Please do vent about the original Digimon remake!
Oh boy, so the 2020 series (ᵕ—ᴗ—) once I get started, this rant may get long.
Well, I'll be fair and I'll start with the small list of positives of this unnecessary remake.
The fights were a lot faster and action packed, a lot flashier than you're use to, especially next to 01 (but it means nothing when there's no substance).
A modern take means the use of modern Digimon, so there's was interactions and additions from Digimon from all walks of life (aside Appmon because Toei are only starting to acknowledge they are a thing again), which is nice, as just like its adversary the roster is a lot bigger now and more branching digivolutions have appeared, so there was a much larger, actual world filled feeling use of Digimon.
For instance, there was more focus on the Angemon/Devimon dynamic, compared to just being light and dark respectively, it did tie more into the lore, playing with the concept of Devimon being Angemon's shadow for instance.
At least everyone gets to mega...not that we just had Tri showcasing this very thing.
I'll give the music a half mark pass, it was alright, it nodded towards the original score while still being its own thing. It was still quite catchy and upbeat. It did its job.
Remember this movie, remember how it made Diaboramon into a big name, how popular it was that it got a sequel everyone forgets about, despite it being the first appearance of Imperialdramon Paladin mode. Well, they certainly hope you like it or at least somehow forgotten about it because expect, three cheap rehashes of this very movie and its concept in a series that is only 67 eps long.
Omega/Omnimon shows up within the first three eps but doesn't get an explanation till much later, which makes you question who this series is for? Was it meant to attract younger, newer audiences or a nod to the original fans who would be much older and don't need the explanation because they know who this Digimon is and its significance already? Was it trying to please both and just missing the target on both?
And why I did just praise it, Devimon is so over used, he becomes the ever evolving big bad for such a stretch and while it did showcase off a more unique digivolution line just for him, it was still pretty forgettable. Even the big bad, remember how iconic and built up Apoclyamon was, he also came out of nowhere at the end being the puppet master, tying into the plot...the end boss in 2020 is Negamon, why? how? Absolutely no idea? I just assume because it shares an appearance to Omegamon and is like an evil version of him? ╮(￣▽￣"")╭ (Omegamon already has a dark/twisted version ironically, could have just used him)
I don't think the modern setting works for it, the developed internet fuelled world, takes a lot a way from it because now everything is within ease, communication, location, information, at the loss of the allure of this new world and its creature developing along side the internets advancements, limited by the existing network. (The only reason Examon didn't exist or manifest itself sooner was due to being too large for dial up to handle (ᗒᗜᗕ)՛̵̖)
No one gets an upgrade style wise, even though some are mostly the same as the original look and that's even worse. (Mimi's hat not being pink bothers me far than it should, it just feels so iconic to her character).
Sora did have a visor hat at the start which did suit her and then she pulls out her blue one from nowhere and starts wearing that again for some reason?
Character development and depth have been scraped for action. If they haven't arrived almost perfect, they have no trauma or matters to overcome and resolve, nothing to attach to. Mimi while likely got one of the better treatments in this version, is still unrelatable, she's this perfect team leader figure straight out the gate and she has a grandfather whose her inspiration now. Opposed to before where she was this spoilt brat figure, who would complain but was humbled and became more sincere over the course of the series.
Sora is unfortunately still Sora and completely forgotten and overlooked, she gets nothing. There was one ep, which was clearly meant to be a Sora ep, it was showing off how she was a strategic thinker and good on the spot decision maker...guess who gets the fancy evolution for the ep, that's right, it isn't Sora, it is the guy who had done nothing all ep, Matt and Gabumon!
Remember Izzy's powerful mini arc of tackling the topic of being adopted or how Matt and TK handle being split up from divorced parents and the difficulties it brings or Joe and the pressure from a successful older brother and parents in having him pursue becoming a Doctor and his older brother actually encourages him to start thinking for himself and take the path he wants, nothing the cast are forgettable cardboard.
The Digimon get more focus but they are still bland to, the contrast isn't quite there for them to learn off each other, which is one of the more endearing traits, (is to me anyway, I always liked how Tamer and Mon better each other in some way).
Don't be deceived though, they may be as interesting as cardboard but this is mostly the Tai and Matt show with Izzy being the guy in the chair, just casually solving, resolving and explaining everything with little to no trouble that there's never any real problems or tensions. The others are side-lined and written out more often than they are a team. Until about the halfway mark then Kari and TK become more relevant to but that's about it. The whole cast really aren't needed.
Remember these, the tags and crests, could be argued to exist just for merch sales but completely forgotten about by this writing team because they are tacked on at the very end of the show and serve no purpose. Dark digivolutions, branching digivolutions, armor forms, alternate forms, mega's its all been covered and achieved already?
They were used as the plot McGuffin to go from Champion - Ultimate, they represented the traits the kids defined best, they were earned to a greater extent. Tai abusing his power and learning what true courage is, Sora understanding that love comes in many forms, even if it wasn't clear at first, T.K not giving up and pushing forward, even though he wants to cry.
This time? I honestly can't remember, they just got added in randomly at the very end of the story and none of the cast represent their traits. Hope would probably be Tai, Responsibility could just as easily be Mimi, TK is naturally more braver in this series and there's nothing overly special about Kari for her to be light, even though the pair of them do get some creepy/unsettling scenes which would make you think they were possessed or something similar. Everyone is everything and as there's been no real focus, on any of them, so what was the point of bringing them back?
Bottom line, it's flashy action at the cost of depth, if you just want to switch off and enjoy some good fights, then yeah, 2020 will probably work for you. If you want character development, obstacles and overcoming the odds, watch one of the others.
Why is it even a thing? If any series could do with a remake it's got to be 02, with its more holes than swiss cheese plot or Frontiers because its writing was so darn bad, imagine a remake where the whole cast are actually relevant for the whole thing, they would have really benefitted but instead its just milking 01 (again) and if anything, is damaging its reputation. (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
🕯👻🕯 And before I can be accused of nostalgic bias, yes I do love 01, I wouldn't still be here if I didn't, my fave series is actually Ghost Game! So, yes, a series can be flawed and still be good but power to you if you do like 2020, you clearly saw something in it that I couldn't 🕯👻🕯
