Digimon: Digital Monsters (1999–2007) User Reviews

Very cool anime! My kids love

[J-Sosa · 8/10 · 9 August 2013]

Digimon: Digital Monsters is an English translated version of Digimon: Adventure, it's your typical imported Japanese anime from the late 90's about monsters and children. Critics have criticized it as being a pseudo version of Pokemon, Digimon however is far from being a rip-off it shares common aspects with more popular Pokemon such as children befriending the monsters, the monster evolve, the monsters battle etc. Unlike the lighthearted Pokemon however, Digimon is more of a classic tale of good and evil it's plot is completely different from that of Pokemon. I have seen other anime that follow what I call the Pokemon formula, Digimon is not one of them.

The Pokemon formula: A character aims to be great at something, goes on a quest, wins things, monsters come out of stuff to battle (cards, toys, balls, etc), usually involves some kind of monster tournament. Beyblade, Yu-Gi-Oh, Bakugan, and others follow this formula more than Digimon. If anything Digimon has more in common with science fiction anime's or Saturday morning American cartoons about action and adventure, than it does with the other monster anime.

The characters are not your typical one dimensional anime characters, all of the characters seem to have very distinctive personality's with interesting back stories that keep the viewer interested. Even some of the villains and Digimon themselves. The anime is a lighthearted tale of good and evil, with some mature themes mixed in such as losing your parents and death, the anime also teaches kids about teamwork, friendship, and the importance of working together. The anime has great plots and sub plots that are not to complex for children to follow, but are very well written and interesting.

The English version of Digimon is filled with cheesy puns and comedy to keep kids laughing, and a score composed of cheesy 90's early 00's pop rock to catch their ear. The English version also has some of the more intense scenes removed from the original Japanese version making it more appropriate for kids, without parents having to worry about Digimon being a bad influence on children or to dodge controversial Japanese anime stereotypes. For the older audience who may enjoy anime, the original Japanese version of Digimon Adventure, features a much more serious script (the dialog at times is usually completely different), a beautifully composed score made up of orchestra, electric synths, J- Rock and J-Pop, and features much more as a lot was cut out of the English dub to make it more suitable for western children and western audiences.

It's pretty well since I grew up with the dub.

[Angels_Review · 8/10 · 13 April 2014]

When I was really little, I fell in love with the show but I didn't know how chopped up the English dub was. Now that I'm older and know more anime, have watched shows that come straight from Japan, and have actually noticed when the voices are re-scripted, I can tell I actually missed a lot of the story line because of the re-script. This show was not created for young kids in the American idea. They pretty much did a '4 kids' on it though luckily, they didn't do it to much. The whole idea of 'children should be left clueless' makes me feel a little stupid. If children are clueless about the world, with things like pain or dying, then the will be shocked when it happens around them in the real world. It's strange that they did this because even as a small child, I knew what was happening to the characters without anyone saying anything, so the change that they did was unneeded.

The story was originally going to be 12 episodes and then because of how well it was received, they added more episodes. Now, I am still on the edge about if this was a good thing or not. I liked that they put more depth into the characters and the story lines made sure you could see the characters grow. Unfortunately, as with all shows that have way too many characters in the spotlight, we end up seeing more of one character then the others. Also some grow to a certain point and don't really grow beyond that. This annoys me because it means that they really don't seem that important. (Although if you watch Digimon Adventures 02, this one seems better in character development.) I would have loved to see more of the characters backgrounds rather then little bits of three or four characters.

Out of all the characters, I have to say my favorite is Matt. I'm not sure exactly why I fell in love with him but maybe it's because I have a little brother as well. I found it interesting that his name was changed when they took it to English dubs, but I learned after that it is pretty normal.

The bad guys are very one dimensional. They are only against the others just because they are programmed too; at least, that's how it sounds. I wish they could have added a bit more to them but at least they each have a type of personality.

The English voices are pretty good and bounce off each other nicely. I really don't like one or two of the characters though. If I have to listen to Mimi crying again though, someone will end up being hurt. She is so annoying in her voice that I really wish they had changed it a bit.

One of the best shows from Fox Kids Saturday Morning past shows

[SonicStuart · 8/10 · 17 February 2004]

I remember before I starting watching the show I thought this was similar to Pokemon but when I watched one episode of Pokemon and then one episode of Digimon I started comparing the two and they were both different. I really liked all the action! All the monsters and creatures were interesting. My most favorite Digimon is Veemon because he is funny, cheerful and an adventurous seeking little Digimon. Plus he has my favorite color blue and I like his forms like Flamedramon was my most favorite form. I also liked some of the other Digimon. My favorite digidestineds were Tai, Matt and (especially) Davis! Davis reminded me a whole lot of me. I never missed a single episode of this show. Well, I saw most of the episodes in Season 1 and I have seen all the episodes in Seasons 2 and 3. As for Season 4, after seeing one episode of it I didn't even bother to watch anymore! I didn't like Season 4 because it changed the story that was left off on Season 3 and plus it was stupid were the kids turned into Digimon instead of having the Digimon be right next to you like in Seasons 1-3! I like the old way they did it in the Seasons 1-3. But I am glad they now show some reruns of the all the episodes from all four seasons but I only catch the Seasons 1, 2 & 3 reruns, I didn't really care about Season 4. I also like the fact that they use some computer animation on some of the digi-volving parts! It's a pretty cool show! This show premiered back in August 1999 on Fox Kids Network and lasted 3 seasons on Fox Kids till 2002 and then they did a 4th season that was on ABC Family, I think? But what the heck I didn't care about Season 4! Again, only watch Seasons 1, 2 and 3 and don't watch Season 4!

Digimon - not a Poke-ripoff

[Aardwulf · 19 October 2000]

I'll admit, when I first saw the commercials for "Digimon" a year ago, I automatically thought it was some sort of "Pokemon" spinoff. Sure, the two share some common ground - spunky kids hooking up with cute little monsters that evolve into big, less-cute monsters - but the similarities end there.

I won't insult anyone's intelligence, most of all my own, by trying to compare the two series point by point - I'm not at all familiar with "Pokemon", though I get the feeling that if you've seen one episode of this series, you've seen 'em all. But "Digimon" simply seems to be a more thoughtful and engaging series than its predecessor: the character designs are inventive, mixing nature with technology; the colour palette is varied, contrasting the brightly-hued Digimon and human kids with comparatively subdued backgrounds; the digital world into which the children stumble is a place full of mystery and wonder, evoking an atmosphere reminiscent of CS Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia".

The characters themselves are well-rounded and fully realised, not the cookie-cutter stereotypes one would initially take them for. Not one of the children who leaves the digital world is the same person they were upon arriving there; throughout the numerous cataclysmic battles and far-reaching story arcs, the characters undergo intense changes, becoming stronger, braver, and more mature as they call upon the powers that lie within them. The relationships - among the children themselves and between each child and his digital counterpart - are by turns humorous, intriguing, and heartfelt.

Of course the show is not without its flaws - the animation is occasionally lacklustre; seeing the same transformation scenes over and over again can grow tiresome; and several episodes suffer from poor writing. But, in my opinion, these problems are outweighed by the tightly-woven plotline and spot-on characterisations.

Say what you will about "Digimon", but it truly is in a class by itself.

Digimon vs. Pokémon

[SilverKnight · 10/10 · 1 May 2001]

It's really funny because a lot of people think that Digimon is a rip off of Pokémon which is totally wrong and as they say "ignorance is bliss". Just because of the word "Digimon" especially the 'mon' bit, people think that it is immediately a Pokémon rip-off. I happened to have had been one of those people. I refused to watch Digimon when it started because it sounded like a rip off of Pokémon and there was a cactus with boxing gloves on! %( I mean come on, a cactus with boxing gloves thats as stupid as an electric rodent. Anyway I gave it a chance when there was a gap after Pokémon finished (and my nephew loved Digimon so I reluctantly gave it a chance). I ended up loving Digimon as it was alarmingly more adult than Pokémon and they had what many people craved... continuity.

The Comparisions Digimon follows the story of eight children with their respective Digimon, each with distinctive personalities and traits, working together in heroic situations (many viewers form emotional attachment to the character - I love Gabumon and my girlfriend loves Gatomon) whereas Pokémon centres around three kids who catch and train Pokémon (no matter what I still love Onix & Vulpix). Digimon can speak English whereas Pokémon can only say their name (excluding Meowth & Slowking - also Lapras can mind link with humans as can Lugia & Mewtwo) And finally Digimon follows a storyline where the heroes battle evil continuously, learn about themselves and each other. We also learn about their families, hopes, fears and watch them fight for what is right while Pokémon goes along the same line as Digimon but to a lesser extent and rarely does Pokémon follow up stories from previous episodes.

So all in all, why can't a person still love Pokémon but also watch Digimon. You may be pleasantly surprised at how different Pokémon and Digimon really are. After all I watch them both (their on rival channels but Pokémon is on half an hour before Digimon... but Digimon is opposite Dragonball Z (what a dilemma!) ;-)

Surprisingly good!

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 27 June 2010]

I started watching this show fearing it was going to be awful. I had heard that it ripped off Pokemon and was inferior to it. I have to say I disagree, I think it is better than Pokemon(and Beyblade and Yu-Gi-Oh) and it is not a rip-off I feel. It does have a great concept, so did Pokemon but it jumped the shark far too early, apart from one or two uneven seasons Digimon was surprisingly good. And on a side note, even the movie was better than I expected it to be, even if the final third was rushed and not as focused it was better than any of the Pokemon movies combined.

So what were the good things? The animation is mystical and enchanting with well drawn characters and surprisingly good attention to detail. The music I am not a huge fan of but I can tolerate it. There are some original story lines, funny and touching dialogue and endearing characters(heroes and villains). Even the voice work was good, not outstanding but it was dynamic and expressive enough.

I do agree the quality of each series is variable. The first and last are brilliant, and the second is very good. The third is okay and the fourth falls short, this was when some of the stories became a little unoriginal and repetitive and the characters less appealing. Thank goodness it redeemed itself though. So overall, a good show, uneven but I do agree it is misjudged and mis-interpreted. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Unfairly judged

[celo_cattus · 10/10 · 19 May 2006]

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 ^ ^.

Digimon: Digital Monsters

[jboothmillard · 6/10 · 25 April 2005]

This is just as bad Japanese animation, voices and overall cartoon as its rival Pokémon, but at least it was a bit better. It is kind of copying Pokémon with the title "Mon" short for monsters, except it has the "Digi" part short for Digital. What did Poke mean? The small annoying parts to this cartoon are that it takes ages to get through the dig-evolving processes for each monster, and they have to shout the weapon that they are using in a fight. But the biggest annoying thing is the characters, corniest lines and silly friendships with these monsters. But at the time, this was easy to get used to, just like the crap Japanese animation. Worth watching!

Great show

[carolynko2000 · 10/10 · 21 February 2009]

Back in the day, I was a huge fan of Pokemon and I, like many others, thought Digimon was just a ripoff of Pokemon. Well, I saw one episode and I was hooked. Unlike in Pokemon, the characters in Digimon had real problems and they actually had character development which is what won me over.

The storyline was compelling and it went from dark to light and cutesy. It was fun to see the bond between the Digimon and their partners and the show was action-packed and humorous. The series started to go downhill after Tamers but I still would consider myself a huge fan of the series. Basically, the best part about Digimon would be the character development, storyline, action, drama, and the fact that I didn't feel lost as I did in Pokemon with the 250+ Pokemon. Digimon did not seem to have as many.

Perfect for those bored by Pokemon

[Keyan-the-Eagle144 · 7/10 · 30 September 2023]

I remember seeing bits and pieces of this show back in the late 1990s when I was still watching Saturday morning TV. When I first saw it, I thought to myself, "Big deal. It's a Pokemon ripoff." But then I sat down to watch it at one point and it captivated me. No more endless competition a la Pokemon. Just one big story. Not only that, I liked the more detailed creature designs of the show and the human characters were a lot more relatable to us humans in real life. One of the human characters from the first season even looks and acts like me when I was his age! For those bored by Pokemon and want an engaging story that isn't defined by endless duels and characters that seem two-dimensional and not-so-creative elements, this might be the perfect remedy. It might get a little intense at parts but it's pretty good.

really a horrendous rip-off of pokemon!

[intomyworld44 · 1/10 · 30 April 2012]

digimon is really a appalling 100% blatant rip-off of pokemon. i mean come on! look, if you're really going to watch some anime, go watch dragonball Z or something! it's better than this 100% piece of garbage. for my reviews, i gave out an award called "malaria's swamp" trophy for the worst TV show for an anime fans whether they like it or not. i mean, cartoons and anime now-a-days make rip-offs of TV shows. digimon is supposed to be a decent parody of pokemon, but i am not mean or nothing. some characters can be parodies of others, some of them are good, and sometimes the characters by negative reception reviews can be bad, or rip-offs. animation: 10/10. characters: 4/10. overall: 5/10.

Better than Pokemon

[briancham1994 · 10/10 · 4 August 2020]

Back when this came out, everyone accused it of copying Pokemon. Yet this one has better characters, there is a proper storyline, the monsters actually speak, there is a whole other world, the battles are more intense, and so on. This series is far superior and is full of great characters and moments. I was sad when it ended.

I'd be lying if I said it was the best but...

[wayanhong · 7/10 · 28 April 2014]

It's a damn good anime. The main characters all have certain charm to them and there's never a dull moment in this show. Admittedly the dub is heavily flawed but with that said I still like it (though I would suggest watching the 2 part finale in the original Japanese with subtitles). Also I get sick and tired of all those ****sticks that keep saying it's a Pokemon ripoff but if you actually take the time to watch it, it would clear as day that it is not. Pokemon may have the better games but Digimon is by far the better anime. Anyhow, this show has something for everyone from a great adventure to short yet enjoyable fights to the excellent character development. If you're an anime or mon fan (or both) then watch it, you won't be disappointed.

Awful dub ruins a good series!

[elonmusk-is_a_moron · 2/10 · 14 February 2022]

The original Digimon anime is very good, probably the best of its kind. The English dub of the series on the other side, ruins almost everything good about the original: The plot is dumbed down, a lot of bad jokes and one-liners are added, most of the voices are awful.

But the worst part definately is the soundtrack: The original anime had a lot of beautiful music and a great opening. This version has a horrid "rap" instead.

The original intro was motivating, the atrocious digi"rap" make my ears bleed.

This dub is actually worse than anything done by 4kids.

Better than your average Pokemon Clone

[Phlox · 23 November 2004]

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

Digimon = Awesomeness!! **Review may contain Spoilers**

[greenwolvesoforion-902-707610 · 10/10 · 5 December 2010]

*Sorry for the long review!* I remember when Pokemon and Digimon were first broadcast in England. Pokemon came out first, at that seemed pretty cool. My brother loved it, and I liked it... But a few weeks later when I saw the adverts for Digimon I thought ''that looks like Pokemon, it must be as good''. I was wrong... IT WAS 50 BILLION TIMES BETTER!!!!!

I found Pokemon same-ish and boring after four episodes. it was literally: "Wow! A new pokemon! Lets get it! Oh no, Pikachu's been stolen by Team Rocket, Lets get him back and blow them up!" That was pretty much the story in EVERY SINGLE STINKIN' EPISODE!! In Digimon, OK I admit the animation isn't 100% and the jokes are pretty bad sometimes... and the English dub probably isn't as half as good as English Subtitled Japanese episodes but ignoring that, you have one of the most brilliant anime/TV shows on the face of the Earth! (Series 1 was the best, Series 2 was pretty cool, Series 3 I loved, Series 4 I had to watch online as it was never broadcast in the UK... And I can see why, it was just an epic fail... First three series? BEST TV SHOW EVER!!!)

My brother loved Pokemon and he claimed Digimon was rubbish. So what did I do? Made him watch an episode, and another... and another... Then he watched the whole series, with me, quite happilly. I was fascinated by the characters in Digimon and how they changed. They were so real! Tai was the leader of the group, Matt was the cool kid, Sora was like the friend to everyone, Izzy was the computer-obsessed smart kid, Joe was a bit of a geek, Mimi was the person who went shopping at the mall, TK was a little kid, Kari (Who appears later in the series)is another little kid... It's amazing how much they change in the series! Tai was a bit 'Everything has to be done my way!' Without letting the others get a word in, but as the series continued, he changed and let everyone else have their say. Matt was a loner, but he became more of a team member later. TK and Kari the little kids, while still being 8 year olds and the end of the series, grow up and become more mature (Just because you're tall it doesn't mean you've grown). Mimi, who thinks she's perfect and the world will always be perfect for her, changes as friendly Digimon die and she begins to realise that bad things happen and that you have to deal with them. (My favorite characters were Sora, Matt, Gabumon, Biyomon, Gommamon, TK, Patamon, Kari, Gatomon... OK that's a lot of favorite characters, but still)

Digimon's probably the reason I'm like I am now. When I first watched this as an 8 year old, I didn't really understand what was going on, but watching it again, so many years later, I can understand it, and I can see a lot of the characters personalities in myself... And I'm still learning from it. I had an argument with a friend, and thought they were to blame. I went home and watched an episode of Digimon 'Princess Karaoke' which was focusing on Mimi and how she treated Tai and Joe, and how her nightmares were trying to tell her she'd done something wrong, and Sora helped explain... And I realised that I was probably the one who'd done something wrong. Thanks to Digimon, I still have one of my best friends today, instead of losing them over a silly argument.

Don't dismiss this as a cheesy kid's show, it actually has a lot of meaning hidden in it. It's surprisingly WAY more than it first appears. When I was 8 and first watching this show, I wished I could go to the Digital World too... I wish I could have been part of the group with my own digimon friend...

Though it has arguably seen its day, the Digimon franchise as a whole remains a worthwhile viewing experience

[jephtha · 7/10 · 15 January 2015]

Provided here are compendiums of my thoughts on the individual Digimon seasons, which I felt would be appropriate given that this page regards them as one whole. For more thorough evaluations, feel free to refer to my season or episode reviews.

Digimon Adventure: A successful beginning volume, originally a mini-series that garnered enough attention to merit an extension. Admittedly, not all aspects of the production have aged well. The art style works, but the animation suffers from the same hindrances as most children's anime, and the storyline is not as cohesive as it should be. The diverse, endearing cast of kids is the greatest aspect, a quality in which the series has remained unsurpassed in its own line. Much imagination is evident in this one, especially with the partner digimon, who collectively are the most appealing main monsters in the franchise.

Digimon Adventure 02: A curious companion piece to the original. Rarely boring and brings the franchise some of its most influential elements. Strong themes of redemption and forgiveness, more substantial villains, some great monster designs and an emphasis on character relationships show potential for excellence. Unfortunately, evident poor planning during production derails much of this. A viable candidate for a re-imagining, though that is a long-shot if there ever was one.

Digimon Tamers: The first reboot of the franchise, and also the grimmest of the seasons. Discards the fantasy elements of its predecessors, opting for the style of a sci-fi drama, complemented by higher quality animation. Sporadically poignant, but tends to get bogged down in watered down sci-fi themes. The storyline is more coherent than the first season, despite suffering from a meandering, unwieldly first half. An excellent final act is the main asset, boasting some of the dramatic and technical highlights of the franchise. The kids are mostly a chore to watch, with the exception of Rika, but the supporting cast of partner digimon and the adults pick up the slack when they can. Overall, a well-made and bold new direction for the franchise, even if it demands a bit of patience.

Digimon Frontier: A fairly out of place second reboot that has the kids become digimon instead of partnered with them, a concept that would work better in a conventional superhero show. Suffers from a derivative storyline and underutilizes the more unique characteristics of its cast. Mostly non-menacing villains don't help, though the action sequences and animation are of fair to good quality, especially the last clash with Cherubimon.

Digimon Data Squad: Continues the trend of reboots. Clearly emulates the more serious approach of the third season, but with much less intrigue and poignancy, and a less than welcome dose of melodrama. Derivative characters are not helped by uninspired partner digimon(although the updated Greymon subspecies is pretty cool), while the central villain is removed prematurely, hampering the final act. The technical aspects are above par for its own line, and the English dub demonstrates how effective director Jeff Nimoy can be when given more creative control. In summary: has good ideas that aren't fully capitalized on, great moments diminished by context, and not enough heart.

Digimon Fusion: I decided to pass on this one, on the grounds that it just looks like the same old stuff, repackaged and drawn out. The "xros" idea also doesn't appeal to me, as it pretty much turns digimon into living lego pieces instead of creatures with evolutionary lines that can be followed. Maybe I'm wrong…but nonetheless, I don't see myself bothering with this one.

As for the future of this franchise, news has been steadily poured out regarding a new project continuing the original story. The reboot trend has been stretched to its limits, and it's encouraging for the producers to recognize this, opting to build upon what is arguably the franchise's biggest success. Personally, I'm a LITTLE skeptical about a couple of things, but at the same time REALLY excited to see Digimon get the update that so many other old franchises have received (e.g. Transformers, G.I. Joe, Ninja Turtles, even Alvin and the Chipmunks for crying out loud). By covering the high school years of these guys, there is much opportunity to liberate this series from the usual kid-related tropes and delve into new territory. Let's hope they get it right.

Amazing!

[fuad_tarin_58 · 9/10 · 1 November 2021]

I still remember first time watching digimon when i was a kid.. it was such an amazing journey. I loved the characters, the digimon and the villains and also the storyline.

Digimon 1 was by far the best. But digimon 2 wasnt bad either and loved that aswell. I loved the new way difimons were envolving. It was a good way to move away from the previous group we had and bringing in new characters and keeping some of the old ones. But for me digimon ended here. Digimon 3 i stopped watching after two episodes. I dont even remember why but i didnt like it all.

Digimon 1 and 2 is the best for me! 9/10.

Do you a speak a dead language?

[tangerine-09669 · 1/10 · 26 August 2018]

Wow, you must have an IQ of lower than 58 to enjoy this show. RUPERT was always on at 2:30 and this show caused mass seizures. Sorry I hope you enjoy your career as a construction worker

A piece of my childhood

[Angelus2 · 10/10 · 8 September 2008]

When ever I hear the word Digimon, a glimpse of my childhood is thrown at me; the show was based on a group of kids on their summer vacation who are sent to a digital world, were digital monsters reside. In this monstrous world each child is given their own guardian who can evolve into bigger and more powerful creatures.

The show had a great storyline and had a great cast of characters who were all different and quirky in their own way, the digi-monsters themselves were interesting and the digiworld itself was a character, the villains however were the normal diabolic baddie that you would expect to find in children's shows...i.e. Devimon, Myotishmon.....Two of the best villains in my eyes....I liked each characters own little problem and how they dealt with it. The next generation of the show was terrible but I stopped watching by then, this in my eyes was one of the best children's cartoon show of all time....Fun, action and a bit of romance....

4 because this page is for the English version

[Drago1995 · 4/10 · 28 March 2021]

I'm giving the rating of 4 since this page is for the English versions of the whole series, the original versions have their own IMDB pages and i gave them good ratings those are the versions i grew up with in Portugal, the rest of the world grew up with the Japanese version only dubbed, USA of course have to mess everything up, not just dubbing you have garbage like Digirap and all those cringe worthy soundtracks, also censorship considering it's "the land of the free" yet they censor things they don't like. Honestly watch the original versions with subtitules or if you can you might have a better opinion of Digimon after.

I enjoy it more than Pokemon, and here's why...

[tleopold · 11 August 2001]

Don't get me wrong, this stuff is still quite cheesey, but I found it to be more entertaining than Pokemon. Here are the reasons why:

1. Not only did I find Digimon to be much more humorous than Pokemon, but overall it seemed more colorful in nature.

2. The soundtrack contained fun rock songs that fit well with the movie.

3. Which brings me to the point that Digimon is aimed at a slightly older audience than Pokemon, which is probably why I enjoyed it more.

4. I found there to be more character development. Each character's personality grew apparent and the fact that they were all in a closely knit group called the Digi-Destined helped the character development greatly.

5. The action seemed a bit more violent at times and the concept of Digivolving was great. Really helped peak the interest and intensity.

That's about it. It's still goofy stuff, but pretty fun nonetheless.

Best anime of my childhood

[Flaviaj1991 · 10/10 · 18 September 2017]

Today I'm 26 years old, and I still have a lot of fun watching Digimon Adventure. Honestly, I never understood the critiques about Digimon being a copy of Pokemon. Digimon Adventure has a beginning, middle and end, while Pokemon is an anime that never ends. The best of Digimon are the characters. My favorite was always Izzy, followed closely by Tai and Hikari.

Even though there have been many other seasons of Digimon, some also good, for me nothing beats the original. This anime is forever in my heart.

Digimon: A Per Season Review

[raven_willow-108-476465 · 8/10 · 2 September 2016]

Digimon is a classic children and Family anime that was released in 1999. It is a series that changes frequently by season, so my review will first focus on the first 4 seasons individually, and then my thoughts on the show as a whole.

Digimon Adventure: When people think of Digimon, they think of the Adventure series. Adventure supported strong characters, great storytelling, and a nice focus on relationships the characters have with each other and their Digimon. Tai, Matt, Joe and TK's story lines were particularly memorable, because these characters grow so much individually by the end of the season. I also appreciate how this season covered serious family issues including adoption and divorce. These focuses were surprisingly mature for a children's television show. The story was at its strongest during the middle arc; giving the characters the opportunity to understand themselves more, and form stronger relationships with each other. It especially got dark in the final arc of the season. What didn't work about the season was the first 12 episodes. It had some interesting parts, but it was mostly very dull, with the series picking up with the arc finale. I also felt the show should've touched on romantic relationships as well as friendships. Overall its strong character development and great storytelling give it an 8.3/10.

Digimon Adventure 02: The sequel to the original Adventure, showing the original characters 3 years older, with a new set of Digidestined led by Davis Motomiya. TK and Kari also join the new Chosen Children as well. A lot works in this series. The characters are just as lovable as the original; especially Ken and Davis. It also expands on the Digital World, and how other children across the world are connected what happens there too. It's also pretty amazing to see our other favorite characters from Adventure as teenagers. You particularly see a lot of Tai, Izzy, and Matt. A surprise villain, as well as the phenomenal character development of Ken, are particularly memorable about the season. However, this season occasionally drags a bit, particularly during the Arukenymon/Mummymon arc, and the globalization of Digidestined takes away from the original idea of limited "chosen". Then there's the lame epilogue. Because of the nostalgia, continuing great characters, mostly good writing, but a slightly lower quality; this season receives a 7.7/10.

Digimon Tamers: This version introduces tamers Takato, Henry, Rika, and later Ryo as well as supporting characters Kazu, Kenza, and Jerri; in a different time line from the original. It also features changes to the Digital World's established rules, and Digimon as a card game. This series is the best incarnation of Digimon. The character development spans even greater than the original, especially among Rika and Jerri. This version of the show portrays much darker ideas than the original including death, depression, and the Digital World as an archetypal wasteland. Some of the best Digimon of the series are introduced including Terriermon, Renamon, and Beelzemon. The series also focuses more on Asian folklore more than the others, by introducing Deyvas and Spirits. This mature version of the series expands beyond what the original ever gave us, and provides a sad, realistic, and hopeful ending that actually left me bawling. The show never loses its original charm though; through the occasional childish Digimon, lame puns, and the strong grounding friendships. My only complaints are the large focus on Jerri at the end and the sudden and random entrance of Ryo. The card game idea also had to grow on me. Because of its many strengths, the show gets a 9.5/10.

Digimon Frontier: This incarnation of Digimon is a love-letter to the original; focusing on leader Takuya and his group that inhabit Legendary Warrior Spirits that allow them to become Digimon themselves. There are several things that work in this series, and several that don't. I love the characters, but their backgrounds could have been expanded much more. There is too much focus on the shared loneliness the characters face, rather than different issues that bring them together. The Kouji/Kouichi story was brilliant though. The idea that humans could become Digimon was great because it allowed the children to do something in the series other than cheer on their partners. The only thing missing from this was the strong bond between the Digimon/Human partners. However, the warriors did have a spiritual connection with the humans, an idea that was most expanded on with Takuya. But this idea should've been explored further. The series also portrays corruption, an archetypal wasteland, and features cameos of Digimon characters from the first 3 series. The villains were pretty boring though, with the exception of Cherubimon and Mercurymon. Lucimon would've been much more interesting if he didn't spend most of the series whining about needing more data. It also sucked to watch the characters lose and nearly give up so much towards the end. It was a downer, and happened too often for it to make an effective point in the story. I also loved the edition of Trailmon and the romantic tension between JP/Zoey. Takuya, Kouji, and Kouichi also had fairly decent character development. Even though this is the weakest incarnation of Digimon, it's definitely underrated; therefore a 7/10.

Overall, the series as a whole will forever be a beloved anime and children's classic. It has introduced many young people to anime, and acts as a transition to more mature television, movies, and adult ideas. The series' focus on friendship and love as the ultimate weapon against evil is a powerful message for children. The realistic portrayal of children and their problems make the show relatable. Overall the characters, story lines, and philosophies explored in the show are realistic but somehow light-hearted; making it a mature, smart, and funny children's classic. And it's completely underrated.

8.1/10