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Digimon Adventure
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(1999) is the first season of the anime saga Digimon: Digital Monsters. Its premise involves a group of boys and girls being whisked to a parallel reality called the Digital World while at summer camp. They were taken there because they were chosen to become DigiDestined, the children that would save the Digital World (along with Earth near the end of the series) from the evil forces that threatened to destroy it. Each of the children received a Digimon partner who was preprogrammed to be bonded to them, as well as miniature devices called Digivices.
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Encyclopedia
(1999) is the first season of the anime saga Digimon: Digital Monsters. Its premise involves a group of boys and girls being whisked to a parallel reality called the Digital World while at summer camp. They were taken there because they were chosen to become DigiDestined, the children that would save the Digital World (along with Earth near the end of the series) from the evil forces that threatened to destroy it. Each of the children received a Digimon partner who was preprogrammed to be bonded to them, as well as miniature devices called Digivices. With the power of the Digivices, their Digimon partners could become stronger forms to battle enemies or save their partners from danger.
The season is continued with the same characters in Digimon Adventure 02.
Plot summary
Traveling to the Digital World was an experience that left the children bewildered. Their Digimon partners were suddenly thrust upon them, as well as the concept of having the Digimon Digivolve, a process by which they transform into stronger creatures to fend off enemy Digimon. But they also Digivolve when they run low on strength. Thus, the children had to learn how to be DigiDestined as they went along.
Soon they learned of the Digital World's plight, that evil Digimon intended to rule the Digital World for themselves. They vowed to save it in spite of missing the life they had left behind. The DigiDestined promised to save Digital World because they saw that Digimon, though made of data, were as intelligent as humans. They did not want them to suffer; furthermore, it was demonstrated to them that no one else could defeat the Digital World's enemies.
Digimon Adventure was originally supposed to be 13 episodes, as Toei Animation was not sure how popular it would become. As the ratings and popularity grew, it was extended to 54 episodes. This fact is apparent with episode 13 when Devimon is defeated and the aftermath of such.
As the plot evolved, the children dealt with various aspects of maturity: making friends, being courageous, standing for one's morals, et cetera. Each child was given an object called a "Crest" that embodied a particular personality trait that they had to demonstrate to get their partners to Digivolve to a higher level. Tai Kamiya possessed the trait of Courage; Matt Ishida, Friendship; Sora Takenouchi, Love; Mimi Tachikawa, Sincerity (Purity in Japanese); Izzy Izumi, Knowledge; Joe Kido, Reliability (Faith in Japanese); and T.K. Takaishi, Hope. It is later revealed that at the time they were chosen to become the DigiDestined (during the Greymon versus Parrotmon fight when they were only at least 7-8 (except T.K and Kari who were at least 4-5)) that these traits were the strongest good trait within their personality. Tai was always courageous when he had to be. Matt was always a good friend. Izzy was even then very knowledgeable. Joe was highly reliable. Sora was genuinely loving and caring towards everyone (to say that her crest of love is love at the level of compassion (the ability to care for others)). Mimi was sincere about what she thought (positive and/or negative). T.K was one who always was hopeful and never willing to give up and Kari was just genuinely good and always wanted to do what was right (standing for the light which represents all that is good and right).
Eventually, evil Digimon began crossing a dimensional gate from the Digital World to enter Earth. The DigiDestined and their partners followed. Specifically, they landed in Odaiba, Japan, the children's home town. As the DigiDestined battled on Earth, they were joined by an eighth member, Kari Kamiya, Tai's sister and carrier of the trait of Light. While this was happening, a group of four Mega level Digimon called the Dark Masters besieged the Digital World. Once things were taken care of on Earth, the eight DigiDestined returned to the Digital World once again in order to defeat the Dark Masters one by one, and eventually their ultimate enemy, Apocalymon, the Digimon who was made of all the evil Digimon the DigiDestined had previously destroyed. When Apocalymon was defeated, the children went back to the Real World, leaving their Digimon partners behind. (They were reunited with their Digimon in the movie "Our War Game!".)
The series was highly regarded and garnered millions of viewers. It became one of the largest anime exported out of Japan, along with Sailor Moon, Pokémon and Dragon Ball Z.
Characters
The English version of Digimon Adventure was somewhat unique at the time it was dubbed. Most anime dubbed in the 1990s changed the names of characters and locales for the sake of localization. In Digimon, however, most names of the DigiDestined remained unchanged or were shortened to Americanized nicknames. Some Digimon names were modified into English equivalents, and in rare cases to Japanese equivalents.
The eight DigiDestined children are listed first, followed by their Digimon partners.
Main characters
Villains
- Parrotmon (1st Movie): Defeated by a Greymon four years prior to the events of the series.
- Devimon (8-13): The first villain the DigiDestined faced. Destroyed by Angemon. Resurfaces in Episodes 19-21 in Digimon Adventure 02, where the Digimon Emperor uses his remains to complete Kimeramon, and consequently he manipulates the latter's actions, unbeknownst to the DigiDestined (except possibly TK).
- Etemon (15-20, 46-47): The second villain the DigiDestined faced. First destroyed by MetalGreymon, but later returned as MetalEtemon. Permanently destroyed by Zudomon and SaberLeomon.
- Myotismon (Vamdemon) (22-39): The third villain the DigiDestined faced. First destroyed by Angewomon and the other Digimons, but returned as VenomMyotismon (VenomVamdemon). Destroyed again by WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon. Appears in Digimon Adventure 02 as MaloMyotismon (BelialVamdemon). Destroyed for good by Imperialdramon Fighter Mode.
- DemiDevimon (PicoDevimon) (22-38): Myotismon's flunky. He Orchestrated a series of traps and lies to prevent the Chosen Children from reuniting after they tried to find Tai after his battle with Etemon. He tried to bog them down in selfishness and despair, quashing their best qualities, and thereby preventing their crests from ever glowing. Though loyal to Myotismon to the bitter end, his master consumed him to gain the energy needed to evolve into his final form.
- Dark Masters (40-52): The creations of Apocalymon; subjugated the Digital World while the DigiDestined fought Myotismon on Earth.
- MetalSeadramon [40-42 (and 43 in the English dub)]: First of the Dark Masters to attack the DigiDestined. Destroyed by WarGreymon.
- Puppetmon (Pinnochimon) (40, 43-47): Second Dark Master to attack. Destroyed by MetalGarurumon.
- Machinedramon (Mugendramon) (40, 48-49): Third Dark Master to attack. Destroyed by WarGreymon.
- Piedmon (Piemon) (40, 50-52): The leader of the Dark Masters. Destroyed by MagnaAngemon, and the rest of the Digimon.
- Diaboromon (Diablomon) (2nd Movie): Materialized inside the Internet. First appeared as Kuramon but later Digivolved into Tsumemon and Keramon. Digivolved into Infermon while fighting Greymon and Kabuterimon and defeated them before they had a chance to Digivolve. Digivolved into Diaboromon while fighting WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon; nearly defeated them but was destroyed when they DNA Digivolved (combined) into Omnimon for the first time.
Other Digital World characters
- Gennai (13-54): An old man created from data who acts as a guide to the DigiDestined.
- Andromon (5, 48-52, 54): An android-like Digimon that was freed in Episode 5 by Sora, Tai, and Joe, but attacked due to the presence of one of Devimon's Black Gears. Defeated and freed by Kabuterimon, he reappeared in Episodes 48 and 49 to hunt down and destroy Machinedramon, and stayed with them until the final battle with Piedmon, going so far as to hold him off while they attempted to escape all being turned into keychains and defeated. Once revived by MagnaAngemon, he participated in the final battle against Piedmon and the Vilemon swarm, and returned with their other allies to congratulate the Chosen Children on defeating Apocalymon.
- Centarumon (Kentarumon) (10-14, 52-54): Guardian of an ancient temple on File Island, the place in the Digital World the children were first transported to. Returned to help the kids build a raft, and met Gennai at the Wall of Fire. He congratulated them on defeating Apocalymon, and was on to point out the eclipse and informs the children that it was time to say good-bye.
- Leomon (8-14, 46-47): Protector of File Island. Constantly enslaved, freed and reenslaved by the Black Gears, until right before the final battle with Devimon. He surprised the partner Digimon when he attacked them with Ogremon, as his reputation was that of a just Digimon and was well-known to be Ogremon's mortal enemy. Presumably, it was he who organized the party of Digimon who built the Chosen Children a raft to travel to Server Continent. Was given the ability to Warp Digivolve into SaberLeomon after intense exposure to Tai, Matt, Mimi and Izzy's Digivices. He is killed by MetalEtemon, taking an attack intended to kill Mimi.
- Ogremon (8-13, 46-54): Leomon's rival. Was the only Digimon willing to help Devimon not under the influence of the Black Gears. After Devimon was destroyed, Leomon scared him off. He reappears in episode 46, wounded badly after a fight with Woodmon and the earthquake caused by MetalEtemon. Mimi and Joe tend his wounds, and he is incredibly touched that they would help him after he tried to kill them. He allies himself with Mimi and Joe after Leomon's death, realizing he was more than just a rival, and agrees to help the Chosen Children fight the Dark Masters. He is present for the final battle with Piedmon, and appears after the final battle with Apocalymon to thank and congratulate the children, but leaves after they take a commemorative photograph in Primary Village
- Whamon [14-15, 41-42 (42-43 in the English dub)]: The second to last Digimon with a Black Gear, encountered en route to Server Continent. Once the Gear is destroyed, he apologizes for destroying their raft and offers to ferry the Chosen Children to Server himself. Reappeared in episode 41 to save and protect the children from MetalSeadramon, but is killed in the ensuing battle.
- Piximon (Piccolomon) [18, 40 (40-41 in the English dub)]: Well-known in the Digital World as a trainer, Piximon takes on the Chosen Children, particularly Tai and Agumon. Returns in episode 40, sacrificing himself to the Dark Masters to ensure the escape and safety of the Chosen Children.
- Wizardmon (Wizarmon) (30-37): Gatomon's old friend. She saved him from death, and told him she was looking for someone. Out of gratitude and affection, Wizardmon allied himself with Myotismon to keep an eye on Gatomon, and ultimately repaid her by solving the mystery of who she was waiting for and why. He briefly united her with Chosen Child partner, before they took on Myotismon together, in an effort to retrieve the Crest of Light. Ultimately, he died to protect Gatomon and Kari.
Family of the DigiDestined
- Susumu & Yuuko Kamiya (Yagami): Tai and Kari's parents. Both trapped in the convention center by Myotismon, and assisted in the escape attempt.
- Hiroaki Ishida & Nancy Takaishi (Natsuko): Matt and T.K.'s parents; divorced and somewhat uncomfortable together, though they conquer this out of love and concern for their sons. Mr. Ishida was key to the battles against Myotismon, and his various work associates (Sakurada, etc) helped stage the escape attempt from the convention center. It is also believed by fans and suggested in the episodes around Myotismon by how he knows Gabumon that he either used to be one of the original DigiDestined or that he met them prior to the event.
- Toshiko Takenouchi: Sora's mother. Emotionally distant originally, she conquers this out of love and concern for her daughter, going so far as to infiltrate Myotismon's ranks with Biyomon, and attack a squadron of Bakemon with nothing but a sheet.
- Keisuke & Satoe Tachikawa: Mimi's loving parents, both a bit eccentric, but brave in their own way.
- Jim Kido (Shin): One of Joe's older brothers. Cared for the people in the convention center, and helped the kids get connected to news of the rest of the world. In the Japanese version of the series, Joe has two brothers, Shin and Shuu Kido (who appears in Digimon Adventure 02). In the English version the brothers were combined into one character.
- Note: Joe's parents were never named in either the Japanese or English dubs.
- Masami & Yoshie Izumi: Izzy's adoptive, loving, supportive parents. While they never told him he was adopted, he overheard them one night and it bothered him until they did and he confessed he had known all along. Unwilling to leave their son alone in the second rise of battles, they help decipher the prophecy to cause a miracle to defeat VenomMyotismon
Episodes
- For a list of episodes, see List of Digimon Adventure episodes
Digimon Adventure aired 54 episodes on Fuji TV in Japan from March 7, 1999 to March 26, 2000. In the United States it aired on Fox Kids from August 14, 1999 to June 24, 2000. Canada cable carried Fox, therefore Fox Kids, but independent network NTV aired reruns in Newfoundland & Labrador.
Digital World
The Digital World is a parallel reality made from data inside Earth's communications networks. It is the place where all Digimon live, and where the DigiDestined fight the majority of their battles.
Digital World's data manifested into a material form via the wishes of human children. The data reformed inside another parallel universe, a "dream dimension" that has the power to turn mental desires into reality. The Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western ends of the Digital World are individually guarded by one of the four Harmonious Ones, benevolent Digimon who ensure the Digital World's well-being.
When an evil being emerged from beyond the Digital World's Wall of Fire (curiously similar to a firewall), the Digital World's chronology was warped, throwing it out of sync with Earth, making it much older than it would be under normal circumstances - one Earth minute was equal to one Digital World day. Prophecy foretells that any time the Digital World is threatened by evil, a new group of children from each generation, called the DigiDestined, will come to the Digital World and save it. The DigiDestined for each generation were selected by a mysterious group, charged with the Digital World's protection. When the eight children of this generation witnessed a battle between a Greymon and a Parrotmon, the group chose them, and constructed their Digivices, Tags and Crests. A brutal attack by the Dark Masters left the whole group dead, save for Gennai, who was able to escape and hide the DigiDestined’s' Digivices and seven DigiEggs until their time came. When Devimon began to take over File Island with his Black Gears, the time for the DigiDestined to be summoned came, and the Digivices were dispatched, transporting seven chosen children into the Digital World, where they battled with the evil Digimon there.
Myotismon attempted to conquer both the Digital World and Earth by killing the Eighth Child - the predestined eighth member of the DigiDestined. He opened a portal to Earth and led his army on an assault on Central Odaiba in the search for the child, who was eventually revealed to be Kari, little sister of Tai, leader of the DigiDestined. When Myotismon was finally stopped, a rift opened to the Digital World - but it had been horrifically changed. In the few days that the DigiDestined had been back on Earth, years had passed in the Digital World, and the Dark Masters had risen again, and conquered the entire world, reformatting it into the massive Spiral Mountain. When the kids defeated the Dark Masters, they were confronted with the Digimon that had made the four monstrosities - Apocalymon. Apocalymon was bent on sharing his sorrow with the rest of reality, and didn't care if he lived or died in doing so. Thankfully, the kids defeated him. With his defeat, the Digital World began to reformat itself into its original form, free of evil, also putting it back in synch with Earth-time, meaning time would move to the same pace in both worlds. After the battle with Diaboromon, Gennai called the DigiDestined back to the Digital World, where they released the powers of their Crests, forming a shield which restored peace to the Digital World, expelling all evil, but at the cost that the Digidestined's Digimon can no longer Digivolve beyond the Champion level.
Movies
Digimon: The Movie, released in the U.S. and Canada territory by Fox Kids in October 2000, consists of the union of the first three Japanese movies. Those stories are based in the universe introduced in the first two seasons of the T.V. series.
Digimon Adventure (Movie)
The first story focused on Tai and Kari Kamiya four years before their adventure in the Digital World. It shows their first encounter with Digimon and what happened to them (as well as the other children that saw it became the other DigiDestined) when they participated in their first Digimon battle after raising a quickly growing Botamon. In the story, that Digimon hatches from a Digi-egg and eventually evolved into Greymon to fight a Parrotmon who appeared in the city. The movie was used in episodes of Digimon Adventure to explain why Taichi and company became DigiDestined.
Our War Game!
The second story occurs a few months after the battle against Apocalymon. It shows many of the DigiDestined, but primarily focuses on Matt, Tai, Izzy, and T.K., as they end up saving the day when a computer virus Digimon raises havoc all over the world through the Internet. The kids must stop the evil Digimon quickly before he provokes the launching of a nuclear ICBM aimed at Japan (where the kids live). Tai and Matt end up getting so worried about their Digimon (in the form of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon) badly losing to the evil Digimon Diaboromon that they actually phase into the Internet and miraculously give them the power to destroy him in time. Both Digimon merge, evolving into the powerful Omnimon. However, Diaboromon is still too fast, until Izzy comes up with the idea to redirect e-mails that they are receiving from children watching the battle all over the world via the internet to slow Diaboromon down, allowing Omnimon to finish him off just before the missiles hit. In the end, the deactivated ICBM lands harmlessly in Tokyo Bay. Our War Game! appears to be inspired by the 1983 film, WarGames. This movie is considered canon due to Izzy's analysis of ExVeemon and Stingmon's DNA Digivolution in Adventure 02, because Izzy compares it to WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon's own DNA Digivolution and how 02 character Yolei Inoue became a Digidestined.
C.D. Dramas
Digimon Adventure - Character Song - Mini Drama 2
This C.D. drama focuses on a love letter that Izzy is writing. Throughout the drama, the other DigiDestined and their Digimon try and determine who he is writing it to, and several of the female DigiDestined wonder and even argue if he's writing it to them.
In Koushiro and the Missing Whereabouts of Love, the other DigiDestined find Izzy writing the love letter and try to get him to confess who he's writing it to. But Izzy gets Tentomon to Digivolve to Kabuterimon and flies off on him before the others can badger the answer from him. They pursue him in order to find out.
In Mimi's Overly Self-Conscious Plans for World Domination, the female DigiDestined (Kari, Mimi, and Sora) wonder if Izzy wrote the letter for one of them, and if so, which one? A small, but comical and friendly, argument breaks out over as to who it could be.
In Hikari's Weak Constitution, the boys try to calm the girls down, only to be ensnarled in the affair themselves. Kari finally resolves the situation. The true intended recipient for the love letter is revealed by Izzy, but is purposely bleeped out in order to keep the listeners in the dark as to whom the letter was really for.
Digimon Adventure Original Story 2nen han no Kyuuka
This audio drama (N.E.C.A.-30081) focuses on the two and a half years between Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02. It was only released in Japanese, and the title translates as "Original Story, 2-and-a-Half Year Break". It has separate tracks for Tai (set November, 1999), Joe (set May, 2000), Sora (set October, 2000), Izzy (set April, 2001), Mimi (set September, 2001), and Matt (set March, 2002).
In Tai's track, Whistle, a Digital Gate opens, allowing Tai to communicate briefly with Agumon. The sound of his sister's whistle, left in the Digital World with Gatomon, alerted him to the open gate.
In Joe's track, Telephone, he confides in his brother Shin that he now wants to become a doctor because he wished to do something about the suffering he saw in the Digital World.
In Sora's track, Letter to my Father, she writes about Joe's middle brother, Shuu, becoming her father's student in mythology, that her mother is teaching her to play tennis, and that her school will be going to Kyoto on a trip soon.
In Izzy's track, Chat, Izzy is e-mailing Gennai. He comments on Gennai "becoming younger", and that there are actually many more DigiDestined around the world. In addition, he wonders what the causes of the Greymon/Parrotmon battle in 1995 may have been.
In Mimi's track, Video Mail, Mimi has recently moved to New York City. She relates in graphic detail her experiences of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and that she met other DigiDestined helping to clear away the rubble. She also wonders if Digimon were actually around before the creation of the computer network.
In Matt's track, As I Play the Bass, Matt appears to be talking on the telephone to his father, whilst practicing the bass guitar. He finds out that his father used to be in a band, and also says that T.K. and his mother will be moving into Odaiba soon. Matt also mentions that the events relating the Digimon appear to have been wiped from video records.
Overall, the audio drama, set between Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02, serves to bridge the gap between the two seasons in terms of the changing personalities of the original DigiDestined, and especially in the case of Chat, to provide further insight into some plot holes.
Theme songs
Original
- Opening: "Butter-Fly" (1: Eps 1~54) written by:
Iko Chiwata, Composed by: Iko Chiwata, Arranged by: Cheru Watanabe, Performed by: Koji WadaEnding 1: "I wish" (1: Eps 1~26) written by: Tokuko Miura, Composed by: Yoshihisa Shirakawa, Arranged by: Katsumi Hori, Performed by: Ai MaedaEnding 2: "Keep on" (1: Eps 27~54) written by: NK, Composed by: Naoto Kine, Arranged by: Naoto Kite & Ko'ichi Yuasa, Performed by: Ai MaedaInsert: "Brave Heart" (1: Eps 1~54) written by: Sachiko Omori, Composed by: Michihiko Ota, Arranged by: Michihiko Ota, Performed by: Ayumi Miyazaki
See also
External links
- — site listing the differences between the English and Japanese versions of the anime.
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