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tobiasdrake · 1 month

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Digimon Adventure 01x39 - Two Great Ultimate Evolutions! Push Back the Darkness / The Battle for Earth

Previously on Digimon Adventure: Vamdemon came back in a Biblical way and began destroying Odaiba via rainbow hip thrusts. To stop him from eating everybody, Takeru and Hikari shot their brothers full of arrows. More importantly, PicoDevimon fucking died.

The first full minute of this episode is just replaying the cool CGI Warp-Evolution sequences from the end of the previous. Both because they're fucking cool and to set the stage for the fight to come, with Show Me Your Brave Heart already blaring.

This is immediately followed by their rundowns, before we've even seen any of the kids. WarGreymon is an Ultimate-stage Vaccine-type Dragon Person Digimon. MetalGarurumon is an Ultimate-stage Data-type Cyborg Digimon.

Kinda weird that MetalGarurumon was a Vaccine for his whole evolution chain until now and suddenly becomes Data. That's because these two come from the same evolution tree in the V-Pet, which has one Ultimate for each of the three types.

WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon are from the Metal Empire line - along with the Virus Ultimate Mugendramon, who we'll get to meet shortly. Though the 0.5 rerelease several months after this episode would replace Mugendramon with VenomVamdemon; An obvious bit of tie-in synergy that doesn't really fit the theme of Metal Empire.

Narrator: WarGreymon. An Ultimate-stage Digimon Warp-Evolved from Agumon. His special attack Gaia Force gathers ki from his surrounding area and unleashes it all at once.

I think we all understand the concept of chi or ki but just in case, it's the natural energy that exists in all things but especially living things, which can be harnessed, regulated, and controlled according to certain belief systems. Basically what George Lucas ripped off when he invented the Force.

Gaia Force is basically the Genki-dama/Spirit Bomb from Dragon Ball. Pretty unapologetically, in fact; Wait 'til you see it in action.

Narrator: MetalGarurumon. An Ultimate-stage Digimon Warp-Evolved from Gabumon. His special attack, Cocytus Breath, freezes his enemies solid before he smashes them to pieces!

Oh look, there's another ancient mythology reference from the nerds over at Digimon Adventure. :P Cocytus is a lesser-known one of the five rivers that encircles the Greek underworld, literally named "Lamentation". But it's more likely that this is a reference to Dante's Inferno, whose author borrowed many things from the Greek underworld.

In the Inferno, Cocytus is the ninth and final circle of Hell; A frozen wasteland where betrayers are confined. This is where Satan is found, held captive in the ice at the center. You can see the connection between that and the frosty power MetalGarurumon intends to bring to bear against the (Wiki Article who can Punch You version of the) Beast of Revelations today.

Izzy: (rundown) It's WarGreymon! It says here his attack is Terra Force. Gathering the energy around him and focusing it in the palm of his hand! Izzy: (rundown) MetalGarurumon has his Metal Wolf Claw attack! He shoots a powerful cold blast at his enemies, then blows them to pieces!

Unsurprisingly, Izzy does not have the nerve to reference Dante's Inferno right now.

Koushiro: Ultimate-stage... They've evolved into Ultimate-stage Digimon! Tentomon: Well, I feel less useful now. Yamato: Yeah, you're right. Tentomon: What.

In the wake of the two Ultimate evolutions, Tentomon self-deprecates. To which Yamato hilariously agrees, prompting a short but clearly agitated response. XD Fucking rude, Yamato. Holding Taichi's hand is making his bad habits rub off on you.

In the dub:

Izzy: Mega Digimon! They Digivolved into their Mega Digimon forms! Tentomon: That's great, 'cause we'll need them to beat VenomMyotismon! Matt: Yeah! That's for sure! Tentomon: Good luck! I'll wait here....

Really? Come on, dub team. That joke was right up your alley. You love it when the kids are mean to each other for no good reason.

WarGreymon kicks us off, wreathing himself in energy and launching himself into VenomVamdemon like a bullet.

The attack hits so hard it knocks VenomVamdemon off his feet and sends him crashing down into the rubble. The observation deck from the Fuji broadcasting center rolls by. Remember when we blew up Fuji TV? Remember how cool that was!?

I jest, but there's a narrative purpose to showing us the observation deck again. WarGreymon didn't just hit VenomVamdemon, he shoved him all the way back to the FCG Building. Remember, he's trying to close the distance to Big Sight, and we want him to not do that. There's about a mile of space where, if he finishes crossing it, thousands of people will die.

This big energy tackle of WarGreymon's pushed VenomVamdemon all the way back to his starting point. Which is way more of a hit than anyone's been able to do to him thus far.

The humans hops back in the van because now they have to drive half a mile to get back to the fight.

Taichi: GO, WARGREYMON!!! Hikari: SO POWERFUL!!!

VenomVamdemon climbs back to his feet. MetalGarurumon follows up on the attack, opening up countless panels on his body and firing off missiles in every direction.

(Uh. Hopefully the ones that didn't go in VenomVamdemon's direction are homing missiles or something. Please do not randomly destroy parts of Odaiba, MetalGarurumon. The devastation is bad enough as it is.)

MetalGarurumon's ice missiles slam into VenomVamdemon, exploding and freezing every part of him that they hit. Encasing his whole body in an icy prison.

(Kind of like Satan in Cocytus, yes, I got your reference.)

Takeru: Ah! Yamato: Amazing!

The Yagamis are much more enthusiastic with their cheering than Yamato and Takeru. XD Taichi is hollering his lungs off, while Yamato's in the back seat like, "Pretty cool, yeah."

...wait, why is Yamato in the back seat? His dad is driving; How the hell did Taichi pull shotgun?

In the dub, Izzy joins in the cheering for the sake of silence-breaking.

Izzy: WAY TO GO, WARGREYMON!!! YOU CREAMED HIM!!! ...I think.... Tai: Look! There they go! Get after him, WarGreymon! Kari: Put his lights out! MetalGarurumon: ICE WOLF CLAW!!! (MetalGarurumon follows up with ice missiles) T.K.: Frozen! Matt: Solid!

The missiles aren't called as an attack in the original, but the dub identifies them as MetalGarurumon's signature move. Kind of odd because there's no clawing involved, but Cocytus Breath doesn't sound like it has clawing involved either so I'm not sure what's up with that attack name to begin with.

Unfortunately, VenomVamdemon won't go down that easily. Drawing up his power, he breaks free from the ice holding him.

VenomVamdemon: RAAAAAAAARGH!!! MetalGarurumon: He can't...! WarGreymon: How can he do that!? VenomVamdemon: Now I'm mad... NOW I'M MAD!!! VENOM INFUSE!!!

NO MY CONFIGURATION DATA

Finally unveiling his signature move, VenomVamdemon shoots out his Venom Infuse as rainbow streaks from his eyes. Notably different from the disintegration rainbow streaks from his crotch.

Unfortunately, these attacks do not disintegrate their targets. A stray blast knocks half of a building loose, sending it down almost on top of Hiroaki's van. He swerves to avoid being crushed, but the impact sends him into a rollover. R.I.P. to the party bus; It's been a valuable member of this team.

In the dub, VenomMyotismon continues to be more verbose than his counterpart.

VenomMyotismon: GYAAAAGH!!! MetalGarurumon: It didn't work! VenomMyotismon: Your miserable attempts to destroy me have failed! Now you will pay! Hehe... Hehehehehe... AHAHAHAHA!!! (VenomMyotismon shoots unnamed rainbow beams from his eyes)

The dub does not name Venom Infuse. Instead, VenomMyotismon just... laughs... for five straight seconds. Must have been thinking of something really funny. Consequently, it's not really clear that this is supposed to be the big attack, so it just looks like he's shooting more ambiguous projectiles at them.

The dub also gives Hiroaki a silence-breaker when the car flips over.

Hiroaki: Everybody out! Get clear of the van!

If it seems weird that he's making it sound like the van's a threat, remember those American cultural sensibilities at play. Americans are confident that cars will explode into a fireball at the slightest provocation. It's a miracle they're all not burning to death already.

The humans climb out of the car and run for cover to avoid being hit by the next stray shot. Though Masami, it seems, was injured in the crash; Hiroaki supports him and helps him limp to safety.

Meanwhile, at Big Sight, the others watch the fighting from a distance.

Shin emerges from the convention center to join the three Chosen Children.

Jou: Ah! Shin-niisan! How's Dad doing? Shin: No change. (Jou and the girls all slump in disappointment) Gomamon: We'll have to defeat Vamdemon if we want them to wake up. Mimi: My Papa and Mama.... (face hardens) I want to defeat Vamdemon! Palmon: Mimi! I can still fight! Mimi: (smiling) Palmon....

As seen when Lilimon first evolved, this is what gets Mimi riled up. Mimi fights to end the fighting, so that she won't have to fight again. She does not want to be here, and her power comes from her straightforward and honest desire to reach a conclusion.

Piyomon: Sora? (Sora kneels down to get on Piyomon's level; Piyomon simply nods to her) Sora: Okay! Jou: (affectionately) You guys....

Sora and Piyomon are on the same wavelength, to the point that they don't even need to exchange words. They feel what the other is feeling and agree.

Suddenly, Gomamon jumps onto Jou and then clambers up his body until he reaches Jou's shoulders, draping himself over Jou's head like a hood.

Gomamon: "Let's go, Gomamon!" How come I'm not hearing those words? Jou: Heh... Alright! LET'S GO, GOMAMON!!! Gomamon: YOU GOT IT!!!

And Jou's better learned how to take charge and be bold as a leader from Gomamon. He sprints towards VenomVamdemon without another word, ready to join the fighting.

Sora: (bows to Shin) Please take care of my mother! (Sora runs off after Jou) Mimi: (to Shin, does not bow) My Papa and Mama too! (Mimi runs off after Sora and Jou) Shin: Don't do anything reckless....

In the dub:

Joe: Jim, how's Dad? Is there any improvement yet? Jim: No, still exactly the same. Gomamon: Alright, I'm tired of fooling around! We have to defeat Myotismon once and for all! Mimi: Our parents always protected us. Now it's time we came through for them! Palmon: Mimi! If we do it together, we can beat him! Mimi: Think so? Palmon: Mhm! Biyomon: I'll try! Sora: You will!? Biyomon: Yeah! Mhm! Sora: Okay! Joe: We already tried! Gomamon: So we'll keep on trying, Joe! Because Digimon never give up! (Gomamon climbs up Joe) Gomamon: Like they always say: All for 'mon and 'mon for all! Joe: Hahahaha.... YOU'RE RIGHT!!! WE CAN DO IT!!! LET'S GET 'EM GUYS!!! (Joe runs off into battle) Sora: (bows to Jim) You'll have to excuse Joe; He's a little hyperactive. (Sora runs off after Joe) Mimi: (to Jim, does not bow) Please take care of our parents, Jim! (Mimi runs off after Sora and Joe) Jim: Good luck, you guys.

Doesn't really capture the moment of strength and determination that this is supposed to be for each of these three characters.

Also, why is Sora apologizing to Joe's older brother for the way he behaves? Jim should already know what Joe's like.

At the FCG Building, the humans have somehow managed to separate from one another despite all being together when they exited the van.

While the Digimon fight, the humans run around calling for one another.

Taichi: HIKARI!!! Hikari: ONII-CHAN!!!

Hikari's voice momentarily distracts Angewomon. She looks down at her human on the ground and misses when a large piece of rubble comes flying her way. By the time she notices it, it's too late to avoid.

Yamato: TAKERU!!! Takeru: ONII-CHAN!!!

VenomVamdemon backhands Angemon into a nearby building's wall. He crashes near the three adults, who've somehow managed to stay together while losing track of all five children. Great adulting, guys. A+ job.

Izzy: DAD!!! MOM!!! Tentomon: Ah! The others are here!

Birdramon, Ikkakumon, and Togemon all charge aggressively at VenomVamdemon's heel.

Togemon: VAMDEMON!!! WE'RE HERE TO FIGHT TOO!!! Tentomon: I'm going to join in!

Man, that shot really puts into perspective how gigantic he really is.

The dub edits the shot of Angewomon getting struck by the rubble. We see the rock carrying her to the ground, but not her momentary distraction or the moment of impact.

They don't edit Angemon getting backhanded into a wall, though. Only Angewomon getting smashed by a rock is edited to obscure which angel got hit. She doesn't even get to make a pain yelp like in the original; We just hear Vamdemon roaring while a rock smashes a vaguely angelic character.

Weird.

I suspect it's about her visible gender. Creatives, especially back in the day, sometimes get hand-wringy about letting violence happen to female characters. Boys are taught that you shouldn't hit a girl and they grow up thinking that's, like, a universal moral constant that women must never be harmed in any situation ever.

I mean, you shouldn't hit a girl. You also shouldn't hit a boy. You shouldn't hit anyone, except in circumstances that are already violent. But the problem is that boys internalize this not as "Don't do unwarranted violence to people" but as "Women are too weak and fragile for manly roughhousing."

Then they become writers and extend it to mean women can't be recipients of slapstick jokes, male heroes must never strike female villains even if they're actively fighting each other, or even that female heroes can never be shown being struck in combat. Or even go so far as to not let women be heroes because that would involve putting them in combat situations where they might get hit.

We've made a lot of strides since I was a kid in allowing female characters to get hit in both slapstick bits and action scenes. But for this turn-of-the-millennium show, that's the only reason I can think of for censoring Angewomon's rock but not Angemon's backhand. Someone in the office probably got nervous when a visibly humanoid woman was struck with a giant rock onscreen.

As for the kids yelling for one another, uh....

Tai: KARI!!! Kari: WHERE ARE YA, TAI!?!? Matt: TAI!!! T.K.: GET 'EM, ANGEMON!!! Izzy: MOM, DAD, I'M COMING!!! Tentomon: Look, Izzy! All the others have Digivolved too! There's Ikkakumon and Togemon and Birdramon! I'm going in!

Tai and Kari stay on point, but Matt's more interested in hooking back up with Tai than in T.K.'s wellbeing and T.K.'s too focused on the fight to even care that he's lost.

Tentomon offers no surprise whatsoever to see the backup Digimon suddenly enter the battle and instead has evolution envy.

Tentomon evolves into Kabuterimon to join the fighting. With the whole team assembled, the only thing left to do is dogpile on VenomVamdemon's stupid crotch-face.

WarGreymon: Yes! Everyone, attack him together!

The entire team combines their attacks, firing into VenomVamdemon's crotch-face. Once their attacks have all struck, WarGreymon follows up by spinning super-fast and wreathing himself in energy. He launches an attack he calls Brave Tornado straight into the vulnerable spot in VenomVamdemon's crotch that they've opened up.

Ultimately, the attack plan works, penetrating through VenomVamdemon and bringing him to his knees.

Hiroaki: They got him.

The dub calls WarGreymon's attack "Mega Claw", reusing the name they gave to MetalGreymon's extendo-arm.

Too bad it's still not enough.

Out of the hole WarGreymon put in VenomVamdemon comes some sort of dark shadowy gremlin thing. To protect its secret identity, VenomVamdemon's crotch-goblin also wears a mask.

Mimi: KYAAAAHH!!! Taichi: WH-WHAT THE HELL!?!?

In the dub, VenomMyotismon's given dialogue here. In the original, he's just roaring in a bestial rage.

VenomMyotismon: YAAARGH!!! YOU THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT ME!?!? HA!!! YOU'VE ONLY AWAKENED THE BEAST WITHIN!!! (Crotch goblin emerges) Mimi: AHHHHHH!!! Tai: WHAT IS THAT THING!?

Before anyone can get their heads in the game, the crotch goblin attacks.

(Y'all, I am so glad I have screenshots because I don't know how I would even begin describing what is happening right now without illustrations.)

The crotch goblin sprays a burst of dark energy into the ground that explodes out radially, washing over every Digimon. It's a heavy blow to the whole team, knocking them all out of the action and leaving the children defenseless.

VenomVamdemon: I WILL DEVOUR ALL OF YOU!!!

The next half-minute or so is spent cycling through silent reaction shots of each Chosen Child individually. I've selected Hikari's because she hasn't gotten much snapshot screentime yet.

Y'all are lucky Mimi just got a big shared reaction shot with Taichi or this would've been her. YES I AM BIASED AND MY KID DESERVES RESP--

As usual, VenomMyotismon is more verbose than his counterpart. The silent reaction shots are also filled in with silence-breakers.

VenomMyotismon: NOW I'LL DEVOUR ALL OF YOU SO-CALLED DIGIDESTINED!!! YOU'VE STOOD IN MY WAY FOR THE LAST TIME!!! Mimi: (thinking) It can't end like this! Matt: (thinking) I let everyone down again! Sora: (thinking) I wish I could have done more.... Izzy: (thinking) It's impossible he survived that! Joe: (thinking) Maybe we should surrender.... T.K.: (thinking) This is scarier than the movies! Kari: (gasp) Tai: (thinking) I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Mimi, Matt, Sora, Izzy, and Tai are all pretty much perfect in terms of hopeless situation characterization. Joe's being characterized as a coward again. T.K. is... okay, I guess? They literally didn't even try with Kari.

Just when all seems lost, the Chosen Children's Crests begin to shine brightly.

Beams of holy energy emerge from the Crests, ensnaring VenomVamdemon's limbs and neck. Crotch goblin starts yelling at the kids.

VenomVamdemon (Crotch): RELEASE ME, YOU FILTHY CHOSEN CHILDREN!!! Taichi: It talked? That's it! The disgusting bakemono must be Vamdemon's true form!

That's a leap in....

Oh, hey, no, he's right. That is the weird shadow ghoul thing possessing Vamdemon's mask last episode. I always thought it was weird that VenomVamdemon is supposed to be Vamdemon's "true form" 'cause, like, that implies he could transform like this at any time but allowed himself to be slain earlier for funsies.

But it's the crotch goblin. Vamdemon's true form is a formless undead spirit inhabiting a mask. Both the Dracula man and the Wiki Article Beast of Revelations are just outer shells he forms around him when he's consumed enough energy.

(I kind of love that a bakemono inside the Dracula is the true Vamdemon too because Vamdemon is the evolved form of Devimon and Bakemon, so that makes sense.)

This actually makes sense to me now.

The dub has Tai talk over the Crests glowing.

Tai: Huh!? My Crest! Everybody, look at your Crests! They're all starting to glow!

But once they start grabbing VenomMyotismon, he stays quiet and lets the scene play out until the crotch goblin starts talking.

VenomMyotismon (True Crotch): Curse you, DigiDestined! Curse you and your lousy Crests! Let go! Waugh! Let go! Tai: Look at that! Mega freaky! I wonder if that monster represents Myotismon's actual form?

Tai reaches the same conclusion as Taichi but I guess it just didn't make sense to me as a kid because the only explanation he offers is that it's "mega freaky". To be fair, Taichi's not acting on that much more information.

Crotch goblin sounds way more pathetic in the dub. XD

Taichi has an idea now for how to win this

Taichi: WARGREYMON!!! WarGreymon: Got it! MetalGarurumon: WarGreymon!

MetalGarurumon bops the poor Fuji TV observation deck into the air, passing it to WarGreymon.

Sora: NICE PASS!!! Children: SHOOT!!!

WarGreymon receives the observation deck like a soccer ball, shooting it straight into crotch goblin's dumb face. It lets out a shrill scream like a baby cry, forcing me to take back what I said about VenomMyotismon's crotch goblin being the more pathetic of the two.

The dub leans in on this.

Tai: WARGREYMON!!! WarGreymon: Pass me the ball! (MetalGarurumon silently passes it) Sora: Nice pass. Children: SHOOT!!!

Dub Sora sounds way less invested in the impromptu soccer game.

With VenomVamdemon momentarily stunned by the soccer shot, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon fire up their strongest attacks. Sending Gaia Force and Cocytus Breath straight into VenomVamdemon's vulnerable crotch, they annihilate the little shadow wraith and finally, finally strike the kill-shot.

His true form destroyed by the overwhelming power of soccer hooliganism, VenomVamdemon breaks down, disintegrating into pixels chunk by chunk until nothing is left. The battle for Odaiba is finally, truly over.

With Vamdemon's true death, his spells break. The mesmerized adults at Big Sight wake up, with Tachikawa Keisuke being the first to speak up.

Keisuke: Huh? What happened? Shin: Great job, Jou!

Glad to see Shin knows who the real hero here is. This was a triumph for Jou-senpai. And, to a lesser extent, his crew.

Their energy drained, Koromon and Tsunomon return to Taichi and Yamato. Yamato pets Tsunomon affectionately while Taichi hoists Kunomon aloft and dances.

Koromon: TAICHI!!! Taichi: Great job, Koromon! Yamato: You did well, Tsunomon.

Speaking of drained energy, Mimi notices an unidentified Digimon now among their group.

Mimi: Huh? Who are you? Plotmon: I'm Plotmon. It's nice to meet you.

Plotmon is a Child-stage Data-type Mammal Digimon. I believe we already went over her V-Pet status back in her backstory episode, but she gets her formal rundown here.

Narrator: Plotmon. A Child Digimon with long, floppy ears. She is the degenerated form of Tailmon. Her special attack is Puppy Howling. Hikari: Tailmon must be in her Child form now because she used up all her energy helping Agumon and Gabumon evolve to their Ultimate levels. Jou: Kehhhhh...?

Jou doesn't get it but I do.

In the dub, apparently Mimi's parents know Joe's brother. Don't ask me how.

Keisuke: Hey, what happened, Jim? Jim: IT MUST BE JOE AND THE OTHERS!!! THEY DID IT!!! THEY WON!!! (Cut back to the FCG ruins) Koromon: We did it, Tai! We did it! Tai: Ahahahaha! Tsunomon: Wasn't that cool, Matt? Matt: Great job, Tsunomon! Mimi: Look, a stray Digimon! Salamon: Don't you recognize me? I was Gatomon. Salamon: (rundown) What do I have to do, cough up a furball? Kari: (rundown) That's Salamon, the Rookie form of Gatomon. Isn't she cute? Much more cuddly than her Ultimate form of Angewomon. Kari: But I guess she's back to being a Rookie because she used up all of her energy during the fight. What are we going to do? They don't allow pets at our apartment! Joe: Drag!

Uh. Nobody tell Kari but I'm pretty sure her apartment is a parking lot right now. She's going to be living in a refugee shelter for a few months. They'll probably put people up at Big Sight, now that I think about it. The damage Vamdemon did to Odaiba is catastrophic.

(Also, she has a cat. This bit doesn't work. They clearly do allow pets at her apartment.)

With Vamdemon's spells broken the fog barrier breaks down. At last, we can see the sky again.

Sora: Hey, look! The sky is clearing up!

The final sign of our true victo--what the FUCK is that!?

Sora: (gasp) Mimi: DYAAAAAAH!?!? Takeru: It's not true! Jou: I-It can't be....

At some point during all that nonsense within the fog barrier, the merging of worlds has begun. Strips of reality hang in the sky, on the other side of which lies the Digital World.

Hikari: Onii-chan, I'm scared! Taichi: What is this...?

This is easier to grasp, right off the bat, what's happening in the original. The dub cut the one line where Myotismon mentions that he's "destined" to merge the two worlds and reign over the conjoined reality as its king. He's dead now, but he apparently made some headway into fulfilling his task while we were all trapped in the fog.

But since the dub didn't mention that, this comes more out of left field there.

Sora: Hey, look! The sky's clearing up! (Jubilation slowly turns to horror) Sora: ...what...? Mimi: AAAAAUGH!!! T.K.: HEY!!! NO WAY!!! Joe: That's... not possible.... Matt: Huh!? Joe: There's a... giant island... floating in the sky! Upside-down! Kari: (gasps) Tai: Things... Just keep getting weirder!

Their dialogue isn't really any different than in the original; We just don't have the previous context to make sense of what they're seeing.

Commercial break, then we return to the strange new phenomenon taking place all across the world.

Narrator: The upside-down continent appearing in the sky could be seen all across the world.

We cut to various places across the planet including New York and Antarctica before returning to Big Sight. Yagami Yuuko and Susumu exit the convention center, laying eyes on the strange phenomenon.

Susumu: Is this... a mirage? Shin: (on his moped) No, I think that's real. Yuuko: Um, do you know where our children are? Where are Taichi and Hikari? Shin: They're at Fuji TV station. I'm on my way to check out the situation. I'll meet back up with you afterward!

Shin takes off on his moped before they can ask any further questions.

We then briefly see a ferry finally able to cross the bay into Odaiba. Takaishi Natsuko, Takeru's mom, is on her way. Everybody there is staring up in shock at the ribbons streaked across reality in the sky as well.

Narrator: The mysterious continents floated eerily in the night sky. Strangely enough, none of the radars, satellites, or other electronic equipment on Earth recognized their existence.

Ironically, if you were to ask Google AI, it'd probably have a better grasp of what's hanging in the sky up there than real-world tracking equipment would. There's no way the Digital World hasn't snuck into its training data.

The dub replaces the cold narration with Tai whining.

Tai: Man, why does this have to happen now when we were just feeling good about beating Myotismon!? It's like the world is turning upside-down or something!

This line plays out over the shots of various geographic locations with the reality ribbons above them, which doesn't really connect to Tai's line but isn't entirely unrelated to it either.

Susumu: Hey, what's going on!? Jim: (on his moped) Whatever it is, it doesn't look too good for our side. Yuuko: Oh, Jim! Have you seen my children? Do you know where Tai and Kari are? Jim: No, but I have an educated guess. I'm gonna search where the monsters were fighting. I'll come back when I find them, okay?

Fucking everybody knows Joe's older brother. He's the most popular guy in town, I guess. XD

An interesting change here is that Jim doesn't say they're at the TV station. Which is a good change, I think, 'cause he shouldn't know that. They weren't going to Fuji; They were going to fight VenomVamdemon, who was so big he could be seen from Big Sight. They'll be wherever VenomVamdemon died, which could be anywhere in Odaiba.

That spot is the Fuji broadcasting center, but that's a mile away and all the landmarks have been destroyed. So it's a bit of a leap for Shin to assume that they ended up at Fuji specifically. Jim here is planning to drive in the direction of where the giant monster was and just keep his eyes peeled for children.

The narrator is done away with for the ferry shot as well, with a voice-over from Izzy replacing him.

Izzy (V.O.): This isn't making any sense! It looks like an entire upside-down continent in the sky, but it doesn't show up on radar or on any satellite pictures! In fact, no instruments of any kind can confirm that... Whatever it is, is really even there!

I could be snippy about Izzy somehow possessing all this information but actually the dub did assert in an early episode that he likes to hack into government systems for shits and giggles. So we can assume he's just breaking all kinds of laws right now to bring us this revelation.

As the ferry pulls into Odaiba, it discharges a truly terrified mother. Courtesy of the Fuji building being right on the coast, she's able to quickly reunite with her son.

Both of them.

Natsuko: TAKERU!!! TAKERU!!! Takeru: (turns around, surprised) IT'S MAMA!!! Natsuko: TAKERU!!!

Natsuko sprints out into the ruins to hug her son. She hasn't noticed them yet, but Yamato and Hiroaki watch her arrive. Yamato stares in silence at his mother, while Hiroaki lights up a cigarette.

Natsuko: Thank goodness you're safe! I was so worried about you! Were you scared, Takeru? Takeru: No, Onii-chan was with me!

It's at that moment that Natsuko looks up and sees Yamato. She stands.

Natsuko: (surprised) Yamato.... Yamato: (vulnerable) ...Mom....

This is incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. It's pretty clear at this point that HIroaki and Natsuko don't see very much of the sons the other took. They've basically made a clean break in their divorce, with the brothers sneaking around in secret to remain in contact with each other. This is where a lot of their trauma and separation anxiety throughout the series has come from.

But Takeru's having none of this tense, uncomfortable moment. He grabs Natsuko by the wrist and drags her over to face Yamato.

Natsuko: (smiling warmly) Yamato... You've grown taller again. Yamato: Yeah, a little. Natsuko: You look good. I'm glad. Hiroaki: Natsuko.... (Natsuko looks up from Yamato, finally noticing Hiroaki) Hiroaki: It's been a while. Natsuko: (awkward) ...yeah.... Takeru: (cheerful) Ahaha! It's been a long time since the whole family got together, hasn't it, Onii-chan? Yamato: Yeah, I guess it has....

@_@ All of the family drama in this arc is hitting me way harder than the scary Dracula monster. It's amazing how age changes context.

In the dub:

Nancy: T.K.!!! T.K.!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?!? T.K.: (turns around, surprised) MAMA!!! Nancy: Oh! Ohhh, T.K.! I was so afraid I'd never see you again! (Nancy runs over and hugs T.K.) Nancy: You must have been terrified, T.K. T.K.: Nuh-uh! Matt was with me the whole time! (Nancy stands up) Nancy: (surprised) Matt.... Matt: (vulnerable) ...Hey, Mom.... T.K.: C'mon! (T.K. grabs Nancy by the wrist and drags her over to Matt) T.K.: Come see Matt! And Daddy too! Nancy: Oh, Matt. I'm so proud of you! Thank you, son! Matt: (surly) Yeah, whatever. Nancy: Don't be like that. Please, Matt. Hiroaki: Nancy. (Nancy looks up from Matt, finally noticing Hiroaki) Hiroaki: It's... been a long time, hasn't it? Nancy: (awkward) Yes, it has. T.K.: (cheerful) Ahaha! It's been a really long time since all of us were together, huh, Matt? Matt: (surly) Yeah, I guess so.

I don't think the dub liked the implication that Natsuko hasn't seen Yamato in months or even years. Enough for him to physically change to a noteworthy degree.

In their version, Nancy tries to congratulate him for... I guess, for taking good care of T.K.? It's not like she knows anything else that happened after T.K. disappeared on a giant wooly monster. There's a lot of accolades he deserves but that's the only one I think she'd be able to deliver.

In any case, she gives him a thumbs up and he decides to be surly about it. The awkward discomfort of this whole situation is replaced by Matt emotionally stonewalling his mom. Which is still awkward and uncomfortable, just differently so.

While Yamato and Takeru's family are having this moment, the Americans make bad choices.

Narrator: Could the strange continents be an optical illusion? An American reconnaissance plane headed off at once to find out.

The plane crosses through the boundary between worlds, then freezes up as it crosses over and falls out of the sky.

Pilot: NOOOOOOO!!!

I'm sorry but the pilot's over-the-top scream of "No" killed me. XD About as hard as this tailspin is about to kill him!

We should probably do something about this before the Americans' next plan is to shoot missiles at it. We're about thirty minutes away from fearfully carpet-bombing the Digital World. Bombs that will probably come right back to us if what happened to that plane is anything to go by.

In the dub, Izzy pitches in for the narrator again.

Izzy: Check this out, guys. I've been monitoring the news reports. The Air Force is sending in everything they've got to figure out what this continent in the sky really is. They don't know anything so far! But they're assuming it's dangerous. (Plane crosses the boundary and freezes) Pilot: This is Hawkeye One MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY!!!

Americans have a better grasp on American military lingo. Can't imagine why. Though I admit, I'm sad to see the hilarious "NOOOOOO" go.

No mention of the plane being American. Also, apparently this one plane was everything the Air Force has. Yeah, they haven't been getting the funding they need since the election of Japanese Bill Clinton. Some costs needed to get cut.

R.I.P. to the one remaining aircraft we had left.

Mimi: I hope my Mama and Papa are okay.... Sora: I'm sure they are.

Suddenly, the kids hear the sound of a honking horn. It's Shin's moped closing in on them.

Palmon: Someone's coming! Jou: Ah! That's...! (Shin pulls up) Jou: SHIN-NIISAN!!! Mimi: ONII-SAN!!! Shin: All of your families back at Big Sight are safe! Everyone's recovered! Hikari: YAY!!! Mimi: (grabs Sora's hands) Isn't that great, Sora-san? (Sora withdraws one of her hands to wipe a tear from her eye) Sora: Yeah!

Mimi calls Shin "Onii-san" because it's fairly common in Japan to use familial terms as a polite way for young people to address older people. You might call an older man "father" or "grandfather", for example, even if he's not related to you. Addressing people in Japanese is very complicated.

The dub lets Mimi start talking sooner so she can have a longer line.

Mimi: I have to admit that I'm a little jealous that Matt and T.K. found their parents, and Izzy too! I just hope my Mom and Dad are alright! Sora: I know how you feel. Me too. ...huh? (headlights approach) Sora: Someone's coming! Joe: Alright! My brother! ...hey, I didn't tell him he could ride my scooter! (Jim pulls up) Mimi: JIM!!! Joe: JIM!!! Mimi: Have you seen my Mom and Dad!? Jim: All the other families that were at the convention center are fine! They're all back to normal! Kari: AWESOME!!! Koromon: YAY!!! Mimi: (grabs Sora's hands) Sora, they're safe! (Sora withdraws one of her hands to wipe a tear from her eye) Sora: Great!

I love the way this scene plays Mimi. The longer line stays on-point and works super well, and I also like her frantic interrogation of Jim when he pulls up. This was a good one.

For a quick gag, the dub also claims that the moped belongs to Joe, actually. Which. Raises. A tremendous amount of questions given that he's fucking 12.

Shin takes out a small pocket TV, turning on the news.

Reporter: Those continents in the sky are not an illusion! They really exist! No one knows what the cause of this might be, but many are fearful that these strange continents will forever replace the blue sky of our world! Jou: W-What is happening!? Yamato: Is this part of Vamdemon's plan too!? Tsunomon: That's impossible! We killed Vamdemon for good this time! Koromon: Yeah, no doubt about that!

Koushiro disassociates from the conversation, his attention locked on something in the sky. The others talk around him while the camera fixes on his curious expression.

Taichi: Then what are they? Takeru: What's going to happen to us? Jou: Whatever the case, we need to figure out what's causing it first.

Brief cut to the target of Koushiro's attention. One particular mountain sticks out among all the others in the sky landmass. There's something about that mountain. Something he recognizes.

Koushiro: (thinking) That mountain... It looks exactly like Infinity Mountain! But that's impossible....

It does seem pretty impossible on account of that mountain being part of a continuous landmass. There's no ocean in sight. And yet.

In the dub:

Jim: Let's check the news. (Jim opens his pocket TV) Reporter: The latest report we have from the Air Force Chief of Staff confirms that the mysterious landmass in the sky is not an illusion of any kind. It is very real and, after several confrontations, apparently very dangerous. Joe: It's covering the whole sky! Matt: It has to be Myotismon's work again. Tsunomon: But that's impossible, isn't it? We defeated Myotismon for good this time! Koromon: Yeah, we kicked booty! (Closeup on Izzy disassociating) Joe: Well, you heard the news report. It's definitely dangerous. Who else could be doing it? Tai: What does it matter who's doing it!? We just have to stop it! Izzy: (thinking) There's something familiar about that mountain... It looks like Infinity Mountain!

"After several confrontations" WTF? XD We sent more planes. We just. We kept feeding planes into it one after another. Hahaha.

"It's apparently very dangerous" WELL MAYBE IT WOULDN'T BE IF WE DIDN'T KEEP CRASHING PLANES INTO IT. XD Japanamericans!

Jou and Taichi have their lines rearranged so that Tai can be the one trying to take charge instead of Joe. Their leadership styles are wildly different.

Having found a point of interest, Koushiro decides to confirm his suspicions.

Koushiro: Taichi-san! (points) Can you use your mini telescope to take a closer look at that? Taichi: (takes out his telescope) Where? Koushiro: Look, that mountain over there. Taichi: Which one? There are too many mountains. I can't tell which one you're pointing at. Koushiro: That one! Look! Taichi: Saying 'that one' isn't much help. Where is it--AH!!! Koushiro: What is it? Taichi: A plane. There's an airplane up there!

Koushiro looks up and can just barely make out the blinking of three lights, signifying a plane passing overhead.

In the dub:

Izzy: Hey, Tai! (points) Grab your telescope and get us a closer look at that peak right there! Tai: Huh? (takes out his telescope) Which one? Izzy: There! The big one I'm pointing to. Tai: Oh, like that helps me. Alright, I'm looking. Man, there are dozens of mountains up there! Which one? Izzy: The big one! Tai: The big o--WHAAA!!! Izzy: Did you find it? Tai: What I found is a jetliner! Izzy: Wha!?

Pretty faithful, little difference of note.

Up in the air, the pilot tries desperately to reach someone over the radio, but there's no response.

Pilot: Control Tower, please respond, over. Control Tower! Shit, what's going on.... Copilot: Sir, we're going to have to make an emergency landing. There's no fuel left in the tank. Pilot: I know that! If we only had someone to guide us down the runway.... Copilot: Our prospects aren't looking good! An American military base could--AHHHH!!!

Instruments on the plane begin to flash.

Pilot: What's happening!? Copilot: The fuel gauge is at empty! We can't control the plane anymore! We're going to crash! Pilot: That's impossible!

The plane tilts out of the sky, beginning its long descent.

Taichi: Ah! The plane's falling! It's going to crash! Sora: Piyomon! (Cut back to the cockpit) Pilot: We have to... make it somewhere.... Copilot: AHHHHHHH!!!

In the dub:

Pilot: Ground Control, this is Flight 224. We have lost our vector. Over. ...Strange. Why don't they answer? (tries again) This is 224 to Ground Control. Control, do you copy? Repeat, we have lost our landing vector. Come in, Ground control. Copilot: We can't land here now and we can't turn back with the fuel we have left onboard. (Lights start flashing suddenly) Copilot: What!? Pilot: The alarm! All systems failure! We've got about two seconds to figure out what's wrong here! Copilot: No use! Nothing's responding! We're going down! (Cut to the kids below) Tai: Oh no! The airplane reached the edge of that thing in the sky and just headed straight down! Sora: Biyomon! (Back to the cockpit) Pilot: Got to... pull out... We'll break up at this speed! Copilot: AHHHHHHH!!!

In the original, the plane ran out of fuel. They've been flying well below the reality ribbons so they didn't run afoul of what happened to the recon plane. But they haven't been able to land because telecommunications down in Tokyo have been going haywire since this all began, something we've been shown repeatedly.

The dub makes this about the reality ribbons. They briefly mention that they're low on fuel, but what kills the plane is that they accidentally flew into the boundary between worlds despite it being shown to be well above them, and despite the plane not freezing up like the recon plane did.

Birdramon rises into the air to try and catch the plane, but she spots something. A stray Kuwagamon is in their airspace. It buzzes past the plane, freezing one of the plane's wings as it passes, just like what passing through the boundary does. The plain goes into a spin.

Birdramon flies up underneath the plain to stabilize it, but can't deal with its weight. They're still going down.

Jou: BIRDRAMON!!! Birdramon: Hrrrrrrrgh! Sora: GANBATTE, BIRDRAMON!!!

Ahhh, ganbaru. Overcoming tremendous hardship through hard work and perseverance.

Sora's Crest shines, Super-Evolving Birdramon into Garudamon to give her the strength she needs.

The dub gives Birdramon some silence-breakers here, since this scene doesn't have a lot of dialogue but Birdramon doesn't need lip flaps either.

Birdramon: If I can just get there in time! (Kuwagamon flies in) Birdramon: It's Kuwagamon! Where did he come from!? (Kuwagamon buzzes the plane, freezing the wing. Birdramon moves in to catch the plane) Birdramon: (screeching) Joe: DO IT, BIRDRAMON!!! Birdramon: (more screeching) Sora: BIRDRAMON, DIGIVOLVE!!!

The original treats the mystery of Kuwagamon's appearance as self-evidently mysterious while Dub Birdramon calls it out and demands to know WTF. Nothing wrong with either approach in my opinion.

Seeing Garudamon struggling, Kabuterimon flies up to lend a hand.

Kabuterimon: I'll help y--WAUGH!!!

Kabuterimon has to swerve, narrowly missing the Kuwagamon he didn't realize was up here too. Without missing a beat, he fires up his Mega Blaster.

Kabuterimon: TAKE THIS!!!

His shot passes straight through Kuwagamon as if it wasn't there.

Kabuterimon: What the hell!? Garudamon: Pull back, Kabuterimon! DON'T TOUCH IT!!!

Kabuterimon jerks aside as Kuwagamon comes back around for another pass. Heeding Garudamon's warning, he lets this strange phantom Kuwagamon fly off. The creature heads across the bay into Tokyo proper. I'm sure that's fine.

From there, they guide the plane down into the bay, setting it down in the water so the people inside can escape in life rafts. I think they set the plane down just outside Shibaura, across what used to be the Rainbow Bridge from Odaiba. It looks like the Shibaura harbor to me.

This act of heroism leaves them so exhausted that they stop being animated, and the people below watch them levitate off into the distance as still frames.

Though AtlurKabuterimon's still-frame reveals he had to Super-Evolve for this too between scenes.

In the dub:

Kabuterimon: I'll help too! (Kuwagamon flies by) Kabuterimon: Huh!? Kuwagamon!? ELECTRO SHOCKER!!! (The shot passes through Kuwagamon) Kabuterimon: HUH!?!? IT WENT RIGHT THROUGH!!! Garudamon: Kabuterimon, get away! Don't touch him! (They let Kuwagamon go and set the plane down.) Tai: Nice going, Birdramon. You brought the plane down safely.

Tai's silence-breaker at the end there doesn't seem to make much sense at all. Somehow he's talking to Garudamon from Odaiba while addressing the wrong evolutionary form and completely snubbing AtlurKabuterimon's contribution. Why do you have to use your psychic powers for evil, Tai?

Once Garudamon and AtlurKabuterimon degenerate into Pyokomon and Mochimon respectively, the kids debrief them on what happened.

Taichi: Hey, was that Kuwagamon? Pyokomon: He flew here from those continents! Koushiro: I knew it. Group: Huh/Eh!? Taichi: What do you mean? Koushiro: That place up there is the Digimon World. Jou: EHHH!?!? Taichi: What did you say!? Yamato: That's the Digimon World!? Mimi: Now that you mention it, it does look kind of familiar.... Shin: Hey! Take a look at this!

In today's linguistic adventure, the other world is "Digimon World" in English.

The kids don't get a chance to process what Koushiro said, because Shin pulls their attention to his little TV.

Reporter: Please watch this. These images are not special effects!

The report shows various places around the globe under attack by Digimon. Gorillamon, Airdramon, Tyranomon, and Kuwagamon are all seen attacking various cities and places around the globe. Everywhere they go, things around them freeze over like the planes.

Pyokomon: We can't touch those Digimon! If we do, we'll freeze up like that plane wing! Mochimon: My Mega Blaster went right through them, too. Taichi: Damn it, what the hell is going on!? Hikari: Is that where you live, Plotmon? Plotmon: No. That is no longer the Digimon World that I knew. Koushiro: Oh, that's right. It's been several days since we came here, which means several years would have passed in the Digimon World. Koromon: We came here without fixing the distortions in the Digimon World, so it must be in pretty bad shape now. Sora: Which would then started to affect our world too.

Realizing the grim truth of what they're seeing now, the kids stare up in horror at these reality strips crossing the sky.

In the dub:

Tai: You guys, how'd Kuwagamon get here? Yokomon: He came out of that land in the sky! Izzy: I was right all along! Group: Huh!? Izzy: That giant continent... is actually the Digital World! Joe: WHAAAAT!?!? Matt: That's why you recognized that mountain! Mimi: Yeah! You know, it does look sort of familiar. Sora: What's it doing here? Jim: Guys, you'd better have a look at this! Reporter: We bring you now new footage of some truly bizarre scenes. (Digimon attacks around the world) Reporter: No official explanation has yet been given for what you are seeing here. Yokomon: Kuwagamon again! And if we touch these Digimon, we'll freeze, just like the airplane's wing! Motimon: And when I fired my Electro Shocker, it passed right through. Tai: Man! What's going on here! Kari: Salamon, is that your world up there? Salamon: I think so, but the last time I was there, it was definitely right-side up. Izzy: Just a minute. We've been back in the real world for only a few days, but up there, time is much faster. Years and years have passed by. Koromon: And since we left the Digi-World when it was such a mess, it had years and years to just get worse! I can only imagine what the place looks like now! Sora: And all the problems in the Digital World have become our problem here in the real world!

The dub usually struggles with expository scenes but here, they actually do a pretty good job of it. They're held back by the fact that they've always talked around the kids needing to "correct distortions", so they have to compensate by saying they "left the Digi-World when it was such a mess".

It's a little awkward but it still gets the point across: The Chosen Children were called to fix the Digital World before the growing instability became apocalyptic for both worlds. But because Vamdemon's side-quest back to the human world made them fuck off for years, time has run out and the worst-case scenario has begun.

Taichi: Let's go! Back to the Digimon World. Mimi: But how? Jou: When we first went to the Digimon World, our Digivices led us there. That should work again! Koushiro: It's worth a try. Taichi: Yes! Gather your Digivices, everyone.

The team puts their Digivices together in a ring.

Taichi: Please! Take us back to the Digimon World!

Hardened and made ready by their experiences, this time the eight Chosen Children make the choice for themselves to re-enter the Digital World. They're ready to complete the work they were once drafted against their will to do.

In the dub:

Tai: That's that! We've all got to go back! Mimi: But how? How are we supposed to get there? Joe: The first time we went to the Digital World, our Digivices led us. You guys try it again. Izzy: You're coming too, Joe. We're all in this together. Tai: Alright, everybody! Hold out your Digivices! We're going back! (The team puts their Digivices together) Tai: Next stop: The Digital World! Keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times!

In a break from tradition, Tai calls it the Digital World in the dub, rather than the usual phrasing of Digi-World.

Joe's dub-induced cowardice makes me want to throw things. Trying to chicken out and let the others go without him is one of those gags that isn't just annoying but goes all the way to the "He would not fucking say that" extreme.

Kido Jou-senpai would not fucking say that.

The eight Digivices glow brightly, sending a rainbow of light up into the sky and creating the way forward.

Jou: This path of light will transport us to the Digimon World! Taichi: Yeah. I'm sure we'll make it safely. Sora: Our Digivices will guide us.

The dub picks the moment before the Digivices start to glow as a good time for a commercial break. That's fair. Upon return, Tai brings us back up to speed with a quick line.

Tai: Here we go, everybody! (The Digivices create a different kind of Rainbow Bridge) Izzy: i think it's working, Tai. This light must be here to guide us. Joe: Now all we have to do is follow it. T.K.: Back to the Digital World! Hahaha!

They change who's talking and it's a lot drier but nothing objectionable.

Unfortunately, before they can go, some people have concerns with what the kids are doing right now.

Natsuko: TAKERU!!! Takeru: I'm sorry we have to leave just when all of us were together again, Mama. But we'll be back soo-- Natsuko: You can't! Hiroaki: Let him go. We made a few selfish decisions of our own too, remember?

Flashback to the separation of the boys in the divorce. Natsuko's eyes fill with tears.

Yamato: If we don't do something, the Earth will be doomed. That's Why I... We're going to protect you and everyone else, Mom! Natsuko: (quietly, crying) ...Yamato....

Hiroaki's logic here doesn't really track. We selfishly broke the kids up therefore we should let them go to an alien world and fight monsters. I don't think fairness is really the concern here. But to be fair to Hiroaki, he's spent more time with the Chosen Children than anyone and knows firsthand how fucky all this shit is and how unique they are.

He isn't happy about sending the children into danger but he kinda gets it. Natsuko, meanwhile, was trapped outside the fog barrier this whole time and has seen none of it. So her Reasonable Parent Opinions are very Reasonable Parent Opinions, and it's heartbreaking that she has to let this happen to her babies anyway.

In the dub:

Nancy: T.K. T.K.: Huh? Mom! Oh, I'm sorry we have to leave now that we're finally back together again. Nancy: You can't! Hiroaki: Let him go. We've made some selfish decisions of our own, remember? (Flashback) Hiroaki: We have to let them do this. This could be more important than we realize. Matt: The whole world is doomed if we don't do something, Mom! You know we have to go back! We're doing this to protect you! Nancy: (quietly, crying) ...Matt....

Mostly the same, but Hiroaki's given a silence-breaker to let him make a more salient argument than "We have to let the boys be child soldiers because we divorced."

Though Nancy's first line is pretty funny. Natsuko calls out to Takeru in a panic. Nancy just... sternly says his voice, like she caught him with his hand in the cookie jar. Not exactly the right tone here, but not necessarily wrong either. XD

But moooooom, you don't understaaaaaand!

Shin chimes in to support the children's decision.

Shin: We're counting on you. We've always taken for granted that morning comes after nightfall, but now we can't be sure we'll ever see the sun again.

Poetic, but Koushiro's mom takes issue with that, looking affronted about halfway through when she realizes where he's going with that.

Kae: DON'T BE SO MORBID!!! I believe in these children. Shin: No no, I do too! Jou: It will be fine, Nii-san. (sudden burst of confidence) We'll make certain that the sun does come up again!

A powerful moment for Jou! That the girls promptly bully him for.

Sora: Ooooh, Jou-senpai is so cool! Mimi: It's so unlike you!

The kids all laugh at Jou's expense while he hangs his head in defeat - Accidentally backing into the portal in the process and getting picked up by the ass.

Mimi: Wha--!? Sora: Jou-senpai! Jou: AAAAAUGH!!!

Well, the nakama must be back together because we're back to tormenting our poor, put-upon senpai. XD

The kids quickly join Jou in the rainbow portal, rising towards the Digimon World together.

Taichi: Ittekimasu! Natsuko: Takeru! Yamato!

Right now's a good time to talk about that word Taichi just said. Ittekimasu is a customary Japanese phrase for when you are leaving a place with intent to return. It's a kind of ritualistic phrase, said almost automatically when leaving the home, for example. Like saying Itadakimasu before eating. I am stepping out for a bit but I will be back later and will see you then.

There's a lot of ways it can be translated. I'm heading out! See you later. Back in a bit! Etc. etc. But I've opted to leave it untranslated here and instead explain the intent because this is a highly emotional moment, and the mundane yet heartwarming domesticity of the phrase's usage in this scene doesn't really come through with its more cavalier-sounding translations.

Takeru and Yamato wave farewell to their mother, but Yamato feels self-conscious after a moment and stops waving.

In the dub:

Jim: You guys better get crankin'! Although it's hard to believe the fate of the world's in the hands of a bunch of kids like you. I guess if the sun doesn't come up tomorrow, we'll know you messed up! Kae: Stop it! You've got to have faith in your brother and his friends! What they're doing is incredibly brave! Jim: Whoa! Sorry, Lady. I didn't mean anything. Joe: It's okay. He was only kidding. And besides... (sudden burst of confidence) I'm gonna make darn sure the sun does come up! Sora: Joe! I didn't know you had it in you! Mimi: Ahahaha, what a man! (All the kids laugh at Joe; he hangs his head and backs into the portal) Sora & Mimi: What's happening? Joe: AAAAUGH!!! (Everyone jumps in the portal) Tai: Alright, here we go! Nancy: Matt! T.K.! Take care of each other!

Sora and Mimi are still making fun of Joe in this version, they're just subtler about it.

Finally met someone in this city that Jim doesn't know.

While Yamato and Takeru get to say goodbye to their loved ones, we pan over to Sora who looks disappointed that they have to leave so quickly. Suddenly:

Toshiko: SORA!!!

The adults from Big Sight have all arrived, at the last possible second, to the sight of their children rising into the sky in a column of rainbow light.

Sora: Mom... MOM!!! Mimi: PAPA!!! MAMA!!! Taichi: DAD!!! Hikari: MOM!!! Yuuko: TAICHI!!! HIKARI!!!

The column rises, taking the children further from their parents.

Hikari: DON'T WORRY ABOUT US!!! WE'LL COME BACK SOON!!!

Cutting silently to their frightened parents, watching the children go. First Yagami Yuuko and Susumu. Then Tachikawa Satoe and Keisuke. And then finally Takenouchi Toshiko.

Children: (all together) ITTEKIMASU!!!

Vanishing into the other world, the Chosen Children leave behind only that one familiar word. I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back soon. I'll see you when I come home.

The dub uses all the silent panning shots of this scene to fill in dialogue.

Toshiko: SORA!!! I love you, Sora! Please come home soon! I'll be waiting here for you! Sora: Bye, Mama.... BYE, MAMA!!! Mimi: MAMA!!! PAPA!!! Tai: BYE, DAD!!! Kari: BYE, MAMA!!! Yuuko: OH, TAI!!! BE CAREFUL!!! Susumu: AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR SISTER, SON!!! Kari: I'LL BE ALRIGHT!!! DON'T WORRY, WE'LL ALL BE BACK!!! Tai (V.O.): I never thought we'd volunteer to leave our families behind. It's weird. I'm not sure if we'll ever see them again. But I'm not afraid! It's like, just knowing that they love us gives us the power that we need. Kids: (Miscellaneous farewells, such as "Bye Bye" and "We'll be alright") Narrator: What powerful new enemy waits for the DigiDestined in the Digital World? Find out on the next Digimon: Digital Monsters.

Neither of the Kamiya parents says goodbye to Kari and I'm kinda mad about it.

Tai's voiceover there is to try and hit the same emotional chords that the team's collective Ittekimasu hit for the original. The word doesn't translate well in this particular context so they had to come up with their own emotional heartstring-tug.

The sudden ominous narrator, however, is a total mood-killer. Jerk.

Assessment: On the one hand, how quickly we go from defeating VenomVamdemon to returning to the Digital World feels a little rushed. But on the other hand, it's supposed to feel rushed. Because we're in a rush.

It sucks that we couldn't see the kids properly meet back up with their families and say real farewells to them. But it's supposed to suck. It sucks for them too. Every minute we spend out here is another, like, week where the situation in the Digital World is further destabilizing. There's no time for drawn-out goodbyes.

So we move into the final arc of Adventure 01. Shit's about to get real from here. @.@ I am not ready.

I think the dub on this one was hit-or-miss. It had some genuinely great moments, even parts where it added onto the original in good and interesting ways, and some other clunky bits. To their credit, they nailed the big Plot Exposition scene which is where they often struggle.

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

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tobiasdrake · 3 months

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

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

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

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

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

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

Absolute dicks, the both of them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pretty basic utility dialogue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is why Tentomon usually handles these.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the dub:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elsewhere, PicoDevimon reports on the situation at the castle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Except here in this fucking castle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They also remove the part where Mimi snaps at Palmon.

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

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

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

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

It does not go well.

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

Mimi rings a bell to summon her Gekomon entourage.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mimi: No more. I'm sleepy.

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

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

Just as PicoDevimon planned.

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

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

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

For Mimi's second attempt:

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

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

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

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

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

Though Dub Mimi at least promises further attempts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Instead, the boys deliver:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Presumably the equipment for this came from the karaoke studio.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sora: What can I do?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mimi: Palmon-- Palmon: I hate you!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mimi vs Shogunmon Rap Battle when?

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

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

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

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

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

Over in the dub, Joe quips out a pun.

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

Back into the dungeon with you, Joe.

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

It does not go well.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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