I must confess... I have started the year with a lot of nostalgia. And to tell you the truth, I have not yet determined what the reason for all this is. But just because I'm like this, melancholy and caught in the spell of certain things from the past, doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. From my point of view, it is a fascinating and unique moment of contemplation. This is the necessary context to explain why I have decided to make a post about Digimon, and even more about this installment of OVA's (Original Video Animation), which have marked me deeply and inspired me in a way I haven't felt in quite some time.
And it is that now comes to my mind that saying that goes as follows: "What we like as children, will continue to do so throughout our lives". In my childhood, I grew up watching a lot of animated series; among them, Digimon Adventure (1999). It was the pioneer story, the original of this whole tangled Digimon anime universe. In it, the first generation of "Chosen Children", (a name that is used to give importance to the protagonists of this story) marked my life deeply. Even today, with 31 years old, being a mother, and far from that little girl who wanted to watch this series every afternoon, I remember the connection I had with this production.
While this post will have a lot of nostalgia in it, it will also contain as accurate an analysis as possible. You see, ever since 2024 began, I've had these feelings like isolation and introspection. On one of those days, I became obsessed watching a Japanese channel on YouTube. It's about an Argentinian man of Japanese descent who explains everything about the Japanese country. Video after video, I was amazed by everything I saw. The colors, the shapes, the neatness; the shots; an endless number of things that are hard for me to explain in detail.
The truth is that, when I came to, I was on Crunchyroll, watching a series that I had left incomplete back in 2018.... And yes, I am referring to Digimon Adventure Tri; which as the title says; it is the penultimate part of a universe that began with Taichi, Yamato, Koushiro, Sora, Mimi, Joe, Hikari, and Takeru, being children but in this installment we can already witness how the passage of time has influenced them. I guess, if you have reached this part it is because you identify with me in two things. In the longing for nostalgia and in the love for this franchise.
That said, I'll start by explaining where in the Digimon chronology this installment falls. You see, there is the mother series, which as I said earlier is Digimon Adventure. Yes, the one we all saw on TV. Then, Digimon Adventure 02 follows, which is a continuation of the first one but with other characters plus Hikari and Takeru; and with sporadic appearances of the first protagonists. Up to that point, we keep the canon sequence. And from 2015 to 2018, a series of 6 OVA's were issued, which in America were presented as chapters (26, to be more precise) showing us what had become of the life of our "Chosen Children".
Specifically, 3 years after the events presented in Digimon 02 and 6 since the first installment. This means that the technology, logic and temporal location of this installment takes place in 2005. Just when Taichi is 17 years old... Let me tell you, I don't include myself in the branch of people and fans who despise this installment (because, researching about this series to write the post, I found that there are many people who simply don't like Tri). From the first episode, nostalgia invades you. You can tell that the writers and animators were aware that it would be watched by fans.
Loved that an entire series was built around that premise. Therefore, over-explanations and filler situations are kept to a minimum. Visually it is a beauty; although it has mixed reviews. It was originally produced to be screened and distributed in theaters, but in both America and Europe it was distributed in serial format; therefore the image quality is not lost; quite the contrary, it maintains a fascinating scale and visual detail. You really feel like you are in those Tokyo locations that appear in Digimon.
On the other hand, the character and personality of the main characters is totally mature. Digimon Adventure Tri is on the path of the most classic existentialism. The impulsive outbursts, typical of childhood, have disappeared. The consequences of the destruction and the decisions made by the characters are noticeable in the way they behave. The fantasy on which the fiction of the series is based, in my opinion, is not affected by the quality of maturity that we notice in the protagonists. Fear, uncertainty, obsessions, loneliness, depression, eroticism and even romance are some of the characteristics that we can notice being an adult audience.....
Let's remember that neither the characters are innocent children, nor are we. From that point of view, I don't understand the criticism towards the script attributed to this installment. There are problems and precise situations that give development to what happens in the anime, but as I said in the title, there will be no spoilers here. If you are a fan or curious, I recommend you go and see it for yourself. Draw your own conclusions. But from me you are not going to get a disqualification (unfair, I might add) for the series. On the contrary, it has its faults (nothing is perfect) but I find it simply beautiful.
It has moments and characters that make you empathize immediately. A force driven by nostalgia and the attachment of a community of people who were children watching the first series, who follow what happens this time. Honestly, I really loved how this series was thought out. The normal thing to do is to point to the direction that gave you so many good results in the past and exploit it. On this occasion, it has not been that way at all. The characters, both male and female, each have a different mentality and that defines them, distinguishes them; it makes them much deeper and more interesting. I guess that's the appeal, that nothing is as it once was.
By the way, I don't want to forget the importance of the soundtrack and music in Digimon Adventure Tri. Undoubtedly, a remarkable success. Themes such as "Oh my love", "Butterfly" or "Wish" have been reinterpreted (and in my opinion, improved) to be presented in this installment. It's impossible for you not to get excited or feel that shiver of uncontainable emotion run through your skin. Trust me, you have to watch the series and listen to the music as you get into the story.... Finally, I said that this is the penultimate installment of this generation, that of the first "Chosen Children". And that's because it all comes to an end in 2020; but we'll talk about that in a future post....