Happy 10th anniversary to Digimon Adventure Tri!
I may not always agree with everything depicted in the series, but for the sake of @triweek2025, I wanted to shed some light on one of my favourite moments - which actually involves various character parallels and contrasts that take place in the third movie, "Confession".
The movie itself revolves around Takeru and Koushirou as central characters - but this also includes the main movie character, Meiko, and, our main-main-character, Taichi. Let's break down the parallels and contrasts - and let me explain my personal interpretation of it. Why I enjoyed the back and forth, the resolution and potential delay of another solution so much.
First of all, we have Takeru and Meiko - who both struggle with a sense of guilt in this movie for having kept secrets, for feeling responsible for what has happened, presumably due to their own (lack of) actions. Takeru hid the fact that Patamon had been infected from all the others and, despite hoping for everything to turn out fine in the end, felt himself being a mere bystander. Unable to act, unable to do anything that could have prevented his partner from snapping, from eventually destroying everything, including himself. This is clearly paralleled by Meiko's overall perception of self - she knew more about Meicoomon's whereabouts, its nature, than she revealed towards the others. Her contribution may or may not have helped to prevent the corruption from proceeding further, not only of her own, but also of the partners of everyone else. So she is, as well, ridden by guilt, undeserving of sympathy or companionship. Both of them suffered without letting anyone else in, haunted by the potential loss of bonds - something that Takeru has traditionally been confronted with before and, unfortunately, already experienced several times over. Not only in regards to Patamon's death, but also to his familial situation. However, there is a glimpse of hope in Takeru, once again. One that he has obtained by talking to Koushirou about it.
Which brings us to the second parallel: Takeru and Koushirou. Or rather, the impact they have on each other and others. The two of them have grown significantly closer throughout the course of the series. As Takeru reveals his sense of guilt towards Koushirou, the older of the two gets into full senpai-mode. After he had spent the majority of the movie struggling with finding a solution, overworking himself to the bone without sleep, all by himself, deeming himself useless and ignorant for being unable to stop the corruption of the Digimon by himself... Koushirou was eventually the one who initiated the reboot, causing all the Digimon to disappear for good in the end... Or so they thought. Despite the guilt that had almost consumed Koushirou before - just like it is the case for Takeru and Meiko for the time being -, Tentomon's reassuring words and actions had been there to encourage him never to give up. And so he didn't. Despite the melancholy of having lost their partners, Koushirou is thoroughly focused on finding a solution to bring them all back. And so he shares a piece of wisdom with Takeru, one that actually binds them all together:
"It's not about what you couldn't do. It's about what you will do."
It's there and then that Takeru decides that he cannot give up either. It's there and then that his own sense of hope begins to return again - and thus, it is no surprise that he is using almost the exact same wording to try and pull Meiko out of her own darkness as well:
"It's not about whose fault it is. It's about what we do now."
However, Meiko hasn't arrived at the same place of hopefulness - at least not yet. She cannot let go of the weight of their own silence, unable to estimate the presumed consequences of her actions, letting her despair over what happened... Which is a reaction that Taichi is also very familiar with.
And there we have the next parallel: Meiko and Taichi. As central characters of the movie series, their issues are quite similar to one another. It's their actions - as catalyst of the events as well as the leader of the group - that define the outcome. No matter what happens, they are irrevocably involved in the fate of the world(s). And at this specific point in time, the already mentioned weight that lasts on their shoulders, each separately, may be too much to bear. And so, they both choose the path of isolation: Meiko does, because after everything she deems herself responsible for - regardless of whether she had any control over it or not -, she cannot allow herself to join the group. The thorn of guilt sits too deep, making her believe that she doesn't deserve it, but also leaving her somewhat relieved that it is over now. Taichi has been doing it ever since the beginning of the movie series - unable to face the looming dread of having to grow up, the consequences and casualties of their ongoing fights, Yamato's judging yet somewhat disappointed glance... And so, at this point, just like Meiko cannot follow Takeru's invitation to join them, Taichi cannot join Koushirou's efforts to try and find a way to bring the Digimon back. Resignation has overtaken both Meiko and Taichi at this point... But just like Takeru was feeling encouraged by Koushirou's words, they eventually reach through to Taichi as well.
And so, the last parallel to talk about involves Taichi and Koushirou and their symbolism also "rain and sun" - but also, in a more subtle way, the remaining combinations, Koushirou and Meiko as well as Taichi and Takeru.
Taichi is - and always will be - the main driver of the Digimon Adventure series. And like I pointed out before, we won't progress, if he doesn't choose to act. At this point in time, his mind is swallowed by the dark cloud of rain that represents his own depressive state. Just like everyone else, just like Takeru, just like Meiko and even Koushirou, deep down inside, he may feel that sense of guilt and helplessness. Just like Takeru, he may have regretted not having stepped in. Just like Meiko, he may have felt like he doesn't deserve to see the Digimon ever again - even though he wants to. Oh, how he longs to see them again. It takes the memory of Koushirou screaming at him, the golden light of the sundown shimmering behind his back, that Taichi begins to snap out of his state.
It's where Taichi decides that if he chooses not to move, if he just waits and stays behind, he will just grow up with that sense of regret and waste. His rain is swept away by a small ray of sunshine.
Because it's not about what he couldn't do.
It's about what he will do.
It's, in my opinion, a very bittersweet and beautiful depiction of how different characters may influence each other - and how the own mental state affects how one may be able to handle it. Guilt is a sensation that connects all four of these characters; it's only when Koushirou decides that he doesn't want to just sit and mourn, that he manages to change the outlook of the others as well. His words light a spark in Taichi, who then gathers the courage to take a step forward as well. Takeru feels inspired by Koushirou too, thus using the same rhetoric, the same determination to each through to Meiko - but, at this point in time, fails to convince her.
Because she isn't ready. We as viewers have witnessed three characters we are familiar with capable of overcoming their stagnation. Not only that - but they also came to the conclusion to come together to fix it, instead of staying by themselves, ruminating, like they did for the majority of the time. It's a first resolution - but not the final one.
Meiko's time to shine hasn't come yet. But it has been prepared. Foreshadowed even.
We know the outcome of Tri. We know the progression of the next three movies. So even though Meiko may not have gathered the confidence to bounce back like Koushirou yet, the hope or the courage to act like Takeru and Taichi -, Takeru told her that they'd be waiting for her. For them to all unite and move forward, together. Because we also know that, besides Taichi's choices, it will all come down to one thing:
It's not about what she couldn't do.
It's about what she will do.
