners of the world and then back again...But still. She couldn’t wait to see him again yet wished it could have been under better circumstances.

The briny scent of the ink from the three brother’s Octomon Digimon clung to her hair like a sticky sweat. The burning sun and dusty winds also did not help, Hikari feeling worse for wear. Koushiro himself had come out of it unfazed, having somehow been so interlocked and focused on his planning/computer work it shielded him from any Digital or environmental hazards.

Hikari had not noticed she had been staring at him, Koushiro looking a bit nervous, pausing, and then resuming typing on his computer. “Hikarichan,” he said, “I can’t concentrate when you’re looking at me like that. Do I have something on my face or something?”

Hikari shook her head a bit. “N-no,” she said, “Its just that I’m just surprised. How is it that I look like I’ve walked through a wilderness and a pen factory, but you look like you just got out of the shower? We were both at the same place so I’m just wondering how can you be so clean after our last adventure?”

The typing of hands tapping on Koushiro's keyboard immediately ceased. His eyes locked onto the screen, but as if he was looking at something else.

“Koushirousan?” she questioned, Koushiro not turning away.

Sweat beaded down Koushiro's face, his breathing shallow.

“Oh no,” Tentomon said, crawling up on his back inspecting him with his pincers. “It’s happening again.”

Hikari stared at them both confused. “I’m sorry, did I miss something?”

“You wouldn’t know it,” he answered, “But Koushiro has what you call post traumatic stress disorder,” he said. “My Koushiro has been living with it for a long time.”

“PTSD?!” Hikari said a bit shocked. “I had no idea! I can’t believe that our Digimon Adventuring left that much of an impression on you! But you’ve never showed that side of yourself before,” she said calming down. “What changed?”

“Hmm?” he said, turning towards Koushiro, Koushiro weakly glancing at him and nodding his head.

“Oh, you don’t know, do you?”

“Know what?”

“The terror of soccer.”

“Terror of soccer?”

She glanced up, Koushiro's face turning even more despairing as if he had just accepted he would die. His hands trembled, his eyes shivering as if not wanting to relive something unpleasant.

“You see,” Tentomon buzzed manner of factually with his pincers, “Koushiro told me about it. Back when he was little he often went to Taichi’s soccer games.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” she said, Tentomon glancing at Koushiro and patting his back.

“But, that’s the problem!” he gestured holding them both up. “That was back when Taichi was not, shall we say, very good.”

“Oh?”

“I still remember it quite well,” Koushiro said his breathing shallow. “Hey Koushiro! Koushiro look at me! Watch this! You’re not paying attention!” he said repeating inflections, placing his thumb and index finger spread apart touching his cheeks so the small curve of skin between them was pressed to his lips shaking.

“I used to watch his games, but the moment I looked at my computer a soccer ball came flying at me. No matter what I did, or position I maintained, I always locked on me somehow like a heat seeking missile- even when I actually sat in a tree watching from overhead!” he said incredulously over the bizarre situation. Over time I learned how to handle such trauma,” he sighed out. “...I never want to go through such a learning curve ever again.”

“Well, that and Taichi did get better,” Tentomon said making sucking squishing sounds between his tiny fangs in his mouth, Hikari a bit creeped out by it, but realized that must have been how he laughed.

“But by that time my Koushiro had adapted natural reflexes towards anything coming his way. Regardless it was a soccer ball or a Digimon attack, Koushiro could dodge it or bat it away and continue his work on the computer as if nothing had happened.

“That’s...impressive,” Hikari said glancing at Koushiro a bit differently as if he was a battle hardened soldier. It was no wonder he got so perturbed so easily when he multi tasked and someone interrupted him.

“Regardless,” Koushiro said, “The only way to snap him back out of this was either green tea or...lavish praise.”

“What, like saying ‘good job?” Hikari questioned.

“Yes, but you’d have to take it up a notch by a scale of 100!”

“Huh,” Hikari pondered.

“And it can’t just be one or two people. It has to be everyone present. Even you Tailmon.”

“Even me?”

“His pride won’t let him recover until everyone in the room acknowledges him.”

“Huh, you’ve got it tough,” Tailmon acknowledged. “All right, I’m in.”

“Very well,” Tentomon said. “I’ll start. Follow my lead,” he said holding up his claws and waiving them as if conducting a symphony. “And a one a two,” he said, “And a now! Koushiro is an outstanding upstanding citizen!”

“That’s a compliment?” Hikari said having a hard time believing they were actually doing this.

“Anything works!” Tentomon said still holding up his claws. “In fact I accidentally told him one time he was the smartest pizza maker! I think he just honed in on the ‘smartest’ part.”

“I think I get it now,” Hikari said having understood. “We just need to inflate his ego.”

“Let’s try it Hikari,” Tailmon smiled nodding her head

With that all three of them started singing Koushiro's praises one by one, some of them even starting to overlap together, this continuing on for several minutes, Hikari starting to feel dazed at the chaos of their words clashing like three symphonies overlapping and their notes narrowly avoiding colliding into each other. Worse, she had been running out of things to say!

Koushiro seemed to still be out of it, Hikari's’ turning having come around again.

“Hikari?” Tailmon said looking at her expectantly.

“Don’t stop now!” Tentomon said trying to keep everyone together. “We need one last push! Anything! Make it up if you have to!”

Hikari searched her mind this way and that, and knew she just had to say something. “K-Koushirou is the only one who can handle my mom’s special recipes!” she yelled raising her voice, Tentomon stopping.

Tentomon stopped, the imaginary rhythm he had been connecting coming to an end.

Koushirou stared at his computer, blinked his eyes a couple of times and glanced up at them all having regained his composure.

“I’ll have you know,” he said, “Those recipes are delicious,” he said. “I could eat blueberry bean spinach casserole any day of the week!”

“Koushirou!” Tentomon said relieved giving him a hug, “You’re back with us!”

“Yeah, I’m here,” he said calmly typing on his computer again. “Though, I don’t remember why I stopped working to begin with. Did something happen?”

Tailmon and Hikari exchanged glances, both of them silently acknowledging the same thing: Koushirou had become so traumatized he had blocked the memory out completely.

Don’t worry about it. Oh look,” Tentomon said flying over to the barrier wall and sticking to it. “Looks like we’re at the next stop!”

***

Eventually Imperialdramon had reached the other locations, the Digidestined greeting each other and catching up, Hikari a bit winded from this Reunited Digidestined Celebration. Lastly they started to slow down landing on the ground with a bit of a rumble, Hikari wishing Imperialdramon had seat belts, but thankfully none of them suffered jet lag...except Jou of course being comforted by Gomamon.

As it slowed down, Hikari felt her heart leap as Taichi and Takeru came up. A pretty girl with blue eyes and blonde hair and a Floramon waving at them. Both Taichi and Takeru waved back,Taichi grinning stupidly which meant that Hikari knew by his mannerisms he had gotten involved more than he probably should have. But that shouldn’t be a problem.

As the other Digidestined greeted them, Takeru walked over to the gleaming blue light and leaned back into the wall sighing out.

“Welcome back...Takerukun,” she said having turned away from him a bit.

“You to Hikarichan. Felt like I haven’t seen you in forever, even though it’s only been less than a day. Kind of weird huh?” he smiled Hikari turning his way, realizing he must have also missed her. She couldn’t react too strongly though in case he might think she cared for him more than what she was letting on, even if it was true.

“Mhm. Time flies when you’re...on Imperialdramon,” she said, Takeru just staring at her.

“And I thought I was tired,” he said lifting up his head and sliding to the ground, Hikari just glancing down at him a bit anxious.

“Hikari, you’ve been standing up this whole time. You sit too,” Tailmon said grabbing her by the hands and making her sit down next to him.

She then sat down as well, Patamon having found comfort curled up resting on Takeru’s hat.

She glanced down at Tailmon who had already passed out, her head nodded down against the wall.

“Our Digimon are really something,” he said. “They work so hard for us. We couldn’t ask for better partners.”

“Mhm,” she said stroking Tailmon’s fur, her ears folding back a bit.

Takeru glanced up at Patamon and tickled his ears a bit, both Digimon mumbling in their sleep.

“Anything interesting happen?” Takeru asked. “You know, aside from probably needing a shower.”

Hikari glanced away from him wishing he had not noticed that. Of course, that would have been impossible.

“Aside from this, nothing,” she said not wanting to talk about herself.“What about you?” Hikari asked, “Taichi was smiling so wide something must have happened. And he’ll never tell me, just get mad and tell me not to worry about it.”

“That sounds like Taichisan all right,” Takeru chuckled. “But, no nothing I could think o-”

“-Takeru,” Patamon moaned sweetly in his sleep, “Why are you kissing that girl?”

His eyes froze, Hikari staring at him, her mouth open.

She wanted to say something, but refrained herself at least for now. She could only could think about that blonde haired girl Katherine she had seen him wave to earlier. She was really pretty too.

Hikari pursed her lips holding them shut not wanting to imagine him kissing another girl. She could have sworn she heard voices in her head saying ‘What’s wrong with them?’ And another voice saying ‘The Lovebirds are being dramatic again’ but she just looked up at him expectantly for an answer.

She wanted to ask it. To ask if it was true he did that to say-

“-All right Hikarichan,” Takeru smirked, “I know you want to ask me if I really kissed a girl. Probably the Katherine girl, am I right?”

Hikari lowered her head and nodded.

“Well, I actually did. And Taichi too!”

Hikari felt her heart sink and then her stomach twist hurt and then horribly confused at the same time.

What kind of situation or relationship would Takeru and her brother and Katherine have to be in to...have such a...relationship? She imagined Katherine wasn’t so nice and had them chained like dogs enacting all kinds of torture on them with chains and a whip and the dogs enjoying it.

“Hikarichan? Hikarichan?” Takeru said having interrupted her imagination.

“Hmm?” she said glancing at Takeru like a dog as if he was beneath her. She couldn’t believe the Takeru she knew so well had-

“-I think you’re misunderstanding something,” he said with a wry smile. “In France people greet each other with a little kiss on the cheek.”

“On the cheek?” she said turning her face his way.

“Mhm, It was pretty awkward for me and Taichi but we managed to do it near the end of our adventure there. Part of my family has a french background. It felt kind of...familiar. I don’t remember ever going there though. It must have been while I was little.”

“Oh,” she said, Her face staring back down not wanting to look up at him. She should have realized the context of all of this. Why was she so flustered? Takeru was her friend. He had the right to do anything he wanted to. They were not going out or anything. It felt wrong of her to even think of him in a negative light.

She sighed out. “I’m sorry Takerukun,” she said. “I could only imagine about what you said when the both of you had kissed her.”

“Right?” he smiled as if a bit relieved. “I mean it’s not like I would come to any weird misunderstanding about you if I heard something about-”

-Tailmon meowed out loud like a yawn, holding up one paw weakly as if warding something away. “No, get away. Hikari, you can’t allow all three of them to surround you like that! Those brothers are dangerous.”

Hikari stared down a bit nervously, a strange pressure glaring down at her from overhead. She slowly lifted up her head to see Takeru smiling, but it wasn’t a happy smile. It seemed kind of...angry.

“Well, I’m sure YOU must be tired from your journey Hikarichan,” he said as if looking past the situation. “I’m sure all the attention really must have been exhausting. Since YOU put yourself in that situation maybe YOU should just sleep it off,” he said, Hikari irritated by his inflections.

“N-no That’s not it!” She protested. “I didn’t choose to! They came at me!”

“What? They came at you Hikarichan?” Takeru said turning seriously, his now icy blue eyes glancing her way and cracking his knuckles in a fist that somehow made Takeru look not only incredibly attractive to her, but also kind of dangerous.

Hikari didn’t know what to do anymore about the situation. She hit her head back against the blue barrier of Imperialdramon wanting to snap herself out of it. She couldn’t lie. Just like she imagined Takeru having once been that Katherine’s ‘Pet’ she couldn’t stop her mind from seeing Takeru beat up a bunch of guys, Takeru shielding her in a seductive manner. It was even worse, or in this case better than Miyako sharing her romantic fan fiction stories with her.

“So, did you get their names?” he asked. “Maybe I’ll have Imperialdramon fly back after everyone else gets off.”

“No, don’t do that,” she said with an exhausted smile. “I can already tell what you’re thinking. But really it was no worse than Daisuke if there was three of him.”

Takeru’s eyes lit up a bit as if having snapped out of it. He also leaned back against the barrier resting his head against it. “I don’t know...if I could win against that,” he sighed with a smile.

“Thankfully I’m gone now though,” Hikari agreed. “I might have had a nervous break down if I had stayed any longer.”

Takeru snickered Hikari returning his back with a sweet smile. She really did miss him. Despite what they thought happened to each other, it was just one big misunderstanding after all. Maybe he even felt jealous too?”

The thought seemed so pleasant, Hikari’s mind drifting back to her imagination about Takeru. She couldn’t get that image out of his mind...in a good way.

“Hikari!” Miyako exclaimed running over to her and sliding down next to her. “Oh, good, your warm. I have the latest chapter on my fan fiction by the way. I wanted to know if you wanted to read it.”

“Maybe later,” she said. “It’s good to see you Miyakochan. “Did you have fun?”

“Of course!” she said. “And I got to meet Yuri, one of the cutest boys I’ve ever met! Man, I’m so lucky! I probably had the best romantic chance meeting yet out of all of us. And there was no weird misunderstandings,” she said both Takeru and Hikari smiling at each other, as if it was there own little secret. “In fact, I’m sure none of us had any-

A shocked gasp escaped from in front of them as everyone looked at Ken.

Both Sora and Mimi stood on either side of him both angry and demanding.

“What do you mean Ken clinged to a little girl?!” they said in unison towering over him.

“Wormmon!” Ken snapped agitated. “Phrasing! Phrasing!”

Hikari couldn’t help but smile just a little more matching Takeru’s smile with her own.

Just then Iori walked over to them a bit wary of them.

“Whatever’s the matter Iorikun?” Hikari asked.

“Come have a seat with us!” Takeru added.

Iori started to slowly back away from them. “You look like your enjoying this,” he said. “Is it that fun to take joy in watching one of your friends suffer?”

“What?” Hikari said turning towards Takeru.

“That’s not what we’re doing,” he said. “Really Iorisan you have such an imagination.”

“I’m not imagining!” he said defensively. “And you’re not answering my question!”

“N-no you’re just misunderstanding,”Takeru said getting up. “Look we’re almost back to Japan!”

Hikari adored him as he continued playing with Iori, dodging his question, Takeru turning back towards her with gladness.

She smiled back, Miyako glancing up at her. “Seriously, would you two just cut it out and stop telepathically communicating while smiling? I haven’t gotten that far even in my fan fictions!”

She could only be amused by her, Hikari knowing this must have been exactly how Takeru felt. She missed that about him; His jokes, his witty sense of humor, his protective eyes that would cut someone to pieces if anything threatened her. Sometimes he even made her feel safer than her own Digimon who could go to the mega level!

She glanced at him a bit differently affectionately retaining the image in his mind of the Takeru she knew so well. Whether being serious or joking and laughing with her, Takeru was Takeru. And no misunderstanding or fantasy could ever change that.

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 01x25 - The Sleeping Tyrant! TonosamaGekomon / Princess Karaoke

Previously on Digimon Adventure: A curious thing happened on the way to Gennai. Koushiro was offered a self-help seminar that turned out to be a scam, so he filed suit and was awarded a new computer program by the arbiter.

Now, only two members of our group are still out there, though one seems to be lurking around. By process of elimination, there can be only one person Taichi and Jou are on their way to collect.

(That's right, fuckers; It's finally time to talk about my kid's Crest! I have been waiting for this episode since this project began. This is one of my most anticipated episodes!)

While Yamato and Takeru left on foot, Taichi and Jou seem to have doubled back to grab Yamato's swan boat. We find them pedaling their way across the great lake while Agumon and Gomamon confirm the reason that Gabumon couldn't have gone to get Takeru himself way back when.

Agumon: What beautiful weather! Gomamon: The water's sparkling! It feels great! Agumon: Keep it up, you two! Gomamon: We've lot to trade places with you.... Both: But we're too short to reach the pedals, ahahahahaha! Taichi: You weren't going to switch with us anyway! Agumon: Was that obvious? Taichi: Blatantly.

Absolute dicks, the both of them.

In his second line, Agumon playfully tells them to "Ganbare", a conjugation of ganbaru previously discussed in the WereGarurumon episode. This is particularly asshole of him. Considering recent circumstances, I think Jou's had quite enough of ganbaru to last a while.

This is a perfect spot for the dub to add a little spice.

Agumon: Hey, what's wrong, you guys? Can't you make this bucket go any faster? Joe: What are you doing to help? Agumon: Watching for icebergs. Gomamon: We'd gladly trade places with you but-- Both: --unfortunately our little legs won't reach the pedals! Hahahahahaha! Tai: Hey! We could go faster if we threw you off! Agumon: You wouldn't! Tai: It's tempting! Gomamon: ...better not.

The central gag this exchange is built around is preserved perfectly. Tai's comeback in particular is a lot stronger in the dub. He even scores a hit, as Gomamon sounds a little nervous in his final line.

As their boat makes shore, they look upwards in the direction of the signal to find their unexpected destination.

Taichi: That's... Jou: A castle! Taichi: (checks Digivice) The signal is coming from inside!

Pretty basic utility dialogue.

Most of this scene is sweeping shots of the landscape so the dub's able to start the boys talking much earlier, giving them more time to fill in longer lines.

Joe: That palace is huge! Everyone: Woooooow.... Tai: And way up there! As if my legs weren't tired already.... (checks Digivice) But there's no doubt about it; That is Mimi. So up we go!

Tai, how do you know that from a blip on a radar? We, the audience, know that to be Mimi because we know where Sora and Izzy are right now, but why do you know that? That could be one of three separate people.

I appreciate him bringing up the exhausting boat ride, though.

The boys make their way up a staircase carved into the cliff to reach the castle. Since there's no guards outside and the doors are unlocked, they're able to crack the door open and peek in.

There they find two new kinds of Digimon racing about in a panic.

Taichi: Frogs and tadpoles? Jou: What are they doing?

In the dub, Joe raises a valid question on the way up the stairs.

Joe: How do they get their mail!? (The boys peek inside) Tai: Is this a palace or some kind of looney bin? Joe: Seems like it's both.

While the boys spy in, the narrator comes in with rundowns for both of these new Digimon. The frogs are Gekomon, Adult-stage Virus-type Amphibian Digimon, while the tadpoles are Otamamon, Child-stage Virus-type Amphibian Digimon.

It probably goes without saying but they share an evolutionary lineage. Their line is in the same veil as Vegiemon, Numemon, and Scumon. A neglected Mochimon will evolve into Otamamon, while a poorly cared for Otamamon will then evolve into Gekomon.

(Mimi sure does have a way with bad evolutions. At least these ones aren't throwing poop at her.)

Gekomon: Busy-gero! Busy-gero! Narrator: Gekomon. You might not be able to tell but he loves music. With the three holes on the tip of his tongue, he uses the horn around his neck to perform his special attack, Crash Symphony. Otamamon: Busy-tama! Busy-tama! Narrator: Otamamon! An amphibian Digimon. Their special attack, Lullabye Bubble, lulls one to sleep.

Gekomon's name comes from the onomatopoeia for a frog's croak, of which there's a few variants. Gerogero, kerokero, and gekogeko are commonly used. Adventure uses gerogero and gekogeko interchangeably for the involuntary croaks that Gekomon add to their dialogue.

Otamamon comes from otamajakushi, the Japanese word for "tadpole". It's also worth noting that Japan often associates tadpoles with music, even to the point of using otamajakushi to also mean "musical note". I'm not 100% but I believe it's because of their similar shapes. This is why Otamamon sprout musical horns when they grow into Gekomon.

Over in the dub, the Partners deliver the diegetic rundown together.

Gekomon: Her Highness is getting angry! Gomamon: Oh, these are Gekomon? I've heard of them! They really love music. Not surprising since they're born with those horns. Otamamon: Hurry! Before she blows her top! Agumon: And I've heard of the other Digimon! They're called Otamamon!

Agumon, you told us nothing. You are bad at rundowns. Gomamon, meanwhile, told us bald-faced lies. They aren't born with those horns. The horns grow naturally when they evolve.

This is why Tentomon usually handles these.

Seeking more information, the group trespasses right the hell in and interrupts these feudal servants to find out what the hell's going on.

Gomamon: Hey, hey! Why are you in such a rush? Gekomon 1: The princess said she wants gomoku chahan right this minute-gero! Group: Gomoku chahan!? Gekomon 2: No! The princess said she wants cold yaki udon-gero! Group: Cold yaki udon!? Gekomon 3: What are you saying? The princess said she wanted Mediterranean-style okara miso soup-gero! Group: Mediterranean-style okara miso soup!? Gekomon 1: No! Gomoku chahan-gero! Gekomon 2: Cold yaki udon-gero! Gekomon 3: Mediterranean-style okara miso-gero! Taichi: Now, now... What if you made all of that and gave it-- Otamamon 1: They're all wrong-tama! Jou: What now? Otamamon 1: The princess wants a gaudy polka-dotted dress-tama! Otamamon 2: No-tama! She wants an antique ring-tama! Otamamon 1: Polka-dotted dress-tama! Otamamon 2: Antique ring-tama! Jou: If this princess jerks her servants around like this.... Taichi: She must be incredibly selfish. Agumon: Hey, didn't you guys say you were in a hurry? Servants: That's right! (scatter)

I mean. She probably does want all of those things. They're making this big argument over which one she really wants but. Like. A polka dot dress and antique ring are not mutually exclusive. Nor do they contradict her food order.

Which, yeah, Taichi's right: Just make all the items she asked for. Stop trying to figure out which one's the real food order. She probably wants all of them. She's a princess; They tend to be wasteful.

Over in the dub, those Japanese food items are unexpectedly swapped out.

Gomamon: Um, hello? Can you help us? We're looking for someone. Gekomon 1: About time you got here! Where's the triple hot fudge sundae we ordered for delivery to the princess? Group: That's not us! Gekomon 2: Then you must be delivering her bacon chili cheeseburger with fries and a super-sized milkshake. Group: That's not us either! Gekomon 3: Of course not! They're delivering the garden-fresh salad with low-fat dressing without dessert! Group: We'd like to ask a question, if you don't mind. Gekomon 1: Her Highness asked for a fudge sundae! Gekomon 2: No, she wants a bacon chili cheeseburger! Gekomon 3: Excuse me, she said she wanted a Greek salad! Tai: Hey, excuse me! Have you seen a girl in a hat-- Otamamon 1: Hey! We're ordering lunch here! Joe: Oh. Well, then I'll have a burger-- Otamamon 1: All the princess really cares about is that polka-dot party dress she ordered! Otamamon 2: Old news. Now she wants pink leather pants with matching boots and accessories. Otamamon 1: No one told me that! Otamamon 2: Oh, get with the program! Joe: It sounds to me like this princess of theirs is extremely picky. Tai: She sounds kinda spoiled if you ask me! Agumon: I wonder what happens if they don't do what she says? Servants: Here she comes! AUGH!!! (scatter)

No lie, I adore this version. Huge improvement over the original scene. First, by replacing "what we're getting" with "what you're delivering", they incorporate the to-them unexplained presence of random children into the conversation.

In the original, nobody questions the trespassers tromping all over the palace. But in the dub, they make an assumption and barrage the kids with it.

It also explains why they're just uselessly running around instead of, like, preparing the things that were requested. They're waiting on deliveries. They can't physically do anything to contribute, and are instead forced to stand around watching time tick by while the princess's impatience grows. I'd be stressed out too.

Finally, while he still seems inexplicably psychic about that blip's identity, I like that Tai stays on-topic and pushes the issue of their missing friend rather than getting caught up in the Otama Drama.

Suddenly, the Gekomon sound their horns! The princess has arrived!

Look at how happy she is. That is the happiest Mimi has ever been since the day she set foot on File Island.

Geckomon: The princess has ARRIIIIIIIVED!!! Gekogeko.... (Mimi emerges into the foyer) Taichi: Ah!? Mimi-chan! Jou: (simultaneously) Ah!? Mimi-kun! Mimi: (disappointed) Oh, it's you. (pleasant smile) It's been a long time! Taichi: What the hell are you doing here!? Mimi: (proudly) What am I doing here? I'm being a princess. Can't you tell? Agumon: Then the selfish princess around here-- Group: --iS YOU!?!? Mimi: Who are you calling selfish!? How rude!

Mimi veils herself in politeness and decorum befitting a princess but she's lying. Her initial kneejerk reaction upon seeing Taichi and Jou betrays her subsequent attempt at acting regal - A mask that falls right back off the second Agumon insults her.

In the dub:

Gekomon: Presenting Her Highness, the princess! Tai: Cool! We're gonna get to meet the princess! (Mimi emerges into the foyer) Tai & Joe: Huh!? It's Mimi! Mimi: (disappointed) Oh, bummer.

The dub inserts a commercial break here. So we leave off on Mimi's disappointment, then replay Tai and Joe's reaction upon return so we can pick the scene back up.

Tai & Joe: Huh!? Mimi: (pleasant smile) What a surprise. Tai: You're telling me! What are you doing up there!? Mimi: What do you think? I'm being a princess, of course. Agumon: So you're the spoiled princess we've been hearing about! Group: We should have known it was Mimi! Mimi: Don't call me Mimi anymore! That's Princess now!

At this point, Dub Mimi is so used to being spontaneously insulted by this group that I guess it's like water off a duck's back. Instead, they have her throw a fit at the use of her name? Weird.

In any case, this commercial break has a disruptive effect on the flow of the scene. Are you really going to remember that she said "What a bummer" after getting up to make a Hot Pocket in the microwave while ads for Sailor Moon play in the background?

The stark transition between those two lines is kind of important, but here that transition got eaten by the Hamburglar.

Elsewhere, PicoDevimon reports on the situation at the castle.

PicoDevimon: An honor, as always. This is PicoDevimon. Vamdemon: How are the defenses? PicoDevimon: Everything is going well. Vamdemon: What about the situation at the castle? PicoDevimon: It's good. The Gekomon are treating her like a princess. If they keep this up, the Crest of Purity will never activate. Vamdemon: You understand what will happen if you repeat your mistakes? PicoDevimon: (cowering) O-Of course! Vamdemon: (vanishing) I expect results.

Over in the dub, Myotismon is the kind of boss where it's our project if it's working but your project when there's setbacks.

DemiDevimon: Don't you worry, almighty wickedness! This time we cannot fail! Myotismon: "We"!? You'd better not fail! DemiDevimon: It's in the bag! Piece of cake! Myotismon: Is the plan at the palace working? DemiDevimon: Couldn't be better. The Gekomon are spoiling her rotten and she's eating it up! If she keeps this up much longer, her Crest of Sincerity's going to be useless, Master! Myotismon: Do you know what will happen if you disappoint me again, DemiDevimon? DemiDevimon: (cowering) I've got a big idea! Myotismon: (vanishing) Good. Then see that you don't.

In these two exchanges, we get the official name for Mimi's Crest. Though the dub already spoiled Mimi's in an episode title. It's the Crest of Purity, which the dub calls Sincerity. This might seem like a significant change but that's actually a pretty faithful translation of the idea behind Mimi's Crest.

The concept of purity in Japan is different from American purity. In the U.S., purity means. Like. The purest essence of goodness. To be pure of heart means you are virtue personified. Above all flaws or sins or vices.

But in Japan, purity isn't a moral judgment. It means you wear no masks. Nothing you say or do is ever social performance; You are, at all times, the truest expression of yourself. You wear your heart on your sleeve, say what you mean and express what you feel. Honestly, without reservation.

The opposite of U.S. purity is being corrupt. The opposite of Japanese purity is being two-faced.

Mimi, for better and for worse, is always honest about herself. She might throw a tantrum about how hangry she is or inadvisably open a Numemon den wanting Cola. She can be childish and is often guided by her feelings more than anything else. It'd sound weird to call her Crest attribute "Purity" from an American perspective.

Switching language to Sincerity does a good job of conveying the idea behind Japanese Purity. She isn't exactly Virtue Personified, but every word out of her mouth is a heartfelt expression of her truest self.

Except here in this fucking castle.

Jou: Anyway, it's good to see you safe! Taichi: Yeah, hurry up and change! Let's get going! Mimi: Huh? Jou: Is something wrong, Mimi-kun? Mimi: Why do I have to change? Agumon: What do you mean, why? It'll be hard to walk in that dress. Mimi: Why do I have to walk!? Jou: We can't travel while carrying you on our backs! Mimi: I'm not going. Boys: EHHHHH!?!? Mimi: There's no reason to believe we'll ever make it back to our world, so why should I bother traveling out there where it's dangerous? Jou: Hey, Mimi-kun-- Mimi: Besides, I have everything in here! A bath, a soft bed, and good food! What's more, I'm the princess of this castle!

The dub plays this pretty much word-for-word. Even Jou's line about carrying Mimi is translated completely faithfully. No jokes added or removed.

That smile up there? That is the ecstatic smile of despair. Mimi gives the game away when she says, "There's no reason to believe we'll make it back." That's it. That was her nugget of truth. As much as Jou's constant refrain has been "Maybe there's humans", Mimi's was "I want to go home."

Being here in this castle offers Mimi enough material contentment that she can pretend she's happy here. That she can pretend to be her favorite character Otohime from the fable of Urashima Taaro that she once chatted with Jou about. It's better than being out there.

But she's not happy. If she were really happy, she wouldn't be running her servants ragged trying to find the thing that will satisfy the despair in her heart. Mimi is lying to herself out of fear of this awful place she's trapped in.

Suddenly, the voice of salvation arrives. Palmon calls out from the other room. As a subtle moment, we actually see Mimi's mask fall off just for a moment when she hears Palmon's voice. Her confident, almost malicious grin falls away and her sincerity momentarily emerges.

She honestly looks like she's about to cry. She is terrified of what her life's become.

Palmon: Mimi, is something wrong? Agumon: That strange voice.... Gomamon: It's Palmon! Jou: It's great having you here, Palmon! Come talk sense into her!

Palmon enters the room wearing a similar dress to Mimi's.

Palmon: About what? Boys: AUGH!!! (comical face vault) Jou: PALMON, YOU TOO!?!? Taichi: Hey, Mimi-chan and Palmon, we can't waste time playing along with your jokes! Hurry up and get ready. Mimi: I'm not joking around! Taichi & Jou: Huh!? Mimi: I'm serious about staying here! If you don't have anything else to say then HURRY UP AND LEAVE!!! Palmon: Hey, Mimi, why are you mad? Mimi: Be quiet, Palmon! Taichi: No, you must be joking! You think we'll just agree to that and leave!? Jou: He's right! Do you have any idea what we went through to get here? Mimi: (turns away and folds her arms in a huff) I don't want to know!

Despite the funny moment of Palmon's arrival, she actually does seem concerned. We see little of her in this exchange, but she does seem bothered by Mimi's behavior in her one line. This should be a happy reunion, but the boys present a threat to Mimi's illusion.

Again, the dub plays this almost word-for-word. There are only two notable changes. One is that the dub continues the "Don't call me Mimi" thing with Palmon's line as she enters the room.

Joe: Finally, a voice of reason. Palmon, come talk some sense into Mimi. Palmon: (enters in her dress) As in Princess?

They also remove the part where Mimi snaps at Palmon.

Palmon: Wait, Mimi. Don't be mean; They're our friends. Mimi: IF YOU WANT TO GO, BE MY GUEST!!!

Which is unfortunate. The show often uses characters snapping at their loved ones, usually their Digimon partner or Yamato at Takeru, to convey that they're freaking out and not in their right mind. Mimi ordering Palmon to shut it is another chink in her mask.

Mimi doesn't typically talk to Palmon like that. Remember in Gear Savannah when she exposed herself to the harsh elements so that Palmon could wear her shade-bestowing hat? As usual, snapping like this is a meaningful point of uncharacteristic dialogue.

With Mimi being so stubborn, Taichi decides he has no choice but to stage a sit-in protest right here in her bedroom.

It does not go well.

Taichi: Oh, that's it! Now you can never make me leave this place! (sits down) I will not move from this spot until Mimi-chan comes with us! Agumon: (sits) Me neither! Gomamon: (does his best impersonation of cross-legged sitting for a quadruped) Me neither! Mimi: Is that so? Well, I have an idea.

Mimi rings a bell to summon her Gekomon entourage.

Gekomon: Princess-sama! Is there a problem-gekogeko? Mimi: These people want to leave! Show them to the exit!

The Gekomon grab the boys, carting them out of the room. As they're removed, they shout a variety of things drowning each other out.

The dub goes all in on Mimi's fake regality for her last line.

Gekomon: Your highness! What is it that you desire? Mimi: I desire these rude and bothersome peasants to be removed from my boudoir at once!

Strong line. The dub's been going hard with this one.

Dragging away the boys, the Gekomon lower the front gate and hurl them out.

Agumon: Oww.... Gomamon: Treat your guests more courteously! Jou: In any case, I wonder what happened to Mimi-kun? Taichi: These frogs are spoiling her rotten, that's what! Gekomon: It's exactly that-gero....

The dub adds a quip to the boys getting thrown out.

Tai: I won't dissect frogs in biology, okay!? (The Gekomon throw the boys out) Gomamon: If that's the way you treat your guests, we're never coming back! Joe: Now what are we gonna do!? She's totally into this Digi-Fairy Tale! Tai: I wonder what she could have done to get them to wait on her hand and foot like this? Gekomon: You really want to know? Tai: Uhh, sure.

Joe and Tai basically swap roles here, with Joe being frustrated and accusatory while Tai's calm and inquisitive.

The dub version also has a subtle tonal shift, as the original accuses the Gekomon of doing this to Mimi while the dub accuses Mimi of doing this to the Gekomon.

As we'll later learn, there's blame to go around. The Gekomon unwittingly provoked this personality shift in Mimi, who is now taking advantage of and coercing them for admittedly sympathetic reasons. So both accusations are fair and unfair all at once.

That said... the dub's accusation implies that this is normal behavior for Mimi, which is the opposite of the intended takeaway. They dub's been writing her as a pampered rich girl from the start, and unfortunately that's going to have some knock-on effects for her character arc in this episode.

Now that they've completed their task of throwing the boys out, the three Gekomon and two of the Otamamon guarding the gate promptly lead them back in to show them the truth of this princess situation: A karaoke stage with a secret to reveal.

(There were three Otamamon guarding the gate but only two come with them. So I guess it takes Five Guys Burgers and Fries to escort the kids and only one tadpole kiddo to protect the place from intruders. That's fair, one of the boys is Taichi and he might pull shit if not properly supervised.)

Gekomon 3 (counting from left to right): This is our lord-gero. Taichi: Whoa! That's a pretty big statue. Gekomon 3: It's not a statue-gero. It's our lord himself-gero! Boys: HUH!?!? Agumon: That thing is alive!? Otamamon 2: Yes-tama! Gekomon 2: He's been like this for the last 300 years-gero. It's said that the shock of losing a karaoke match put him in this state-gero. To bring back our lord, it's said that a voice even more lovely than the one that defeated him must sing to him-gero. So we've held a karaoke competition every year-gero but our lord never so much as twitches-gero.... Gekomon 1: Of course, this led us to think the legend was just a lie-geko. Otamamon 1: Right at that moment, we heard of a human girl who's an amazing singer and brought her here to the palace-tama!

You get three guesses who told them that and the first two don't count. A flashback shows us PicoDevimon persuading the three Gekomon and three Otamamon at the gate to go get Mimi.

On the way into the karaoke hall, the dub adds some dialogue.

Joe: You're not taking us to an evil Digimon, are you? Gekomon 2: Uh-uh! Tai: What if Mimi catches us? Gekomon 3: She won't.

From there, the dub version of the story starts by giving the Gekomon's lord a name.

Gekomon 2: (possessing Gekomon 3) Here is our master, Lord Shogunmon[sic]. Tai: Whoa! Somebody's had a few too many donuts! Joe: Is it a statue or what? Gekomon 3: No, it's not a statue. He's very much alive. Boys: Huh? Agumon: Hey may be alive but he's not lively, is he? Otamamon 2: He's sleeping. Gekomon 2: He's been this way for over 300 years. You see, Lord Shogunmon was proud of his voice and entered this singing contest but he lost. He felt so bad, he fell into a deep sleep from which he's never recovered. It's said only a voice as beautiful as the one that beat him can wake him. For centuries, we've tried but every song's failed. Gekomon 1: We Gekomon love music but unfortunately not one of us has a voice that would be considered beautiful. Otamamon 1: Then we got a break! A strange little Digimon spoke of a girl with a pretty voice. He told us where to find her and we did!

They flub the first line by having Gekomon 2 speak, even though it's Gekomon 3 that's gesturing to the stage and moving his lips. You can see him in the wide shot above still gesturing, before he returns to neutral position. But the line's delivered in close-up on just the one Gekomon so I guess they overlooked that and just picked one.

Tai immediately makes a fat joke upon being introduced to actual authority, forcing Joe to keep us on-script by delivering his line instead. Rude. But also fitting for Tai. And Joe, for that matter.

We'll talk more about "Shogunmon" when we get to his official Digimon Analyzer entry but it's certainly an unexpected translation choice for multiple reasons. Here in this unmistakably Japanese palace, it seems like they're finally starting to give up on localizing this as an American-based series.

I do take issue with how the "singing contest" is described. Not with the fact that they shun the word karaoke. Japan loves karaoke but American kids might not know what that is. Rather, I don't like that they say he "entered a singing contest" when the stage is right here in his house. He's clearly the one hosting the singing contests.

Lastly, they cut the part where Gekomon 1 expresses doubt that the legend's even true. Instead, he shit-talks the Gekomon species as universally having bad voices; Apparently that guy has some internalized racism to deal with because he's judging his own people by the cultural standards of humans.

In flashback, we see Mimi take her shot at the stage.

Appropriately enough, since Mimi's actress sings the ending credits theme for the show, Mimi gets up on stage and actually sings the ending credits theme "I Wish".

Mimi: When I wish on a star with my pride riding on the wind / I can see a tomorrow that can't be erased by today! / I'm sure of it.... (long pause) Mimi: I'm sorry, I forgot the rest!

I'm not 100% but I think "I Wish" was written specifically for the anime. So Mimi is paradoxically karaoke-singing a song recorded for her own show. That's fun.

As she's singing, the Gekomon Lord's head-tail-antenna thing starts lifting upwards, responding to her voice. But when she drops the song, it falls back down.

To try and help Mimi remember the lyrics, the Gekomon present her with a huge feast. Then she's back on stage for a second attempt.

Mimi: When I wish on a star with my pride riding on the wind / I can see a tomorrow-- (speaking normal) Hmm.... Since this is karaoke, we should have a mirror ball here to get more of an atmosphere going. Also, the interior decorating in this room is gross!

An ambiguous number of attempts later, Mimi is onstage in her princess dress with the mirror ball spinning and several Gekomon serving as backup dancers behind her. This time, she doesn't even start.

Mimi: No more. I'm sleepy.

With Mimi's attribute being Purity/Sincerity, the second attempt could be excused as a sincere expression of "Wait, why is this karaoke stage bad?" Purity's like that. But it could just as easily be the opportunism of Princess Mimi kicking in, having been triggered by that feast.

By that last bit, however, she's unambiguously begun lying. Making excuses to keep a good thing going. Burying herself in an escape from her ugly reality at the Gekomon's expense.

Just as PicoDevimon planned.

Dub Mimi skips the paradox of singing her own show's anthem by adlibbing her own original song.

Mimi: I wanna sing a song / A song that'll wake you up / And when you hear my voice / You'll call me your sweet buttercu-oo-up! / Just give me a listen.... (long pause) Mimi: Sorry, I forgot the words!

I... sincerely hope Shogunmon will not call Mimi his "sweet buttercup". She's been harassed enough in Digi-World.

For Mimi's second attempt:

Mimi: I wanna sing a song / A song that'll wake you up / And when you hear my voice / You'll call me.... (speaking normally) Hmm... You know, this place is too dark. How about we get a disco ball and some spotlights, huh? And of course we'll need hair, makeup, and some costumes!

They add all the extra stuff from Mimi's final attempt into her request here. All that extra stuff in the original had implied a couple more tries inbetween, but here it's clearly just her third try.

As an aside, the animation doesn't really suit the dialogue at the end. She says "We'll need hair, makeup, and costumes!" in a cheerful voice while making the disgusted gesture from "The interior decorating is gross."

Her final attempt ends the same way as in the original.

Mimi: Oh, I'm tired. Let's pick it up tomorrow.

Though Dub Mimi at least promises further attempts.

The Gekomon and Otamamon finish their sad tale of mistakes and trauma-induced selfishness.

Otamamon 1: Over time, this is how things ended up-tama. Gekomon 1: At first, the princess would sing for us every three days-geko. Now she holds it over our heads to get what she wants. Otamamon 1: When we try to refuse her demands.... (flashback to Mimi) Mimi: Ehh, are you sure? I won't sing for you anymore.... (present) Otamamon 2: We can't talk back at all when she threatens that-tama! Jou: (angry) So that's how Mimi-kun became so selfish! Gekomon 1: That's why we have a request for you-geko! Otamamon 2: Can you get the princess to sing for us-tama? Agumon: I doubt she'll listen to us--

But Taichi's fist clenches, listening to all this. Suddenly, boisterously, he smacks his chest and makes a declaration.

Taichi: I've got this. Leave it to me! Group: EHHHH!? Gekomon 3: You'll ask her for us-gero!? Both Otamamon: Hoorah! Jou: (freaking out) Hang on, Taichi-- Taichi: So you're saying we just need to wake this big guy up, right? Then I'll do the singing!

The rest of the group has some concerns about Taichi's plan.

Over in the dub, we again see the unfortunate interaction of how they've written Mimi with what is intended to be unusual behavior from her.

Otamamon 1: And that's the way it's been. One excuse after another! Gekomon 1: We've done all she's wanted! We even redecorated the entire palace for her! I used to like pink but now I can't stand to look at it. Otamamon 1: And if any one of us complains to her.... (flashback) Mimi: Whoa! Be careful... You wouldn't want me to lose my voice now, would ya? (present) Otamamon 2: So we're in a terrible position, you see? We're totally hopeless. Joe: Unfortunately, you've given Mimi the life she's been accustomed to and then some. Gekomon 1: Well, since you're friends of hers.... Otamamon 2: Could you please reason with her? Please? We'd be so eternally grateful. Agumon: I don't think she knows what 'reason' is! Tai: (fist clenched, slaps chest, volunteering) Just leave it to me, guys! I've got it! Group: Whuh!? Gekomon 2: (possessing Gekomon 3 again) I knew it! I knew you'd come through! Both Otamamon: Yay! Joe: What are you thinking, Tai!? Tai: Well, who says you need Mimi to wake up Jumbo? Crank it up and let me take a shot!

Again, a line meant to indicate a change in Mimi's behavior has been altered to suggest she's normally like this. The change in Joe's dialogue then turns Agumon's follow-up line, which had been a fair assessment of how their last encounter went, into a potshot at her personality.

Similarly, the dub drops the mention that Mimi did keep making attempts every three day for a while, but then eventually stopped. This, again, highlights the gradual transformation of the Mimi we knew into Princess MImi. But since the dub's selling Princess Mimi as her true colors, that part got cut and replaced with a laugh line.

Following up on Taichi's bad idea, the boys take turns making. Just. The worst attempts at matching Mimi's elegant singing.

What follows is a bit of absolutely untranslatable comedy predicated on the boys badly singing homonyms of the lyrics from "I Wish". As a reminder, the lines are:

"When I wish on a star with my pride riding on the wind / I can see a tomorrow that can't be erased by today!"

Instead, the boys deliver:

Taichi: When I wish on a star and scoop pudding in a bowl! / I can take tomorrow if I don't grab today! Jou: When I wish on Chinese eels with fried potatoes in the wind / I can see no option but to cool off my sweat! Agumon & Gomamon: When I see stars in the wind, things are going pretty good / I can get rid of tomorrow so today won't arrive!

Taichi's attempt at least draws some meager applause from the Gekomon, but Jou just gets dead stares while Agumon and Gomamon drive everyone to cover their ears.

Though, for me, Jou knocked it out of the park with his homonym set including the English fucking words "fried potatoes". Jou, what possessed you to think those were the lyrics? XD

Despite their best attempts, the boys come to a solid conclusion.

Taichi: No good, huh? Jou: It won't be possible to wake him without Mimi singing.

For their part, the dub kids are under no obligation to match Mimi's song because they aren't doing karaoke. But they still try their best to put their own badly sung spin on her original lyrics. Uh. Despite having never heard them.

Tai: I'm gonna sing aaaaa soooong! A song that will wake you up! / I'm gonna belt it OUT! Shogunmon, it's time to get UUUUUUUUP!!! Joe: (monotone) I'm attempting to sing a song, a song that will waken you and aid all the Gekomon that are loyal to your worldview and the idea of you being in charge. / I'm attempting to sing a song, a song that will waken you and aid all the Gekomon-- Agumon: (with Gomamon doing backup groaning) I croon this song to you! A tune from now until June! / When you hear us sing, you'll call us singing buffoons! / We just wanna wake ya! / So don't close your ears / Or you could sleep for years!

From there, they too agree that this isn't going to work.

Joe: it's no use. Tai: After that, he might not wake up for another 300 years!

Though, funnily enough, they once again kinda swapped lines. Joe makes the short and simple assessment followed by a longer summary of their failure by Tai.

Joe takes it away with his song again. I unironically love Joe's song derailing into political exposition. It's so perfectly Joe. No matter the language, Jou/Joe is the MVP of terrible karaoke.

In any case, since they can't do the homonym gag, they instead use these songs as an expression of raw, unbridled personality and it works.

While the boys are mulling over their failures, Palmon finds them at the karaoke stage.

Palmon: Everyone! Taichi: Palmon! Palmon: I was worried about you. What happened? Agumon: What do you mean, 'what happened'? Haven't you noticed that Mimi's been acting weird? Palmon: Weird? (folds her arms and considers for a moment) Oh, you think so too!? I've been thinking that!

Palmon's body language doesn't match her words because she's meant to be full of shit here. She just realized that Mimi's behavior is off for the first time and is trying to pretend she suspected it all along.

Tai: (disappointed) Really. Gomamon: (disappointed) At least figure it out for yourself.... Palmon: (nervous) Ehehe....

Over in the dub, they finally acknowledge that this behavior is unusual for Mimi... sorta.

Palmon: Hey, guys. Tai: Palmon! Palmon: Why did you all disappear like that? It's like you weren't even happy to see us. Agumon: What are you talking about? In case you hadn't noticed, Mimi's gone nuts. Palmon: Yeah? (folds her arms and considers for a moment) Now that I think of it, she has kinda gone off the deep end. I mean, even for her! Tai: (disappointed) Oh, you noticed? Gomamon: (disappointed) You're so observant. Palmon: (nervous) Ehehe....

Palmon, you were in the room when the Gekomon took them away. Did you black out?

In any case, we've made it from "Typical Mimi" to "Mimi's worst traits have been exaggerated by the situation." Which is, at least, closer to where we're supposed to be: "Mimi is uncharacteristically lying and faking contentment as a defense mechanism."

Conspiring with Palmon, the boys bug Mimi's room to try and get a recording of her singing voice.

Presumably the equipment for this came from the karaoke studio.

Jou: A recording, huh? Great idea! Taichi: I can be pretty smart when I want to be. (sound of a door opening) Gomamon: Here she comes. (everyone takes cover)

The dub decided that this plan needs to be explained in more detail.

Joe: So she'll be performing and won't even know it! Tai: Yeah, and we'll get the whole thing on tape! (sound of a door opening) Gomamon: Watch it! (everyone takes cover)

This comes at the cost of giving Tai props for being the one who had this smart idea. Poor Tai.

As the boys hush up, Palmon steps up to play her role inside the room.

Mimi: What's this? Palmon: A karaoke set. Mimi: (irate) I can see that. What's it doing here? Palmon: I-I just suddenly wanted to hear your beautiful singing!

This is the same in the dub; They even correctly identify the equipment in Mimi's room as a karaoke set. But the dub adds some extra dialogue at the end.

Palmon: Now, feel the music! Feel the music! Joe: (whisper) Tai, is she falling for it? Tai: Mmhmm....

Joe, we're doing crime here! Don't talk during crime unless you have something important to say! (He would be bad at crime....)

Without any further questioning, Mimi falls for it. The scowl on her face melts away into a genuine smile and she starts bouncing to the music. But then she sees it.

Instantly, the mask comes right back on. Her face hardens into the cruel visage of Princess Mimi and she screams into the microphone at full volume, nearly deafening Taichi outside.

There's no dialogue in this bit, but the dub adds a line from Mimi.

Mimi: Hmm? What's that cord for? ...I see....

You'd think this would have tipped off Palmon that their cover's blown, but I guess not.

Princess Mimi has them all locked away in the dungeon for this. Even Palmon.

Mimi: I'm pretty sure I can guess what your plan was. Taichi: Mimi-chan, come to your senses! Agumon: Mimi! Jou: Do you realize right now what you're doing? Mimi: (condescendingly pretends to think) Yeah? Am I doing something wrong? Taichi: You can't even tell anymore!? Don't you feel anything from doing this to your nakama!? Agumon: It's not just us! You're making a lot of trouble for the Gekomon too!

Mimi looks down at the Gekomon as if to confirm that they, too, resent her. They cower under her glare, shrinking down into themselves but saying nothing.

There's Taichi with nakama again. As a reminder, nakama is a group of people who form around a shared activity, interest, or goal and develop a powerful social connection from their mutual pursuit of it. We're a sports team, a project group, a military squad. Siblings-in-arms against the dangerous evils of the Digimon World.

Using it here is kind of a slap in the face, as Mimi's made her intention to break from their mutual activity very clear. Even if the others did think of themselves as nakama (which, right now, it's just Taichi using that word), Mimi doesn't want to be nakama anymore.

In the dub, for the sake of setting up the worst comeback in history, Mimi abruptly forgets that she's not supposed to be called Mimi anymore.

Mimi: So, you thought you could pull a fast one on Princess Mimi, did you? Tai: That's Princess Meanie! Agumon: Yeah! Joe: Who do you think you are, anyway!? Don't you remember that we're your friends!? Mimi: (condescendingly pretends to think) I remember you tried to trick me. Tai: We tried to trick you because we're trying to save you! Have you completely forgotten about the Crest of Sincerity!? Agumon: Have you completely forgotten it's not nice to lock people up in your dungeon!? Where's your manners!?

As usual, references to Mimi's behavior being unusual for her have been removed.

Having to talk around the fact that Mimi's behaving out-of-character makes this whole exchange janky. Tai brings the Crest of Sincerity into this but it's not super clear what he's talking about. Or where he learned that terminology, for that matter.

(Sora once name-dropped his Crest of Courage in the dub too, so I guess Gennai sent them an email with all the Crest names for their convenience back when they landed on Server.)

It ends with Mimi furiously turning her gaze on the Gekomon, but the dub exchange gives her no reason to be angry at them.

Mimi furiously storms off. But as she passes Palmon, her Partner calls out to her.

Mimi: Hmph! (storms off) Taichi: Mimi-chan! Jou: (simultaneously) Mimi-kun! Palmon: Mimi! (Mimi stops walking, turning to listen to Palmon) Palmon: This is too horrible of a thing for you to do! (Mimi scowls at Palmon, but she's listening) Palmon: When you act like this... (crying) When you act like this.... (Mimi turns towards Palmon to hear her) Palmon: I HATE YOU!!!

Mimi gasps, her eyes quivering as if about to cry, and she quickly turns away from Palmon.

Mimi: (quiet, vulnerable) I see....

Then she slips her mask back on and turns on Palmon.

Mimi: (furious) WELL, I HATE YOU TOO!!!

Mimi exits the dungeon, followed by her Gekomon followers. Palmon, in her cell, lowers her head and mourns their relationship.

In the dub, Palmon's outburst comes off a bit more rehearsed.

Mimi: Hmph. (storms off) Taichi: Wait! Palmon: Uh... (Mimi stops walking, turning to listen to Palmon) Palmon: Before you go, I have something I want to tell you. (Mimi scowls at Palmon, but she's listening) Palmon: Nobody likes you more than I do. (crying) It hurts me deeply to have to say this, but.... (Mimi turns towards Palmon to hear her) Palmon: YOU'RE A SPOILED BRAT!!! (Mimi gasps and turns away from Palmon) Mimi: (angry) Oh!? Is that a fact!? (Mimi turns on Palmon) Mimi: WELL, IT'S NICE TO KNOW HOW YOU REALLY FEEL!!!

Again, this take on the scene sucks. They don't even let Mimi have her moment of vulnerability in the middle of the fracture. Palmon also comes across less torn up by what she's saying; In fact, she very matter-of-factly stops Mimi on purpose so she can say it, where the original Palmon is drowning in her feelings and word-vomiting those emotions in Mimi's direction.

We leave the others to their fate here, but the camera closes in on the window against the back wall - with a familiar looking silhouette of a girl in a helmet looking in on the boys' and Palmon's plight. In case it wasn't clear who that is, the dub gives her a line.

Sora: What can I do?

That night, Mimi has a full-blown PTSD nightmare. Fun!

Etemon and Devimon emerge from the abyss. Mimi frantically calls out to the Gekomon and Otamamon to save her.

Mimi: Gekomon! Otamamon! Save me! Gekomon/Otamamon: No-gero/No-tama! Mimi: Eh? Fine! Then I won't sing for you anymore! Gekomon 2: That's fine-gero. You won't sing for us even if we do help you-gero. Gekomon 1: We're going home to sleep-gero! Mimi: Wait! I'll sing! Please help me!

They leave her to her fate. As Etemon and Devimon close in, Mimi suddenly sees Taichi, Jou, Agumon, Gomamon, and Palmon all appear.

Mimi: Everyone! Help! Taichi: You're not part of our nakama. Agumon: It serves you right. Jou: Did you forget what you did to us?

The boys leave, abandoning Mimi too. Only Palmon remains.

Mimi: Palmon-- Palmon: I hate you!

Then she, too, walks away. As Etemon and Devimon close in, there's nobody left to protect Mimi.

In the dub, the Gekomon and Otamamon's rejection is identical to the original. However, the rest of the group uses softer and less accusatory language in telling Mimi to go fuck herself.

Mimi: Oh! Mm, help me, please? Tai: Sorry, but we only help our friends! Agumon: What's wrong, Mimi? Joe: What's the matter? I thought you were having the time of your life. Mimi: Palmon-- Palmon: I've gotta go now, Mimi; Goodbye.

What, did Palmon leave something in the oven? Also, Tai, that is a bald-faced lie; You've helped plenty of randos since arriving at File Island.

I probably don't have to say it again, but the boys' jovial mocking and Palmon's unexplained departure do not land with the same emotional intensity as their assertive rebukes in the original.

Someone may or may not come to visit her that night.

Mimi: Taichi-san... Agumon... WAIT!!! Palmon-- Sora: Mimi-chan? Mimi-chan! Mimi: (wakes) Sora: Mimi-chan! Mimi: Sora...-san? Sora: You know what you've done is wrong, don't you? Mimi: I... (crying) I'm so sorry! Sora: Then you know how you can fix things, right? Mimi: Yeah.... Sora: (takes Mimi's hand) That's good. You really are a good kid, Mimi-chan.

In the dub, Sora interprets Mimi's sleep-talking so she can browbeat her with it.

Mimi: Oh, won't anybody help me? Please! Palmon! Don't leave me! Sora: Hey. Hey! Mimi: (wakes) Huh? Sora: Hey, Mimi. Mimi: Where am I? What? Sora: Do you have any idea what that horrible dream was trying to tell you, Mimi? Mimi: (crying) I'm sorry! Oh, I really am! Sora: Well, then you know what you have to do to make things right. Mimi: Yes. Sora: (takes Mimi's hand) Thattagirl! I knew you'd find yourself again.

Hey, we're finally acknowledging that her behavior's meant to be a departure from normalcy! Now that it's over!

Mimi wakes again, as if her talk with Sora was a dream too, to the brilliant green glow from the Crest of Purity.

Sora isn't there, but Mimi's balcony door is hanging open, implying that she really was here in person.

Mimi takes action immediately, right there in the dead of night. Instructing the Gekomon to retrieve Taichi and the others from their cell, and calling everyone into the karaoke hall.

Gathering in the karaoke hall, the Gekomon express their frustration.

Gekomon 1: What does she want from us so late at night-gero!? Gekomon 2: She's probably going to give us even harder orders-gero.

While, in the dub, Tai and Joe discuss an alarming possibility.

Tai: Is she gonna chop off our heads!? Joe: (somber) Don't even joke.

Once everyone's gathered together, Mimi makes her appearance; Rising up from a stage lift in front of the mic, dressed in her normal clothes.

Mimi: Gekomon and Otamamon... Taichi-san, Jou-senpai, Agumon and Gomamon... And Palmon... Everyone. I'M SO SORRY!!! (Miscellaneous murmurings from the crowd) Mimi: (crying) I know that an apology may not be enough, but I've come to my senses. I realize how horribly I've treated all of you! So... So...! Palmon: Mimi, sing for us! Gekomon: We want to hear you sing, Princess-gero! Mimi: (wiping tears from her eyes) Everyone.... Palmon: Start the music!

Though clearly directed at the Gekomon and Otamamon, Dub Mimi's apology only name-drops her friends.

Mimi: First of all, there's something I have to say to everyone here. Tai and Joe, Agumon and Gomamon... Palmon... All of you've been so nice! I'm so sorry! (Miscellaneous murmurings from the crowd) Mimi: (crying) I've been such a little idiot! If you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, and I don't know why you would, but if you can then I'd be honored to sing for you one more time! Palmon: We forgive you! Gekomon: Of course we do! Sing, your highness! Mimi: (wiping tears from her eyes) Thank you! Palmon: Hit the lights and cue the music!

Palmon, don't speak for the group like that. You weren't on the receiving end for most of Mimi's transgressions. You can't forgive her on someone else's behalf. That's not how forgiveness works.

Mimi sings the song, this time continuing on instead of stopping early. The Japanese version is "I Wish", while Mimi sings a different version of her song that thankfully removes the buttercup line.

Mimi: I want to sing a song / A song to bring Shogunmon arou~ound! / When he hears my voice / I hope he likes the sound. / He has to listen. / Listen to my sincere heart. / I've learned that friends are friends / Even when they're apart! / I've asked my friends to forgive me / From the bottom of my he~eart! / If it's my choice / His eyes will open wide. / And the Gekomon will be cheering / Cheering with pride!

Again, using the character-adlibbed song to express personality, here conveying where Mimi is emotionally right now.

Mimi's music gets through to the Gekomon's lord. He rises to his feet, interrupting her song with his awakening.

Before their lord has even done anything, the narrator jumps in with the rundown.

This is TonosamaGekomon, a Perfect-stage Virus-type Amphibian Digimon. Tonosama means "feudal lord". To my understanding, the term is colloquial and doesn't refer to any one specific lordship title. You might address a lord with the honorifics -dono or -sama, thus tonosama. I'm not 100% on that though.

Narrator: TonosamaGekomon. As his name says, he is the Gekomon's tonosama! The low frequency waves from his horn unleash his special attack, Kobushi Tone!

In keeping with the tadpole/musical note thing, TonosamaGekomon's attack name is a pun. Spelled コブシ on the Digimon Analyzer, kobushi is a word for "samurai". However, its homonym 小節 kobushi is a type of musical flourish.

In the dub, the Gekomon handle the diegetic rundown. Unlike tonosama, the word shogun does refer to a specific title. A shogun was the supreme leader of the military and effectively governed Japan, though subordinate to the role of the tennou (heavenly emperor).

Gekomon: Don't panic! It's our lord and master Shogunmon! Finally restored to us after so many centuries!

The Digimon Analyzer for the dub also reveals another "Animation team and writing team apparently didn't exchange notes" moment: TonosamaGekomon, the Digimon we've been calling Shogunmon all episode - including in dialogue for this very rundown - has his name rewritten as "SHOGUNGEKOMON" on the English Analyzer screen.

Again, I swear they did not actually watch the finished episodes one time before publishing them. This stuff keeps happening.

Awakened from his centuries-long slumber, TonosamaGekomon demonstrates his gratitude by fucking opening fire.

TonosamaGekomon: I was having a wonderful nap. Who woke me up-geko!?

He stomps around and kicks in the walls, nearly stepping on Mimi in the process. Everybody flees for their lives.

Gomamon: WHAT THE HELL!?!? HE'S A MONSTER!!! Jou: NO ONE TOLD US HE WAS A TYRANT!!! Gekomon: WE WOULDN'T HAVE WOKEN HIM IF WE KNEW ABOUT THIS-GEKO!!!

But they don't get away. TonosamaGekomon fires his Kobushi Tone, using a short bit of karaoke to send a sonic blast through his horns. The shot blasts Taichi, Jou, Agumon, Gomamon, and the Gekomon and Otamamon through the wall behind them. They and the debris plunge into the lake outside the castle.

A valuable lesson in the perils of romanticizing historical figures. Maybe we should have written down more details about TonosamaGekomon than just "He sure did love to karaoke." A three-dimensional image of an important but flawed person could have saved us a lot of trouble.

In the dub, the would-be escapees use their lines to quip.

Joe: And I thought I was cranky when I first wake up! Gomamon: GIMME THE MEAN MIMI BACK ANY DAY!!! Gekomon: Who's idea was this!? Remind me never to listen to him again!

The Gekomon line may be a cliche but it still got me. The implication that this implied-to-be-long-ass search for a heavenly voice was just one dipshit's stupid idea. XD

Only Mimi is spared the blast from Kobushi Tone, though Palmon manages to cling to the floor and withstand it. However, a chunk of debris crumbles from the ceiling, threatening to fall on top of her. Palmon evolves to protect her.

Togemon: (fucking punches the debris away) Are you alright, Mimi? Mimi: Togemon, I'm sorry. Togemon: It doesn't matter anymore. Mimi: I... (hugs Togemon's fist) I love you, Togemon. Togemon: I love you too, Mimi. Mimi: Togemon....

Before anyone gets weird about this moment, the words Mimi uses are "Watashi... Togemon daisuki". The word daisuki is a relationship-neutral way of expressing a strong affection. What that means is that you can safely say it to your lover, but it's also used among friends. The Japanese equivalent of a dude shouting "I love you, bruh!"

The way to say "I love you romantically" would be "Aishiteru".

This doesn't hit as hard in the dub since they didn't have the "I hate you!" moment earlier to contrast against it. But they still convey affection for one another.

Togemon: That was a close one! Mimi: Can you forgive me? Togemon: Of course I can! Mimi: Togemon... you're the best! (hugs Togemon's fist) Oh, thank you! Togemon: I'm just glad Old Mimi's back! Mimi: Really? You mean it? Then let's take care of this out-of-tune goon!

Again, we're finally acknowledging that Mimi changed now that she's changed back. Well, better late than never.

With her momentary reunion with Togemon over, Mimi grabs up the mic from the floor and turns on TonosamaGekomon.

Mimi: HEY!!! YOU UNGRATEFUL SWINE!!! TonosamaGekomon: Ehh? Mimi: Don't you even know who woke you up!? TonosamaGekomon: WHO CARES!?!?

In the dub, Mimi's copping an attitude rather than screaming blood fury.

Mimi: Hey you! How about some gratitude! Shogunmon: Huh? Mimi: I sang you out of your 300-year-nap, you wannabe crooner! Shogunmon: All that racket!? It was you!? Mimi: Uh-oh....

As an insult, I like "ungrateful swine" the best. But the way Dub Mimi keeps shit-talking his singing like they're rival artists is pretty funny.

Mimi vs Shogunmon Rap Battle when?

TonosamaGekomon stomps forward, about to attack when a Harpoon Vulcan flies right over Mimi and Togemon and explodes right in front of him. The artillery cannon has entered the battle.

Turning his attention from Mimi, TonosamaGekomon bounds to the hole he made in the wall to see who dares. Greymon and Ikkakumon are down on the beach next to the swan boat. They open fire on him together with Mega Flame and Harpoon Vulcan.

But this is a Perfect-stage Digimon. TonosamaGekomon lets off another shot of Kobushi Tone, obliterating their shots and laying both of them out.

Taichi: I can't believe it! Jou: He looks stupid but he's actually really strong!

Just because we're getting our asses kicked, that doesn't mean we can't stop to roast a dumbass monster design, okay? XD

Over in the dub, Joe quips out a pun.

Tai: Did you see that!? Joe: Yeah! He gives new meaning to the term 'flat note'!

Back into the dungeon with you, Joe.

With the Digimon on their backs, TonosamaGekomon goes for the children with his "Tonosama Jump" attack. It consists of jumping on top of his opponent and trying to crush them under his body weight.

It does not go well.

Greymon super-evolves into MetalGreymon and hurls his ass right back up into the theater. He follows up with an incredibly well-aimed Giga Destroyer, sending his two missiles straight down both of TonosamaGekomon's horns.

The explosion collapses the entire theater, burying TonosamaGekomon in the rubble.

Mimi: Sleep for the rest of your life! Everyone: (laughs) Narrator: After being honest with herself and recognizing her mistakes, Mimi's Crest of Purity attained its light. However, why won't Sora reveal herself to the others? The only thing we could know for sure was....

PicoDevimon: AHHHHHHHHH HOT HOT HOT HEEEEEELP MEEEEEE!!! Narrator: ...that PicoDevimon was getting his just desserts.

Those Giga Destroyers exploded inside TonosamaGekomon's horns. If DIgimon didn't disintegrate into pixels upon death, I would totally peg him for dead here. But we see his tail-antenna-thing sticking out of the rubble, so he's alive.

As usual, the dub cuts the narrator out of this denouement.

Mimi: He deserved to hear that last flat note, don't you think? Everyone: (laughs) Tai: Well, ready to go, Mimi? Mimi: Yeah! Do you think I could take some of my princess clothes with me? Tai: Mimi! Mimi: Well, it just seems such a waste! The jewels at least? (Cut to Myotismon's castle) Myotismon: Didn't you say you knew what would happen if you failed? DemiDevimon: Well, when I said that I "knew", I didn't really mean that I "knew" knew, y'know what I mean? But now that I do know, if it's not too much trouble sir, COULD I BOTHER YOU FOR A GLASS OF WATER!?!?

Given the "Don't make me sit in a tree all night" last episode, I totally thought they were going to cut the firepit torture. Nope! They do change DemiDevimon's dialogue to be a lot more casual about it, however.

Mimi, we already made a "flat note" joke.

Assessment: This is one of my all-time favorite episodes. When I think of Digimon Adventure, this is one of the episodes that sticks out most firmly in my memory.

Most Mimi episodes stick out in my memory. She's my kid. I wanted so badly to be her when I was a child. So I'm sorry, I can't be fair and impartial. This episode rules and haters can jump on a Togemon needle.

The dub of this episode is so good when Mimi isn't in focus but absolutely butchers Mimi's character arc. Which unfortunately means it starts out strong but then gets weaker once the plot arrives, though it still has its shining moments.

It really doesn't do a good job of portraying the central idea, however: That Mimi's princess guise is fake. A mask she is wearing in violation of her Crest attribute, which is complete emotional sincerity. The dub's disdain for Mimi as a character sabotages its ability to properly tell her story here.