Warning: This Digimon Adventure (2020) review contains spoilers for the series and possible future plot developments. If you are not up to date, it is recommended not to read it.
Chapter 5 – The Sacred Digimon
The episode begins right at the point where the previous one stayed, with Taichi and Sora arriving at the sanctuary where the statues of Seraphimon, Ophanimon, Cherubimon and Varodurumon are found. The latter, through a message recorded many years ago, communicates to them that, in the past, there was a great war between light and darkness of the Digital World that resulted in the victory of light. However, anticipating a future war, the Digimon Angels prepared a message for the future Chosen Children. Later both Taichi and Sora, as Koshiro (who is on the way from the Internet to the Digital World) are attacked. Fortunately everyone overcomes adversity, and Tentomon evolves into Kabuterimon in the process.
The great war
We begin with the mandatory three minutes of presentation (minus one and a half opening) with the central plot of the series (which is already starting to get tired) and a summary of what happened in the previous episode. As commented in the summary (which is the first paragraph of each review) this episode already begins to accelerate the pace of the series, explaining the background of why the boys were called to the Digital World. I’m not going to deny it, the flashback of the war is a direct attack on both fans of the Digimon franchise and fans of Adventure (which could be said to be two different sides). According to the story, they explain that the Digimon, commanded by Varodurumon, Ophanimon, Seraphimon, Cherubimon, SlashAngemon, Rasielmon, and ClavisAngemon (I’m pretty sure the first four know them, but the last three are relatively new to the series, although SlashAngemon did a appearance in Digimon Xros Wars) faced the Digimon of the Dark Area in a great war in which the “Six Warriors” participated.
Well, in the flashback we are also presented with the silhouettes of the six mega evolutions that fought in the great war (which are the “Six Warriors”), which we all already recognize if we are fans and saw Digimon Adventure Tri, that is, they are WarGreymon, MetalGarurumon, Rosemon, Hououmon, Vikemon, and HerakleKabuterimon, and they finally feature Omegamon. At this point is where we all begin to generate theories about it, since it is quite clear that the Digimon that now accompany the Chosen Children are the same that once fought in the great war (or their reincarnations) but, was it then with Other Chosen Children? For many years among fans there has been a theory that, in fact, connects to Digimon’s first five seasons, the theory is quite long but what matters for the purposes of this review is the part that talks about the “Chosen Children Originals ”who, in essence, are considered the protagonists of Digimon Frontier, however, all that theory has been discarded in this series, since the prophecy indicates that“ human children with a power that exceeds the laws of DigiEvolution will arrive , Referring to Taichi and company, making them the original Chosen Children now.
The most important thing and that we can not ignore, is that we can ensure that all the Digimon of the Chosen Children will reach their mega stage and the franchise will stop focusing only on Taichi and Matt which, I consider, was a fatal mistake in the original series. which came to be corrected in Digimon Adventure RPG, a video game released for the PSP. Well, the story of the great war seems to me a perfect addition to the series, and the construction of the world now seems to me to be being done in greater detail.
The return of an old enemy
As mentioned in the summary, both Taichi and Sora, who were in the Sanctuary listening to the prophecy; As Koshiro, who was traveling inside Whamon on his way to the Digital World, they are attacked by Digimons that are being controlled by a group of Soundbirdmons. Apparently, this series has retaken the plot of “Devimon attacking the Chosen Children through the control of the Digimon”, only that, instead of using the black gears now it uses the power of the Soundbirdmon. Sorry, I know it is repetitive to mention the original series from time to time, but it is impossible to deny that the plot of the villain for this arc is the same.
Anyway, the rest of the episode is more than what we are already used to in Digimon Adventure, a fight, a new DigiEvolution, in this case the one from Tentomon to Kabuterimon, and again without an “evolution sequence”. Here I wonder, isn’t the first DigiEvolution always going to have a sequence of evolution? The answer does not seem to be that since in this episode Piyomon evolved again and off camera, are we then facing the consequences of COVID-19 in production? It is likely that the evolution sequences for Birdramon and Kabuterimon have not yet been produced, since I find no other reason why, to date, only Greymon’s has been presented so far. Or maybe I’m trying to deny reality, and Toei will only give Taichi and Agumon prominence again? Please, I’m seriously hoping it’s just a matter of production problems from the pandemic.
Finally, the episode closes with the appearance of Mimi Tachikawa and Palmon, and it seems that the next episode will be focused on this pair and, most likely, on the appearance of Togemon. How different will the 2020 Mimi be from the 1999 Mimi? If you ask me, I really liked the original Mimi for her attitudes, will they be the same now? I’m also looking forward to Palmon’s return, specifically his voice, as he features one of the series’ cutest voices.
Conclusions
Well, this review is quite short because, as I mentioned, the most relevant were the flashbacks about the past of the Digital World, and the rest is the typical formula of the initial episodes of any Digimon series (Problem -> Evolution -> Victoria ), and it is surely something that we will continue to see in the next three chapters. Than? Why three and not five if there are eight Chosen Children? Well here come the conclusions.
I really, really, really really appreciate that in this new edition of Digimon Adventure we will finally have a more extensive lore of the story from the beginning of the series. The concept that Digimon are (surely) reincarnations of the Six Warriors who participated in the Great War strikes me as also a very interesting thing that will surely begin to generate more theories about the connections between the timelines / seasons of the Digimon franchise. However, I am sure that the part of the two angels is perhaps the one that will be raising more doubts in this reboot.
Now, why am I considering only three upcoming DigiEvolutions? Clearly, the evolutions of Palmon, Gomamon and Gabumon remain, and it is clear that, although Gabumon already presented his evolution in those first three episodes that I decided to forget because they seemed really unnecessary, it is clear that he will have an episode dedicated to his evolution, just as He had Agumon again. In this episode I am satisfied with the evolution of Tentomon in the background, since Koshiro did show the skills of his emblem (Knowledge), which eventually propelled your Digimon to evolve.
But then what role will Patamon and Tailmon play in this series? The answer to the above cannot be known, and that is that in the flashback itself we were shown only six DigiHevos that surely represent all the Digimon of the Chosen Children, except Patamon and Tailmon. This perhaps confirms that Takeru Takaishi and Hikari Yagami will have a much more important role in the series this time and that Tailmon’s Mega stage will not be Magnadramon but Ophanimon, or so I want to think, since Magnadramon was not very well received in his appearance in Digimon Adventure Tri. This is a message that I would like to leave you from this episode and that I hope you take into account, it does not matter if you are a supporter of Ophanimon or Magnadramon, no matter what the mega stage that Tailmon is assigned in this edition will be, you will not Complain and accept it, since there are two sides, not everyone can be satisfied, so respect the tastes of those who are. In short, the Digimon by T.K. and Hikari’s are directly connected to the angels and not to the six warriors, so their Digi Eggs are not shown in the flashback. In addition, the prophecy indicates that when they reach the Cloud Continent they will meet the Light and the Hope. Does this sound familiar to you? Well, they are the emblems that represent Hikari and T.K., respectively. But if they are supposed to find them until they travel to the mainland, then who will defeat Devimon on the island? Or did the prophecy refer specifically to the emblems and not the Digimon? Seeing that Mimi is already in the Digital World, then it is possible that, in fact, everyone is already there.
Regarding the animation work of this episode, I must say that it has improved a lot this time. In the previous review I decided not to mention anything about it since it was obvious that the COVID-19 pandemic would have an effect in a new episode after a suspension, even more so as a long-runner, it doesn’t take much work to think things through.
Well, personally, I am quite surprised at what this series achieved in its first two episodes, (i.e. # 4 and # 5, because again for me the series started in episode # 4 and the Omegamon solo It was a small tribute without weight in the story), and the changes in the personalities of the characters that were shown to us from now on, since, although again neither Taichi nor Sora seemed shocked when they were told that they were Chosen Children, at least we had the opportunity to see a Koshiro tsundere at the end of the episode. Why didn’t I mention anything about Devimon’s appearance? Well, because in itself only its silhouette was shown without saying a single word, although I do have a doubt, and that is that I need to know the exercise routine and Devimon’s diet because it looks quite badass in this version.
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