Title: Digimon: Digital Monsters 02
Encompasses: Episodes 1-25
Published by: Madman Entertainment (Australia)
Genre: Kids, Adventure
Audio: English
Subtitles: NONE
Classification: This title has been classified as PG for Mild Animated Violence
Special Thanks: Madman Entertainment for providing me with a copy of this release to review!
3 years have passed since the Digidestined saved the Digital World. The Digital World has been peaceful since…until a new and different threat arrives. The Digital World is now being terrorized by the Digimon Emperor. Their new enemy is using the Digital world as a game to fuel his frustrations and ambitions. The Digidestined are called back into action once again to put a stop to the Digimon Emperor’s iron-fisted domination over the Digital World. However, new allies and Digimon join them in this new battle. But they soon learn that the Digimon Emperor is only a pawn of a new and mysterious evil threatening the Digital World. All of which will culminate in a battle that will involve the entire all of Earth….
For the last couple of years, one of the major anime publishers Madman Entertainment picked up the license to the Digimon series after demand for an official release rose. At first, this was only for the first season (Digimon: Digital Monsters or Digimon Adventure), which over two collections was released in 2011 with future releases pending on sales. It seems that sales were strong enough to at the very least encourage the company to license the second season which they began releasing in December 2012. The question is however, was it worthwhile continuing their releases or ending at the first season? Read on for my review!
Storyline
Taking place 3 years into the future of Digimon: Digital Monsters and unlike other future releases in the same universe, the second series has a different feel and setting to it. In the original, the series starts out in the human world but from very early on traps the Digidestined in the Digital World, only letting them out for a few episodes in the latter half of the series. In this season the characters reside in the human world but through a gate on a computer are able to access the Digital World at almost any time they require it.
The season sees all previous Digidestined (Tai, Matt, Sora, Mimi, Joe, Izzy, T.K. and Kari) return, however only T.K. and Kari are considered main characters. Instead, a new group of Digidestined (Davis, Yolei and Cody) are recruited to the cause as the five of them go up against a new threat to the Digital World, the “Digimon Emperor” who seeks to wreak havoc and enslave Digimon using control spires. Given these spires also inhibit the digivolution potential of returning Digimon, the five main characters find themselves with new Digivices and new digivolution styles as they attempt to put a stop to the Digimon Emperor.
The remaining characters from the first season take more of a back seat (Partly due to plot related issues from both Season 1 and Season 2) and serve more as characters of the episode along with their Digimon else running interference. In addition, while many new Digimon are introduced through the course of the first 25 episodes, many of the earlier ones do return. The integration of both old and new characters was relatively well done, with ample character development for both. That being said, I still found the returning characters better written than the new ones.
While a more structured storyline begins forming in the latter episodes of this collection, many of the episodes are separate mini-storylines involving the main characters, occasionally a returning character and a Digimon of the Episode. The quality varies between these episodes, much like the first season, but overall they are pretty enjoyable to watch.
To date I have never had the opportunity to watch the Japanese dubbed version of Digimon Adventures 02. However, from what I can tell, unlike other comparable anime releases of the era such as “Cardcaptors”, the editing and rewrites were present but did not detract from the overall experience as much. Simple things such as “sushi” and “kendo” remain untouched, while decisions to name the original characters by their nicknames (Eg. Tai) instead of their full names were carried over. Notable at times were the decision to throw in random sarcastic or witty statements – which were a nice touch although varied in their usefulness.
Overall, Digimon: Digital Monsters 02 may not live up to the standards of the first season – but sets itself up for an interesting second half as we move from the Digimon Emperor arc which comprises of most of the first half of the season. While I actually know what the second half entails (Albeit watching it more than 10 years ago), I look forward to rewatching it again when it launches in April 2013 and hopefully then moving on to the plot of Digimon Tamers and Digimon Frontier (Hopefully).
Design
Unlike later releases in the series, the visual styling of Digimon: Digital Monsters 02 remain comparable (Eg. The Digiworld still maintains its “purposeful graininess” for lack of a better word) although as the first does show its age. All the characters from the original series have received a re-design to show them older – the most notable being Kari and T.K. who were originally portrayed as little kids, in order to bring them up to the relative age of the other new characters.
The other new characters – Davis and Yolei carry on the same design and style most of the characters did in season one while despite being only slightly younger than the others, Cody’s design on the other hand retains a similar stature to T.K. and Kari in Season one. The new Digimon designs are also decent, and environment designs more or less much of the same.
Music / Voice Acting
As with season one, Saban decided not to / were unable to use the Japanese music backing, meaning most music in this release were either carry-over’s from the original season OR produced for the English release. The music isn’t bad, although their decision to reuse the same “DIGIMON! DIGITAL MONSTERS!” theme for the intro and digivolutions might get on your nerves (Don’t worry folks, only Tamers to go after this with the same theme). Although for those who prefer the original OP/ED themes…. Madman Entertainment do throw you a small extra which I will be detailing a bit later on.
Due to edits, Madman Entertainment were unable to include both English and Japanese dubbed versions. Assumingly for either availability, target market, nostalgia or potentially a mix of these the company decided to go with the English dub my generation would be familiar with. Aside from T.K., the original English voice cast was retained w ith Brian Donovan, Doug Erholtz (Taking over Wendee Lee), Tifanie Christun and Philece Sampler voicing Davis, T.K., Yolei and Cody respectively. The voice acting is pretty good in comparison to other titles, and it is really your only option so you have no choice but to stick with it.
Extras
While you have no option to switch the songs in the episodes, as bonus extras Madman Entertainment have included the original Japanese opening and ending sequence to view at your leisure on Disc 4. In addition, the company throws in a reversible cover featuring Ken Ichijouji and trailers for the following Madman releases – Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror, Digimon: Data Squad, Cardcaptor Sakura and Laputa: Castle in the Sky.
Final Word
Whether being introduced to this series as a member of a younger generation, watching it for the first time or watching it purely for the sake of nostalgia…. this is a series I grew up watching and it was enjoyable going back to it. I personally hope that sales will encourage Madman Entertainment to go further into the series I haven’t watched yet…. but either way I look forward to the second collection in coming months.
Final Score
Storyline / Character Development: B
Design: B
Music/Voice Acting: C
Extras: B
Personal Preference: B+
Overall Score: B
