Digimon Adventure
Despite the little monsters, this is not just a simple children’s anime
When I thought about which anime to choose to write about first here on Tempo Livre (Free Time), I came up with several names, but I feel that starting with Digimon Adventure would be ideal. It was an anime that I loved to watch in my childhood, and after watching it when I was older, I realized that it was much deeper than I remembered. And from it I started to consume more of this universe, whether in anime, games, manga, among others. I still intend to write a lot about our beloved digital monsters, but I don’t think any will be with as much love and desire as Digimon Adventure. It’s my favorite children’s anime, and let’s be honest, it’s the best children’s anime of all time!!!
Information and Synopsis
We all know what it is, but explaining: Digimon is short for ‘Digital Monsters’, which are creatures that inhabit the Digimundo, a parallel universe that originated from Earth’s computer networks. And in 1999, the franchise got its first anime, called ‘Digimon Adventure’. The anime was created by Akiyoshi Hongo, which is a pseudonym of the three main names in Digimon development: Aki Maita, one of the creators of the Tamagotchi, Hiroshi Izawa, the author of the first manga of the franchise ‘Digimon Adventure: V-Tamer 01’ and Takeichi Hongo, the marketing director of Bandai.
In the story, seven children go to a summer camp when they receive an unknown device, called Digivice, and are then transported to the Digimundo. There, they encounter strange creatures that call themselves Digimon and discover that they are the digidestined. So they set off on a quest to find their way back home and also to find out why they were taken there.
Apparently it is just a children’s isekai, but there is actually much more to it than that. For in Digimon, everything is much more well done than in most anime and other children’s stories out there. From the universe and its rules, to the main characters with their individual personalities, their fears and insecurities, their desires and dreams, their difficulties and abilities, etc. And yes, all with a lot of emphasis on the main characters, because they are children, who despite being very well developed, are still simple and naive in a completely different and dangerous world.
Digimon Adventure 0
Before starting the anime it is highly recommended that you watch a short 20-minute movie, (or episode 0, as it is better known), coincidentally called ‘Digimon Adventure’, which is a prologue to everything that happens in the anime. In it we see a creature hatching from an egg that appears from a computer screen, and soon after it turns into a kind of dinosaur. And then a second egg hatches and turns into a bird-like creature. The two creatures fight and several children witness the monsters fighting. In the end the dinosaur is victorious and the two creatures disappear.
And now know that before you continue this text, there will be spoilers for the entire anime from here to the end. So if you are very bothered by this, I recommend you watch the anime as soon as possible. Of course, bearing in mind that although it is very good, it is still a children’s anime, made in 1999. But of course, if you still want to continue the text, okay. Let’s go!
Characters and Digievolutions
Okay, but who are these eight digidestined characters and their digimons? Wait, maybe you are wondering why there are eight children, if back at the beginning I said there were seven. Well, this is because there is one last digidestined who joins the group later. This is in fact a little spoiler that the anime itself gives us before the moment, because of the second opening. Having said all that, I have made an image below with the names of all the protagonists and their partners:
Since its first appearances, Digimon Adventure presents each of its characters very well, making it clear how each one acts and reacts to situations according to their personalities. Taichi, who is Hikari’s older brother, is the bravest but the most rash in his decisions; Yamato, who is Takeru’s older brother, is the calmest but the most distant from the others; Sora is the one who cares most about others but the least about herself; Izumi is the most logical and intelligent, but has the most difficulty understanding others; Mimi is the purest, but the most selfish; Jou is the oldest, but the most insecure; Takeru and Hikari are the youngest and kindest, but the most innocent.
And then of course there is what makes anime what it is, which is obviously the Digimons and the whole concept of digievolution. In a nutshell, digievolution is when the digimon receives a large amount of data, which causes them to go through a transformation, where they usually get bigger and more powerful. I’ve made an image below to illustrate:
If an Agumon lives in its natural habitat and is always well, calm and positive, it usually digivolves into a Greymon. But there are still many other specifics that can change an evolutionary line, such as environment, climate, mood, personality, etc. For example, if an Agumon lives in a place with a lot of snow and cold, as a matter of adaptation he can digivolve into a SnowAgumon. Just as if he has too many negative feelings, or is corrupted, he can become a BlackAgumon. In the anime itself, we see Greymon turn into a SkullGreymon, when Taichi puts him under too much negative pressure.
Despite having a very well told story through the great characters. The anime is very episodic and follows a formula that repeats itself in most chapters, which is to arrive at a place, meet a different enemy, lose or escape from it, and then defeat it. And between these moments, the anime will develop some part of the plot, or of the universe, or of the characters. But even though it is very episodic, it has four very well defined arcs, and each of them are connected in a very fluid way.
I also want to talk quickly about the soundtrack of the anime, which is wonderful. Both the songs in the moments of tension, drama and suspense, and of comedy, happiness and emotion. It still features excellent music by Kōji Wada, being the striking opening “Butter Fly” and the beautiful “Seven,” the closings by Ai Maeda, “I Wish” and “Keep on,” plus of course, the simply perfect music of the digievolutions and emotional moments, “Brave Heart” by Ayumi Miyazaki.
Devimon Arc
Here we are introduced to the protagonists, their partner Digimons, and the Digimundo, but nothing is explained very well yet. In it Devimon, the first major villain, seeks to spread his power of darkness beyond Archive Island using his black gears, which turn other Digimons out of control and violent. The main duos go through various types of obstacles, which cause all but Takeru and Patamon to reach the Champion stage. They are: Agumon to Greymon, Gabumon to Garurumon, Pyiomon, to Birdramon, Tentomon to Kabuterimon, Palmon to Togemon and Gomamon to Ikkakumon. They meet several allies such as Meramon, Andromon, Monzaemon, and Leomon. After our heroes overcome and purify several digimons housed with the black gears, Devilmon realizes that he has to solve this himself.
The heroes go to a mansion, which is a trap set by Devimon, who divides them into 4 groups:
- The first is formed by Taichi and Yamato, the leaders with different views, one being impulsive and emotional, and the other more cautious and rational, who go to Freeze Land, a zone of ice and snow, where they end up fighting, but end up getting along;
- The second is formed by Izumi and Mimi, where one is brilliant, but only sees things logically without understanding much about the feelings of others, and the other is not so intelligent, but knows how to deal with people. There they unite to escape from the ruins of a labyrinth;
- The third is made up of Jou and Sora, one who is fearful and feels the responsibility of being the leader, and one who does everything possible to help and give confidence to his friends. They arrive at Overdell Cemetery, the residence of the ghosts, and that despite being afraid, they defeat the Bakemons;
- And the fourth group is made up only of the duo Takeru and Patamon, who arrive at the City of the Beginning, a place where only reborn babies and Elecmon, the guardian of the place, live. Because of a misunderstanding the digimons fight, but Takeru makes them work it out. In the midst of all this, he says: “among friends, arguments happen and get solved, but that when they are adults it is different” (Referring to his parents’ divorce).
They meet again and reach the final battle. Devimon defeats all the Digimons in the Champion stage, until the most exciting moment in anime history happens. Takeru manages to get Patamon to digivolve into the great Angemon, who together with his friends’ powers, defeats Devimon, but sacrifices himself in the process, having to be reborn as a Digitama.
Etemon Arc
At the very beginning we meet Gennai, an ally who helps the protagonists by guiding them to their goals. He says that the heroes must go to the Server Continent in search of the coats of arms, objects that potentiate the feelings of each digidestined, and that only then can they digivolve to a higher level. With Whamon’s help they manage to cross the ocean, and when they get there, Etemon, the second great villain, appears to try to hinder the heroes. Each one manages to find their respective crests in the easiest and most unusual ways possible. It is silly how simple it is. All right, it is a children’s anime and they are the chosen ones, but this could be executed better. The coats of arms of each are: Taichi (Courage), Yamato (Friendship), Sora (Love), Izumi (Wisdom), Mimi (Sincerity), Jou (Trust), and Takeru (Hope). In this arc they go through Piximon training and this is also where we have the moment Greymon turns into a SkullGreymon, when Taichi overdoes his treatment of his partner. Learning from his mistakes, this time Taichi manages to make the correct digievolution from Greymon to Metal Greymon and thus defeat Etemon. However, the duo ends up being pulled through a dimensional hole that opens up into the real world.
Myotismon Arc
The first part of the ‘Tokyo’ arc begins as soon as we reach episode 21 (which is so absurdly produced that it looks like a movie), where Taichi and Koromom arrive in Japan at the exact same moment that the characters go to summer camp. At this point we meet Hikari, Taichi’s younger sister, who cannot go to camp because she was sick on the day. But a few hours later, they soon return to the Digimundo and discover that they have been away for months, because in the digital universe time passes much faster than in the real world. Also, during this time, their friends are separated because of DemiDevimon, a servant of Myotismon, the third great villain, and so Taichi and Agumon go to each of them. In the meantime, Garurumon digivolves to WereGarurumon, Kabuterimon digivolves to AtlurKabuterimon, and Birdramon digivolves to Garudamon. Gennai then warns that there is a new digidestined child in Japan and so Myotismon goes after her to kill her, because there is a prophecy that says the eighth chosen one will destroy him. To save her, the seven heroes go to the Dark Castle and are delayed by Tailmon, a servant of Myotismon, but still manage to get back to the real world.
Then the second part of the ‘Tokyo’ arc begins, in which the protagonists reminisce about the city they lived in four years before, but moved away after a terrorist attack (Which were actually the events of episode 0). After that the heroes return to their homes and at this point the anime really shines, as it develops, in a very mature way, the relationship the characters have with their family members and how much those relationships have affected each of their lives. Like for example, the way Yamato and Takeru had to deal with their parents’ divorce, or Sora who has trouble understanding her mother, as well as Izumi, who has adoptive parents and the way this develops is beautiful. Each of the protagonists has their own difficulties, and children watching may end up identifying with some of them, as these are real life problems.
It is then revealed that the eighth child is Hikari Yagami and that her partner is Tailmon. We then enter the flashback of the digimon, who, still as Nyaromon, waited so long for the arrival of something she didn’t yet know what it was, that she naturally became Plotmon and later Tailmon. In the meantime she met Myotismon, who tortured her because of the Light of his eyes and made her one of his servants. Her suffering eased when she met Wizardmon and because they understood each other’s pain, they became friends. Coming out of the flashback, Wizardmon insists that Tailmon and Hikari meet for the first time.
Myotismon covers the city with a fog barrier and several evil Digimons roam the streets, capturing the families.
Mimi gets Togemon to change into Lilimon and Sora and Togemon manage to free the hostages. Jou gets Ikkakumon to change into Zudomone, who defeats a Mega Seadramon. The heroes team up to fight Myotismon, but are unable to defeat him. Wizardmon sacrifices himself to save the lives of Tailmon and Hikari, which causes him to digivolve to Angewomon. Which apparently defeats the villain, but because of the ancient prophecy, Myotismon returns as VenonMyotismon.
The prophecy says:
“The sky will be darkened by the wings of many bats.
The fallen people will invoke the name of the undead Digimon King
And when the clock strikes the hour of the Beast, the undead king will reveal himself in his true form as the Beast.
Then angels will shoot arrows of Hope and Light at the loved ones of those they’ve been sent to protect, and a miracle will happen.”
The time comes for the real final fight against VenomMyotismon. The heroes manage to unravel the prophecy, causing Hikari and Takeru to determine that Angewomon and Angemon shoot their arrows at Taichi and Yamato. With that the miracle happens, causing Agumon and Gabumon to get Mega digivolve into WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon, respectively. The duo manages to defeat VenomMyotismon, with the help and unity of all the digidestined. But they didn’t even have much time to celebrate, because somehow, the Digimundum and some creatures started appearing in the skies of Earth, as if they were merging. Not understanding the reason for this, the heroes decide to go back to the digital world to try to find out what the reason could be, and then try to save the world.
Dark Masters Arc
The fourth and final arc, begins just as the DigiSelected return to the Digimundo, which is in complete chaos. And then they are attacked by the Masters of Darkness, a group of Mega level Digimons made up of MetalSeadramon, Pinochimon, Mugendramon and Piemon. They are now the ones who run the Digimundo, so much so that they have turned it into a Spiral Mountain. The protagonists are easily defeated until Piximon appears and saves them, but ends up having to sacrifice himself to do so. The heroes are sent to the beach, MetalSeaDramon’s area, there they are defeated, but Whamon shows up and saves them. They throw them off and Izzy discovers that WarGreymon has the ‘Dramon Destroyers’ which are blades on his arms that are strong against any type of Digimon of the suffix ‘Dramon’. Soon afterwards the children fight again, in the battle Whamon is killed in combat, but this time they defeat MetalSeadramon with WarGreymon destroying it.
Heading into the forests, the next enemy is Pinochimon, who separates the children and picks out Takeru to play with. But he is clever and manages to escape and stays out of danger. Yamato realizing that his brother has grown up and doesn’t need him, separates from the group. Jyureimon, a servant of Pinocchimon, manipulates Yamato into believing he must defeat Taichi. They meet and begin to fight, Taichi against Yamato and WarGreymon against MetalGarurumon.
In the midst of their fight, Hikari is possessed by a light to be a type of spokesperson for the one who calls herself as “She Who Brings Peace to the Digimund”. That despite not having the name being said in the anime, this digital entity is called “Homeostasis”. She explains, that they were the ones who created the digitamas, the digivices and the crests specifically for each of the children who had their data collected during the digimon fight back in episode 0. She also tells that their lab was invaded by Piemon’s army, which in the middle of the chase caused Tailmon’s digitama to separate from the rest, and because of this they rushed the digidestined to come.
Back to where they were, Yamato separates from the group to get along better on his own. Mimi and Jou also separate and meet up with MetalEtemon. They defeat him, with help from SaberLeomon, who ends up being killed in the battle. Pinocchimon fights against the children who are still united, until MetalGarurumon appears and defeats him.
Arriving near a town, Hikari faints from the flu. Taichi and Izumi go to the town of Mugendramon’s command to get the medicine, but the Metal Empire Army attacks them. They manage to escape, but Mugendramon orders a bombardment of the entire city. Hikari, Sora and Takeru escape and meet up with Taichi and Izumi but are soon separated again, as Mugendramon appears and throws them into the city’s underground. There they find a WaruMonzaemon enslaving several Numemons, but Hikari’s Light appears and empowers the digidestined to reunite and WarGreymon to defeat Mugendramon.
Taichi’s group reaches the top of Spiral Mountain, there they encounter LadyDevimon, a servant of Piemon. Angewomon and AtlurKabuterimon fight her, and meanwhile Sora and Takeru go to get the others. After being defeated, Piemon appears and WarGreymon alone tries to hold him off, until the others arrive. A little way away, Jou separates from Mimi to find Yamato, while she goes to Spiral Mountain. In the quest to find himself, Yamato sinks into the cave of darkness, which are dark, endless caves that bring out the insecurities and worries of only those who are drawn to them. With Gabumon’s help, Yamato breaks free from the darkness and meets up with Jou and Takeru, but Sora also sinks into the caves. Yamato and Jou help her free herself from the darkness and then return to the top of the Mountain to help WarGreymon. Piemon manages to defeat all the digidestined and their digimons that were there, except for Takeru, Patamon and Hikari. At this moment the last hope arises and Takeru manages to make Angemon digivolve into HolyAngemon, who saves everyone and defeats Piemon, throwing him into the “Portal of Destiny”, which is a type of another dimension. After apparently everything is resolved, Mimi reaches the top of the mountain. However, they are surprised by Gennai telling them that in fact, the Masters of Darkness were only a by-product of the great evil indeed.
The children fall into the endless Darkness and Gennai tells them that the prophecy of the ancient ruins said that the Darkness had come through the Wall of Fire and distorted the space and time of the Digimundo (This is literally a virus getting through the Firewall and invading the computer). For this, the digidestined had to be called upon to defeat the evil, hinting that there were others before them. Then finally the true final enemy appears, Apocalymon, a mysterious being that addresses itself in the plural, since he is a union made of several Digimons that were destroyed for not being able to evolve in the natural process. Just as in Darwin’s evolutionary theory, in the Digimundo the Digimons cannot pregrow, if they cannot adapt to new types of environments nor coexist with other types of species. Many of them died because they were alone, since they did not have someone to give them love, friendship, hope, among other feelings. He says, “We are the aggregate of the sorrows and hateful resentful thoughts of the Digimons that disappeared in the process of evolution.
Apocalymon makes all the digimons return to their child form, then he destroys the coats of arms of each digidestined and then fragments the body of each of them into digital data. Unable to do anything since they were without their physical forms, they were losing hope, but after losing everything they had managed to do so far, they realized that they actually needed their coats of arms to fight, they only needed their feelings. And with their emotions being heightened, each digimon digievolutes to their most powerful levels and they all return to their forms to finally fight Apocalymon. In the fight, Zudomon, Lilimon, Angewomon, HolyAngemon, Garudamon and AtlurKabuterimon destroy Apocalymon’s weapons, thus making room for WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon to destroy him. Thus both the Digimundo and the real world are saved.
The digidestined choose to remain in the digiworld until the end of summer vacation, since time in the digiworld is much faster than in the real world. However, with the defeat of Apocalymon, the Digimundo has been completely remade, causing their time to now be synchronized with real world time. Also, since the children are not digimons, it may be that the Digimundum recognizes them as outsiders and ends up deleting them as a safety measure. We then come to the exciting farewell of each of the children with their digimon partners. And that’s the end of Digimon Adventure!
Worth Watching?
In conclusion, I don’t think I need to say that I recommend it and it’s worth watching, right? This anime is very special to me and it seems that the more times I re-watch it, or stop to think about it, the better it gets. There is always an extra layer that enhances the story, or the characters, or the universe. I am still amazed at how this anime is not just a product to sell a toy, or to be an advertisement for a game. It works as a single story, not tied to a product franchise, and this is something rare to see. In theory, the anime was just to see cool little monsters fighting and evolving, but it ends up developing a whole relationship between the kids and their parents. There are many more adult, or rather more mature stories out there that don’t do what this simple children’s story does. And there are certainly many more things I could cover here, but I chose to make a general summary this way, even to leave some other information for when I write about something else from Digimon. And I reaffirm what I wrote at the beginning, “Digimon Adventure is the best children’s anime of all time!!!”. Few times have I been as sure of something as I am of this fact.
