REVIEWS

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Review # 1 Digimon-- Excellent all the way!

I love Saturday morning cartoon shows and will sometimes spend an entire Saturday morning-- from 8 am to one in the afternoon-- watching them. However, When Digimon, a new animated series, debuted last year on Fox, I did everything I could to avoid what I thought was probably a Pokemon rip-off. (Digimon debuted during the height of the Pokemon craze.) But one day curiosity got the best of me and I finally watched an episode. And you know what? I discovered one of the best animated series on television.

Just what is Digimon about? It starts out with seven kids at summer camp. One day, they get sucked into another dimension called the "Digi-world," a world composed of computer data that is also linked to the Real World. Once in the Digi-world, the children find themselves befriended by these cute little animals called "Digimon," who they eventually learn were created to help them--the "Digi-destined--" save the Digi-world and their own world from destruction. (Got it? Good. If you didn't, you're not alone!) However, to help the Digi-destined, the Digimon must "evolve" with the help of their masters. So the children find themselves with two tasks as new inhabitants of the Digi-world-- they must save the world, but also learn responsibility, since getting the Digimon to evolve requires lots of it.

Now what is so darned good about Digimon? For one, Digimon is probably one of the most gorgeously animated cartoon shows I have ever seen in recent memory. This is going to sound like a strong statement, but anyone who thinks the animation on Digimon is bad ought to have his eyes checked. I couldn't help say that, because as someone who actually enjoys animation and even hopes to do some herself, it bothers me that there are actually people who say that the animation is garbage. This simply is not true. The animation is outstanding and the character design incredible (above average than your typical wide-eyed anime style-- and cute as heck). As for the musical score, it is film quality. Next to Warner Brother's Saturday cartoon fare, I can't think of any other series that matches Digimon's stylishness.

More things good about Digimon-- its sophistication. For one, all of the characters are fully developed with distinct personalities of their own who, in the course of the story, find they have many faults they must overcome in order to succeed as a Digi-destined. (Do NOT listen to the reviewers who say the characters are one-dimensional; they have obviously never watched the program.) Joe is the scaredy cat nerd who has to learn how to take more action in his life; Mimi is the ditzy princess who has to learn how to become less superficial; Sora is the popular girl of the bunch who has to learn about love; and so on and so forth. These characters are so developed, in fact, that they even have histories. We learn that two of the kids (brothers) are dealing with the divorce of their parents and that several of the other children have certain situations in their own personal lives that they must deal with. One dimensional characters on Digimon? Only to those who have never watched the show.

Digimon's sophistication extends not only to the characters but to the story line. It has a story so complex, so involved, that if you even miss one episode, you will get hopelessly lost. The reason why is simple. From the pilot episode, the story plays out in degrees of increasing complexity. It's always amazing to me how seemingly disparate elements in the earlier episodes of Digimon will magically come together in subsequent episodes. There's something about Digimon that's reminiscent of Star Wars in the way the sequels like Return of the Jedi and the Empire Strikes Back shed light on events in the original movie.

But what really makes Digimon stand out as an animated series is that it is a cartoon show that gives valuable lessons. Even though the show is about kids trying to save the world, the plot is less about that than it is about children who have been separated from their parents and must now go on a journey in which they must grow as individuals and become responsible as they learn how to rely on themselves more and more. Yes, it is true-- the story is mainly about how the Digi-destined must save the world-- but they cannot save the world without at first learning how to deal with the worst that is in themselves and also without bringing out what is the best within themselves. This is the significance of the "crests" that each child must earn before he can fulfill his duty as a Digi-destined. The crests each represent an honorable trait that we'd all like to have--like love and friendship-- but they particularly represent the trait that is most present in each child (for example, Joe's crest is "responsibility" and Mimi's "sincerity"); and it is the duty of each of the crests' wearers to find that good trait within himself before he can do anything of real worth. What a valuable lesson in today's world where children today are repeatedly sent the message that they must be other than what they truly are in order to feel good about themselves!

Now no work is without its flaws, and Digimon has a few. For one, the stories-- like I said-- are so involved that it's hard to figure out what is going on if you don't vigilantly keep up with its episodes. (I'm a grown adult and even I get hopelessly confused at times!) What's worse-- because of its complex plot and even dark subject matter (characters "die" or are "banished") this program isn't exactly appropriate for the kindergarten set.

However, Digimon still stands out today as an incredibly inventive and well executed animated series for children and I highly recommend it for older children as well as adults.

Recommended
Yes

Type of Program: Cartoon or Animated
Program Quality: Thought-provoking, original material
Best Suited For: 9 Years or Older

Review # 3 Digimon Teaches Great Values

My son Michael and I have been watching Digimon together for several months now. Sharing Digimon has been a bonding experience and it has opened Michael up to share observations about values and behavior in a very beneficial way.

In the Digital world where most of the action takes place, the seven children work together and learn of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Many of the Digital monsters who attack them at first, are overcome and cleared of a 'Black Gear' that causes their aggressive and violent behavior, by virtues held by one of the seven children.

These virtues are expressed by a key that allows the child's personal Digimon to transform to a more powerful form. The key has to be earned in an episode that explores the particular virtue that the key represents. Once the virtue is earned and expressed, the child's personal Digimon evolves into a more powerful and mature form, then a battle ensues and the Evil Digimon who started the attack is destroyed or converted by the removal of a black gear, put there by Devimon, an obvious Devil like Nemesis. Once the black gear is removed the Digimon who had them are no longer violent and become friends who help fight against Devimon and his evil minions.

Watching Digimon, I am reminded of the works of C.S.Lewis, the famous Professor of Mythology and Christian writer who brought us such works as the "Chronicles of Narnia", "Screwtape Letters", and "That Hideous Strength". Many of the Mythological characters are the same, as are the virtues of Love, Friendship, Sacrifice, Honesty, Loyalty, Perseverance, and Faith in Goodness. C.S.Lewis would have approved of Digimon Digital Monsters, and it's use of Heroic Mythology to teach values. Digimon is very much like the "Chronicles of Narnia" - expressed in modern Japanese Anime form. I heartily recomend the series and urge parents to take the time to watch episodes with their children and open discussions on the virtues explored in them.

Recommended
Yes

Type of Program: Cartoon or Animated
Program Quality: Thought-provoking, original material
Best Suited For: 6 to 8 years 

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