Digimon Adventure 2020 has delivered more action than the original and even greater story depth.
This version of the Digimon Adventure series is much closer to the multi-evolution concept that Digimon is known for. The series was rebooted following the 20th anniversary of the Digimon franchise and tells a new story of the 8 original Digidestined that every fan is familiar with.
The story and progression in Digimon Adventure 2020 has a completely different flow, with the show ending with 67 episodes, instead of 54.
How Does Digimon Adventure 2020 Measure Up?
Digimon, aka Digital Monsters, is a isekai-based, monster taming anime that first debuted in 1999. The story is centered around the first Digidestined, and their Digimon, featured in the TV Show, which includes the following characters.
- Taichi “Tai” and Agumon
- Yamato “Matt” and Gabumon
- Sora and Piyomon (Biyomon)
- Koushiro “Izzy” and Tentomon
- Mimi and Palmon
- Joe and Gomamon
- Takeru “T.K.” and Patamon
- Hikari “Kari” and Tailmon (Gatomon)
7 Digidestined began their journey at the same time in the original, however, the story in the new Digimon Adventure was fragmented completely different. In the beginning, only Tai and Yamato had their Digimon, with Koushiro aiding them remotely. Once the first introduction arc ends, they eventually find the others that form the group within the Digital World, aside from Takeru and Hikari. This is due to the way that the story arcs were set.
There were also so many familiar faces regarding the various Digimon character that have been seen before. This isn’t exclusively for those seen in the original series, as even other seasons seem to have influenced the decision on what and who to include. Even various new Digimon, and even lores found in other shows, were merged in to this one concept.
The following is a full review that goes into various details regarding the series and the difference to the original show. The show has yet to be given an English dub, but hopefully Funimation will one day produce it.
Spoilers may be included as it compares the many differences that Digimon Adventure has compared to the original.
If you haven’t seen, or finished, the 2020 series than waste no time as it doesn’t matter if you have seen the 1999 version or not. The adventure is completely different and worth the watch, whether a fan of the franchise is old or new. In order to start watching this amazing adventure on Crunchyroll, use the following Link.
The Adventure Arcs
The story arcs featured in both Digimon series are completely different and as such, only the series as a whole could be compared to as none of the arcs are similar in anyway.
In the beginning for the 1999 series, the show was more of a mystery adventure as the kids were looking for a way home, not fully comprehending they were no longer in the real world until the story advanced. Whereas the Digidestined in the 2020 series were fully aware, so the show had mystery but fundamentally was an isekai action-adventure.
For the original, the Digidestined were dropped in the Digital World without warning, but the reboot gave the adventure more depth by using a Digital dimension that affects technology in the real world. The first few episodes deal with threats in the real world that happen due to Digimon influence in the network. This happens before the real adventure in the Digital World begins.
A lot more content is included in each episode, especially since Mega Digivolution is given to all Digimon partners, instead of just Agumon and Gabumon. File island with Devimon was the first arc in the original, but for the reboot, the mission was to search for the Holy Digimon. Already the reboot delivers more action and still gives fans an excellently spread adventure.
The original Digimon Adventure was much simpler even with events that happen episodically. They were all generally centred around a big bad Digimon. On File Island to defeat Devimon, on the continent of server to defeat Etemon, from the Digital World to the real world to defeat Myotismon, then finally back to the Digital World to deal with the 4 Dark masters, before facing Apocalymon to end their adventure.
Fundamentally, the reboot starts with Taichi and Yamato in the network to stop digital sabotage, then the real adventure begins with the others to find the holy Digimon. Facing MetalTyrannomon leads to needing Ultimate Digivolution until a boss battle against Nidhoggmon. Takeru is then added to the story to find Patamon and leads to facing Devimon. The threat of Millenniumon is then revealed, which later brings Hikari into the story. Like the Dark masters, Millenniumon is then the main antagonist until the final boss is revealed.
Devimon is one of the only evil foes that has his vibe in the series similar to the original. With the reboot, they do use this character as a better link to the story of Takeru and Patamon. The event of facing Devimon happens around the same time the original version has already concluded the war, which involved Etemon on the continent of server.
Ultimate Digivolution debuts different in each version of the story. A different arc starts in the original, after Agumon reaches his ultimate Digivolution to become Metalgreymon to defeat Etemon. For the reboot, they amazingly use Ultimate level Digimon to create growth for the characters, as the first Ultimate Digimon they face is the result of a miasma lore. Before the holy Digimon is found, the series already adds Ultimate Digivolution, with character progression to match, with only 6 of the 8 Digidestined.
However, nothing compares to the Myotismon arc in the original as the dark vibe set in the arc is so unique. Add that with the threat to Hikari and the plot twist for Tailmon, this story was so deep and unique to the original show. Even the use of the real world had so much drama and suspense, with the kids’ families also involved. The threat to families in the reboot was not as personal compared to the original.
Both versions of the series have one thing in common, which is that they use the real world as a bridge for starting the next part of the story, and introducing another character. In the original this was just Tai and De-Digivolved Agumon, Koromon, after the battle against Etemon. The event in the reboot had the same effect as it allowed a pause before it begin the next chapter, but the reboot allowed Takeru to debut. Tai and Matt were the only ones that stayed in the Digital World after the boss battle against Nidhoggmon, and the events gave the show a level of excitement and unpredictability.
Having Hikari join in the story so late was clearly done on purpose, so it led for more story to be fleshed out. They also used the gap between Millenniumon and the final boss, Negamon, to allow the characters to gain more power via character progression. This meant that you could see the fruits of labour and gave meaning to how the Digidestined got more power for their final mission. Every arc in this series was like completing each level of a game and everything from the character development to the action, combined with the improved lores, has gone beyond what Digimon has done before.
The action
The adventure series was centred around the Digidestined trying to save both worlds but ultimately, the kids in the original were having to just protect themselves, due to the prophecy being known by every evil Digimon. The combat was much more fast paced, precise, and dynamic in this new version of the story than it was before.
Digimon Adventure 2020 saw the Digidestined aiming to stop whatever dark Digimon were planning, to gain energy, increase their power, and cause destruction as a result. It was only closer to the end when the kids started to be targeted relentlessly due to the threat they perceive. The show did an insane job of slowly escalating the threat level of both the antagonists and the protagonists in the new series.
For the story, there was less mystery, but it was replaced with time-sensitive events. This included ships being made to collide, missiles being sent to Tokyo, and even satellites dropping to cause devastation. This was all revealed to be a way to collect energy for evil Digimon. Although the threat of Myotismon was on a personal level, the threats that evil Digimon had on both the real world and Digital world created fantastic superhero-level suspense.
The Lore differences
Digivolution advances happen a lot earlier in the show as even Mega Digivolution debuts sooner than the original. However, the concept is truer to the multi-line Digivolution than the original, as new forms and side-evolutions are added that make Digimon stand out among other Monster-based franchises. This includes a different mega evolution for Agumon and Gabumon, beast-based mega evolutions for the Holy Digimon, and even a new form of Omegamon (Omnimon).
The only evolution that doesn’t quite fit in is the armour Digivolution that is seen for Patamon. This is because Pegasusmon is an armour Digimon that first debut in season 2 of the original show, which uses Armour Digieggs for an item based Digivolution.
Miasma is also added as a new substance that is created from negative energy and can even disintegrate data. The importance of this substance started with the first ultimate Digimon appearance, as the material causes corruption and dark evolution. This added another level of excitement as it causes a range of issues for the protagonists to overcome. This includes miasma used to award thrilling variations of Metalgreymon and Weregarurumon, which have new forms that grant them new powers and abilities with their appearance.
The Evil Digimon all have fantastic lores that link them to either the Digital world or even the Digidestined and their partners. Both Milleniumon and the final boss, Negamon, are set as ancient threats to the Digital World. Even the henchman-type Digimon have their own unique lores that give the show so much depth, but it is Devimon and Skullknightmon that have the best story links. This is because both these Digimon are dark relations to Patamon and Tailmon respectively. This gives the whole holy Digimon storyline a greater significance to the show and trumps how they were used in the original.
The crests are no longer required to be found like the original, as the Digidestined lore is changed for Digimon Adventure 2020. It isn’t change by much since the original also revealed the source of the crests were the Digidestined themselves. Now, these mentality-powered symbols are engrained in respective Digivices and reacts to the feelings of the kids that resonate with the meaning of their corresponding crests.
The adventure is also what is then used to be the foundation to reach a higher level of power for their crests. This was such an amazing way to change the lores for this series and its brilliant how they used every bit of the Digivolutions featured in the series. The need for each evolution was used to defeat the rising difficulty of the enemies they encountered.
Overall impression
The new season certainly has gone beyond the potential of previous shows, and it will be so exciting to find out if a season 2 of Digimon Adventure follows. With how the show ended, you could see how the story could branch into another season, due to the ‘Digital Gate’ program that Koushiro was developing, within Mimi’s ‘company’.
With all the action and epic events that take place, its going to be extremely hard to guess what they could envision for Davis, Yolei, Cody, and Ken if their time comes. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Koushiro ended up creating the D-3 Digivices that are seen in the next season, as even recent instalments of the original show included him inventing alternative Digivices.
For now, the latest instalment for the Digimon Franchise, Digimon Ghost Game, is already creating so much hype. Its surely going to include the same level of adventure and action as the reboot, but this time add in the mystery theme the original used to have. Digimon Ghost Game is currently being Simulcast on Crunchyroll, so if you wish to start watching, use the following Link.
What did you think of Digimon Adventure 2020? Do you think the show did better than the original? Which was your favourite moment in this reboot? Let us know on social media, or in the comments below, and keep following The Illuminerdi for more Digimon and Anime content.
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