I used to be undoubtedly a kind of children that checked out Digimon and thought “that appears like a Pokemon ripoff” and simply type of ignored it. It isn’t like I by no means noticed any of the present, I did personal a single VHS tape with a few episodes on it that I watched not less than greater than as soon as, however there was undoubtedly one thing lacking for me. Lower to now, approaching my thirties, and my fellow-Pokemon-only associate and I assumed to ourselves “we could give Digimon a go?” Why we had that thought, I could not inform you, however it did really feel like one thing that was lacking in our lives and we wished to fill that hole.
The sequence is, unsurprisingly, very a lot a children present. All the characters and Digimon’s designs are very sellable, dialogue is a bit hammy, the music is extremely late ’90s, early 2000s in vibes, and issues like stats and kinds present up clearly on the display screen so children might simply see what their favorite guys might do. However, we did not really begin with the sequence, as a result of we figured that if we will do that, we should always do it proper. Which in flip led us to the Digimon film.
No, don’t be concerned fervent Digimon fan, I am not speaking in regards to the terrible amalgamation of three completely different films that hardly makes any sense, I am speaking in regards to the unique one, Digimon Journey. To the uninitiated, Digimon Journey serves as a prologue to the primary Digimon sequence, and launched in cinemas the day earlier than the TV present aired in Japan. It is solely a brief little factor, about 20 minutes in size, and what? It is type of unimaginable – and likewise surprisingly scary.
Digimon Journey was really directed by probably the greatest anime movie administrators round, Mamoru Hosoda, serving as his directorial debut. You may in all probability be extra aware of Hosoda’s different, extra private works like Summer season Wars, The Wolf Kids, and extra lately Belle. He is an unimaginable director, and his fashion actually exhibits whilst early as Digimon Journey. However man, he actually managed to pack an entire lot of stress into one little quick movie.
As talked about, Digimon Journey is a prologue, following protagonist Taichi Yagami and his youthful sister Hikari. One evening, Hikari wakes as much as discover unusual issues taking place on the household laptop, when an egg seems out of it. The pair then take care of the egg earlier than it hatches into Koromon, a bit of pink creature that’s principally only a speaking head with massive ears, who’s principally only a bit foolish. Issues ramp up shortly when Koromon then Digivolves into Agumon, that traditional orange dinosaur fella everyone knows and love. And he is type of terrifying?
Within the sequence, very similar to his first kind as Koromon, Agumon is only a bit goofy, although he can battle a bit higher – and notably he is across the identical top as Taichi. Digimon Journey, although, presents a unique tackle him, as an alternative making him a six to eight foot tall, senseless, aggressive monster. He full on seems like a dinosaur, and appears nonplussed about destroying every part in his path, and when an enormous chook Digimon, additionally scary in its manner assaults, it leads Agumon to as soon as once more Digivolve into Gremon, now a t-rex sized monster as fearsome because the traditional dinosaur.
Whereas all of this is occurring, Maurice Ravel’s Bolero serves as a whimsical soundtrack that basically highlights the surreality of all of it. Keep in mind, Taichi and Hikari are one thing like six and 4 respectively, so they’re completely not age applicable for coping with a kaiju-level menace right here. It’s actually a wild movie from begin to end, and I’ve shortly change into obsessive about it. I have never actually been capable of cease interested by it since I watched it.
Digmon the sequence is really only a foolish little factor that begins off with a monster-of-the-week format, however Journey actually leans into the monster a part of the titular sequence’ portmanteau. They’re offered as damaging and violent, even when on the finish of the day Greymon remains to be the children’ buddy, and truly asks the viewer to consider the ramifications of such an occasion going down. It feels wildly forward of its time, and extra just like the type of movie you’d get in a put up Pokemon fever world somewhat than round when it was strongest.
It is also attractive, with a lot power packed into two tiny little tykes that basically convinces you they’re really kids with not a lot management over their positive motor actions. They’re simply immediately charming in a approach I believe few animated works are capable of seize in relation to children, and I believe it actually provides to how a lot stress I felt over them having to cope with large, digital monsters.
I do know that Digimon followers have lengthy mentioned the unique movies are good, however I assumed in the identical approach that the Pokemon films are good, in that they give the impression of being fairly good, and are a enjoyable solution to spend an hour, not within the “hey why would not this factor have an Oscar” type of approach. And I definitely did not know the way outright darkish it’s both, however now that I do know, all I can do is say, even if you happen to don’t love Digimon, it’s best to actually watch Digimon Journey.