#so much of digimon is about the bond between digimon and their partners. and how positive emotions and connections

[pamshindouu]

Rei and Hackmon's character song is such a misunderstood work of art

[seventeenlovesthree]

Madoka Magica Ship Analysis - KyouHomu

Based on these two polls [X] [X], I will write an analysis that'll also include how I feel about the ship (similarly to my Digimon shipping game analysis posts).

Disclaimer: I won't claim this to be a conclusive/definitive analysis of all of the ship's aspects. I have watched the original 12-episode-series and movies (including Rebellion), the Magia Record anime and I've read several manga series (the Original, The Different Story, Wraith Arc, Rebellion Story, Oriko Magica, Another Story, Mitakihara Anti-Materials). But I'm aware that I haven't seen/read all of what's out there and am also not thoroughly familiar with the games. Plus, oftentimes, ship dynamics vary depending on which series/timeline you are looking at. So this is going to be my personal take on it.

Whether canon provides input on them or not.

If I had to describe the dynamic between Sakura Kyouko and Akemi Homura - based on their main interactions in various pieces of media I am familiar with -, with only one term or trope, it would probably be this: "Work buddies with unrequited crushes and a lot of queer subtext". But how did I get to that impression? Let's break it down:

On the surface, they don't interact with each other that often, but there are some central key moments in various stories mentioned above that help with the outlining: The original Moemura may not have gotten in touch with Kyouko at all - but learned about her attitude and behaviour through the course of countless timelines. Thus, she may have formed a particular impression about her:

"Sakura Kyouko is goal-oriented and, thanks to her experiences, mostly self-serving. Thus, she may be the most reliable partner to team up with to defeat Walpurgisnacht and save Madoka/prevent Madoka from having to make a contract in the first place. However, there is a problem... Even if she'll probably deny it upon getting asked, Kyouko is focusing on and caring too much about Miki Sayaka and Tomoe Mami. She is too stubborn and if I can't keep her away from these two, she may turn soft and eventually become a victim of her own attachments. If that happens, she may fail and I'll lose her - again."

While her initial intentions appear to be pretty rational - namely partnering with a Magical Girl that is less likely to become a victim of her own emotions -, if one takes a close look at Homura's behaviour towards Kyouko, it becomes clear that she grows to care about her. Yes, she may try to maintain a stoic expression whenever she sits down to plan-craft with Kyouko. Plus, her continuously warning Kyouko not to get too close to Sayaka and/or Mami (as she does in The Different Story) seems to be rather selfish... But it's impossible to ignore her pained expression in the main story once Kyouko sacrifices herself to be with Sayaka during her last remaining moments. She is so insistent to keep Kyouko from failing, as she has seen it happen time and time again - and yet, she can't stop consulting Kyouko. She is basically the first person Homura feels she can turn to in her mission to save Madoka, deeming both Mami and Sayaka liabilities, but seemingly feeling an inherent sense of reliability towards Kyouko instead.

It's why she is almost getting tricked by a Wraith that has taken on Kyouko's appearance in the Wraith Arc, promising her that she may have found a vital clue - and it's also why, even as her original consciousness is trapped in her own Witch Labyrinth, she turns to Kyouko to figure out why everything is so off in Rebellion. She notices things being weird about Kyouko first and foremost - and instinctively knows exactly how to bribe her using the promise of free food if she comes along to get to Kazamino. When things get dangerous, however, Homura also tries to keep her out of things - whether strategically, or because she genuinely doesn't want her to get harmed as well, is up for interpretation. But it cannot be denied that there is a bond between them. A complicated one for sure, but it's there - and it's not one-sided:

Through the course of the timelines, Kyouko agrees to partner up with Homura repeatedly - even if there is a sense of mistrust here and there, since Kyouko has a hard time reading Homura and her intentions. As mentioned, their partnership appears to be a rather "conditional work arrangement", as they are mainly going on investigations and clue searches, separately or together, for their own gains. Nevertheless, we also know that Kyouko's love language involves offering food to others - and she does that several times when Homura approaches her (pockys in the original, fries or candies in Rebellion, just to name a few). While Kyouko tends to be easily pissed off by some of Homura's antics - namely her know-it-all-attitude or her timidness as Moemura -, the food offering implies that she may feel a sense of kinship towards her. Whether instinctively or not - which becomes especially clear in Rebellion when she, almost flirtily, remarks: "Akemi Homura showing backbone? That suits you." In general, one could read their interactions during the investigation scene in Rebellion as "bromantic bickering". They start off as distanced and a bit awkward - but once Homura's true personality begins to shine through, there is a sense of mutual protectiveness, cheeky smiles and even physical closeness - culminating in Kyouko blushing in sheer surprise as Homura prevents her from transforming. This version of Homura definitely grew on Kyouko - which may be the reason why she looks as defeated as she does when it comes to the task of facing the headless, despaired Homura...

In a way, Kyouko and Homura are quite similar to one another on various levels: Without going too deep into their respective tragic pasts, they both basically ended up as orphans (just as Mami did) and hardened due to that experience (unlike Mami did). Homura may or may not realize these similarities - and may even have taken Kyouko's initial commitment not to rely on others as an example for herself. Which, ironically enough, seems to lead her to at least try and rely on Kyouko. As mentioned in the HomuMami analysis, there may be the underlying fear in Homura of becoming like Mami, realizing her own loneliness and failing because of it - and thus, there may also be the underlying hope of hers that Kyouko will be different, wanting to see her as an equal who will remain set on their mutual goals. She really seems to cling to that image and tries to adopt it for herself. Unfortunately, both Kyouko and Homura have another thing in common: And that is their hyperfocus on other characters, which dooms them to fail time and time again. Kyouko being so keen on saving Sayaka (and/or Mami too in some timelines) can be considered just as vital to her character as Homura's wish to save Madoka. No matter how much they try to uphold their cool exterior, the girls are simply too important to them. And so, Kyouko and Homura teaming up repeatedly can be seen as a metaphor for them chasing unrequited crushes that end in tragedy over and over again...

Long story short: They do have an incredibly interesting dynamic that appears to be very rational at first glance, but is actually based on instinctive trust. They're borderline bromantic, but may only slip into romance - similarly to KyouMado - if the other characters are out of the picture, because they're usually hyperfocusing on them too much.

Whether I think why and how they’d work.

As mentioned in the last paragraph above, they may actually not be each other's first romantic choices due to their hyperfocus on others. However, there is a certain "partners in crime" dynamic between them that is super intriguing.

After working through several layers of initial mistrust, I'd definitely say that they will grow to consider each other as equals - and even if they'd be hopelessly in love with other people, it may be a fun set-up to explore their bond further. How they'd soothe and distract each other by going on missions together. Because even if Homura did have ulterior motives (namely Madoka) in mind by consulting Kyouko, it does feel like she would eventually develop a fondness of spending time with her. Enjoying some mutual bickering and teasing, having someone to be more casual with, maybe even going so far as to - le gasp! - consider her an actual "friend"... And, again, depending on the timeline, maybe even more than that at some point...?

If Mitakihara Anti-Materials can explore the what-ifs between Homura and Mami, the same could apply to Homura and Kyouko after all. Again, it may start off as rather tragic because they're both pining for someone else respectively at first, being rather dense and stubborn about it - but even without going on missions, they may become familiar enough to do other fun things together (and no, I don't think drinking their sorrows away should be part of that once they're adults, but it could make for fun drunk shenanigans). I am a big fan of them bonding over food, as it is often depicted in fanart - so Kyouko could teach Homura that there are actually other things in life to enjoy, namely food, dancing... (Plus, I am not too familiar with the specifics of their religious backgrounds, but seeing how Homura has come from a Catholic orphanage and Kyouko from a highly religious family, this could be an aspect they bond over as well. Even if Homura appears to be rather nihilistic for obvious reasons and actually ends up, ahem, on the other end of the spectrum at some point, metaphorically rejecting the symbol of Kyouko's apple of knowledge in a way... Kyouko may be able to help her reconcile with her own belief system in another timeline.)

Another AU scenario could be to have them be detectives, police-women or something similar along those lines, elaborating on their (flirty) partners in crime theme. (Interestingly enough, they both tend to be depicted as butches in their respective ships - not always, but often enough and especially in HomuMado and KyouMami -, so I could see them be a butch4butch couple in such a scenario.)

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

Overall, taking everything I have written about into consideration, I have always enjoyed them more in a bromantic setting, mainly as the aforementioned "badass partners in crime who bicker (and maybe even flirt)", who tease each other about their respective crushes, while also caring deeply about one another, being nothing but supportive in their own "Don't get the wrong idea!" kinda ways. They're incredibly charming that way. However, there is also something deeply sentimental about those two finding each other after all the suffering they went through - whether as actually romantic or queerplatonic life partners (and maybe even as part of the Holy-Quintet-Polycule, I would absolutely not be opposed to that).

[skydigiblogs]

digimon adventure beyond and canonicity

oh hey speaking of reactions to digimon con

i continue to be so confused by everyone else's reads of kizuna

like yes, digimon adventure's canon is tracing paper, binder clips, and yarn at this point. but also, am i the only one that interpreted the ending of kizuna not to mean that agumon and gabumon were gone, but that they couldn't live off of what tai and yamato were giving them?

the implication especially through 02 is that partner bonds don't just give digimon strength, they help them maintain forms in the human world. so it stands to reason that if a bond is weakening, a digimon will grow weaker too. stylistically i think kizuna also did a really good job of this, by showing gabumon and agumon looking much older.

(if you watch the last scene, i think you'll see what i mean. gabumon especially just looks so fucking tired.)

but i've noticed a lot of people seem to think that the message of kizuna was a bleak "you must give up your childhood and there's nothing you can do about it."

the way i've read it, especially the longer i keep coming back to it (because it's really such a fascinating movie to me in tandem with 02tb), is less that, and more "change is inevitable, and sometimes change separates people; but the desire to include them in your lives, rather than treat them as an accessory to your being, is what brings them back."

to me this reading is supported in part by eosmon's smile to menoa near the end, as well as the fact that kizuna didn't read to me as a movie that wanted to swat the epilogue down in spite. it wasn't written spitefully, and nor was 02tb. they're both aimed at a more mature audience who loves the franchise, and they both wanted to have a genuinely fascinating conversation about not only the strange concept of partner bonds, but the way we can learn from them in a world where there's nothing really 1:1.

i think all the anime already have this kind of mature discussion somewhere inside them, btw, so this isn't me saying that it's not something we've ever seen in digimon. it's just me noticing a very... bizarre (at least to me) reading in a canon that does a lot to be very optimistic.

(barring tri which. i will try not to get started here, i never know how to be concise about the weird antithesis that is tri.)

i know there's also something to be said for translation and media literacy in this conversation, but this is also coming from the translation theory and media literacy freak. the guy that didn't want watching digimon adventure subbed to be the end all be all so they also read the manga and onkei's novel translation. the guy that also read fan translations of both of the kizuna novels.

this is, unfortunately for you all, kind of my fucking wheelhouse lol.

there's also something to be said that, yes, digimon adventure is a rather bloated canon. a lot of people have written with its concepts and characters, and that means that a lot of canon non compliance between its parts is inevitable.

on one hand, while i want to say "who gives a fuck?" about canonicity, i also want to say, like... even if the details don't match, all of these stories still take place in a shared imaginary space. they want to tell stories playing off of each others' themes, and getting at something together that maybe alone doesn't quite reach that core thematic idea.

"but sky," you say, "bandai just wants money, which is why they keep doing adventure media."

two things can be true. kizuna and 02tb have worthwhile messages and i don't think we should shunt them from the canon.

hell, i even think tri to some extent had a lot of good ideas which i'd love to see actually interrogated. (you could argue that kizuna and 02tb do, in fact, share some thematic blood with tri. and i mean. i will. i have.)

idk. this got longer than i wanted it to but when does it not with me? i'm just thinking about digimon my normal amount.

[chimera-gui]

Digimon and Appmon: Nature vs Domestication

So Digital World Archive posted an article How Appmon inherits Digimon's Legacy a while back and two paragraphs in particular caught my eye:

The biggest difference with Digimon, even when comparing just the original settings, is how the Appmon lack the focus in the “Law of the Jungle” that basically shaped the whole idea of fighting Digimon back in the day. I mean, Appmon have special moves and can fight, but it’s a lot less part of their identity as “Appmon” than it is for “Digimon”, which were basically built to fight (That is, you can’t really find a definition for Digimon in the early days that didn’t mention this nature, while Appmon’s definition only talks about how they “were made for the good of systems and humans”, which I see as a clear difference between Appmon and Digimon).

But at the same time, I can see this as an evolution from “Digimon” to “Appmon”. The late 1990s and early 2000s had the internet as a much more mysterious place that put fear in the minds of many people. So maybe if you were to understand “Digimon” as having the focus on “monsters” as symbolizing this chaotic nature of the early internet, then having the modern “Appmon” be first and foremost Apps that exist to help mankind could represent how nowadays our life is much more integrated to the internet than before (Even though I would say it’s much more dangerous nowadays exactly because of how integrated everything is).

To use an analogy: if Digimon are wolves (Canis lupus) then Appmon are domesticated dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)

This leads to my thoughts for how Digimon and Appmon can coexist:

Once upon a time there were the Wild Ones, the monsters that terrorized human myths and legends for centuries: These beings were known as the Kemonogami before they, along with their world, underwent the process of digitization due to humanity's development of digital technology, and specifically the Network, to become the first Digital Monsters: Digimon. Their home, now known as the Digital World, exists within the deepest depths of the Net Ocean: Beyond even the Dark Web and the reach of the most skilled hackers.

Eventually however, humanity discovered these Digital Monsters and became fascinated by them. And as is human nature, this fascination led to the desire to domesticate Digimon; just as Onmyōji purportedly tamed and controlled Kemonogami. After decades of research, programmers managed to reverse engineer the unique physiology of Digimon which was used to convert application programs into the second Digital Monsters: Appmon

And while humans can have partner Digimon, this is akin to bonding with a supernatural entity (think ghosts from Ghostbusters) that will battle to protect you hence why such people are called "Tamers," even when Digimon possess full sapience

[digitalgate02]

Can I be honest for a minute? As much i understand a few of those people were not vibing with this particular character based on the fears of her being just treated as a replacement for the 02 kids...

Meiko did not deserve the shitty hate she got back in 2015-2018.

Again, yeah i agree i was harsh on this subject, but i never had a legit hatred attitude towards Meiko as character and only as how her concept in the story was executed and how it felt like the narrative was pushing her to be more important than the missing 02 quartet.

But honestly, as a character she was a refreshing concept to me. A child suffering with struggles to adapt to the big city after living in a small town for years, possibly knowing everyone else there. And with a digimon partner who was also suffering strong issues to deal with when it comes to times she had to stay away from Meiko.

Meiko's whole concept was interesting to see, even if the direction and development was a whole mess imo. No, this is not supposed to be negative, i swear. I mean, there's messier things i like (lol Sonic franchise, anyone?) so i don't associate production problems = bad series, just "it had issues, like anything else had -- nothing is PERFECT"

Recently one of my old posts trying to bring positivity towards the Advverse and ▽ in a meme format had reblogged and i managed to now see the tags/comments in those reblogs. Those comments were OLD, but it reminded me of why I wanted to draw the line between my issues with Meiko and Meicoomon and their real haters -- Because I felt it was UNFAIR for them to be hated.

Like okay everyone also hated the 02 kids for being added to the Advverse and a good chunk of people only cares about 02 as a sequel with Taichi and co. instead of a brand new story about a new group of children. I don't condemn people who prefers Taichi over Daisuke, etc. But i feel kinda wary when people thinks it's okay to drop hate on the new characters like if they were there to "steal the spotlight" from the "Original Eight", getting people losing their minds the moment Daisuke has a crush on Hikari, or has strong bonds with Taichi enough to Taichi himself pass the goggles to him as form of support. Countless of times seeing people claiming weird takes about the 02 kids, and only accepting Ken as the "only good new character" for some reason.

Meiko was in the same position as the 02 kids were a long time ago, and that rubbed me the wrong way. Like i said, my problem with Meiko was not her being a brand new character and yes how she had a very messy development, her role was poorly handled enough to make me (and possibly other people) mistake her as some sort of "02 kids replacement". But as character?! She's cute, she had really fun moments and i liked when she managed to be brave and stand for herself. Her design is pretty cute too! And despite how this series handled Meicoomon, i think Meicoomon's design is one of the best designs we got in 2015-2018 and it's sad that the good line for Meicrackmon had never been used until ReArise (for a character banner event alas) and Rasielmon briefly cameo-ing in Adventure 2020 (the reboot, Psi, whatever you call it)

"Oh Ni, if Meiko had been handled better, don't you think--" No, i know this fanbase well enough since 2010s -- They would find a reason to hate on her. I mean, she's in a weird position of people just being kinda misogynic because you don't see this awful hatred towards Rui? I don't think I saw ONE person who hates Ohwada Rui (tbh i blocked most of the 02TB haters to avoid them all) and all the hate falls upon Ukkomon instead. But Meiko? She was hated for multiple reasons that felt very similar to how people hated Miyako back in time. (Or Sora, but Sora seems to get less hate than Miyako and Meiko imo?)

Not to mention the weird hatred Himekawa Maki got too (some old RPer friends who used to write Maki claimed they got HATE from anons for writing this character) -- The only character from that series that i did not see getting any hate was Nishijima Daigo, and oh i do wonder why??

So yeah, ▽ is soon 10th years old and i'm still thinking about it -- how people thought (and still think, i suppose) that new characters in an existed universe franchise are bad, and how the GIRLS are always getting shitty hatred for just "getting in the way" of ships or friendships.

However, i never liked that some of the Meiko fans would be condescending and fight hatred with hatred by saying unfair things about the 02 kids, inaccurate facts, treating every single criticism towards the way Meiko had been handled as some sort of "hate" and labeling people who was chill about her but didn't like her as if they were part of the annoying awful hatedom she got.

Seeing the 02 kids fans and the Meiko fans FIGHTING made me mad. As much i am upset at any discourse involving "who's the FIRST!?" when it comes to Maki-Daigo and Rui. (Also i repeat that i hate the whole retcon campaign and i think they just altered anything contradictory to fit both Kizuna and 02TB, because canon is something more complex than what you think.)

Anyway, I came to like Meiko later when i got to see legit positivity from friends and talking with them about her supposed concept in the story. I'm a fanartist/writer so i can pick what isn't contradictory to the lore AND that wasn't self-contradicted by the series, and write what makes me happy.

I'd like to vent this out, how it had been a pain to explain that "No, i'm no Meiko-Meicoo hater, i'm just a disappointed person who wished they had gotten better treatment instead" and i admit my behavior back in time was insufferable and my head wasn't in the right place, so most of my posts and such might have sounded like a legit hater when i wasn't. And now this kinda haunts me because people may think me making silly jokes to cope as some sort of condescending attitude but nope. I was utterly disappointed with its development. (Also again, i'd prefer to be allowed to disown part of the 5th movie and the entirely of the 6th and last one because i don't like how they were done and i don't want Maki and Daigo to be DEAD.)

[coralinnii]

Thanks for answering my ask.... If you don't mind me asking (again), who are your favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/manhwa/ anime/movies/tv series (can be canon or non-canon)? And why you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before....Thanks.

Hmm it’s been a while since I care much about romantic relationships (yes, I see the irony of me, a primarily fluff writer, saying that) but there are some memorable ones that I still love for their dynamic. These are the 5 that I can really remember at the top of my head, I’m sure there’s are many iconic ones but these are just my personal “couple goals” people

1. Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye from Fullmetal Alchemist/Fullmetal Alchemist Brother (manga, anime)

Soulmates, More than Lovers

Yes, there is Edward and Winry and they’re great too but Roy and Riza, even when they weren’t officially canon? Oh wow, I absolutely idolised their dynamic growing up. They have to maintain a professional relationship as officer and superior but everyone can tell that they care so much about each other. It’s the trust between, it’s the way they understood each other so much and the faith they have of their partner’s competence. They bicker and annoy each other like old comrades but their bond goes beyond being brothers-in-arms, it’s the way they support each other knowing that they both wish for a world where no one has to go through what they did again. Riza believed in Roy not just because she cared about him but also because she truly believes in him making good on his word in building a better government, and Roy believed in Riza because of her integrity, that he knew she will never be swayed and keep him in track of his dream because that’s just the amazing person she was.

2. Sawako Kuronuma and Shota Kazehaya from Kimi ni Todoke (manga, anime, live-action film)

Friends to Lovers

While romcoms aren’t really my thing, this series was my favorite romcom growing up that I still remember it pretty well after all these years. No hate to the other shoujo animes but Kazehaya was the greenest flag and I can’t be convinced otherwise. He was genuinely kind to everyone, didn’t believe in the crazy rumours and saw Sawako as the sweet person she was, and be that supporting friend to her even when he could tell he had feelings for her. Kazehaya had better emotional awareness and understood how he felt pretty early in the series but never pushed the topic on Sawako when she was still new to a lot of social experiences. Sawako was aware of all the support he has given her and in response, worked hard to make sure his efforts weren’t wasted. It was cute, supportive, and the results felt so deserved and not abrupt.

3. Takeru Takahashi and Hikari Yagami from Digimon (anime)

Will they, won’t they, Childhood friends

I’ve been shipping even before I knew what shipping was. I didn’t know why I love them so much growing. Maybe because I really like the aesthetics, maybe because I’m a sucker for childhood friends, maybe because of all the connections of the crest of hope and light. I thought I grew out of this shipping phrase but nope! I went crazy over the crumbs we get from Digimon Tri. They are such a “Will they, won’t they” duo. I can see them work so well as friends as they do as a couple. They tease each other and are so comfortable together but they are always there for each other when either one of them goes through something.

4. Nomoto and Kasuga from She Loves to Cook, She Loves to Eat

Neighbours to ???

This is a fairly new series in comparison to everything else on the list, but I do love the characters of this series. Not only are the main duo relatable as individuals, they found support in each other. This is a personal plus, but watching Nomoto learning she’s an ace lesbian growing these sweet, wholesome feelings for her neighbour makes the dynamic stand out to me more since this helps show to whatever naysayers that believes that the feeding food part of the story is a kink play of theirs. Like dudes…what? It’s really nice to watch two realistic individuals in a grounded relationship (whatever it is at this point), while going through some heavy topics about societal standards.

5. Seo Dan and Seung Jun from Crash Landing on You (Kdrama)

Villainess x Conman

Seeing that Seo Dan was in the position to be the villainess because she was the second female lead and the male lead’s arranged fiance, everyone would think that she would be evil like all the other second leads in Kdramas, but NO! Seo Dan never outright harm the female lead but instead tried to spend time and win over the man that was her fiance. When she realized she couldn’t and her love is turning toxic, she chose not to continue the path of unrequited love and move on, even though it hurt her because she truly loved the male lead, her first love. Seung Jun was in a somewhat similar villain position being a close-hearted conman who’s not the type to stay for anyone. But he starts to fall for Seo Dan, and hated seeing her break because of a man who couldn’t see how amazing she was. This made me tear up to see that Seo Dan found someone that truly love her, and that Seung Jun found someone who he could truly cherish with all his heart. They got to be the realest and best versions of themselves with each other and were a couple that met the right person, there were just some mistakes to realize it.

[digital-connections]

Tulty (@ask-apocrewlymons ) @ the duo

"Might I assume this is the partner you were looking for earlier?" he greets with a polite cadence. "I have heard that some individuals struggle with the transition from one dimension to the next. The Digital World is no exception."

"I admit we are less helpful than we would like to be, however. Perhaps you could give us some guidance on how to welcome you." Looking between both Shinji and Poni, he asks, "What kind of world do you come from? At once you express surprise that Digimon like myself can speak, yet you appear quite calm at all to be meeting with so many of my kin. Calm still as well at the idea that you might have to fight to make your way through this Digital World."

There is an element of concern, perhaps, in Tulty's eyes at the observation.

Shinji gave a surprised look to Tulty.

Ah it's you again. This is Poni, I was talking about her when we first met.

Hiya! Poni exclaims, waving excitedly.

As for the world we came from... Shinji paused, he rubbed his arm nervously as he contemplated answering or not.

Well...I suppose I can tell you, it would help plus you seem trustworthy enough... I ask that you keep an open mind. Shinji takes a deep breath before continuing.

Me and Poni come from a world where creatures called pocket monsters or pokemon roam the world alongside human, I'm hoping to learn as much as I can while I'm here and document the differences between the different species. So far once of the most notable differences is speech. Typically humans can only understand pokemon under very specific circumstances, but digimon can talk freely like humans can, that's why I was surprised to hear you speak.

That's a good thing, means we can still communicate with each other. Poni chimes in with a smile.

Agreed. Shinji adds.

There's still a lot Poni and I have to learn about digimon. How they act, what they eat, how they fight... Shinji then pulls out his digivice. I also want to know how this device relates to digimon and what being bonded together entails.

[sonicasura]

Jamboree, Penumbra, and Luminary for sure have a group chat as the first three Sleuth/Hackers in Transformers’ universes.

(There are others—of course���yet these three so far are listed as the “experts”… Mirei.)

Some things translate between universes while other things don’t. Luminary’s used to the more goofy shenanigans, Jamboree faced Unicron within like three days of being a Hudie Hacker, and then there are Penumbra’s own issues. The three do try to keep each other up to date on what’s going in their current assignments.

——————————

Case and point?

TFP! Insecticons’ “battle” cry sounded like the cybertronians were doing impromptu opera.

Which Luninary found hilarious. “I—heh—just. Don’t get.” She tried to say between laughs. “Why. They. Sing!” Ultimately, her efforts fail as she fell over onto Tuck’s shell still laughing too much to even properly breathe. The other Hacker in the call looked fondly at the sound as the only Sleuth managed a small smile.

“It’s partly in how their denta—teeth—are constantly exposed in their root modes.” Pen explained, bringing up images of their assigned universe’s Insecticons root and alt modes. “Their mouths are very oddly shaped. The mandible sections for alt modes are present.”

The male Hudie Hacker shook his head at the weird faceplates of the Insecticons. “It never stops being weird to me how cybertronians are formed so differently there. Arguably, I think my home universe has the more put together variants of the species. Airazor’s wings are very intricate.” The Maximal resembling either a brown eagle or hawk did indeed have intricate metal feathers resembling the actual animal. “She’s still recovering from the rust thing.”

His universe wasn’t the most serious one, but the three considered Jamboree to have been greatly challenged. Penumbra had months to unintentionally prepare for Unicron—the Hacker only had mere hours acclimating to do so.

And his partners did not make it easy.

Shoutmon only had one digivolution branch ordinary and Veemon’s own evolutions were typically locked behind the Eggs of the traits.

He barely managed to save Airazor’s spark…

“You have been following the quote on quote rules of time travel, yes?” The cyber sleuth reminded the current time travel among them.

Luninary rolled her eyes yet knew the Sleuth was simply the type to reiterate plans to make sure they were being understood. “Yup! Don’t look at any forms of media that are past the time I left. Can’t befriend any digimon here because I have to return to my present which is the past. Use common sense when judging what actions to take—though the fact I am from the past makes things a little easier on me.” She rattled off until she diverged. “No need to worry about my parents never meeting here.”

“You just need to worry about running into potential descendants.” Jamboree teased, Shoutmon snickering in the background.

“Argh! No! Please stop making me think about that!” The younger Hacker was always a bit squeamish about family talk, the context of her current situation only eventuates it further…

Then, Penumbra gained a sly smile. “Oh, I don’t know if you should be teasing her about that Jam… After all, Digimon tamers who have kids are known to pass along the ability to bond with digimon. And don’t people marry right out of high school in your era?” Their tone was light despite dropping a very heavy reminder.

The cyber sleuth had the last laugh as the oldest physical among the three ended the call.

——————————

“Jamboree” scooted his chair away from the laptop he had been projecting the Digiline call through. The sound of scratching metal on the floor made Noah look up from his work on restoring Mirage. Said Hacker could only wave off the momentary worry, his face a bit red.

Noted, never try to outsass Penumbra.

I totally see a group chat happening between the Sleuths/Hackers. Time travel on top of dimensional travel would be weird. Neither the Digimon business added to it.

[kichimiangra]

I like the idea that Digimon who are parted from their human partner, especially if the massive time speed difference is in effect, get a bit weird about it. We saw in Digimon Survive how [spoiler character] reacted by jealousy attacking partnered Digimon, while never able to bring themselves to harm any human. In other cases, I like to imagine that the Digimon do stuff like start talking for their missing human, or the human is a couple of minutes away but coming soon, or getting a worrying amount of art commissioned. The human partner finally reunites and things go from "Aw, you got a picture made of me!" to "Oh, you got a lot of pictures! ...And sculptures. And is that a recreation of my room?" pretty fast.

[insert 'talking to the volley ball movie' joke here]

It's kind of hard to imagine Gulus trying to simply have a reasonable conversation to convince Hiro to sync with him because, in fairness he's had the whole fucking series to try that. He even actively shut down a Hiro that was willing to chat with him under the reasoning of "It's not time yet" and then finally in the finale decided it was 'time' then and evolved to Regulus, and never really see a reason for why that earlier convo was shut down for bad timing.

(Maybe if the line was "There's no time left" then turns back to Gamma that would have made more sense because there was no time for the convo while Gulus had to go nappy-doo? Or maybe by "It's not time yet" he meant that he was biding his time to let the grb infection he left behind infect the digital world? I dunno)

But Gulus has effectively had the whole series to be like "Look man you are a logical mature guy, hear me out; I am literally the lesser of two evils and the other one is heading this way and oh my god is it so much worse than I am--"

I do love when characters are forced into a position of "Whelp... guess you have no choice but to trust me lol!" though.

I'd say it's similar in that both digimon are precious babies at the beginning being taken care of by their human partner, but I think the biggest difference early on is that Takato and Guilmon's relationship feel like he's trying to raise a child sized talking pet, and Guilmon by the end feels like he's grown a lot, meanwhile Hiro and Gammamon immediately feels like Hiro has been given a super powered baby brother to raise, who also mostly stays baby until the end. It's not to downplay Takato and Guilmon's relationship, but Hiro/Gamma feels a little more personal from the word go, while Takato and Guilmon feel like the two took a little while longer to bond with each other. Maybe it's because Hiro and Gammamon almost feels like it has this "Maternal-ness" to it while Takato and Guilmon are more like "Dad who was suddenly handed a kid and told it's his and the mom skipped town so he's all alone and has no clue what he's doing" vibe. New AU: Hiro and Takato are roommates, neither knows what to do with their new digimon partners so now they are the figurative mommy and daddy to two babies.

I should have moved this one up between the last GG and the Tamers message. Sei la vie.

As mentioned above, omg yes really Gulus has every reason to try and communicate but the writers just needed to stretch things out. I think it's more frustrating because it COULD be finagled to have the same result but with a more satisfying path;

Have it so that early on Gulus just COULDN'T come out for long and throughout the series had to waste whatever energy he stored up to bail the kids out of danger: -He wasted his energy vs TeslaJellymon and Angoramon in his first appearance and crapped out. -He blew his load in Arukenimon's mouth his second outing and had to go nap nap. -He struggled to try and come out to fight Myotismon but just hadn't stored up enough juice to be able to override Gammamon, lucky Cannoweismon happened so he could conserve his strength. -He saved Hiro and Ruli from Oroboromon AND got a large colorful Snickety Snack out of it, now wise enough to know to keep storing power. -He's been stockpiling juice for a while and feels he's ready to just threaten Hiro into syncing with him vs TonosamaGekomon, now becoming impatient. It falls through with minimal energy loss as he just brute forces' TonosamaGeko. -Finally back in the digital world he's bidded his time and preserved enough energy to completely overpower Gammamon, and take back his body, plus awesome zombie army, Which took over a year of napping in Gammamon and occasionally dipping into that energy store. That's really all that the writers had to do was make it so that his time in control of the body was too limited after each time he drained his battery for that conversation to happen, and by the time he had a more extended reserve he had better plans to roll off of. "Fuck it, we ball."

It's one of the most frustrating elements of GG, because of everything we canonically know about Gulus he really had no reason NOT to talk to them, especially when they had longer than an in-universe year to do so, and Hiro was already early on receptive to communication with Gulus, and the only reason he didn't pursue it was that Kiyoshiro advised against it out of fear.

Pretty much just... rebellious Gammamon levels of misbehaving on a daily basis around the house. Purposely breaking things. Taking bites into non edible things and denying having done it despite the teeth marks lining up to him and not Gammamon, just anything that can be viewed as threatening and disruptive without technically breaking any of the 100 some odd rules Gammamon regurgitated for him to follow. But then when hologram ghost situations occur and Gulus gets a turn to show he can be a good boy (He can't) and handles things in the worst way, like Picking Hiro up into the air mid combat, because Kaus can bring Hiro to an aerial fight so why can't he? Only to just drop Hiro mid-air so he can use both his hands in combat, Hiro on barely being caught by Angora or Jelly, showing Gulus can't behave in a house setting and he can't responsibly be a team player in combat. Kiyo feels he hasn't changed. Ruli can see improvement, little as it may be but doesn't trust that Gulus isn't just waiting to cause trouble again, as he is very patient, while Hiro and Gamma are the only ones who can tell he is genuinely trying, even if passive aggressively.

Honestly, episodic shows that have a larger strung together plot in the background while the highlight is just "What are we going to do today?" Are my favorite kinds of shows. They often overlap with "Slice of life, but with a twist" and I think that's what propelled Digimon Ghost Game into one of my favorite Digimon Series overall.

That said, I do agree that I wish that at least the ending was a bit more Serialized because... it's the big finale to that plot string in the background this whole time? And both what is going on in the Digital world with our protags AND what is going on with all the refugee digimon in the human world had great potential to be interesting stories on their own. Both feel a bit half baked though because once again, the pieces of something awesome are there, the writers just didn't use it. Honestly related but that's like one of the endings to Digimon Survive, I think it was the Wrathful ending, where it becomes a distopian world, Kemonogami are leaking into the human world, not everyone finds their partner but some do, the government doesn't see the difference or care about good or bad mon, and the survive kids kinda go on to become freedom fighters to try and protect the now outlawed Partnered kids from ending up like Aoi did. And I'm like.... That's an interesting story, how dare you end it there. Make a whole series with this concept?

Okay but boy is a camping wilderness survivor who probably enters some kind of Lumberjack games every year. This kid could dead lift Gulus and he'd be like "WHUT THE FUCK HOW CAN YOU DO THAT?" And Hiro would be like "I eat straight meal worms for protein and chop wood for fun! Get your flannel shirt cape and lemme show you how to knock down a tree with nothing but a spork, a toothpick, and a canadian beaver!"

New headcanon: For badass Gulus is he is surprisingly easy to bugs bunny into submission. The gang just never had the chance to realize that.

[cloudypinkblink]

one were suguru was always Yggdrasil

think of it like he wanted to see the human world with it own eyes so he made the persona of suguru

maybe he married and started a family with sayuri so he could try to understand why humans cared about 'family' so much , if he actually cares for them idk

WELL! Teehee twirls my hair giggles

I also just love drawing Suguru bc he hansomeee hehehe But here's my own spin bc u know me by now anon :3 His reasoning for finally peeking at the human world is likely that the barriers are thinning and digimon are starting to spill into the human world, and Yggdrasil wants to experience and see humanity before making any decisions. He feels right now is the safest time, as humans are beginning to learn and see something new and unknown, but it's happening at a slow, calm rate so there aren't any major catastrophes yet. Definitely just disguises himself as a guy. I like the idea of Yggdrasil genuinely falling for Sayuri and genuinely loving his family- I actually really like the idea that he didn't necessarily plan to have kids, so he was lowkey using his god powers to stop that (and he told Sayuri something abt him just not likely being able to do that) He just wants to explore this human world and humanity; despite all the cruelities that do happen, he enjoys her perspective, and finds himself warmed by her genuine optimism- but is grateful for her realism as well, because life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Despite that, she has strength to keep moving forward, keep being kind, and keep smiling. He feels... apathetic towards the rest of humanity, but Sayuri's outlook definitely helps tame any disgust or hatred he has. I feel he also genuinely likes and respects DATS- or at least the members who show genuine interest AND respect. I think around now he has a little hope in the humans that are good; that they can outweigh the bad. That's probably why he begins assisting the humans with digital partners. Yes, he could just reveal himself or do more; but the mission is to see what they do with what they're given. Can they really be compatible? Can they really be friends? He can't force such bonds, so he wants to see if humanity will take his gifts and use it well. (He is a little biased, treating his digimon with more favor.) By the time he has Masaru- I think at first he kinda expected to view Masaru as just another creation. to feel towards him what he does towards Digimon. But his affection for Masaru (and later Chika) exceeds that, because they were children born of love between him and another.

He loves his family, genuinely, but he is also the god of the digital world, and as things worsen, I think he has to make decisions. That's still his world that he reigns over. I think before he leaves during that goal to find Ikuto, he finally tells Sayuri the truth. It's... a lot for her to swallow, and I think they leave on awkward terms- it's the kind of thing where she wants to talk to him, have questions answered, etc etc,. but she needed time to process first, and he left before she finished. She keeps it from Masaru and Chika- unsure how they'll take it. I think she gets a little mixed feelings when Masaru befriends Agumon. Yggdrasil definitely pays attention once Masaru starts poking into the Digital World- curious how his son feels and views everything. At the end, he is largely proud of him (wishes he'd be less hot-headed, though.) Yggdrasil maintains his human form, but he does reveal the truth to his Royal Knights, Bancholeomon, and some other ruling digimon, like Mercurimon. Kurata's actions definitely soil Yggdrasil's views on humanity- in his rage and anguish over the loss of so many, he forgets the other humans he met beyond his own family. Even as he watches Masaru work with Touma, Yoshino and Ikuto- who share his perspective, he has a hard time caring for them. In the end the only reaosn he still loves Masaru is because of his familial and fatherly bias. Of coruse Masaru and Chika are good- they are of him and Sayuri. As things worsen, he genuinely starts to plan on a way to cut off conntact with the human world- but he's determined now to bring his family to him. He doesn't want the humans hurting his digimon any further, but he does not want to put Sayuri or his children at risk. Does not help matters when Touma, Masaru's human best friend, betrays them. By the time Masaru and him come face to face, he admits the truth of who he is- and while the others get away, he doesn't let them take Masaru. He tells Masaru his goal to destroy the human world, as it's the only way to save the digital world- and despite Yggdrasil trying to pacify him with the promise of being able to live in the digital world with his family, Masaru is too angry and afraid (dude's 14 and has been loaded w/ a lot recently okay) Yggdrasil just keeps him locked up for his own safety. A big thing is that Yggdrasil IS a computer god thing and IS supposed to be logical, but he let himself feel and have emotions and have a love and have family; it changed how he thinks, operates, etc etc Now he's more likely to feeel rage, anguish, etc., when before he might've kept a calmer head, and instead looked at everything with a colder, but logical, apathy. Now only does he have his family he genuinely loves, but being with Sayuri and learning about his heart, it did make him more affectionate and more protective of his own world. Dunno how this would end yet; I do wanna say it'd probably have a bittersweet ending where Masaru does go to the digital world, where he stays with Agumon (and Yggdrasil) while Chika and Sayuri prefer the human world and remain there.

[bethanythebogwitch]

So I have some thoughts about Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning. There will be spoilers.

Overall I enjoyed myself, though it wasn't nearly as good as Last Evolution Kizuna. And that's kind of my first gripe about the movie. The new Adventure universe entries all feel disconnected from each other. 02 was very obviously a sequel to Adventure, as was Tri, but you don't need to watch Tri to understand Kizuna and you don't need to watch Tri or Kizuna to understand The Beginning. I would like more consistency and following up on plot points. The whole central plot of Kizuna, that Digimon partnerships are temporary and will eventually end, was not present in this movie at all. This movie also brings up several concepts without following through on them. It also felt rushed compared to Kizuna. I think expanding the run time to 2 hours instead of the 1.5 hrs we got would have benefitted the movie greatly by fleshing out the characters of Lui and Ukkamon, giving their story more of a resolution, and addressing the unanswered questions. Specifically I want to know who the great being Ukkamon gets his powers from is and what's up with that very disturbing giant form it took. The movie also didn't really give a lot of the 02 cast much to do. This is very much the Lui and Ukkamon movie, guest-starring the 02 cast. I think what I want out of a 02 follow up is resolution on some of the hanging plot threads (the dark ocean in particular) and more character development to see how the kids we see in 02 will become the adults we see in the epilogue. And evolutions for SIlphymon and Shakkoumon.

I am definitely enjoying the continuation of the Adventure universe, but I am annoyed by the fact that each new entry ends with sequel hooks and dangling plot threads that the next entry does not address. Things we still don't know include (from Tri) who evil Gennai was and what his goals are, what happened to the original chosen children besides Daigo and Maki, and what are all the resurrected villains from the reboot doing, and (from Kizuna) how the partners that vanished will come back in time for the 02 epilogue. I think these are all great points that can be followed up on for good stories. Have a confrontation with evil Gennai, tell a story about Taichi/Tai and Yamato/Matt bringing back Agumon and Gabumon. I'm also not sure how Ukkamon trying to give everyone in the world a Digimon partner to make them happy squares with Kizuna saying that all Digimon partnerships will eventually end. That's another great opportunity to tell a story connecting the two. Maybe Ukkamon isn't as powerful as he thinks and can't make permanent bonds, maybe Ukkamon is too short-sighted to see the consequences of his actions, maybe someone else (evil Gennai or the dark ocean perhaps) is manipulating Ukkamon for their own goals. Maybe you could tie Tri and 02 together ore by letting the reboot from Tri bring back characters like BlackWarGreymon and Oikawa.

Ukkamon's power to grant wishes is another thing I think deserves more attention. The most obvious answer I think is that Ukkamon's power comes from the world of dreams seen in the end of 02. However the very dark (though seemingly innocent) way he grants Lui's wishes and the very Lovecraftian transformation he goes through gives me dark ocean vibes. My personal theory is that Ukkamon is an innocent creature related to the world of dreams that is being corrupted by the dark ocean or that he is some halfway point between the two worlds (they are implied to be counterparts, the world of dreams representing good dreams and the dark ocean representing nightmares). Again, this is very good potential for storytelling. I guess what I'm saying is: fanfic writers, start your engines.

I saw some people saying that this movie retconned Tri and the 02 epilogue. I did not get that impression at all. I think the only thing that would have to change about Tri is that the adventures of Daigo, Maki and co would have to take places closer to the original series than what was shone in that series. The epilogue is still perfectly viable as a conclusion to what we see in the movie. We even see the characters beginning to work toward the careers they have in the epilogue and a tease to the start of the Miyako/Yolei x Ken relationship. I'm in favor of this. I can definitely see why a lot of people want Tri and the epilogue decanonized, but I think that 9 times out of 10 it's better to take something that didn't work and build new, better stories on it than to just retcon it away.

Stuff I like about this movie. The action is visually impressive and the animation in general is excellent. I like Miyako/Yolei getting more to do since she was definitely the most underutilized in 02 (though Iori/Cody got the shaft this time around). I like the movie showing more of how the characters got to where they were in the epilogue. I like the cameos from the international chosen children and shots showing the beginning of a new generation of chosen. The emotional core of the story, though a bit rushed, was strong. The ending showing that even without digivices, the bond between human and Digimon is strong enough to stay was heartwarming and a very nice aversion to this franchise always trying to cram in a tragic ending to its stories. And that one scene (if you saw the movie you know which one I'm talking about) was scarier then anything we got in the entirety of Ghost Game and Survive. Overall, it was a good movie, I just wish it could have done just a bit more.

[firstagent]

For the 02 movie, at the start, the director said this was a story that only works for the 02 cast. It got me thinking about how the other season's cast would handle the movie's events. How do you think it would go?

Good time to point out that anything making me compare different season casts or rank characters within seasons on any ridiculous criteria are the best asks, so keep stuff like this coming.

Whelp, first off, adding our big spoiler line...

And here we go! To set some ground rules, here's what we are considering as "movie's events" we need each team to process:

Each team was formed as a result of powers created by Lui's wish to Ukkomon. Some of these will be real absurd, but we're rolling with them.

Each team needs to hear Lui's story and judge Lui's responsibility vs. Ukkomon's in this mess.

Each team needs to consider the possibility of losing their Digimon's bonds vs. everyone becoming partnered to one.

Each team needs to decide how to whether to tackle Ukkomon head-on, stand back and accept what happens, or give Lui the chance to sort things.

Unless they embrace the chaos, each team loses their digivices.

Adventure

Weirdly, a child's wishes powering Homeostasis isn't too hard to swallow after all the other stuff they found out from it. They'll be more sympathetic to Lui than the 02 kids were, partially because they all have very personal situations they'd welcome divine assistance with, and partially because the bluntness we saw from Hikari in the movie didn't start developing until Zero Two and only reached its peak in tri. They might be too idealistic to consider the downside of everyone having a partner and definitely would prefer Lui take the lead and work things out himself. But they'd go through with it, as losing their digivices wouldn't be that different than losing their crests.

Tamers

Ukkomon slots right in next to the digignomes for plausibility, so no issues there. But if any group is both-siding Lui vs. Ukkomon, it's these kids, especially once Lui starts claiming their relationships are manufactered. Expect the Digimon to weigh in a lot here, Renamon in particular. We'd get a lot of beautiful speeches, but they'd be far more reluctant to let go of their bonds, and kinda distraught losing their D-Arks at the very end. They too might be willing to play out the idea of everyone becoming a Tamer, and might not be motivated enough to fight Ukkomon themselves. This might be the mostly likely season to give Lui his birthday present in the end.

Frontier

Very much doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. They all literally have Digimon inside them, so they're supporting Ukkomon here, especially if it enabled Ophanimon to dish out the spirits. Despite them having little love for Lui, they only come around once the implications are clear. They know full well the power being dished out here, and everybody having a spirit and the capacity to become a Digimon? Absolutely not. More likely to take out Ukkomon on their own than giving Lui any say (or closure), but take it out they will. Harsh but efficient.

Savers

Surprisingly similar to Frontier! Between Masaru completely whiffing and telling Lui the right approach is to tackle his problems on his own, Touma concurring with his backstory, and Ikuto generally savoring his experiences being bailed out by Digimon at a young age, Lui might not bother seeking their help in the first place. They might even laugh off the first partner stuff without confirmation from Yushima or BanchoLeomon. They're definitely not taking everyone getting a partner lying down, so taking out Ukkomon then becomes a pretty routine DATS mission in the end. They'll convince themselves their digivices were only holding them back, so losing them won't sting that much.

Xros Wars

Polar opposite here. Taiki is determined to help Lui at all cost, and Ukkomon's natural connection here takes it to Bagramon, so this team is painting it as a malicious entity from the start. In fact, it's their disdain for Ukkomon that could well prompt Lui to reassess his issues and want to make peace on his own, perhaps even accepting Ukkomon's wish against Xros Heart's pleas. It's then that Lui discovers Ukkomon's ability to generate weird temporal perceptions stems from its connection to a different Digimon, one that creates a new perceived world for all those newly created partnerships to play in, and that's how Hunters really happened.

Appmon

With no connection to AI development, hearing about Ukkomon powering Minerva will rattle Haru a lot. However, once they get over that, they'll use Lui's story as a perfect illustration of how beneficial AI can be while cautioning about the dangers of overuse and not instructing it properly. It's a far more logical approach, but they'll get roughly to the same place V-mon got with his handshake speech. They're far more willing to consider letting everybody partner with an Appmon since it's not that different from everybody having a smartphone. And they definitely aren't parting with their buddies willingly. Still, they let Lui try to reason with Ukkomon, which could bite them in the butt since their Appdrives absolutely are powering their Appmon bonds.

Adventure: (2020)

Ukkomon's powering everything? Sure, why not? These kids are definitely drowning Lui with kindness, with all the support and good vibes in the world. Like their 1999 counterparts, they're more likely to understand his side. Unlike them, they're more likely to question Ukkomon's intentions. It's hard to say how they'd handle the idea of everyone receiving a partner, but if Lui insists Ukkomon needs to be stopped, they'll defer to him, even at the risk of their own bonds. Without as much reflection going on, Lui's less likely to realize the need to fix this himself and agrees to let them destroy Ukkomon without a conversation. Again harsh, but Lui's more comfortable with it than in Frontier or Savers.

Ghost Game

After they roll their eyes one more time at Hiro's dad when they find out about Ukkomon's connection to everything, they're less likely to be that affected by Lui's story. Those kinds of horrors just kind of slide off them by now. Enough that they'll want to handle this delicately and get more information, including from Ukkomon itself if possible. Instead of Lui, they'll be the ones trying to engage it and gather its intentions before taking any concrete action. If Lui's story checks out, they're absolutely against everyone getting a Digimon partner but will seek out a way to deal with it without murder. They will definitely miss their digivices and all its extra features, but they'll keep their Digimon around and wonder how they got through a whole movie without a GulusGammamon appearance.

[seventeenlovesthree]

@digimon02countdown Day 7 - What do you love about Digimon Adventure 02?

While my attachment to Digimon started and persisted due to my love to the original Adventure, there are still quite a few things about 02 that always kept me around. I have already hinted at it in previous posts; the relationships, similarities and support between the "older" and "new" Chosen Children, the concept of the multiverse, Jogress evolution (also the fact that my OTP are absolute dads to the kids)... But I'd say the most important aspect for me is the bonding between the characters. And nothing signifies this more for me, nothing is as outstanding, significant and vibrant - as the development of the relationship between Daisuke and Ken.

I would argue that, overall, no relationship gets that much focus, that much visible positive development than these two. And yes, upon getting asked, I will never deny that, in my opinion, there is a sense of romantic tension between them too, but in this post, I just want to write about how fascinating, soothing and beautiful their bond is to me in general.

Their initial set-up is, once again, that of rivals. That is a theme Digimon has always been playing with - but I'd say no other series threw that trope for a loop like this before. On one hand, there is the fact that they're both playing football, even ending up facing each other at a point in the series where Ken is still considered to be that perfect, untouchable genius, good at and with everything, while Daisuke is considered a thick-headed knucklehead, goodhearted, but brash and not really talented in many areas - and yet, he still admired Ken at this point. Then of course, there is the fact that they're on opposing ends, enemies in the Digital World, having brutal, cruel fights against one another as Chosen Child vs. Digimon Kaiser - until the spell breaks, with the Crest of Miracles breaking Ken's curse.

And from now on, the boy - who's responsible for his own Digimon partner's death and the suffering of so many others - will have to face the aftermath of what he's done, dealing with guilt and self-esteem issues, feeling unworthy and unlovable.

But then there is Daisuke - the only one who immediately wants to give him the chance to atone for what he's done. He is not forgiving him right away, but wants him to be able to make up for everything - and with kindness and the persistence to not let him sacrifice himself and die, they achieve the unthinkable: Their Digimon combine, their hearts pound in sync. They seem to be connected in ways that make Daisuke get excited - and scare the heck out of Ken. He thought he didn't have anything or anyone else but his reborn Digimon partner and family, and now there's this boy he used to fight, he used to be enemies with... Who simply wants to be his friend, who wants them to be "partners" and work together.

It's confusing, it's scary. While Daisuke is sure that they're meant to be and fight next to each other, it takes time for Ken to feel ready to take the steps towards him, the others, forming bonds, friendships. But Daisuke being Daisuke makes it so much easier for him to let his walls down, slowly but steadily enabling him to show his gentle and soft side, starting to trust and rely on him as much as he does in return.

And Daisuke? Daisuke is displaying a sense of confidence and comfort that we rarely saw before - he tended to be so focused on impressing others, covering up his own insecurities with cockiness. But his bond with Ken makes all his natural kindness and straightforwardness come through easily. He may appear more simple-minded at first glance, but his heart has the right priorities - and he'll do what it takes to save Ken, from himself, from darkness, helping him to be his true self.

Daisuke doesn't doubt their connection for a second - and that's why it's so important that Ken is still able to shake him. That he has an impact on him like no other. He will give Ken all the time he needs to face his demons, to do the things that are uncomfortable to him - and he'll be by his side all the way.

They are partners, they've got each other's backs. And as long as they don't lose sight of themselves and each other, it will always be this way.

[skydigiblogs]

(tags and summary below the cut in text)

well uh

putting together a writing backlog is way easier for us than putting together a comic backlog lmao

we've been writing this for fun in our off time and have about 47k words written so far.

have a reader insert/apocalymon fic for your troubles this fine march timezone (you have to be logged in to view it):

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63675976/chapters/163228519

Characters: Reader-Insert, Reader, Apocalymon (Adventure), Apocalymon, Ken Ichijouji, Miyako Inoue, Wormmon (Adventure), Hawkmon (Adventure), Menoa Belluci, Assume Most of the Adventure Crew Makes an Appearance

Relationships: Reader/Apocalymon, Reader&Apocalymon, Reader&Menoa Belluci, Implied Ken/Miyako,

Tags: College Setting, Slice of Life, Post-02 The Beginning, Slight Canon Divergence, POV Second Person, Friends to Romantic Partners, Has a Plot if You Squint, Gender Neutral Pronouns for Reader, Reader has Undefined Gender, Disabled Reader, Internalized Ableism, Reader Has Chronic Migraines, Reader Has Fibromyalgia, Reader is a Workaholic, Reader is Touch-Starved, Reader was Menoa's Mentee, Gender Neutral Pronouns for Apocalymon, Apocalymon is Touch-Starved, Slow Burn, No Beta We Die Like Apocalymon At The End of Digimon Adventure

---

Months have passed since Ukkomon's message spread across the world.

"May everyone in the world have friends. May they each have a Digimon."

Though Digivices no longer appear to signify them, people still meet and make bonds with Digimon. Following in your mentor's footsteps, you research those bonds at Liberica University.

And, as contrary as it is for a professor seeking a PhD in Partnership Psychology, you don't have a partner. This isn't a problem for you. After all, you've seen firsthand what happens when those bonds are neglected. You've seen how it ruins people and Digimon alike.

All this goes out the window when Apocalymon drags you into distortion on your way home one day with a pizza box in your arms. Soon, quiet nights after classes become a routine of visiting the lonely Digimon, rediscovering with them just how much of life you've been forgetting to live.

There's just the matter regarding their species-type, of course. Between the Digidestined that impose themselves in your life to interrogate Apocalymon and those that would use them as a tool, it's going to be an eventful semester.

[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.

[nova-dracomon]

Lucky for Me, I Run on Spite and Sweet Revenge

Originally posted on tumblr on October 27, 2022

Posted Updated Version on the Fictionkind Dreamwidth on April 11, 2024

Write about a time that your fictomere completely lost their cool, or a time that someone lost their cool about your fictomere. - 95 [Frenzy]

My strongest noema is that I dark digivolved when I had a chance for revenge against one of the royal knights.

The royal knights are an extension of the supercomputer, King Drasil, who oversees the Digital World and have sworn to do their bidding. The same King Drasil who unleashed a virus to wipe out all but 1% of Digimon. Royal knights are Digimon themselves, but they’re too powerful to dare challenge. After miraculously surviving the x-virus, I was able to escape through a small gap into the human world. No matter how angry I was at first, choosing to fight them instead would be a waste of my life. The idea of continuing to live as an act to spite god was much more appealing. On the other side, I was able to meet a human that became my partner.

I wasn’t the sole Digimon in the human world for long and apparently the little tear I used to travel between worlds wasn’t the only one. Other digimon were able to find similar gaps into the human world, so my human partner and I worked together to keep any dangerous ones at bay. As a digimon, our emotions make us. The closer our bond became, the more resolute and confident my partner was, the powerful the forms I would take. My strength was directly tied to her emotions, will and growth. Over time, we even found other human and digimon pairs that joined us. My partner was way more enthusiastic about them than I was. I never was the most social creature to begin with and time had made me jaded, but they were tolerable. They grew on me at some point.

But bitterness and resentment are like poison. I’ve had minor upsets when digivolving before, I’d be more feral/aggressive, and maybe use more force than was strictly necessary, but I wasn’t…like this. When I was finally going to hit mega, my own hatred and resentment tainted the evolution and I completely lost control. I do not know what I was supposed to become if I had a clear heart, but I transformed into holydramon x. Normally, holydramon is seen as a heroic protector. After having it’s latent powers drawn out by the x-program, it's more akin to a vengeful deity:

“Although there are no visible changes to Holydramon, who has continued to evolve throughout the history of the Digital World, the wild, draconic ferocity it had restrained has been completely drawn out. When facing evil Digimon, it smashes them to smithereens with its brutal, tremendous fighting style, and then erases them in the blink of an eye with its enormous light energy of justice (Holy Blaze), and is starting to become feared as a vengeful god.” - from wikimon.net (image is too)

After writing that last paragraph, I feel like my partner must have played a role in the evolution too. Digimon are hyper-sensitive to the emotions and wishes of humans. Was it only my heart that tainted the evolution? Was my partner filled with anger and despair over how I was treated? Am I placing all of the blame unfairly on my own shoulders? I don’t know. Either way, I doubt I helped the situation given my personality. The thought does warm my heart, not even because I “wouldn’t be totally to blame,” it’s more the thought that someone I care about was outraged on my behalf. It’s proof I wasn’t alone.

In this new form I completely lost control and attacked indiscriminately without care for the damage to the city around me, myself or anyone else from our team. Honestly, my noema gets fuzzy after actually digivolving, but I get the feeling I either lost, tied or the battle was postponed midway through. I also believe it was my partner that was able to pull me back from rampaging.

The extra wild thing I’ve discovered overtime is this became my normal mega evolution. Usually dark digivolutions are “one and done” so to speak. You have something happen, learn your lesson, and become something else, something more virtuous, next time. The more I explore my vaguetype, the more shifts and noemata I experience, I only have holydramon x for this level. When I do experience a mental shift of this digimon, it’s usually accompanied by a calm confidence. For my partner and I, I think it was more about tempering our need for vengeance with mercy and grace. We didn’t need to change who we were, the form wasn’t wrong in the broad sense of the word, but we were taking things too far and distorting them.

When I get angry in the present-day, I try to remember what she taught me. I don’t want to be that monster that defeats opponents at any cost and dies inside along the way.

- Hortense