Recap: And So it Begins

My From Humble Beginnings Marathon continues! Let's open up "And So it Begins" and keep this ball rolling.

I fully admit to being on the Pokémon side of the Pokémon and Digimon conflict, but as time has passed, I deem it a worthy opponent. Looking back at it, viewing it on hotel TVs during a road trip in 2000, I can say I'm much more receptive to it than I am to other new things that have come out lately.

Anyway, we get the theme song. It's another good one, a piece of scratchy electroclash that signaled the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s. I'm posting a link of it.

We open on a voice narrating, saying that his home is planet earth, but isn't sure that's where he is right now. I wonder if he's run into any female track stars and rebel princes with wings.

He tells of how the rainforests died, and deserts got flooded with chocolate sauce.
Also, people that can't spell/Japanese animators that don't write/speak very much English got assigned to do lettering on signs, such as this "Howerd Joonson" one. Thanks, but I prefer Donny's.

He goes onto say that he was at summer camp when all this was happening, then, it snowed in July! This Taichi Kamiya, or "Tai" for short. He is the first of a character type of Digidestined that fans often refer to as "goggle-heads", so named because of their goggles and headstrong shonen natures.

Next is Sora Takenouchi, Tai's special lady.

Next is Yamato Ishida, or "Matt" for short. He's what can charitably be called Tai's best friend; though this show is not afraid to show the rough patches of their friendship (I can only imagine how awkward the 02 distant finale made lunch for them afterward).

Next is Koushiro Izumi, or "Izzy". He has to be one of my favorite members of the Digidestined. The computer nerd; he's essentially the person I was at that age, and continue to be.

Someone claims Frontier is a better season than Tamers? We'll see about that!

Next is Mimi Tachikawa. Judging by the pink cowgirl outfit and Southern-isms, she's pretty much Hannah Montana's first cousin, once removed. In fact, she's a part-time lounge singer under the name "Hosannah Alabama."

Next is Takeru Takaishi, or "TK" for short. He is Matt's younger brother. Regarding their different surnames, their parents divorced before the series began. You'll notice in my recap of the Digimon movie that they were staying with their grandmother. By the way, I still don't care for the movie, I find the show to be much better.

Last but not least, my favorite Digidestined, Joe Kido. Tai claims he'd wet his pants if he got scared. Maybe, but not in the way that you think. With the exception of TK, the Digidestined are middle schoolers (high schoolers by the time of the divisive 02); so they're probably going through puberty right now. Well, since I made that joke at Tai's expense in my recap of the movie, now it's Joe's turn.

When I first set foot in the digital world I JIZZED IN MY PANTS.

Then, a huge blizzard kicked up and everybody took cover. Tai and the other Digidestined took cover in a shrine; with Tai snarking that the canoe races were canceled. About the script: Jeff Nimoy and others wrote the bulk of the English dub, using their previous work on Samurai Pizza Cats to make the dialogue feel natural. It's another instance of the gag dub, but in this case, it works because the leads are kids; and therefore, it would be just like real kids to crack jokes about their predicament to lighten the mood.

Naturally, they all want to play in the snow despite being outrageously underdressed for the situation. I plan to do more recaps of this anime next year; but for now, I'm booked solid and behind. Anyway, let's put on some tunes to mark this.

While the others are disappointed they didn't pack snow gear; Izzy is disappointed that his internet connection isn't working; much like mine often isn't working on these recaps.

Smeg! I was trying to complain about how much I was disappointed by The Phantom Menace!

He runs out with the others, and the Aurora Borealis is outside. This is like that great book and/or crappy movie with a golden compass. I forget what it's called.

Joe wants everyone to go back inside, and then, a hole appears in the sky! Meteors come down!

The meteors crash right by them!

Yet, everyone is OK. Yep, we're definitely in a Digimon anime. They remark at how weird it is to have snow in summer and the northern lights in Japan, but almost getting killed by meteors is nothing for your log.

Then, several small trinkets known as Digivices rise from the snow as the children pick them up.

Then, they're sucked into the Digital World by a huge wave! The imagery gets quite strange from there.

Tai then wakes up on the beach, with a Digimon in his face.

Looking into its eyes, it's hypnotic. Like a lava lamp.

 Tai chalks it up to the camp food. I know. That gruel is sometimes so old it has mushrooms growing on it.

Anyway the Digimon starts bouncing around and saying it wants to be Tai's friend. Tai is freaking out that this little thing just fell on his lap.

It introduces itself as Koromon, saying it's Tai's partner.

Izzy has a pink thing beside him, in his words. This is Motimon; a little pink ghost.

Izzy deduces that the Digivices spawned the Digimon.

This is highly logical, like that time I tried to include Sisko in a Kirk vs. Picard debate.

There are many plants there, but the soil is quite common. Also, there are palm trees beside pine trees.

Tai climbs a tree for another view, and can see the ocean on the horizon! And he also sees mountains!

Then, he sees a large Digimon through his telescope!

The beetle Digimon flies right at them and crashes through the trees!

This is Kuwagamon. He comes around again, and Koromon fights him with bubbles.

Tai admires Koromon's bravery, but says he's had better days. Wow, he's taking the whole "trapped in another world and surrounded by strange creatures" thing surprisingly well.

Kuwagamon makes another pass, and Tai and Izzy make a run for it. 

 Motimon then leads them inside a tree. The Digital World is prone to oddities like this. Just go with it, you'll enjoy it more.

You better fasten your seatbelt, Dorothy, because Kansas is going bye-bye!

 Then, it turns out the tree is a perfect hiding place. It's also good for baking cookies in.

Who should give the all-clear but Sora. What do you know. An angel in a blue hat said it's safe.

Sora also has a Digimon. This is Yokomon, a small plant-like Digimon.

This little white Digimon is Tokomon. Izzy points out these keep popping up!

TK comes out from behind the tree, as does Matt, holding another Digimon. This is Tsunomon. Much better than Monsuno, even if it does have a so bad it's good vibe to it.

oe has one as well, and is not happy with it. Just as well. He and his Digimon are polar opposites.

This little scamp is Bukamon, some sort of sea lion with a tuft of orange hair.

Joe is not taking this whole thing well. Perhaps this will help.


They all proclaim themselves to be Digimon: Digital Monsters. Lovely title drop there.

Everyone is in awe at what they're seeing.

The Digimon then start listing off some of their attributes. Tai is pleased to meet them. He then reintroduces Sora, Matt, Joe, Izzy, and TK.

Then, everyone wonders where Mimi is. It turns out she's being chased by Digimon number 7, and Kuwagamon!

Mimi rests, and Tanemon is by her side. It looks like a little flower bud.

Then, they're on the run again! I also notice there are music cues being used from Saban's work on the infamous Masked Rider; a disastrous attempt at adapting Kamen Rider for the US. Now I'm expecting Count Dregon and that stupid chicken-headed starship of his to show up (which is too bad, because the series it was based on, Kamen Rider Black RX is fairly decent, and has nowhere near as many detractors).

They come to a cliff, and a dead end. Kuwagamon makes another pass. Koromon tries to blow more bubbles, but is stricken down. The other Digimon join in and start blowing more bubbles, which takes Kuwagamon down.

All the Digimon are down, and the children ask why they have to be so brave?


Kuwagamon gets back up! That thing just won't let up!

Despite all our rage we are still all just rats in a cage!

The Digidestined won't stand for this, and decide to protect their friends!


The Digimon agree, and they shall stand and fight! The children aren't sure, but the Digimon are eager to get into battle!

The Digimon then bounce out of their tamers' hands and into battle!

I also notice Tokomon has some pretty gnarly teeth for such a little guy!

Impetuous boy! Oh well, who wants to live forever!

Tai races after Koromon, and then, the Digivice on his belt starts to glow!

All the Digivices start to glow on the kids' belts!

A mysterious energy field appears in the sky! The field comes over all the Digimon.

Will you light the sky on fire?

The time has come for Digivolution! Koromon becomes Agumon!

Yokomon becomes Biyomon!

Motimon becomes Tentomon!

Tsunomon becomes Gabumon!

Tokomon becomes Patamon!

Bukamon becomes Gomamon!

Tanemon becomes Palmon!

So, now the Digimon have become bigger and stronger!

Palmon lashes out with Poison Ivy! She tries to snare Kuwagamon, while Patamon uses Boom Bubbles!

I knew I should have taken that job on Beast Wars! It pays well to be an Inferno double!

The Digimon now stand a fighting chance as Agumon unleashes Pepper Breath and Tentomon unleashes Boom Shocker!



They continue to whale on Kuwagamon while calling their attacks. Oh, to be a spry 8-year-old again.

All 7 Digimon then make their stand by each other's side!

Then, all the Digimon attack and once, and Kuwagamon is on fire! 

With this, Kuwagamon is finally down. Also, apparently Jetix ran this in the same block with Power Rangers; as part of Disney's requirements for buying up assets related to Fox Family and Fox Kids. This is part of what led to the franchise sputtering out with their run of Digimon Frontier. They tried to keep it hanging on with Digimon Data Squad (a dub of the well-received Digimon Savers); but the damage had been done. After that, it would be 5 years before Saban bought the rights to the franchise back; put reruns on Nicktoons, and started printing remastered DVDs; and 6 years before Digimon Fusion (the dub of Digimon Xros Wars) started airing on Nickelodeon and Vortexx. I haven't checked what kind of ratings Fusion is getting yet, but if it's anything like when this first aired on Fox Kids back in the day, it got a boost by airing after Power Rangers (and eventually overtook it by Fox pitting it against Pokémon. That's right. That whole rivalry was instigated by network executives at Fox. Many shows fell victim to that ratings battle as a result.).

Everyone is astounded at the Digimon's first victory. Izzy even makes a comment about Kuwagamon being reduced to vaporware. Feel free to make a joke about how Duke Nukem Forever took two console generations, three presidencies, and the entire lifetime of Miley Cyrus to develop (and that's the short version, by the way).

Agumon then runs over to Tai as they hug about their win.

Yet, Kuwagamon gets back up and cracks the cliff face down! And that's how it ends. On a cliffhanger in more ways than one.

So, that's "And So it Begins". It also has definitely aged. Given the looks of the fashions, dialogue, and Izzy's Apple Powerbook-like computer (this is in the days before owning a Mac was popular for ordinary people, or any Apple device for that matter); it wears its '90s origin on its sleeve. Still, it's clear the character dynamic of the series and its ilk works at this early stage. As it goes on, it touches on themes that are actually very deep for a children's anime. Toei also made sure the animation was high-quality for its time. It's another case where even if you're doing a merchandise-driven show like this; you have to treat your audience with respect and do your best to tell a memorable story. In that regard, they succeeded; and I consider it to hold up. With this, I have started to make good on my intent to binge on this anime as a reward for seeing the Endless 8 all the way through. Once again, this recap is a bit late. It's clear that this is going to spill into October, but even as school is starting again, I will have time to work on my Halloween marathon. For the rest of the year, I will be dialing back my output so I have more time for homework, tests, and possibly getting a job on the school paper. See you later!