Digimon : Digital Monsters

I watched a couple of episodes of Digimon near its beginning and dismissed as derivative rubbish. Then, a few months later and rather bored, I turned it on again. I couldn't believe it. This supposed kids' cartoon had one of the most dramatic, engaging, even shocking story arcs I've seen. This programme deals with love and loyalty, life and death, fear and self-doubt. The 'Digi-destined' children fight with their parents, who have trouble understanding the sacrifices their children have to make. One child finds out he's adopted. Characters sacrifice their lives to save others. The children get scared, and doubt their own ability to save the world as they are destined to do. If this had slightly better animation, and was billed as adult anim&eacute, no-one would question it once. So much more than just a kids' show.

I was just reading the comment that totally ragged on Digimon, saying that Pokemon was better.... I'm laughing hysterically right now. Alright, ya, I guess a lot of people like Pokemon, me NOT being one of them, but I'm not here to complain about that show; I'm here to say how great Digimon is!

To me, Digimon began, and ended with the first season.... The others after just weren't the same. Digimon: Digital Monsters was my very first Anime, and I totally fell in love with the main characters(Matt!!), their digimon (Gabumon and all his forms!!), and the bad guys(Myotismon!!!) It was one of the most realistic shows I'd watched (excluding the monsters and other world parts) because the kids had problems like normal kids do.

Even though I've grown up a lot since the first season ended, I still can find nothing bad to say about it. I have no regrets about spending a few years halfways obsessed with it, and I'm looking on the internet to buy all the episodes. I think it's a must see for everyone, and I do NOT think Pokemon will ever measure up to the standards Digimon has set within the minds and hearts of kids and teens everywhere (dumb, i know, but i felt like saying that, lol) So, yeah, watch this show if you ever have the chance!!

Right to start off with the usual, "Digimon ain't no Pokemon" rant. I saw the first episodes of Pokemon and thought it was an interesting idea but that was all, there is not plot minus the "Ash wants to be PokeMaster!" which I don't think they are going to resolve anytime soon. Decent enough for kids but not something you would call brilliant. Digimon sucked me in from the first episode; its plot is pretty clear from the off and has to be resolved- seven kids get sucked into another world and meet Digimon but really all they want to do is go home so thats what they try and do. I grant you the dub especially can be annoying- there are lines where you think, "they did not just say that, was that meant to be funny?" but some of it is a big laugh. For example when Tai tries to draw a map of the Island and its terrible, then they get attacked and Agumon accidentally sets it on fire and apoligises to which Tai replies, "thats OK, at least it didn't land into the hands of the enemy!". Still corny but quite funny. Also the digivolving sequences get annoying after the first few times until they get to the point of ridiculousness where it literally spends 5 minutes of the episode showing all the Digimon digivolving. Really annoying but we can bypass. If you look beneath all the corny jokes and pointless digivolving there is something really special there. The characters are really quite realistic. Tai makes mistakes but admits it and tries to fix them. Izzy is obsessed with his computer due to knowing secretly that he is adopted and its the only way he can deal with it. Even the comedic Joe has issues with his parents wanting him to be a Doctor when he doesn't really want to be one. Thats what is good about the show, the digidestined shine beyond most cartoon characters. The plot line is pretty good, especially the Myotismon arc but its pretty much, "defeat bad guy,". Season 2 has a better plot line in my opinion but the digidestined are handled really badly. Davis and Yolei appear to have no issues whatsoever, Cody's only become important near the end, Kari and T.K are just there and Ken remains the only one who comes up to par with the Season 1 cast. Season 3 is great; if you really couldn't stand the jokes in the last 2 then this one will be more your style. The digidestined are up to par again but the Digimon are as well (where before only Gatomon had any interesting development)it's a class season, but does get a bit slow at times where Season 1 is always pretty well paced. Season 4 is best left alone, I didn't enjoy it and wouldn't recommend it. So yes- don't judge Digimon off its name because you are missing out if you do. It might be childish and corny at times but at other times it matures way beyond the maturity of other children programs and into the realm of wondering who it was really aimed at. In my opinion its something I would show my children, it teaches great lessons about friendship and is colourful and fun for them- plus I don't think I'd get bored watching it if they were ^ ^.

5 years ago, I'm watching a commercial break during the original Pokemon. All of a sudden, I see an interesting commercial: a new anime show named "Digimon." "Hmmm.." I think to myself. "Probably some half-baked rip-off of Pokemon. Oh well. I guess I might as well watch it anyway." To my surprise and utter delight, what I watched a week later was by no means some Pokemon clone as I had anticipated. I had found myself wrapped up in an original masterpiece that had me immediately hooked. That first season of Digimon had me engaged from the opening segment of the first episode to the last scene of the final episode in a complex web of character building, good and evil and an occasional hinted romance. Though the next 3 installments were also great, they have not surpassed the glory of season 1. Though the series is indefinitely canceled, you can still catch re-runs on Jetix or through tapes. But I must warn you: You WILL Be hooked.

Animation Score (10/10) Overall Score (10/10) Recommended

Well, given that I watched this a 12 year-old child I can't be objective, but at that age I watched this it really was something. It had everything I wanted. It really has one of the best soundtracks I have witness in any animated series (maybe even better than the anime itself and it still gives me some crazy goosebumps when I listen to it), a decent linear plot, and the great transformations of digimons. The transformations are one of the biggest cards of this anime, since all the episodes are centered around these moments where epicness begins. Some say that it is just an imitation of pokemon which started at about the same time. I disagree, since this is far better than the too simplistic pokemon. I think could be enjoyed only from children, while this has some potential to older audiences too. Even though it's a perfect 10 for me (probably due to nostalgia, in every case it's a very watchable anime for pretty much everybody. It is not of course at the level of let's say One Piece or Dragonball, but still, you will have good time watching this.