#an entire rewrite of digimon tri

[holydramon]

honestly I’ve been thinking about fic projects I want to do for a while lately. like my digimon adventure au has been living in my head rent free for years now and it’s still something I’m really interested in doing one day even if it’d be very long and take a lot of work.

[shihalyfie]

I've alluded to tri. having some very troubled production behind the scenes, and among everything that apparently went on back there, there seem to have been at least two major bottlenecks: 1) the fact that the director (who, based on his own statements about deliberately not consulting source material, most likely didn't even watch Adventure to begin with) kept asking everyone to make things more "mature" without being clear on what that actually meant, and 2) the fact they ran out of budget and had to rewrite the entire plot halfway into it. Even the most brilliant of creators probably wouldn't be able to work at their best under such conditions.

But conversely, this also means that there were some excellent people involved in production whose efforts probably haven't been as appreciated as they should be! So I want to take a moment to spotlight some people I want to give props to:

Ayana Yuniko and Nakanishi Yasuhiro: These two scriptwriters were childhood Digimon fans who were thrilled to be on the project, and their enthusiasm clearly shows in every interview they were in. Ayana even made keen observations like noticing that the Adventure kids aren't as super-tight as people tend to make them out to be (something I've pointed out myself, and something that generally only tends to crop up among fans who have studied the series closely), and Nakanishi stated that she would slip him detailed notes about the characters and their relationships.

Both of them stated they were trying to portray the Adventure characters in a character-accurate way but kept getting their scripts rejected for not being "mature" enough, leaving them unsure about what they were supposed to do. Their roles on the series were also limited; Ayana was on parts 1, 2, and 4 while Nakanishi was on part 4 only, and they were sharing the scriptwriter role with multiple others (even within a single movie). But if I were asked to pick who on the staff list I would want to see come back for another Digimon work, it would absolutely be these two.

Kakikara Yuuko: The one in charge of overall writing for the series. tri. had a total of five scriptwriters and could have up to four(!) on a given movie, so because of that, her statements on the series and its story direction have been a bit difficult to tell whether it was her idea personally or whether she was delivering the writing room's discussion result. But one of her final statements on the series basically amounted to "I'm grateful if you even came to watch it to the end at all," and she was quite humble about saying she felt things could have been done differently; considering it sounds like she had a hard time keeping everyone and everything in order, I can only imagine she went through a lot trying to make sure everything ended safely. Incidentally, her writing portfolio is also quite respectable (and even includes kids' shows).

Suzuki Takaaki: The person with the job of "setting researcher", i.e. the one with the job of looking into the lore. Sadly, it seems like most of his ideas didn't make it into the final series (possibly because of the budget loss-induced rewrite), but his one solo interview indicates that he put quite a bit of conscientious thought into how Digital World lore works, including the idea of an EMP weapon that would affect Digimon easily but not humans (an idea that doesn't pop up among fans as often as you'd think, and took up until last year to make it into actual Adventure material via Takeru's 02TB in-universe fanfic).

Sakabe Gou: The person in charge of the series BGM. We haven't heard a lot from him, but the little we have indicates that although he also had difficulty understanding what the director was asking for when he wanted "mature" music of some kind, he himself put some very thorough thought put into the composition. In particular, he went into detail regarding the music used at the beginning of part 4, which seems to be a fan-favorite track from what I've seen (it's also my favorite too!). Sakabe also has an extensive and respectable portfolio outside Digimon; in particular, he's very highly regarded in Kamen Rider circles, so if you have a friend who's a fan, it might be a good idea to ask them about it!

[look-a-ghost]

Saw Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning tonight and need to dump thoughts in a void abt it --

!!!!! HEAVY SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE MOVIE FOLLOW !!!!

I thought it was really compelling that they were willing to tackle a serious issue with Lui being a victim of abuse and trauma and Ukkomon being a manifestation of coping with trauma... But it felt like there were a lot of weird mixed signals about how all of those themes resolved. In a way it felt like the movie relied too much on "a few sentences will fix this extremely deep-seated and complicated problem" to move beyond what it was bringing up. Maybe the movie would've benefited from being in more parts, like Tri? But then again, I'm not sure if the story would have necessarily held that way without being something else entirely.

I think a slight problem for me was that, like Tri, the focus of the film was centered around a newcomer, in this case Lui -- and because of that it felt like Lui's film really, and that the 02 kids just kind of happen to be there for him. Davis was really the only character who felt directly anchored to the events in any way, which I guess is fitting since he has the protag energy, but it still didn't feel as deep as the connection between Tai and Matt as the protags of Kizuna who carried the story forth. Lacking that direct personal connection made it harder to connect to the movie imo. Tri had a similar problem with it being centered around Meiko and Meicoomon's struggle, but Tri had other problems in terms of the story being fractured that it didn't feel like Meiko's story necessarily dwarfed all the other parts of the film series...

I had a thought about the theme of the film -- that you need to communicate clearly with one another to move forward and find harmony -- and felt like the theme may have applied more appropriately if Lui was having relationship troubles (either romantic or platonic). In general, it's a good theme... it's true that to maintain and support any sort of interpersonal relationship, openness, honesty, and communication are key. But Lui's trauma comes from an abusive mother, where I feel like communication is... not necessarily a guaranteed solution most of the time... mostly because there is a different relationship, and technically a different power dynamic, between a parent and a child. A child of an abusive parent is generally much less likely to be able to "communicate" their way out of being abused, and the way the movie just inserts future Lui to go "talk" to his mom in the past and magically solve her parenting tactics is like. What. What!!! How!!!!! The movie was presenting nuance in that his mom was clearly under an enormous amount of stress with Lui's dad being critically ill, and yes, it's thorny to think about that as the movie somewhat trying to rationalize what is CLEAR CUT and SUPER NOT OK abuse of Lui, but to think that she would straight up stop being abusive just because (effectively) a stranger told her to just think about her situation for a second is way too convenient for me. The same issue applies with Lui's reconciliation with Ukkomon. So just because you talked to them and hashed out the problem, it's ok that they basically possessed (and... killed????!) your parents and did a bunch of shit against your will?

My hope was that it would be revealed that Ukkomon was actually some kind of actively malevolent entity, like King Drasil or something, and the idea was to spread Digimon like a virus across the human world under the guise of being helpful. (Aww man edit, the more I think about this, the more I wish it happened… it could have turned out that the bonds between humans and Digimon became too real and powerful, and not artificially constructed as my hypothetical Ukkomon wanted, and defied the big bad’s expectations, which would further explain the loss of Digivices — that humans and Digimon care for each other so much, it transcends the need for an artificial medium. Agghhh guys can I rewrite this part of the movie for you…) I mean I looked at Ukkomon in the promo pics and I'm like this mf looks so creepy... they really played up the Kyubey factor and that led me further to believe that they would be a big bad with a plan... but no, just a weird misguided creepy lil dude....

The other reason I was thinking that Lui's communication difficulties with Ukkomon could be mirrored with some kind of relationship issue is, maybe if Lui was a parent and started a family, there would be stakes with a relationship that wouldn't have as much gravity if he was a teen in a relationship... which leads me to my next point, how is he the first Digidestined if Himekawa and Nishijima were shown to have Digimon as kids????? They could have maybe retooled it that Lui was older and reconciling with his past? Though idk i guess the more i say it the weirder it sounds to have the story be about a dude who projects heavy divorce energy, but idk... could have been a strained friendship, or a strained relationship with a sibling, really it did not have to be romance at all, just any type of interpersonal connection where there is more of a power balance, and not a relationship with an abusive mother exclusively. And again I actually respect that Digimon is willing to go to places of childhood trauma/difficult situations like divorce, illness, and death, so i didn't necessarily have a problem with the abusive mother plotline (and I actually really dug the huge horror vibe with the Ukkomon possession sequence, felt pretty interesting to see it in the Adventure setting), but just wish they could have strengthened the theme more. They could have even made it more reflective of the 02 kids, maybe their relationships with each other have been strained and they learn better to listen to one anothers' needs and move forward in cooperation. Then again yeah that would not have fit in an hour and a half long movie and then maybe it would have needed to be another bloated Tri movie series oh noooo

idk I took a while to see Kizuna and I literally only watched it a few days before going to see the 02 movie and it kind of bums me out to go from something that I felt really understood the assignment of what it means to explore Digimon, the Adventure kids, adulthood, and the nature of growing up; to this, which tried to tackle some difficult subjects but walked away with it seeming (to me) half baked in execution, and also half baked in the way it utilized and engaged with the 02 crew. I mean, the 02 kids got weirdly fridged in Tri and then just showed up as cheerleaders in Kizuna, which leads me to believe the writers kinda don't know what to do with them, which is like. Whyyyy... 02 felt so rich in story and character as well :(

On that note!! one of my favorite parts of 02 was the Digidestined Around the World stuff so it was super nice to see them getting screen time shout outs in this one :') I have always adored how much Digimon puts an emphasis on global connections so I'm always happy to see more of that stuff in this series.

Also super weird that Ukkomon as a creepy lovecraftian big bad (which was cool!) ended up being a wet noodle (almost literally) of a battle at the end too. I'm usually loath to say that a big bad is a good idea in movies (I really liked the balance with Menoa being both insane/an enemy to reckon with alongside Eosmon being a real threat, but also very much misguided and sympathetic), but they really needed to up the tension more with Ukkomon. Because Ukkomon basically surrendered and gave Lui the all clear to take it down, the final showdown felt inert and devoid of any real stakes.

Also unilaterally deciding that everyone in the world is not allowed to have a Digimon partner is like. Hello!!! Fun police!!!! Y'all canonically took my Digimon away from me!!!!!! (I mean yes ok the practical reasoning for this can definitely be argued to be sound, but still. Fun police...)

Didn't think i'd have so many thoughts but it was just a rollercoaster from finally finishing Tri recently over the span of a few years (which is why I understood why that series is so divisive), to Kizuna (which I totally get why it was well received), to this which is like... perhaps not as bad as Tri in the fact that it is not an overblown, badly paced film series with a messy narrative, but does not build on the very meaningful and emotionally provocative parts of Kizuna. Basically I expected more :'(

[arcthebreeder]

Log_42.TXT

04/01/2024, 10:24 (GMT-5)

Happy (late) new year!! 🎉🎉

We've been dealing with some family situations (nothing bad don't worry about it) that requires my parents and little sister to constantly go to sleep at my big sis's house which means I get the whole apartment to myself for almost, if not the entire day (including the night) allowing me to work during the night without bothering anyone, which has been delightful, since thanks to this extra time I've been able to work a lot more on the investigation on the Vánagandr Helloogarmon found.

Giving the mace to Helloogarmon used to result in him holding it with its mouth, which was a good start, tho it caused near to no reaction in the Vánagandr, only firing some sparks from the tip that, from what I know, should be firing a flame similar to that of a blowtorch, however, thanks to some work with Kuzuhamon, who also uses a baton-like weapon to fight, he was able to hold it with his hand for a little bit of time which momentarily sparked a flame like the one the Vánagandr usually has, this however not lasted long since Helloogarmon dropped it because he's not used to use his hands to anything more than mobilizing and attacking. Tho this happened multiple times during the training, he got to hold it for a while, which allowed him to slide evolve into Soloogarmon.

The slide evolution allows a digimon to rewrite its DigiCore data into something completely different, turning it into a completely different species, in this case, the rewrite was completed thanks to some data present inside the code of the Vánagandr, that forces Helloogarmon's body to adapt so it can hold it, which turns him into Soloogarmon, since they share a huge amount of data for being both part of Loogamon's natural evolution tree.

After proving the evolution as successful, since he didn't change back or destabilize after some time had passed and thus, the training began. Kuzuhamon helped Soloogarmon to use the mace, since even tho the way to use it is naturally written in its data, this drastic change still needs training to get used to. Soloogarmon's dexterity when using the mace improved a lot while training with Kuzuhamon, however, to use some of its features it gained thanks to the evolution, the rest of the team, naturally, offered themselves to help him improve his skills.

Siriusmon helped him learn how to use the mace as a kind of defensive sword, just like he uses his Sylvia to protect himself from direct attacks and even use the Vánagandr's flaming tip as a sword.

Then Spinomon helped him find creative ways to use the ultra-high-temperature flames that he can shoot through its index fingers, and Herissmon tried to teach him how to shoot little fire projectiles similar to Herissmon's quills.

Last but not least, MegaloGrowmon helped him how to use the magical flames sprouting through its shoulders to propel itself so he can go at high speed, similar to how MegaloGrowmon does it with his vernier.

So far, this digimon is as strong and competent with his skills as Helloogarmon, however, even tho he likes his new form, Soloogarmon says that he wants to stay on his Helloogarmon form, since he's more used to it, which is fair, however, thanks to the Vánagandr being in our possession, he can go back to being Soloogarmon whenever he wants, which opens the door to a whole new set of strategies, changing from Helloogarmon to Soloogarmon.

And you may ask, would I do this with my other Digimon? The answer is no, I don't really need all my digimon to be changing constantly and it also needs a lot of work to find a digimon for them to easily change into without messing around their personalities and making them uncomfortable.

Everyone has been doing great with this little rest the holidays gave us, even if I used it to train and investigate, and even if it's a new year, just know that I'll keep you updated.

ATT: ARC

[digitaldreams0801]

gonna be honest i have no idea how we wrote the tri rewrite (much less EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND WORDS OF IT) because god. tri is a fucking DISASTER. entire TRAIN WRECK. there are so many problems with tri that made it so fucking hard to rewrite and next to nothing has carried over from canon because canon tri is just that bad. tri's problems would take me forever to explain but just know digimon tri sucks and it's so bad

[higuchimon]

[fanfic] What’s Mine Is Mine:  Chapter 12

A cool touch. One that drove away the fires as they continued to sweep through him, leaving agony in their wake. He didn’t feel like he had before – he didn’t entirely remember what he’d felt like before anyway. But he wasn’t burning.

“Rest, my pet. I’m here to help you. You need me.”

He knew that he should recognize that voice. A tiny flicker that might’ve been a thought told him that he should avoid it, that he should keep away from it and not trust it.

But it brought coolness. It brought peace. It brought rest that he hadn’t known he wanted until he had it.

“This is for you.”

Cool water on his lips and at first he wasn’t certain, recalling an earlier time when he’d tried for water and all that came of it were ashes.

But this time the water stayed water, it stayed cool and refreshing, and he drank as much as he could, greedily, gratefully.

“I know you can’t speak now. But you don’t have to. I know what you want to say. You’re thankful that I’ve chosen to give you this, aren’t you?”

He tried to nod. That was right. How could he not be grateful to whoever it was that brought him this peace? He wanted more of it. He’d do anything that he had to in order to get it.

“And now this.”

Something solid brushed against his lips, which he parted to take it in. Small bites, with more sips of water to follow, and he knew that he ate out of someone’s hands, but that was all right, wasn’t it? It was the only way he could eat. Nothing wrong with that when it was all he could do.

The voice – it was so kind, so protective of him – murmured words that he couldn’t understand, but didn’t care to, because the tone told him all that he needed to know.

This person, whoever he was, cared about him. He made certain that he was safe and protected and taken care of. He could only find nourishment in what was given to him by this person. He could only find true comfort in their touch.

He remembered very little now, most of his memories swallowed up in the all-consuming flames, but he knew that no one else had ever cared for him like this one did. For that alone, he would give everything he had to them. For that alone, he would do whatever they wanted.

There was a huge, gaping emptiness inside of him, one that unraveled more and more with each passing moment. The touch of this person filled up that emptiness, sealing over the edges, completing him.

“I cannot stay, my pet. But you will soon come to me, and you will be mine forever then.”

Oh, he wanted that so much. He hated the thought of not being without this new person. He shifted what little he could, trying to beg them to stay, wanting to feel them next to him.

But the other touched him lightly and the flames moved back that little bit more.

“Soon. And when you come to me, nothing will ever separate us again. You can manage until then. I know that you can. I believe in you.”

He sank back down, some of the driving need pushed back by the words. This person’s word was law to him now, he decided. Only his presence made a difference in the all-consuming flames, and so he would obey, because if he didn’t, the other would leave him to the lonely expanse of the flames.

“Only if you disobey me, my pet. Only if you refuse me. But you won’t do that, will you? You don’t want to be left alone like that.”

No, no, he didn’t. He managed a tiny shake of his head. He would never do anything that would drive the other away.

“Then soon. And then forever, pet.”

He sank back down onto whatever was underneath him and tried to close his eyes, though he still didn’t know if it made a difference. He hoped that ‘soon’ really meant soon. He couldn’t take the flames much longer. They’d eaten almost everything up of him anyway. What would happen when they’d taken all of it?

Whatever it was, he hoped that the other could fix him. Surely he would. He would make him whatever he wanted to be, and he would accept it, treasure it, revel in it, because what else could he do?

There wasn’t anyone else who cared. No one who would try to help him unless it was for their own benefit. He wanted someone who would take care of him because they liked him. And he’d never had anyone who would do that. He’d never had anyone at all, not until now.

His head ached even harder as the flames lapped there, slicing away more pieces of him, until there wasn’t anything at all left save the memories of the one who could bring peace with his touch, who brought cool water and good food, and who called him his pet.

He would be the best pet ever. He would do anything at all that the other wanted, with or without being asked.

He would do anything at all that his master wanted. It was his reason for existing: to please his master at all costs.

To Be Continued

Notes: And the rewriting of Daisuke is starting to take a very firm hold. Also, sorry about being late with this.

[firstagent]

Fanfic Authors Tag Game

I was tagged by @ahiddenpath and I’m actually going to do this! If nothing else to take inventory.

AO3 name(s): I’m arpulver there and FFN. Fandoms: Been Digimon for the longest time, although I did have an original webnovel for a time, a couple crossover fics, and in a previous century had a website archiving and reviewing Simpsons fanfic. Number of fics:  9, not counting song parodies or script-format stuff I did back in the day.

1. Fic I spent the most time on:

Taken as an entire trilogy, The Connection took roughly five years. As individual stories, it’s a tossup between Level 3: Experiments and Neverworld at about 2.5 years. Nexusworld will surely pass those, but it’s going to be the longest.

2. Fic I spent the least time on:

Imaginary Girlfriend, written for the Dandan zine, took a couple weeks, not counting editing.

3. Longest fic: 

Currently Neverworld at about 256,000 words!

4. Shortest fic:

The Dandan zine had a 2,500 word limit. The posted version of Imaginary Girlfriend is only a teeny bit longer.

5. Most hits:

According to the FFN legacy stats, Neverworld edges out Level 1: Worlds and Odaiba Memorial Day, although it’s possible those two predate FFN’s hit tracking. Not saying I’m old, but my FFN account number is only four digits!

6. Most kudos:

Resumption, the uncomfortably prescient tale of the 02 kids post-tri. (written before its halfway point, is currently beating Neverworld 125-104!

7. Most comment threads:

Including FFN, Odaiba Memorial Day, my first proper Digimon fic, has 252 reviews.

8. Favorite fic I wrote:

For as much fame and attention I’ve gotten for my older stuff, it’s really a tossup between Neverworld and Nexusworld.

Neverworld was planned out before tri. was announced and while it gave me pause about writing the Adventure kids six years older at the same time canon was about to unveil something showing them in the same time frame, the idea of aging the characters of all (then) six seasons and throwing them into their very own Digital World playground to have interpersonal drama with each other was too enticing to pass up. And for as many curveballs as tri. threw at me, everything lined up neatly to incorporate its ideas and character interpretations into my story along with the way I had been portraying them. We ended up with the same Taichi and Mimi even! And for as easy as it is for long fics to go off the rails and become unmanageable, I’m proudest of the fact that it wrapped up every significant plotline and ended in a sensible place with a powerful climax.

Nexusworld, its sequel, came about because as much as I adored tri. and Appmon, they and Hunters left a lot of unfinished baggage that I wanted to address. The world gave me a chance to take Maki and Daigo, well before any of their misdeeds in tri., and put them next to two characters going through very similar problems: Haru and his desperate quest to bring back a lost loved one, and Tagiru, trying to recapture some of the glory from a victory that carried a big asterisk next to it. They also have to deal directly with Meiko, still reeling from her loss, the international kids and their organization post-tri., and a host of other new arrivals and old favorites. The emphasis on less popular seasons has made it harder to find an audience, but I’m finding the writing more direct and more meaningful than what I’ve put out before.

9. Fic you want to re-write:

Many years ago I actually did rewrite Level 1! The plan was to edit the trilogy, clean up some of the wonkier bits, fix some timeline issues, and put out an edition I’m prouder of, but I never got around to working on Level 2 or Level 3. While tri. thematically lines up nicely with The Connection trilogy, both it and Kizuna have poked enough holes in my timeline that such an edit doesn’t feel necessary anymore.

Despite its popularity, I’m not at all happy with the writing or character work in Odaiba Memorial Day, but I loved the format and I wonder if it might be neat to try it again using the canon time period between Kizuna and the epilogue (OMD gives everyone a different future because, shockingly, it was planned out before the Zero Two epilogue existed!).

10. Share bit of a WIP or a story idea you’re planning on:

All of my Digimon ideas are worming their way into Nexusworld right now and I’m not sure if I’m doing another Digimon project once it’s done. So you’re getting a future Nexusworld scene with Meiko and Mimi!

[Meiko] dropped her bag next to the extended and unmade futon. After some hesitation, she removed her shoes and stretched out on the bed. At some point she’d have to go back out there and figure out what to say to Eri. With Mimi still taking care of her job, she could afford a few minutes to ponder, and even dozing off didn’t sound terrible. Only a minute of staring at the ceiling passed before the bed rustled. Mimi sprawled out next to her, narrow eyes probing back. “What’s wrong? Come on, no bottling it.” With a huff, she added, “What did Tai do? Do I need to make Yolei beat him up?” Meiko let a chuckle escape. As well as she thought she had been doing before, having Mimi back as a regular part of her life was pure delight. “It isn’t Tai. He was great. Actually it’s, um… Eri.” “Eri?!” Mimi’s eyes flared. “What did Eri do?! I don’t think Yolei could beat her up.”

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Lone Wolf? Analyzing Digimon's Matt

Toei Animation’s 2020 re-imagining of Digimon Adventure has not only brought back familiar faces, but also a whole new take on beloved characters. First airing in 1999, Digimon Adventure was created as an adaptation of the then-new Bandai Tamagotchi spin-off virtual pet franchise, Digimon. Since its original broadcast run from 1999 to 2000, the series has spawned various sequel series, movies, and OVAs, including the recent Digimon Adventure Tri. For the newly initiated, this soft reboot of Digimon Adventure is the perfect point of entry for those who never saw the original. 

  If you have a favorite DigiDestined, however, get ready for some changes. Of the chosen children, one is notably different: everyone’s favorite brooding embodiment of friendship, Matt.

    A Lone Wolf After All?

  Matt appears in front of Tai in the Digital World

  For Digimon veterans, the first few episodes of Digimon Adventure: (2020) start on a very different note compared to the 1999 original. By the first episode, Tai and Matt encounter each other in the Digital World. Except — Matt is already there by the time Tai arrives. Together they join forces and form Omnimon, a powerful Digimon created from the fusion of their partners Agumon and Gabumon. Does any of this ring a bell? This Digivolution first occurred in Mamoru Hosoda's 2000 Our War Game OVA, which chronologically takes place after the events of the 1999 anime. Ironically, the second episode titled “War Game” borrows the same premise of stopping a missile from landing in Tokyo. Rather than symbolizing the power of Tai and Matt's friendship after a long journey, this new version of Digimon Adventure presents Omnimon as proof of an untested alliance. Instead of starting from the beginning, it’s almost as though we’re starting from the end.

  But this still begs the question — why is Matt already in the Digital World? Cool kid points?

    Matt and Tai stand on Omnimon's shoulders

  Compared to Tai and friends, this new version of Matt is an early bird. In fact, he's already shown riding Garurumon, Gabumon’s champion evolution. This suggests Matt might already have an established bond with Gabumon. This first impression of Matt — originally brushed off as a stereotypical “lone wolf” — offers us a fresh new take on what he has to offer.

  In classic Digimon Adventure, Matt is first depicted hanging out alone, dubbed a "lone wolf" by Tai. As a self-appointed guardian for his little brother T.K., Matt is cautious but still impulsive, constantly butting heads with Tai. After being transported into the Digital World with the other kids, Matt slowly begins opening up to the others. He reveals to Tai that his parents were divorced and that protecting T.K. has become a huge part of his identity. But being so wrapped up in watching out for his brother, Matt takes it personally when T.K. starts growing into his own. What’s a lonely boy with a harmonica to do except moodily ride his wolf into nothingness?

  Of all the kids, Matt is the first to break away from the group by choice in search of some soul-searching. After acquiring the Crest of Friendship — tags the Digidestined obtain to further their Digimon’s potential — Matt seriously begins questioning whether or not he has “grown.” A brief stint back in the real world before returning to the Digimon World to finish off the Dark Masters makes Matt realize that his family probably isn’t getting back together, whether he accepts it or not. After being confronted by Cherrymon, a Digimon scheming to turn the DigiDestined against each other, Matt is encouraged to cut out his supposed enemies — namely Tai — and forge his own path.

    Matt doubts if T.K. really needs him anymore Image via Hulu

  Despite the irony of having the Crest of Friendship, Matt chooses to temporarily break away from the others, admitting that T.K. can take care of himself and beginning the process of sorting through his angst. Sure, he cries a little when Tai punches him in the face, but what does that have to do with getting over your crippling self-doubt and anxiety? Self-reflection is uncool and overrated, right? Right? OK, maybe not.

  If this version of Matt taught us anything, it’s that trying to play tough all the time doesn’t help. In fact, it might end up backfiring in the end.

  Friendship Dilemma

  As it turns out, Matt isn’t exactly a “lone wolf” after all.

  Let’s dig a little. The Crest of Friendship doesn’t symbolize what Matt already has, but something he needs to actively work toward. Inevitably, Matt will have to return to the real world after his Digital World adventure. If Tai is brazenly courageous and Izzy is obviously hungry for knowledge, can we necessarily say Matt starts off as a social butterfly? Not exactly.

    Matt watches T.K. reunite with his mom after returning from the Digital World Image via Hulu

  Matt accepts he can’t change his family. Having time alone forces him to realize he needs to look inside in order to not only survive the Digital World, but to cope outside of it as well. Because, despite how cool your giant blue wolf looks, it doesn’t fix a complicated, real-life family dynamic. This tension ultimately reaches a fever pitch when Matt, more depressed than ever after splitting from the group, loses himself inside a strange cave. Here, Matt confesses he’s pushed people away because, if his family didn’t want him, then why bother opening up to anyone ever again? Can anyone truly love a brooding, seemingly antisocial teenager with boyband hair?

    "Let's make a promise that we'll always be there for each other, no matter what happens. Gabumon and Matt, friends for life." Image via Hulu

  Yes, of course. And not only that. In this memorable scene, Gabumon admits it’s okay to cry. If Matt can’t cry in the real world of divorce and being separated from his brother, he can at least cry here, in this allegorical cave. After expelling all his personal demons, Matt learns an important lesson: It’s okay to open up to people and actually show emotion. In a 2006 conversation with fans on the Digimon fansite With the Will, voice actor and scriptwriter Jim Nimoy commented if given the chance to rewrite one Digimon Adventure character, he “would make Matt less of an indecisive guy.” In hindsight, this breaks open Matt’s entire character arc. His main trait isn’t the “lone wolf” but something far more complicated — someone troubled by his own self-doubt.

  Breaking the Fortress of Solitude

  The Crest of Friendship appears in Matt's Digivice as he rescues the others

  In the latest 2020 iteration of Digimon Adventure, Matt helps Tai and company siege an attack on Gorillamon in the eighth episode “The Children's Attack on the Fortress.” Having arrived before everyone else, Matt is seemingly less unfazed by the severe amount of violence aimed at them. Admittedly, it seems like this version of the Digital World is even more hostile, which makes Matt’s stoic demeanor all the more impressive. Despite the fact that Digimon now apparently have access to military-grade weapons, Matt doesn’t concede to Tai’s help until he finally sees the others can hold their ground. For what it's worth, this is what proves them in his eyes — that they can carry their own weight. They aren’t, as Nimoy had pointed out, indecisive.

  The Crest of Friendship briefly appears on Matt’s Digivice, he kicks Gorillamon’s butt, and finally decides Tai and his pals aren’t so bad after all. This version of Matt has, so far, had his entire original arc turned inside-out. Rather than beginning in a group, Matt stakes it out alone, and in a pivotal moment, realizes the powerful potential of friendship. For better or worse, this new Digimon Adventure has already done the legwork of admitting Matt’s more than a two-dimensional “lone wolf.” Having essentially addressed an arc that previously took at least 50 episodes to reach by Episode 8, it seems as though Matt may serve a very different role than before.

    Matt and Gabumon make new friends

  While this doesn’t exactly answer the specifics of why he’s already in the Digital World, it does tell us this: If even Matt can have a change of heart so soon, there’s no telling what else is in store for the others. The kids will certainly have an unprecedented set of challenges awaiting them. With everyone rounded up together now (sans a certain pair of younger siblings), this is just the beginning of a new twist on the status quo. Maybe Matt's truly a social butterfly in wolf’s clothing after all? It's a brave, all new Digital World out there.

  How do you feel about Matt in Digimon Adventure? Let us know in the comments below!

        Blake P. is a weekly columnist for Crunchyroll Features. His favorite Digimon is Patamon. His twitter is @_dispossessed. His bylines include Fanbyte, VRV, Unwinnable, and more.

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[koushirouizumi]

Title: REPEAT? Chapters: ??/?? Chapter Title: Possession Word Count: 422 (this “part”), 22105 (current/without this part) Fandom: Digimon Adventures (mainly Adventure with hints of 02/Tri AU) Type: Fanfic Rating: M/M / R18+ (Ch. 2, some implied elsewhere), PG-13(+) (overall) Characters/Pairings: Taichi/Koushiro [Taishiro/Taishirou] (overall), other characters / maybe some other ships background implied (other parts), two ? three ? very particular “new” characters (this part) [they’re not really “new”] Summary: “Taichi wasn’t sure what he was expecting. …He just knew it wasn’t… this…” (or, Taishiro timeloops AU based on this amv and fic outline in half-written form?) Chapter Summary: the door to the master bedroom bangs open as it’s stormed guns pointed ready to shoot anyone who had been there [--]  "We're... being targeted," "but not just by the government." "One, a certain one, among them" "had the power to open the gate" "--and immediately close it again" "blocking us from entering" Read: fic under the read more !

Notes: - epilogue era / Taichi and Koushiro are adults, 30-35+ - partly based on general headcanons, partly based on my old as heck Digimon OC fic and the headcanons I/young me had for its own future / epilogue era (also it was more canon compliant overall but ah well .....) (thus many things happen differently between these two things) - partly based on new ideas gained from Tri that seriously will not leave my mind, help, (ok but seriously who else would be -- after Hikari --) - multiple timelines ? involved ?? here - ... young me could have picked a better name for Koushiro’s daughter ;; but honestly I don’t really want to change it, sooo it stuck for now (aha) (maybe her “full” name can be a little different depending? maybe it’s a nickname? maybe I’ll still change it later? who knows) - ( Taichi voice in the background ‘but it’s like “(Ya)gami”!!’ ) (she’s likely adopted in some way anyhow ok) - it even fits with this headcanon actually, why - this entire “part” is more like really choppy dialogues as I figure out how to “fill in” the rest of these verses so it leads partly to this, so probably this whole thing will be rewritten in the future, but the ideas still stand - TAISHIRO GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION AUs SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS IF YOU THINK WITH TAICHI’S PROFESSION -- - ... further notes after * [1] He flings the door open -- -- the blue glow -- of the computer screen, in the darkened room, startles him as he stares, wide-eyed, at -- ( h i s -- ) "Kami--?!" -- she stares, blankly, at the screen as the light begins to grow stronger -- Kai, [ who ] ( i n i t i a l l y ) [ -- wanted nothing more than to ] ( r u n a w a y ) -- could only -- fling himself toward her as the light envelopes them both -- leaving neither child behind. * the door to the master bedroom bangs open as it's stormed guns pointed ready to shoot anyone who had been there * ( and particularly ) ( t h o s e t w o -- ) ( “ C h o s e n ” ) * however, they were greeted by an empty room * [ they leave it ] [ ... d e s t r o y e d ] [ a n y w a y ] * [1] "We're... being targeted," Koushiro whispers, strained voice shaky with heavy breaths, "but not just by the government." "Taichi-san, remember before," "When the Digital World itself began attacking us?" "Y-... Yes, but--" ('What is he -- is it happening again?! -- but the portal had let us in??--') "Back then," "it wasn't just Hikari-san who noticed it--" "felt it." "Taichi-san," " I did, too. " Taichi stares at him, wide-eyed -- (Koushiro did mention, back then...) (but?!--) "I had thought, at the time--" "Perhaps it was just, my senses and awareness had been heightened--" "That was partly it, but--" "it wasn't the whole reason." "...Koushiro, what are you trying to say--?!" * [2] "We're being rejected" "because the Digital World, once again," "is thinking of us as the enemy" "but then--" "The reason our children were let in--" "--it's not just because they're Chosen," "Taichi-san." "There's another reason." "One, a certain one, among them" "had the power to open the gate" "--and immediately close it again" "blocking us from entering" * [1]-[2] "Koushiro, what--" Taichi begins asking, depserately, * [2] Koushiro turns, tearing his gaze away from the ( l i g h t ) of his Pibook’s screen, ... To stare at him, eyes filled with worry, and says -- * [1] Koushiro's tired eyes, filled with worry, look up at him, as Taichi stares down -- * [1]-[2] " Taichi-san, " "Homeostasis is possessing Kami." *** Notes: - DUN DUN DUNNNNNN (I’m sorry) - partly inspired by this particular Tri scene (note my commentary maybe) - partly inspired by young me’s own headcanons I’d had since loooong before Tri - Koushiro is definitely injured in one “timeline” here (hence his looking up at Taichi in [1]) (there’s probably blood I’m sorry) - (that’s kind of what happens when you’re knocked out and injured and bloodied and your [not quite yet ? but might as well be] husband helps you escape a burning wreck by somehow forcing open a portal to the Digital World when it should be rejecting them except this one is forcing me to rewrite my own whole OC verse idea T a i c h i get yourself TOGETHER) - in [1], Yagami Kai (Taichi’s son) and Izumi Kami[ka?] [Kamiko?] (idek) (Koushiro’s daughter) ... are back at Koushiro’s place for reasons but ..... (also I barely get to show them here bc lead-up but I LOVE THEM SO MUCH HELP honestly if you hate the epilogue kids get out of my house) (i’m serious I’ve had epilogue kids headcanons ever since that old OC fic) - in [2] it’s . canon compliant ? so they’re leaving straight from the 02 ending scene kind of (note the 02) - [2] - canon compliant with the OC verse incorporated in background anyhow... - [1]-[2] - Homeostasis why - mainly I just wanted to get to the last line because whooooo -- - ---HOMEOSTASIS STOP ( - yeah he’s still using the -san ) ( - Homeostasis really can’t give Koushiro and Taichi a break ) ( - particularly Koushiro though )

[somegirlsnerdywords2]

Anime i’ve Watched

That begin with a D (Part 2)!

Yep this is how i’m going to bring over all the anime and manga i’ve watched and posted about on the old blog. It’s not so detailed but it will have to do. Anything new I watch or read from this point on will have their own posts.

Digimon Adventure tri. 1: Saikai (Digimon Adventure tri. Reunion):

Genres: action, adventure, comedy, film, drama

Synopsis:  The gate to the Digital World has been closed for three years. Taichi Yagami and his friends have since moved on, and now that he is in his second year of high school, it is time for him to grow up. While everyone else knows what they want to do with their lives, Taichi remains unsure. Meanwhile, the group drifts further apart as they follow their own paths. One day, a rogue insectoid Digimon called Kuwagamon materializes and disrupts electronics all over the city. Taichi recklessly chases after it and ends up cornered by the attacking Digimon. Suddenly, the Digivice that he still carries—a digital device that serves various purposes including helping one's Digimon partner to evolve—glows, and Agumon appears. The two are able to defeat Kuwagamon, but why did the Digimon cross over to this world in the first place? What is happening in the Digital World, and how exactly does this involve Meiko Mochizuki, the new transfer student in Taichi's class? [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7/10

A film released in 2015.

My Thoughts: Ahhh nostalgia. How bittersweet and not always entirely satisfying. Also.... after watching almost the entire run of Adventure Tri I can’t help but wonder why they released it in film form instead of a series... Let’s not dwell on that too much though. Part one is very much a reunion as the title states. Were introduced to all of the old characters (older now), a few new ones and are quickly thrown into a new adventure. This is just the beginning. 

Digimon Adventure tri. 2: Ketsui (Digimon Adventure tri. Determination):

Genres:action, adventure, comedy, drama, film

Synopsis: Time has passed since Alphamon appeared, and restoration work has moved ahead little by little in the town of Odaiba."I had decided once I got back to Japan, I'd be sure to take a dip in a big bath!" shouts Mimi. Because of that and a desire to make their new members Meiko Mochizuki and Meicoomon feel welcome, the DigiDestined go to a nearby hot springs theme park. Everyone has a good time, but Joe doesn't show up.Joe feels caught between the imminent reality of college entrance exams, and his responsibilities as a DigiDestined."Why do we have to do this again?"Just then, another infected Digimon appears in Odaiba. It's that proud virus type, Ogremon... As a TV station helicopter relays a broadcast of his rampage, Mimi and Palmon spring into action."We'll show people that there are good Digimon, too!"Mimi and Palmon ignore Koushirou's attempts to hold them back, however, and their battle brings about unforeseen consequences...Joe and Mimi each have their own troubles. Then on the day of Tsukishima General High School's festival, that man appears before them...The adventure now evolves once again...

(Source: Official website)

My Thoughts: 8/10

A film released in 2016.

My Thoughts: Better than the first installment but no where near perfect. Perhaps i’m too old to thoroughly enjoy Digimon anymore.... pretty sure it still managed to make me all sorts of emotional though so there’s that. 

Digimon Adventure tri. 3: Kokuhaku (Digimon Adventure tri. Confession):

Genres: action, comedy, adventure, drama, film

Synopsis:  Taichi and friends can't hide how disturbing it was that something suddenly went wrong with Meicoomon, causing her to destroy Leomon and disappear beyond the distortion. "If Meicoomon was infected, I want to find out what caused it. Were there any signs it had happened? And when in the world did it occur?" Faced with a situation beyond imagination, Koushirou struggles to come up with some countermeasure. But with no effective means at his disposal, he ends up grilling Meiko for information. "Please remember. I need information if I'm going to find out what's behind the infection." Meiko hangs her head, unable to offer any answer... Agumon and the others had been quarantined in Koushirou's office to protect against infection, but Patamon starts showing signs of it anyway... At the same time, Agumon and the others are informed via the voice dwelling within Hikari about an important secret concerning the Digital World. "The time... draws near..." Then during the battle against Meicoomon when she shows up again, said "time" arrives. Taichi and friends agonize over the revealed secret. As the feelings of each of them intertwine, they arrive at a certain determination... "If we wait around for 'someday', before you know it we'll find ourselves having grown up." The adventure now evolves once again... (Source: Official website)

My Rating: 9/10

A film released in 2016.

My Thoughts: Each installment is an improvement... or perhaps i’m simply becoming more and more attached to the characters and world. You be the judge. 

Digimon Adventure tri. 4: Soushitsu (Digimon Adventure tri. Loss):

Genres: action, adventure, comedy, drama, film

Synopsis: First there was Meicoomon's rampage, and then the reboot ended up happening. Taichi and friends left Meiko behind in her anguish, and headed for the Digital World. They reunite with their partner Digimon, who have lost all their memories up to this point. Even so, the DigiDestined decide to reach out and rebuild those bonds, and their Digimon respond in kind. The sole exception is Biyomon, who is openly wary even after digivolving to her Rookie stage... "I told you, I don't know anything about 'the past'!" Sora's kindness in putting others before herself only makes Biyomon that much more suspicious. This leaves Sora stunned and hurt, and Taichi and Yamato are at a loss for what to say to her. As everyone discusses what they should do from here in the Digital World, Meicoomon suddenly appears and then vanishes. For some reason she still has her memories, as she wanders around with tears in her eyes, looking for Meiko. Seeing this strengthens the kids' resolve to travel through the Digital World in order to save Meicoomon. But then before their eyes appears that man who had been with the Dark Masters. Meanwhile in the real world, Nishijima receives word that Himekawa has gone missing. As he investigates, he determines that there's been some hidden agenda behind her behavior up to this point. It has something to do with an event in the past that determined both their destinies... The adventure now evolves once again... (Source: Official website)

My Rating: 6/10

A film released in 2017.

My Thoughts: And clearly I spoke too soon about how each installment was an improvement on the last. The fourth installment was the weakest yet! It just moved sooo slow and added very little to the story overall. Weak. 

Digimon Adventure tri. 5: Kyousei (Digimon Adventure tri. Coexistence):

Genres: action, adventure, comedy, drama, film

Synopsis:  Fifth Digimon Adventure tri film.

My Rating: 7/10

A film released in 2017.

My Thoughts: WOW that synopsis sure is descriptive... and i’m not going o be much more help. Honestly if you’ve come this far in the film series you clearly intend to finish it out so I don’t think I need to sell you on this one. I will say that this installment was thankfully a step up from the last... not much of a step up but i’ll take what I can get. Guess I should get my butt around to finally watching the last installment eh? 

[theblazingonix-blog]

The Chosen and their Chakras

So my friend @aiko-isari and several others have been writing about Tri 5: Symbosis/Coexistence ever since it came out a few days ago. I am having fun reading these and how so many people’s theories are coming together to make understanding of the events of the movie and series in general. I have long since been thinking up my own theories for Digimon for years, but most of them have either been debunked or are things me and Aiko have talked about for the past few years we’ve talked and she’s already mentioning some of them. So I want to go with something I’ve been thinking of for the past few months instead to add to this discussion. It’s probably gonna be too long to put in one part so bear with me. I will be putting my sources for all of the information for this theory at the end of each post. I also want to warn that I am going to mostly use dub names so if you have issue with that, I’m sorry. Just replace the dub names with the originals in your head. Not much I can do other than suggest that, I’m not gonna rewrite this entire thing with only the original Japanese names.

What’s my theory about? Simple. The Seven Chakras and how they influence the Chosen Children and their crests.

Now, I know what some people are thinking. “Chakra!? What does Naruto have anything to do with Digimon!?” Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Naruto’s Chakra is more akin to Chi which is also another fascinating thing, but this isn’t a theory that has to do with that.

The Seven Chakras are something very popular in the Eastern countries they originated in. The concept Zenlama.com describes as: “The word ‘chakra’ is derived from the sanskrit word meaning ‘wheel’. Literally translated from the Hindi it means ‘Wheel of spinning Energy’. A chakra is like a whirling, vortex-like, powerhouse of energy. Within our bodies, you have seven of these major energy centres and many more minor ones. You can think of chakras as invisible, rechargeable batteries.

They are charged and recharged through contact with the stream of cosmic energy in the atmosphere in much the same way that your home is connected to a central power source within a city – the only difference is that this cosmic energy source is free.

Imagine this, a vertical power current rather like a fluorescent tube that runs up and down the spine, from the top of the head to the base of the spine. Think of this as your main source of energy. The seven major chakras are in the centre of the body and are aligned with this vertical “power line. ”

Chakras connect your spiritual bodies to your physical one.

They regulate the flow of energy throughout the electrical network (meridians) that runs through the physical body. The body’s electrical system resembles the wiring in a house. It allows electrical current to be sent to every part, and it is ready for use when needed.

Sometimes chakras become blocked because of stress, emotional or physical problems. If the body’s ‘energy system’ can not flow freely it is likely that problems will occur. The consequence of irregular energy flow may result in physical illness and discomfort or a sense of being mentally and emotionally out of balance.”

Due to the Gnostic and subtle spiritual themes Digimon has had over the years I believe this makes sense. After all, due to being produced by an Eastern country who has embraced things like Buddhism and Taoism and such, I believe this might have influenced the creators of the series when they started bringing such concepts as the Crests into the picture. I believe in a lot of ways the Crests represent and mirror the Seven Chakras, and how said Chakras might be influencing the characters, their personalities, their actions and the entire plots of the movies, anime and games they’ve been in. So in in other words, I will be calling this: The Chosen and their Chakras Part 1: Naval Oranges

Now that that overly long intro is out of the way, I bet the first thing you’re gonna say is “But Onix, there are more than seven crests! There are like nine canonically, and eleven if you count the crest toys of Miracles and Destiny that Bandai released!”

You wouldn’t be wrong. There are certainly more than seven crests while there are only seven Chakras. However, and this is important, but once upon a time there were only seven. Kari wasn’t even meant to be a Chosen Child early on, but after Tai went home they decided it would be neat to include her, I suppose. So her Crest of Light was born. And to be perfectly honest, that particular crest fits in more than Joe’s, or at least seems too. Even if I will give reasons why his fits in too in a certain area. Also, keep in mind that while the kids technically own the singular crest, all of the traits of the crests are in each of them. They all have that trait, only they have one that’s stronger. As we will come to find out, this will make them all right messes when we get down to it. Now, moving on to the theory.

So, I think I should start this out by also bringing up Color Symbolism. It really fits in with this so bear with me.

Colors are a big thing in Japanese and other Asian cultures. Colors have a wide range of traits, even ones that fit the personality of characters in stories. I will only mention only the colors that pertain to the first eight crests, though if people want I can mention what the colors mean for the three later crests as well. I will not be including all their traits here because, again, it will get too big. I will most likely go into depth in their own parts.

For the start, we’ll be going with Orange as it’s the first Crest (Courage) found. This color is a vibrant one, usually symbolizing energy, enthusiasm, balance and the demanding of attention. It is also warmth, flamboyant and expansive. From another source it is the color of social communication and optimism, which are rather positive. Its negative traits also include pessimism and superficiality. I think this all describes Tai to a T. Especially during the Etemon and Dark Masters arcs, in 02 and more so in Tri. Also when it comes to his Chakra tied to this color as well, which is the second – the Sacral or Navel Chakra. Zenlama.com describes this Chakras as: “Its colour is orange and it is located between the base of your spine and your navel. It is associated with your lower abdomen, kidneys, bladder, circulatory system and your reproductive organs and glands. It is concerned with emotion. This chakra represents desire, pleasure, sexuality, procreation and creativity. Blockage may manifest as emotional problems, compulsive or obsessive behaviour and sexual guilt.” While it focuses more on sexual things than Digimon will likely ever go, some of these are rather telling for Tai as a character. He’s had emotional problems, especially regarding his sister and all of the problems he is now facing in Tri, which are problems he faced as a child trying to save the world only in a different, more mature way. Also, as a character, he desires for the simpler days of such youth, where he eventually became self-assured that things would be better as long as he worked for them. And, of course, there is the compulsive and obsessive behaviors. We all know how compulsive he was in Adventure, with overfeeding Agumon to give him the energy to evolve and trying to force it in the fight with the evil Greymon. And then in the pyramid when he thought nothing mattered to them in the Digital World due to them being made up of data in it. And of course, his obsessive behavior in keeping Kari safe and trying to help as many people as he can. You can say he grew out of this too, but that’s the thing about growing up. Sometimes bad habits can still crop up again.

It all fits rather interestingly, especially with his later job as a diplomat, which Tri has been beautifully showing his eventual lead down that path. It also explains a lot of his past actions too, especially the one that happened in Tri 5.

So, that’s part one done. I’m pretty sure there’s more I can go into, but as I am admittedly a layman when it comes to the Seven Chakras and Color Symbolism, I doubt I’ll be able to articulate much more on Orange, Navels and Tai. Not bad for a first true post though, huh? The next part of this theory will come out in a few days. It will be called Red Roots. Looking forward to it? I certainly am. :)

Sources: https://www.zenlama.com/the-7-chakras-a-beginners-guide-to-your-energy-system/ https://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/middle/color2.htm

[holydramon]

person who voted that I’d like the beginning more than the tri movies: I feel like you should know I am one of the biggest tri lovers there is. that was the least safe bet there. that said I admire your guts.

[neni-has-ascended]

So are we ready in earnest?

Ready for a P5 Anime and 3 more Persona Spin-Off games, this time not handled by Katsura Hashino and one of them possibly featuring up to 30 playable characters? Oh gosh, I’m not even sure, man. I have to process this.

Ready for Duck Tales 2017 to rewrite everything I know about my childhood? Oh gosh, I’m not sure, man.

Ready for Kingdom Hearts’ overly vocal fanbase leading to KH3 being pushed out of development before it is ready, meaning it won’t be able to lead up to its full potential? Oh gosh, I’m not sure, man.

Ready for seeing a certain cartoon character pull a complete 180° and become a pirate and it being awesome? Oh gosh, I’m not sure, man.

Ready for the upcoming fifth Digimon Tri movie to either make or break this entire rocky ride of a filmseries for me? Oh gosh, I’m not sure, man.

Ready for the impeding possible end of the world due to political stupidity? ...Actually, let’s leave it at that. 

[groundramon]

It’s really interesting to look back on the old chapters of Oneiromon when I’m not going through a depressive/self-loathing spell

It’s only been a year, but I feel like so much about how I want my writing to read, what I want Oneiromon to be, where I plan to take the story, what I’m doing with certain characters, what I prioritize in the story, ect has changed.

I always intended Oneiromon to be a “scarier” and “more realistic” version of Digimon or Narnia, in a way.  There are plenty of stories where regular human kids get transported to a magical lang and forced into some magical destiny, but there are so few that actually show those kids dealing with the stress of said magical destiny.  Narnia explores it a little, Digimon explores it pretty extensively in its first and fourth seasons (I feel like other seasons didnt do it as well as the first season, including the fourth season but it still tried), but I still feel like the characters accepted their magical destinies too easily (besides maybe Edmund, but even though he had an arc leading up to his acceptance, he was still too quick to accept the White Witch as a normal and good thing).  You can only scream about weird monsters for so long, but suddenly becoming a superhero is just...unrealistic.  Sure they might get used to the world in the first few episodes (although they’re probably learning new stuff all the time unless whoever they meet is a walking encyclopedia and exposition disposer) but taking it upon yourself to save an entire world, especially one that you dont even know and possibly has been hostile to you?  You have to be an awfully selfless yet prideful person to do that - you’d have to have the selflessness to put your life on hold for people you dont even know, selfless enough to risk your own life over and over, and yet prideful enough to think you have a chance at winning.  That is...not a common combination, especially in minors.  One of the big things in Oneiromon for me was making the transition between “I didnt sign up for this shit” and “okay I’ll help” gradual; to show the humans only acting out of self-preservation (and by that I mean helping each other) until they start making friends with other Oneiromon.  And to show which human characters are quicker to agree to it than others.  As for the scary part, well, lets just say that there are a lot of oneoff character deaths and they tend to be pretty violent.

But when I started off, I wanted to make people feel things.  Sure I wanted to go into it gradually since going into angsty shit off the bat is just bad writing by anyone’s standards (unless your point is to show how cruel the world is, not to make them feel things), but still.  Now I’m trying desperately to find a balance between the two.  Because things got wayyy too heavy in Arc 1 and I feel like that dulled the ending of the arc and could dull the experiences in Arc 2.  Arc 2 is all about me trying to get that back on track, trying to redeem all the fuckups I had in Arc 1 and balance the story out a little bit so I can have a fresh start with Arc 3.  I’m super excited for Arc 3 because either it or Arc 4 is my favorite arc in the story, and the ending of Arc 2 was a solid ending to work off of.  Now I want to make a more light-hearted story that frequently gets dark, despite coming upon the darkest part in the story in the next arc or two.  And I really wish I was better at writing humor because that would help lighten the mood a LOT but.  I’m not.  So oops.  (”But Stormy...you’re...you’re Stormy...how could you be bad at writing comedy” haha have you read Oneiromon, that story is more angsty and fun-less than Shiro)

For ages I’ve been trying to dissect what themes I often include in my writing, to see what I prioritize in my stories.  The best I had came up with is either that I prioritize friendship since so many of my stories revolve around a group of people who become friends/are friends, or I just dont have any themes/messages I include in my stories.  Which, while those are still pretty accurate, there are some things I want to get across in my stories.  Unless I’m specifically writing a kid’s show that focuses on morals, I will never force morals into my stories, or revolve my stories around a moral.  My stories are meant to be fun entertainment at their lightest and exploration of psychology and other “fun” shit at their darkest.  First and foremost they’re meant to be enjoyable experiments for me and for others, where you love the characters and enjoy the story.  Not saying I achieve that buuut I’m trying, and hey at least I love my characters (except Sarah she sucks...jk i love her too she’s just fun to hate) so I think that’s pretty good.  But for the few themes I do include...I want to preach acceptance and self-love.  I want to include good coping skills that my mentally ill characters learn and start using, I want to walk the diversity talk by including people from all kinds of different walks of life, I want to teach kids (when I’m writing for them) that its okay to love themselves and be proud of their accomplishments as long as you arent mean about it.  Because I dont want another generation of kids to grow up being told that pride is a vice and if you value yourself at all, you’re doing it wrong.  I dont want kids to be conditioned to think low self esteem is a virtue anymore.  That pride, self-love, and arrogance are three different things.  And these things are woven into the narrative, not just explored out of nowhere, in case you’re wondering.  Like I said, I dont do morals.  I just try to teach people through example, either through my example or my characters’ examples.

And the characters...whoo boy, the characters.  Sarah and Mich have completely swapped “roles” in the story, so to speak; Mich was supposed to be the brash, brave one, while Sarah was more cautious and intelligent.  Mich is still the ditzier of the two, but Sarah rules with her heart instead of her brain despite being a smart girl and lets her stress over the whole thing rule her entire demeanor.  They feel almost like completely different characters, or Sarah does anyways, but...hopefully I can just excuse it as “Sarah was on her best behavior before because social pressure, but now she’s out of steam and can’t put on a nice, calm facade anymore”.  And Devin?  I never knew what I was doing with Devin.  But then I found an amazing angle for him and honestly...I think I relate to him the most out of any of the characters now, although he might be tied with Mich.

I dunno, its just interesting.  I hate that it’s so inconsistent but oh well, I’m still learning.  Maybe some day I can rewrite it into something much better.

[50cyg]

What makes me adore Taiyama

First off I want to apologize to the person who requested this for taking so long. I have been trying to figure out how to put into words why I like Taiyama so much and even now I know I will not be able to do it justice and it annoys me (this thing has gone through so many rewrites, I’d write a whole paragraph, then proceed to highlight it and delete it). Compared to my other posts I feel like this one contains a huge lack of passion even though it’s the thing I am most passionate about in Digimon… (I will eventually update this post to include links to headcanons and analysis that had a huge effect on my love for Taiyama)

A huge reason why I love Taiyama actually comes down to the fandom. I find there is so much richness to this pairing in terms of Analysis and Headcanons. I love reading other people’s interpretations of the characters and seeing people point things out that I never understood or noticed before. And it allows me to gain new appreciation for the characters which I never had before.

When I was a kid I never liked Taichi and Yamato’s rivalry, it made no sense to me and I felt like it was forced. I especially hated their clash near the end of season 1. I thought Taichi was being a huge dick to Mimi and thought Yamato was being a brat when he attacked Taichi. But reading many analysis of both these scenes and the characters has made me grow to understand these two more and why they do what they do. The Taiyama fandom just makes me really happy and I think it is full of such wonderful people with really rich imaginations and wonderfully analytical minds. So Taiyama has this special place in my life because it has kinda changed my world. I joined Tumblr because of it and have discovered other people who over-analyze as much as I do and I love it and feel really at home in this fandom.

I ship them because I feel like they complete each other in a really nice way. Taichi relies on Yamato to be his devil’s advocate so he can make well informed decisions. Yamato relies on Taichi to make him aware of what is really important and to help get him out of his funk with that wonderfully energetic personality. Yamato has difficulty believing and trusting in people while all Taichi does is believe and trust in people (except his sister in 01). Yamato tends to do things on his own while Taichi always brings people together. Yamato needs to feel needed and Taichi gives him that sense of purpose. I feel like Taichi is a sword while Yamato is a shield. Taichi’s has an offensive mind and Yamato a defensive mind. Yamato is going to think of how to protect everyone while shielding them while Taichi is going to think of the quickest way to take out the enemy. Yamato is the serious one who knows how to have fun while Taichi is the fun one who knows how to be serious.

They also have so much in common too though so their relationship doesn’t feel like one that could never work out because they are too different. They both care very strongly about others and hate to see people upset or hurt. They both have overprotective natures. They both get angry pretty easily, but at the same time are capable of being easily calmed down. And they can make up really fast, like it’s amazing how fast these two can settle differences which I think means if they became a couple their arguments would rarely get out of hand or end in long lasting wounds.

These two also open up the potential for really great headcanons and analysis (I’m planning on doing one soon on how I headcanon that they both have serious emotional issues and difficulty communicating but for entirely different reasons and it just makes me really happy to play around with the idea of these two in my head both as individuals and as a couple).

I really like that neither one dominates the other. I’ve never been one for those gay ships where one is the guy and the other is clearly meant to be the more feminine one. Neither Taichi nor Yamato could ever have complete control in the relationship, they are very evenly matched both in physical and mental strength and I don’t think either one would want to be dominant.

I like that these two develop a really close bond despite all their fighting in early episodes. I feel like there is this really strong bond between them that neither one can escape and that just comes naturally to them. I love that they are so happy to see each other in episode 9 and they are the only two to have that reaction to seeing each other again. Mimi is super happy to see Koushiro but Koushiro couldn’t care less and Jyou and Sora immediately go into plan mode. Taichi and Yamato are the only two to take the time to appreciate that they have found each other (you know… before they proceed to get into a huge fight but that’s just their nature at this point).

I love that they don’t understand each other throughout season 1 but you really feel like they have grown to understand each other by season 2 and it’s actually really believably once you understand their characters and motivations. I like that they have a really strong respect for each other with Yamato acknowledging Taichi’s leadership skills and Taichi respecting Yamato’s opinions.

I like the complexity of their relationship. These two wouldn’t just naturally click, they would really have to work at their relationship. They would have to work at communicating properly with each other and you know that they would. They would want to know why the other one is upset, and why they are feeling the way they feel. They would want to make the other one happy and beat up anyone who makes them unhappy. I kind of picture their fights ending in them both being upset with themselves for making the other one upset.

I love that there is tension in their relationship. I don’t like relationships that seem like they would just work all the time with little to no conflict, those relationships bore me.

I like that they both strive to make the other one a better person. Taichi wants Yamato to believe in other people and show him they can be believed in. Taichi wants to prove to Yamato that people believe in him too. Yamato just wants Taichi to be the best leader he can be.

I love the way these two fight. I love that they used to beat the crap out of each other and scream and shout as kids and now it’s just silent brooding and awkward stares. It’s so funny to me the way these two have evolved.

Their interactions really make me feel like Yamato is Taichi’s most precious person, right behind Hikari of course. And that Taichi is Yamato’s most precious person, right behind Takeru of course. Taichi is often thinking about Yamato in 01, like in ep 21 in the Japanese version he literally wakes up from his sleep calling out Yamato’s name, just omfg. And in Tri how Yamato calls Taichi as soon as he notices what’s going on on Tv and how he notices something is wrong with Taichi and starts watching his every move.

These two are just so full of love by their nature and when I look at them I feel like they would follow each other to hell and back and give everything for the other person and I truly feel they would be lost without each other. They are one of those couples that I feel if one of them were to die the other one would die to. You know you hear about those couples who grow old together and then when one dies of old age the other dies of a broken heart, that is how I picture the story of these two ending.

[digitaldreams0801]

Digimon Frontier, Character Development, and Change

In my rewrite of Digimon Frontier, I’ve been very picky about giving each character a specific arc that can be identified if you’re looking closely enough. Digimon Frontier as a whole has a very unique philosophy when it comes to developing characters, and that’s exactly what I’m going to be talking about in this quirky little info dump from yours truly. 

How Frontier Develops Characters

Digimon Frontier takes a very mature first step by introducing the flaws of each character right off the bat. With other seasons, it takes some time to identify the negative traits of each of the children, and we get used to their strengths first. Digimon Frontier does something completely different by going the other way around and forcing us to fill in the gaps of what they can do in the future. Takuya begins as an incredibly confident young man who’s too stubborn and short-tempered to admit when he’s wrong. Tomoki is a crybaby who can’t handle what’s happening. Izumi is capable of being petty and stuck-up. Junpei is an awkward kid with no grip of how to read social situations. Koji hates interacting with the rest of the team and refuses to acknowledge strength in numbers. Even when Koichi shows up, he’s portrayed as having severe problems with bottling his emotions, stepping first with his flaws. 

Frontier has the characters unlearn these issues as the series goes on, but it’s proof of maturity for the franchise that it can trust its character writing enough to establish the cast as being incredibly flawed from a fundamental perspective. The audience has faith that the writers can shift everything by the end though, developing these characters into three-dimensional people who we can see believably existing. Digimon has always been about the characters, and Frontier takes a unique perspective for this development. 

This all comes to a head at the halfway point of the season. When Takuya returns to Earth via Dark Trailmon, he is confronted with the truth of the matter: the children have all changed significantly from the petty, short-tempered people they were before. He can’t simply undo that because of how much they’ve come to change already, and the change is incredibly noticeable when you look at it from this perspective. It’s a mature, subtle way to handle character development that I love a lot. 

So... Why the hell am I not doing that? 

Problems in Planning

I’ve always admired Frontier for the way that it starts off. You have to be patient in order to see the positive traits exhibited by each member of the cast, and I think that’s a special way to begin a character-driven series like this. However, when I sat down to go about the rewrite, I realized that this method of development simply would not work for the story that I wanted to tell. 

This problematic fact first presented itself when I got to planning the appearances of the Beast Spirits. In my rewrite of Frontier, the Beast Spirits are symbolic of the monster inside that can easily be unchained when one’s emotions spiral out of hand. At its heart, Spirit Evolution is about using one’s emotions effectively, and it was this fact that I based my character development off. 

The Beast Spirits act as a catalyst for development by forcing each of the characters to confront the darkest, ugliest parts of themselves. From the beginning, there’s a strange paradox within the cast of trusting each other with their lives and little else. The first deeply personal conversation about overcoming flaws and reaching out to one another happens in chapter seven, and even so, Tomoki’s issues regarding his consistent anxiety and trauma aren’t fully resolved until seven chapters later. In chapter eight, Izumi and Junpei discuss their envy of one another, and it’s only then that any two members of the cast actually begin to trust one another with more than simply backup on the battlefield. Before, they were sticking together out of obligation rather than friendship. 

In ‘Frontiers Unexplored’, the primary point of character development is overcoming one’s issues and using emotions in an effective, non-destructive way. If you look carefully, you can see that each season has its own way of developing characters, and it’s carefully selected for that given season. In Adventure, the kids overcome their personal flaws by exemplifying their best traits. 02 is all about relationships and connecting with others. Frontier, like I already said, focuses on starting with negative aspects and moving towards positivity. Appmon is concentrated on becoming the people each of them yearns to be (for example, Haru becoming the protagonist he always wanted to be but didn’t think he could accomplish). They’re all tailored for the story that they want to tell, and there’s only so much wiggle room you can have with a given season before that philosophy of development has to change. 

In order for ‘Frontiers Unexplored’ to work, I had to do quite a bit of changing regarding the plot and characters. Since I was going for something darker, the cast was aged up, and the arcs I planned out for them simply wouldn’t work as well if their flaws were presented first. Each character development method is incredibly specific to the story that the season is trying to tell, and as much as I love Frontier’s bold move of starting with a group of emotionally messy kids and turning them into underdog heroes, it simply wouldn’t work with the story I was trying to tell, so I didn’t try to make it fit. 

Instinct, Emotion, and Change

Instead, I shifted the point of the character arcs. Each of these characters suffer from unique problems that have shaped them into the people they are. They’re problems that many teenagers suffer from, hence why the characters have been aged up. Their past experiences have left behind damage and trauma that has been left to build into resentment and fear of being hurt once again. The character development in this rewrite is all about moving past those dark times and using the emotional aftermath in an effective way. 

The Beast Spirits are, in the beginning, incredibly destructive. Tomoki is the first to find his Beast Spirit, and it’s an awful experience for him. However, each of the group’s members grows to control their Beast Spirits when they reach out and stop bottling their emotions. Rather than allowing their feelings to drive them over the edge, they allow themselves to be helped, shifting their emotions into something that pushes them forward instead of holding them back. The Beast Spirits act as catalysts for each character for move past their issues by asking for help and using their emotions effectively. 

By nature, living creatures are driven by emotion and instinct. This is the fundamental truth Beast Spirit evolution is based around, and it remains true throughout the entire book. However, this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. ‘Frontiers Unexplored’ is about taking dark, troubled parts of ourselves and turning them into something that helps rather than hinders. It’s about communication as the kids grow to trust each other more and more with their problems. Their flaws are shown, and all of them are rooted in emotions being released in the wrong way, but salvation is found by moving past those issues and using one’s feelings as effectively as possible. 

Conclusion

I love the way Digimon Frontier develops its characters, but that simply wouldn’t work for the story I was planning on telling. Each season of Digimon has its own philosophy for developing its characters, and rather than trying to make Frontier’s structure for a story where it doesn’t belong, I changed the point of the character arcs. ‘Frontiers Unexplored’ is about moving towards the future, overcoming trauma, and using emotions in a positive way rather than allowing them to destroy. The story was too different for Frontier’s idea of character development to remain, so this change was made, and I believe that it ultimately fits better for the tale I have been weaving since late May. 

I’m currently working on rewatching all of Digimon, and I’ve made considerable progress since March of this year. I’ve already gotten through Adventure, 02, Frontier, Tri, and Appmon. I’m currently a little over halfway through Data Squad/Savers, and after I’m finished with it, I’ll be starting to rewatch Tamers, and then it’ll be time for Xros Wars. After I get through them all, I may write a meta piece about each season’s philosophy for character development since I had so much fun working on this. Of course, it’ll probably be a while until I get around to that, so in the meantime, I hope you enjoyed reading this! Chapter nineteen of ‘Frontiers Unexplored’ is dropping this Sunday! Have a nice day, everyone!