Digimon: Digital Monsters (Toon Disney)

common sense media says

Loud battles + toy tie-ins = OK, but not great.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this anime series bears a lot of similarity to the well-known Pokemon franchise and comes complete with its own entourage of trading cards, video games, and toys. The frequent battles among the digital creatures are flashy and loud, but easily recognizable to kids as total fantasy. When they do occur, injuries are limited to the creatures rather than the kids (and instead of dying, they disassemble into small pieces which are said to reincarnate later). The show is targeted at kids 5-7, but the battles could be too scary for younger viewers; older children may be more interested in anime movies. Kids who don't watch regularly may be confused when they do tune in, since multiple cast and plot changes over the years lead to lots of continuity issues.

Positive messages: Female characters -- though usually outnumbered by the guys -- hold their own in smarts and strength. Adults are mostly absent from the show, leaving the kids to handle decisions and strategy on their own. Characters often argue, but they resolve their differences in the end.
Violence & scariness: Usually only the digital monsters take part in battles, which are flashy and loud (mostly punches and occasional use of firepower) but don't result in realistic injury. When a monster is injured, he simply disappears from sight or dissolves into tiny pieces, which are said to later reincarnate. Other instances of mild suspense and peril include extensive falls, tumultuous airplane rides, and the like.
Sexy stuff: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: The show often feels like a commercial for the line of Digimon toys, video games, trading cards, and other paraphernalia.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Digimon: Digital Monsters

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about what kids like about this show. How is it similar to and different from shows like Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh!? Why do you think these anime-style shows are so popular in America? Families can also talk about cross-promotion and how TV shows and movies are used to sell products. Kids: What other Digimon products are you familiar with (cards, games, toys)? Do you own any of them? How does watching TV affect your desire for items like these?

What's the story?

What's the story?

Long-running cartoon series DIGIMON: DIGITAL MONSTERS centers on a group of kids who travel to a parallel universe called DigiWorld and work alongside the digital creatures they befriend there to battle evil forces that threaten their peaceful existence. The Japanese-inspired anime 'toon has been known under a number of different titles since it began airing in 1999, including Digimon Adventures and Digimon Tamers. With each title change, the series added new characters and tweaked the original plot (in which the initial seven kids mysteriously transported to DigiWorld from their summer camp and ended up immersed in battle).

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

While the general basis of relationships between the show's kids and their digital companions remained constant over the course of the series, almost everything else went through many makeovers. Some seasons feature seven human visitors to DigiWorld; others, as few as three. In early episodes, the kids can't get back home; later stories show a new cast of youngsters effortlessly journeying between the two worlds. And while in most stories each kid has his own specialized Digimon sidekick, a full season of episodes featured humans who could transform into the digital beings rather than just summon them for battles.

Youngsters will certainly find this lack of continuity confusing, and parents may be wary of introducing their kids to yet another marketing conglomerate looking to rival Pokemon. (Digimon boasts a similar assortment of tie-in video games, trading cards, virtual pets, and other toys.) And it's worth noting that although the show's violence is mostly of the flashy, fantasy variety and battles are reserved for the digital beings, those who are seriously injured dissolve into pieces that are said to regroup and reincarnate at a later date.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-Y7-FV
Network: Toon Disney
Cast: Joshua Seth, Laura Summer, Mona Marshall
Genre: Kids' Animation
Where to watch: Toon Disney

This review was written by Emily Ashby
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

Katlover
teen, 14 years old
 
Good for children
Good for yong anime fans!

yankee01
teen, 16 years old
 
where have the old days gone?
i used to love this show when i was little,butnow it is all dumbed down and kinda so-so.thats why i am gonna give it 2 stars

mkalv
teen, 17 years old
 
Better than Pokemon.
Digimon is everything Pokemon is not. Better plot, more drama and character foil, cooler monsters, not as kiddish, and so on. I luv it.

jp523
adult
 
An overlooked gem for a forgotten demographic
While its current incarnations have been slowly jumping the shark, the old Digimon seasons remain an example of how shows for children should be made, it was never terribly vulgar, the parents where figures that offered support to their children, not just obstacles to their fun, and it handled a few of the harder issues a child might face without actually getting too depressing or dark. Yes, the show was meant to sell toys and cards, but so did many historical American shows like transformers (nostalgia kinda blinds most of us with this one), but not all of those shows where given a heart. Also, the battles where only a small portion of each episode, and the character relationships where the obvious focus. This meant that the show treated violence as an evil act generally, rather than a form of fun, and allowed for strong moral lessons through the characters, ranging in subject matter from self confidence and bravery, to being caring about others and putting parental issues in perspective, while never being too blunt or preachy. Also, two final notes, the last star off is due to the elements of decline in later seasons, and the shoestring budget. Also, i would like to address one of the reasons i think the series did so well. A limited run. This allowed a definite start and end, meaning that characters where allowed to grow freely, rather than being expected to continue into another season. While this may not allow children the continuity of other shows, it gives the show more freedom to present a good plot, which should always be the priority.

KhaoticKing
teen, 15 years old
 
Basicly Pokemon!?
Its a rip from Pokemon but i still like it

Kassie243
kid, 12 years old
 
Good for all
Well, I like Digimon more than I'll ever like Pokemon. Pokemon can get too over whelming with the spiritual/demon stuff going on but Digimon is just digital. Normally, the only anime I'll ever watch is Avatar the last airbender but I love this show too.

Uxie Trixie ...
kid, 12 years old
 
Amazing, if you can keep track of the whole and avoid Frontier and Data Squad
The first 3 seasons are amazing, after that it's as 'bout as good as Pokemon. The third season (Tamers) is where it gets violent. With one of trash-can-dump things leaving the digital world with the kids. I see you've complained about its lack of continuity, but it has a lot more than episodic shows like say Pokemon, or Spongebob. Digimon just is rebooted every season except for season 2, which on from season 1 with a whole new set of Digidestined. Season 3 takes place in a universe where the first 2 seasons were a popular TV show. You need to watch earlier episodes or it doesn't make sense because there is a very strong continuity so have to see it in order. Well season 2 lets the Digidestined travel between worlds all the time (because the gate between the worlds is in one of the computers in the computer lab). Season 3 (Tamers from now on) because it is set in another universe, has tamers instead, hence the title Tamers. Of all the continuitys (I don't know the plural for that word) there are only 3 people who fight for fun, everyone else fights for survival, hence it has much better morals then Pokemon. I will now tell you the 3 people who fight for fun; Ken (A.K.A. The Digimon Emperor) from season 2 , but he thought it was just a video game, so he's kinda excused, then we have have Rika (A.K.A. The Digimon Queen) from Tamers, who knew that it was real, but thought digimon have to fight, and here is the third and final of this list, Renamon (Rika's partner in Tamers) maybe fought for more than for fun, she did say that a soda that Takuto gave her was first gift. I should probably put the names of the main heros in each of the 3 first seasons; the first 8 Digidestined: Tai, Matt, Joe, T.K., Sora, Mimi, and Kari, now for the 4 new Digidestined (Kari, and T.K. stayed Digidestined) Yoilei, Cody, Davis, and Ken, ( yeah they forgave him, they give good messages like that), now for the 4 Tamers, from Tamers, Takuto, Henry, Rika and Ryo. Season 1 has the kids stuck the Digiworld, I already told you about 2, but Tamers is kinda weird in that the digimon are on earth for most of it, but they can't travel between worlds. There are 5 seasons in all, 4 is called Frontier, and 5 is Data Squad, but I ignore them because make no sense with the games that go with them, thus the product placement part, something, that I normally wouldn't mind, but not only is there notable product placement but you to import them from Japan because they make no sense without them and got released out of Japan. If I was going to count those anymore then I did just now, I would take some stars away, and stick educational on because to understand it, you'd need to learn Japanese. Tamers seems to have tacked on a follow your dreams thing, even without taking the original Japanese theme song into account. After all, Takuto created Guilmon with his drawing, and the first 2 seasons had the Crests, Tags, and Eggs, used to digivolve the partner digimon using virtues taken from the Digidestined, like Hope, Kindness, Love, Curiosity, and Courage. Tamers has some of the kids protecting their digimon from a secret branch of the Japanese Government: ENIAC. Here random info you might want to have before letting little kids watch it; Some of the scenes are pretty intense, though the average 7year-old should be able to handle it. Like the Bug-house episode, or anytime SkullWarGreymon or the D-Reaper shows up. But some things are just plain scary, like the J-Reaper agent, or Piedmon turning just about everyone into keychains. But there is a lot of cute too! Just about anything with Calumon is cute sweet and fluffy. Or when Guilmon eats bread. This show can funny too! If a scene has Davis and it's not a fight scene it'll probably be funny, or when Guilmon and Calumon made a bunch lines on the soccer field. So I guess this show has a good balance of all good things a show needs, but the last episodes always bring up tears. The end of Season 1 ends with the Digidestined leaving their partners, if you season 2 you know that they meet up again but they don't know that. At the end of season 2 the Digidestined and the digimon stay together, but a man that always wanted to see the Digiworld dies just before he get in, and the end of Tamers makes everyone cry, seeing Kokomon, Gummimon, Gigimon, and Viximon all have to go the digital world because as baby-level digimon they aren't strong to enough to stay on Earth, and Guilmon had never been a baby-level digimon before, and Earth was only home he ever had, Degenerating into Gigimon and then leaving Takuto forever would really hard for him. People are saying this is a knockoff of Pokemon, but no it's attempt to sell Tamogotchi to boys. By they way, Pokemon can't go backwards, and there aren't any mouse digimon, last time I checked. Between the games, the mangas, the movies, the audio dramas, and the anime, there's at least 24 different canons. And the v-pet backstories. Games are mostly one-offs. If you keep track of the canon (one per season, game, manga series, and half line of v-pets, (some of the movies and audio dramas are in the same canon as some of the anime), except for seasons 1 and 2 of a the anime) It has great story line.

soopaman
kid, 11 years old
 
6/10
1 problem THE SHOW IS A RIP OFF!!!!!!!! so get ur own ideas but overall it is a decent show but the fact that its to close to pikachu this show cant pass 6

Mojo02
teen, 15 years old
 
Bad animation.
I don't like it. My sister does.

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