The most outstanding thing about this episode is that it treats its situation with weight. Previous trips to the Digital World have mostly been presented as typical adventure excursions, but the kids here recognize the inherent risk of this undertaking. This by itself had the potential for a great episode imbued with the humanity that Digimon was first recognized for. Unfortunately, a good deal of this is lost on the misguided approach, giving us an episode that can best be described as a laundry list of personal matters that maintains a sufficient sense of build up to keep us invested. It misses greatness, but as far as preludes to missions to the Digital World go, this is the one to emulate.
I'll be the first to say that, with the exception of Rika, the scenes with the parents don't work, at least not how they are intended to. I know they're meant to be emotional and such, but they largely draw attention to the fact that so few of these parent/child relationships have received any real attention or basis. As such, most of these "last" meetings don't have sufficient material to draw upon to resonate.
Ironically, some of the best moments don't involve the parents at all. The scene of the kids simply standing outside and processing their situation is particularly engaging and places the focus squarely where it should have been. Yamaki's subplot is interesting as usual, as he makes a crucial decision that constitutes the first step in re-evaluating his outlook by placing trust in something he cannot control. Good for him.
Janyu and Henry's scene just amounts to Henry being unable to confront his dad (again). You'd think that after seeing his son in the middle of a battlefield he would FINALLY show more concern than merely saying "stay out of trouble". Imagine how much more poignant Henry's dilemma would have been had Janyu been visibly discomforted or guilt-ridden by his connection to all these recent disasters. It's easily the most impersonal subplot. I'll also admit to not being a fan of this running theme of dishonesty and deterred communication between Henry and Janyu, because it mostly amounts to them being unable to confront each other. The communication between them never improves and nothing resonant comes from it until literally the end of the series, when Henry accepts the necessity and secrecy of a particular action. Sure, in this case Henry has more reason to not be upfront, considering Janyu's hand in the Digital World's creation, but this says more about their circumstances than their actual relationship. In sharp contrast, Henry revealing his secret to Susie works completely, because it follows up on the sad note that they left things on before (notice the difference?). It's heartening to see him make amends this way, and would have been an acceptable stopping point for her in the show.
Meanwhile, Takato's dad is bewilderingly confident in Takato's decision. This is a tough pill to swallow, partially because there is no semblance of concern or reluctance on his part. His decision may have been more credible if it gave the impression of an act of faith. This is especially problematic when considering that NO parent in their right mind would allow a 12-year-old (10 in the original) to travel to some mysterious dimension filled with monsters. It doesn't matter if the kid has thus far proved he can take care of himself, there's a HUGE difference between fighting monsters on Earth and traveling to a parallel world you know nothing about that is full of said monsters. Plus, you've got to feel bad for Takato's mom, who reacts reasonably until she yields to her husband for some bizarre reason, even though he handles her concerns with all the sensitivity of a tree trunk. Takato, however, is the sole member of the group gutsy enough to reveal the truth to his parents, which definitely earns him some points.
Rika's scenes are some of the best for fundamental reasons I don't need to restate. Though I feel that her grandmother stumbles upon Renamon with a little too much of a supportive attitude, the scene with Rika willingly wearing the designer dress to be nice to her mother is done excellently. This action, arguably her most resonant in the series, has meaning behind it, and sometimes gestures like this speak much louder than big, emotional speeches.
Other scenes nearly work, but come short on a vital characteristic. The kids bidding farewell to Miss Asaji feels more like a formality than a truly heartfelt moment, possibly because, while she has been an acknowledged character, she hasn't really had any effect on these kids beyond a typical background presence. The closest she has come is when she helped Takato back in "A Question of Trust". Jeri's brief window chat with Leomon doesn't quite capture the many things it's trying to (Leomon's concern for Jeri, Jeri's hidden insecurities about being a tamer, etc.), because, frankly, I don't buy the supposed bond between these two. They're just too different, and as such I don't see them seeing eye to eye. If Jeri's partner were more like Renamon or Lopmon it may have worked. The unceremonious confirmation of their partnership and the fact that Leomon was never given the chance to express his feelings about becoming a partner digimon don't help.
I'll be the first to say that, with the exception of Rika, the scenes with the parents don't work, at least not how they are intended to. I know they're meant to be emotional and such, but they largely draw attention to the fact that so few of these parent/child relationships have received any real attention or basis. As such, most of these "last" meetings don't have sufficient material to draw upon to resonate.
Ironically, some of the best moments don't involve the parents at all. The scene of the kids simply standing outside and processing their situation is particularly engaging and places the focus squarely where it should have been. Yamaki's subplot is interesting as usual, as he makes a crucial decision that constitutes the first step in re-evaluating his outlook by placing trust in something he cannot control. Good for him.
Janyu and Henry's scene just amounts to Henry being unable to confront his dad (again). You'd think that after seeing his son in the middle of a battlefield he would FINALLY show more concern than merely saying "stay out of trouble". Imagine how much more poignant Henry's dilemma would have been had Janyu been visibly discomforted or guilt-ridden by his connection to all these recent disasters. It's easily the most impersonal subplot. I'll also admit to not being a fan of this running theme of dishonesty and deterred communication between Henry and Janyu, because it mostly amounts to them being unable to confront each other. The communication between them never improves and nothing resonant comes from it until literally the end of the series, when Henry accepts the necessity and secrecy of a particular action. Sure, in this case Henry has more reason to not be upfront, considering Janyu's hand in the Digital World's creation, but this says more about their circumstances than their actual relationship. In sharp contrast, Henry revealing his secret to Susie works completely, because it follows up on the sad note that they left things on before (notice the difference?). It's heartening to see him make amends this way, and would have been an acceptable stopping point for her in the show.
Meanwhile, Takato's dad is bewilderingly confident in Takato's decision. This is a tough pill to swallow, partially because there is no semblance of concern or reluctance on his part. His decision may have been more credible if it gave the impression of an act of faith. This is especially problematic when considering that NO parent in their right mind would allow a 12-year-old (10 in the original) to travel to some mysterious dimension filled with monsters. It doesn't matter if the kid has thus far proved he can take care of himself, there's a HUGE difference between fighting monsters on Earth and traveling to a parallel world you know nothing about that is full of said monsters. Plus, you've got to feel bad for Takato's mom, who reacts reasonably until she yields to her husband for some bizarre reason, even though he handles her concerns with all the sensitivity of a tree trunk. Takato, however, is the sole member of the group gutsy enough to reveal the truth to his parents, which definitely earns him some points.
Rika's scenes are some of the best for fundamental reasons I don't need to restate. Though I feel that her grandmother stumbles upon Renamon with a little too much of a supportive attitude, the scene with Rika willingly wearing the designer dress to be nice to her mother is done excellently. This action, arguably her most resonant in the series, has meaning behind it, and sometimes gestures like this speak much louder than big, emotional speeches.
Other scenes nearly work, but come short on a vital characteristic. The kids bidding farewell to Miss Asaji feels more like a formality than a truly heartfelt moment, possibly because, while she has been an acknowledged character, she hasn't really had any effect on these kids beyond a typical background presence. The closest she has come is when she helped Takato back in "A Question of Trust". Jeri's brief window chat with Leomon doesn't quite capture the many things it's trying to (Leomon's concern for Jeri, Jeri's hidden insecurities about being a tamer, etc.), because, frankly, I don't buy the supposed bond between these two. They're just too different, and as such I don't see them seeing eye to eye. If Jeri's partner were more like Renamon or Lopmon it may have worked. The unceremonious confirmation of their partnership and the fact that Leomon was never given the chance to express his feelings about becoming a partner digimon don't help.
