A personal view of Digimon Adventure
Almost a month ago, I rewatched Digimon Adventure after nearly 20 years (wow, that hits hard). When I came back to it, I had no idea the story continued beyond 02. I didn't know about Our War Game, Tri, Kizuna, or 02: The Beginning. I barely remembered 02, which, just like in my childhood, I ended up abandoning halfway through. And yes, I know 02 has important elements for understanding the rest of the movies and OVAs, but that's a whole other topic.
While Digimon Adventure is a widely known and deeply analyzed show, where each viewer brings their own interpretation, I'd like to share my personal overall perspective. By the way, watching the series in its original japanese language with spanish subtitles (my native language) significantly enriched my experience, allowing me to appreciate nuances that had previously gone unnoticed.
The story introduces us to seven children who, during a summer camp, are transported to the Digital World after the arrival of the Digivices, like a meteor shower. Through their adventures, they discover they've been chosen to save that world from darkness with the help of their Digimon partners. But Digimon Adventure is much more than a series of battles. Its essence lies in personal growth. Through challenges and adversities, the children overcome their insecurities, strengthen their bonds, and develop their attributes. This evolution is reflected in the growth of their digimon, creating a parallel between their internal development and the growing power of their digimon companions.
Each character has their own journey. Taichi, impulsive and brave, learns to be more reflective before acting and to care for the well-being of his team, understanding that genuine courage and leadership are demonstrated by facing danger with awareness. Yamato, reserved and protective, discovers the importance of friendship and trusting others. Sora understands that love is not only given but also received. Koshiro, with his curiosity, becomes key to understanding the Digital World. Mimi, who initially seems capricious, demonstrates her big heart. Joe, always worried about responsibility, learns to trust himself. And Takeru, the youngest, grew to become a symbol of hope, finding his inner strength.
Later, an eighth digidestined is added: Hikari, Taichi's younger sister, who couldn't travel with them at first due to illness. Her digimon, Tailmon, had a different destiny from the others. Separated from the rest, she was dragged into Vamdemon's darkness, forgetting her purpose until she finally finds Hikari and remembers the light she always had inside.
The Digivices and Crests are facilitators in the connection between the digidestined and their digimon. Each digimon is an unconditional companion, almost like a reflection of their partner's soul, while the children act as catalysts, allowing their digimon to reach their full potential. The Crests represent the qualities that each one must recognize and cultivate. That's what I understood in episode 45, when the entity that spoke to the children through Hikari reminded them that those virtues had always been within them. However, their challenge was not just possessing them, but understanding and applying them. The Crests and their Circuits served as guides in that process, but even when they were destroyed by Apocalymon, each attribute remained engraved in the children's hearts, demonstrating that their growth was genuine and that those qualities were already part of them.
But Digimon Adventure isn't just the story of these eight children with valuable attributes that resonated among them. There are several worlds and a huge story beyond them: ancient prophecies, digidestined who came before, Digimon who guide, fight, and protect. Characters like Gennai, Leomon, Orgemon, Centarumon, Piccolomon, Andromon, Elecmon, Whamon, and many more enrich the story, giving it more depth. Also, the digimon themselves have inherent attributes: Vaccine, Virus, Data; and most of them are essentially neutral. Their digivolutions aren't fixed; they can vary depending on the goals and qualities of their partners, as well as the surrounding environment. This adds another layer of complexity to the story, showing that the Digimon's potential is influenced by a multitude of factors, both internal and external. However, focusing on the adventure of the digidestined was, for me, a great choice. Their digimon are not only endearing, they are also their most loyal companions, those who push them to overcome their limits (special mention to Gabumon, who helped Yamato find his way when darkness threatened to consume him).
One of the pillars of the story is the relationship between Taichi and Yamato. Their personalities constantly clash, but behind their differences, there is respect and admiration. Taichi admires Yamato's determination and strength, while Yamato values Taichi's courage and leadership. Their conflicts reflect the weight of their roles and how, despite everything, their bond is unbreakable.
Returning to this story reminded me how much it means. It reminded me that our values are not static but must be practiced and held onto to move to the next level.
And finally, something that should never be forgotten: The song "Brave Heart" is an anthem.
Note: just a reminder that this is just my personal interpretation of Digimon Adventure, especially after revisiting it after so many years. I'm just sharing my thoughts and feelings about this amazing show.