Digimon Tri - Part Two Ketsui/Determination Ep 3

 Welcome back to another recap of Digimon Tri!

If you thought you could roll around in pleasant nostalgia - you can think again!
The animators want you to re-live that kick in the stomach from last episode when you see that poor Joe is still depressed like 1930's America and still walking around in the gosh darned rain like he's in a music video! He's still crying and belittling himself too! I can't take it no more!

Augh! Right in the feels!!!

Meanwhile - Kari - who is totally dry and happy talks about now she gets how Tai understands Joe.

This would be a nice bonding moment.. Kari wants Tai to go talk to Joe but Tai reasonably shuts her down asking who would clean his soccer boots if he went over there?
Then she decides this exact fear is why Tai can't talk to Matt. Personally, I think Matt's pretty much a douche hipster but Tai's eyes tremble with emotion... or maybe it's cleaning agent fumes.
Not really clear on that.

Well I don't feel so bad for Joe now seeing as how his English handwriting is probably better than mine and I WAS BORN IN ENGLAND!

Joe reminisces about that one photo everyone's got but hasn't got the licence to show on TV. But you can look at Gabumon. It's the only time you can ogle Gabumon without him getting all shy, apparently.

Meanwhile, Gomamon and Joe share an emotionally salty Ramen inspired scene, before Gomamon just up and leaves Joe like a dirty one night stand, with only a text lingering behind.

Gomamon has gone to Tentomon's bangin' crib which apparently has a freaking buffet. Tentomon says that Gomamon might need to assist with snacks and tea but if he can whip up a five star buffet then he don't need no help, damnit!

Koushiro runs in panicking - I can't help but admire his Hawaiian goldfish shirt. You gotta love the classics. He's had some crazy cryptic email sent to him which is probably just a side note from the editors to remind us that there is more to life than sadness, rain, soccer boots and Hawaiian goldfish.


Himekawa is all like increase security around the Digi-destined! Especially in crowded areas! Nishijima is like ooopsy, it's the school festival! What could possibly go wrong?

I'll tell you what! Mei doing her overdone I'm such an embarrassed school girl in my PG 'racy' costume trope! It's tripe! It's a tripe made completely out of tripey tropes!

Ugh, someone stop her! She's dissolving into a sea of blushy false modesty and sappy praise for everyone else and awkward head shaking/arm waving!

"Your goal of making everyone happy would be possible in this outfit!"

Yeah but does that include literally everyone or just the horny artists/fan-service devotees?

Mimi gets her groove back and sticks it to the other classmates who hated her idea and her design but for some reason decided to keep the 'Daters' theming?

Wait, is this not the same episode?

All the companion Digimon are at Koushiro and Tentomon's awesome hang out, stuffing their faces with apparently the second buffet in one day?

Koushiro gets a text from Joe asking if Gomamon's there but Gomamon's like no way man, I spat in his Ramen, don't let him find me!

Meanwhile Palmon gets heaped with praise and Pocky's from the others for her hard work during the battle of yester-episode. 

Tentomon and Gomamon have a nice bro-vibe going on - buuuut back at the school festival Mei's regressed even further into her "oh no, I'm waaaayyy too embarrassed to do this" schtick. Then she gets soooo embarrassed that she 'cute-sneezes'. 

Look at these poor confused lil bastards.

Himekawa spots Ken looking dodgy as all hell on a random roof top but he vanishes just as fast. 

She and Nishijima end up going to Daters for lunch and are forced to watch Mei squeak and blush her way through everything. Mimi and Mei do a cheerleader style routine... or at least I think they do. 

They're animated when they pick up their pom poms but then it dissolves to a series of vaseline smeared stills with the 'camera' zooming in and out erratically in order to create the illusion of movement. It's weird, and made me feel kinda car sick. 

Is Mei being crucified up there or what?

This continues even with random people in the crowd and Sora sticking her head around the door frame. It is absolutely bizarre.

Then this happens..

Mimi immediately gets a text from Koushiro advising he'll be there immediately. I can only assume the text came with drops of blood from his inevitable anime male nose bleed.

Things get weirder....

The Digimon beg Leomon to take them to the school event and it turns out..

....Leo is a big softie for baby animal monsters?

He starts twitching and making choking noises, much like Vegeta whenever Kakarot is mentioned and just about creams his pants when Meicoomon calls him 'Senpai."

I feel like I'm watching an episode of Rugrats mixed in with every single anime high school trope ever invented. 

To exemplify this.. Koushiro arrives with his super serious no I don't have a boner stop looking at me like that face and he is rewarded with super close up shots of Mimi's bust and crotch. 

Mei gets even more awkward as more people she knows arrive and we even see female classmates develop simultaneous lady-boners for her because she's soooooo cute. Well enjoy your snot fantasies ladies because apart from a stutter that's all you're gonna get.

Leomon tries the old trench-coat and sick mask disguise.. but he's literally covered in Digimon and has a tail and his clawed feet sticking out.

He tries to maintain his charges with ruthless discipline.

It goes about as well as can be expected.

This episode can be summed up neatly by "hijinks ensues".
I can't even remember if people are supposed to be forgetting Digimon from when they appeared several years ago or forgetting them from when they appeared a matter of days ago and they were like, totally evil or like, something? There is no way that they could be getting away with these sorts of shenanigans for this long. I mean, damn, entering the 'creepy-cute' costume competition?

Does no-one question why someone who is supposed to be in an animal costume is so small? Or why the mouth isn't make-up or a mask of any kind?

Meanwhile Tai cottons on their shenanigans but he's got a game to play y'all so he sets Matt on their case. Matt's like sure, I'll put an immediate stop to this... but first lemme grill you about your emotions because I hate you yet I love you.

Did you, like me, think that last episode's goggle off was intense? You might want to look away now because good gravy it's a freakin' crotch off this time!

Matt's all serious about Tai's doubts, and puts out a ghastly pale hand to block his path and Tai's like you know what? Not even gonna answer you, I'm just going to shove you out the way with my powers of tan!

Tai runs off and Matt's left to look morosely down the empty corridor like great now *I* have to babysit.

VERDICT

So as you might have guessed... this episode seemed to be kind of like wish fulfillment for the creators. Kind of like when you read bad fan-fiction about aged up or shipped characters but this time it's more like "let's super sexualise Mimi and Mei and then have those kooky Digimon do something kooky and they can act like babies."

It doesn't seem to want to cater just to the now older audience who grew up with Digimon, nor the younger audience just learning about it, but it tries to do both and for me this has mixed results. I'd say this episode is sadly pretty forgettable with the only highlights being the Koushimi shipping.. (I know, full of cliches but it's kinda cute)

GALLERY

I like big... phone charms in your butt pocket and I cannot lie!

Oh look, Gabumon is in this episode. Neat. 

I feel like these two had eyelash extensions put in

I also feel like having to cat Digimon is a bit redundant. 

 His super serious no I don't have a boner stop looking at me like that face

So inconspicuous! Keep it up, guys!

Saw this in once of my nightmares once!

Did Matt get a height upgrade here or what?

Digimon Tri - Part Two Ketsui/Determination Ep 2

This time round, we're focusing on Mimi and Joe. 

Here's Mimi, the only volunteer in this classroom full of assholes for a school fete and everyone mumble-knocks or pooh-poohs her suggestion... but not directly to her. No one else offers a suggestion, no one offers to put it to a vote, they just go with it but are secretly angry at her. 

Mimi! How dare you be so pro-active that you help your school! 

Don't you know that this particular section of Japan depends on everyone being so meek and mild that it's a wonder anyone gets anything done??

Oh cool, a mini ninja and geisha? Must be a Tuesday!

 This is the best way to go incognito apparently.

Yeah, it's cute, but I mean, really?

Are Japanese people just too polite to question these things or what?

Ooh, fireworks! Oh wait, wait, no that's not right. 

Mimi arranged for these two guys to meet them at a cafe for chips. What, no take away or nearby monitor to emerge from? Ah well, it's just as well because there's another distortion and the group has to run to the scene.

What's with the Pauls?

Once upon a time there was a social platform called Vine where you could make short videos to share to your followers or the world at large. Key word - short. We're talking a couple of seconds here.




There are some EXCELLENT Viners - Thomas Sanders for example is just amazing and everyone should obsessively watch him at all times. Well, no, the dude deserves his time off let's not go nuts.
Point is - he was charming, funny, and obviously put a lot of effort into his short skits, even the ones that were obviously not very expensive to do.

This platform also gave rise to two brothers by the name of Paul. Again - usually quite funny and agreeable in small doses.

However - Vine somehow died in this world that seemingly favours short and brief interactions that can be used to glorify yourself and reach a wide audience such as what Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram can provide.

Thus, many Viners were left socially homeless and made the transition to other mediums like YouTube. Well, if you're lucky. Otherwise sometimes they somehow get a lot more attention than they deserve. 

Logan Paul and his brother Jake Paul are two examples of this. They are EVERYWHERE. They are on TV shows. They are making music videos (in the loosest sense possible), they are teaming up with other Viners or YouTubers that no one particularly cares about and they keep getting into the news either for their terrible behaviour, terrible music or the forced drama shoved down our throats with their ridiculous reaction/retort videos.

Sweet mercy, why is this? Who.. apart from the brothers themselves.. actually care about this?

Disney child stars have a way of being forced into our way of life - but in this technological day and age it's never been more infuriating. Now everything is documented.
Before it was Britney and Christina are in the Mickey Mouse club.

Game of Thrones S7 Ep4

In contrast to last episode, this one seemed like it was all battlefield drama. In reality, the fight only took about ten minutes but it felt longer.

It was also the shortest episode this season. Which confuses me. How can one episode not be the same length as the rest? Finales are usually longer but we're only at episode four!

So far I've been enjoying this season even though every episode is a painful reminder that I've forgotten some bit character or a minor plot set-up from a previous season.

I've also forgotten most of the non-main character's names.

In my defence, a lot of them do have silly fantasy names and a lot of them do sound a lot.

As always... spoilers.

Tokyo Mew Mew is pretty painful

Today I want to have a rant about Tokyo Mew Mew.

It's fluff in the way that you can watch it and it's probably fine if you don't think about it.
This is what folks said about things like Twilight and Suicide Squad and they were both freaking terrible!

Well this is the anime example of that. Y'all remember Sailor Moon? (the sub, not the dub)
This show manages to steal several tropes from that show (and the magical girl genre as a whole) and condenses it into one season while dumbing it down sufficiently so if you struggle to remember who's who in any other magical girl series - this one'll suit you fine.

The premise is about a bunch of girls who are chosen at random by two older guys.. (no, it's not hentai - but only just.) to be the recipients of a scientific laser that mutates them with the genes of almost extinct animals. But only the attractive parts! You know, like cute cat ears and tails, not claws or noses or anything useful like that.

Fortunately each girl has their own colour scheme, so they don't have to have a gladiator style elimination process. They also get a schnazzy new costume, a gadget and a transformation device that they have to kiss and yell a made up phrase at for it to work.
Because SCIENCE.

Ignoring child labour laws, the older guys make the young girls work like colour co-ordinated slaves in a fetish cafe because it's their base of operations... which makes like no sense because they're always too busy to talk shop (it's pretty much just a guise to put them in another 'cute' outfit) and the Cafe wouldn't be open during the week because all the staff are at school.
Besides... the name of the cafe is Cafe Mew Mew. This wouldn't arouse suspicions when the girls are later outed as the Mew Mews?

Does it make it less suspicious that they're all Mew Mew Ichigo etc when there can't be that many people in Tokyo with fruit/food based names? Surely?

Australian Ninja Warrior

Today I want to talk about Australian Ninja Warrior.

Yep, we finally got a version of the classic and inspiring show that we see overseas.

What a load of bollocks the show was. Don't get me wrong - the competitors were all ace and a lot of them were amazing. I'm talking about the show itself.

My first complaint was with the way they would amp up certain contestants - it was like something you'd see in a talent show or Australian Idol. It's all why we should give a rat's ass about this person and what personal struggle they're overcoming.

This is not a bad idea because a lot of the contestants we saw had overcome some serious obstacles like injuries, abuse, death, stereotypes or being differently abled. So we'd get five or so minutes with this person's life story only to see them get knocked out on the FIRST FREAKING OBSTACLE. Then we have an ad break, and come back to be told that in that short space of time at least three other competitors have also failed but we aren't supposed to care enough about them to actually see them on screen.

There's also a lot of theming going on.. which sort of stinks like the ninja's are either in it for the marketability or else the producers are forcing this onto them. Again - we're here to see your skills not to watch the gimmick you're wearing. It's not a superhero comic!

Now this, though....

Game of Thrones S7 Ep 3

H'okay. Time to join the ranks of people reacting to Game of Thrones, whose numbers by now must surely outweigh the ranks of the Unsullied, the White Walkers and Dothraki combined.

My husband asked me to re-watch the previous season before this season started and we never got around to it. Yeah, there are some things I don't remember as well and I probably could have stood to watch it again but it's not the kind of television that I CAN go back and re-watch.

Yes, it's entertaining. Yes, it's enthralling. No, it's not something I can put myself through again time after time. I usually am the kind of person that can comfortably sit down and watch my favourite shows over and over until I can recite them verbatim but most of my favourite shows don't leave me exhausted and deprived of a soul.

So what happened in this episode? I warn you about reading on if you have yet to watch it..

Digimon Tri - Part Two Ketsui/Determination Ep 1

Moving onto part two of Digimon Tri and opening with some everlovin' narration about something and showing us damaged Digi-eggs and freakin' Ogremon and Leomon back at their old dramas.

We get rid of one beef, and another appears. No one cares about poor Elecmon and his eggy charges.

Then this guy is creeping on them out of nowhere

This is not an empty threat guys

 Tai overlooks the construction fixing up the damage they caused, Kari reassures him about them doing the right thing. I love how she's so caring, they have such a good relationship.

Agumon and Gatomon get along too, I suppose. As long as no one eats Agumon's food. Are they eating salad for breakfast?





Mimi arrives to corral Tai and Kari along on their hot springs trip and they go and meet the rest of the gang. Himekawa (mysterious lady) and Nishijima (mysterious teacher) are going too, and drop some hints about being a couple some time ago and their own hi-jinks at a hot spring resort.  Himekawa tells Nishijima to keep it in his pants and they talk shop.

Digimon TRI part one Saikai/Reunion episode 4

If your entrance in an episode starts with this - you're sulking. You're sulking Matt, and your little bro called you out on it.

Speaking of, Takeru is using this website to warn others. So... 02 must have definitely happened, right? Are there still Digidestined from other parts of the world that remember the Digimon or have partners? Still iffy on why Takeru and the others haven't mentioned or wondered about the other kids near them (or neighbours to certain people)

Koushiro has spent all night making magic Matrix goggles for Tai so he can see the distortions in the Force world.

They find one distortion, alright. It's sneeze girl.

Sora and Mimi forcibly kidnap her in the guise of helping her and the others watch on in fear.

They keep walking around town looking for distortions and decide to go somewhere higher to extend the range.

They drop off Mei and pick up another moocher, Matt.

Sora jumps into the rest of the group's ferris wheel cabin at the last second, making Matt and Tai share one together to work out their issues.

The others find this hilarious, Mimi even takes photos of the two caged lions.

Digimon TRI part one Reunion episode 3

We last left our Digidestined at the airport, wanting a lift and being creeped on by the unknown Digimon. One of them, anyway. Now they're in a car with the mysterious lady in a carpool that doesn't seem legal OR safe.

Admitedly, this is pretty cute. Patamon is sitting in Takeru's hat? Gatomon is in a food coma and Agumon has clearly stolen someone's sunglasses.

They discuss where Joe is and the fact that both they and the MIB seem to have lost Gomamon.
Koushiro is caught looking at Mimi and looks away blushing furiously. Mimi coyly calls him out on it but Koushiro quickly deflects the attention by reminding Mimi that Tai is supposed to pay for an airfare. Tai suffers a minor anxiety attack but Mimi just laughs as she's here for a while anyway. This causes the entire gang to have an anxiety attack.

While studying, Joe catches a news headline about the incident at the airport. A silent flashback shows that he shoved off the MIB and that's why he wasn't at the battle. Gomamon has somehow gotten to Joe's house without a car or the gang. Gee, good thing Joe hadn't moved house in however many years since Gomamon saw him last. Despite not wanting to get distracted from his study, Joe grabs Gomamon in an emotional hug while some asshole Digimon runs around outside.

The next morning everyone watches the news and are disturbed to see that everyone is treating the good Digimon as if they were the enemy. To be fair though, what would you think if you saw a bunch of massive beasts fighting and destroying stuff? Mrs Yagami does not shiv at all, and cheers up the companions by letting them know that they're just misunderstood.

Matt is waiting for Tai at school, wanting to discuss the news. They overhear a classmate's father was hospitalised as a result of the airport attack. They try to find Nishijima, to ask him some questions but instead find Mimi, who has enrolled in their school and 'forgotten' to tell them. Hi-jinks are bound to ensue here guys! She's with, but does not know, some random girl who sneezes and then runs away blushing. That's just going to garner you more attention, you weirdo. Next time, just say 'Bless me!'
It wasn't even as if it was a huge sneeze either.

Mimi asks Koushiro to escort her to their class, and Sora is left to drive an ice pick into some sore spots, telling both Tai and Matt that she heard the game and the concert were postponed. Uh.. really? You think? The boys are both like, uh, yeah, okay whatever and walk off. Sora's left there like whaaat? But I don't know what she expected, another double invite shenanigans?

Gross sneeze girl is in Tai and Sora's class and does the shy blushy run away thing again. Later on, Tai overhears someone say they wish the monsters would all die because they're irritating. Tai has to restrain Matt from wailing on them. It's normally the other way around and Matt is cranky and confused about this. Tai reiterates that there's no point in them getting upset and then stops the seniors from wailing on Matt. Sora is always watching and Sora is pissed about it.

Tai and Matt act like naughty school boys that have just been caught but try to play it off as 'nothing. It doesn't fly past Sora's bullshit radar and she calls a meeting. After school they all catch up by the lake and Mimi graces Joe with a exuberant hug (and obligatory gummi snacks).

Koushiro determines that the gate to the Digital World has been closed off, Takeru confirms his Digivice was malfunctioning. The radio disturbances and network issues are further proof that something's going down for real. Kari tunes Koushiro's rant out and asks Tai about his teacher. Mimi joins in and discusses the news. Matt says he will ask his dad to make a ... hahaha... complaint against the media.. hahahaha oh good one Matt. This isn't tabloid shit, they're actually just reporting the news this time.

Tai points this out and the gang look at him like he's taking crazy pills.

Well, except Koushiro who is still jabbering away. Poor Koushiro.

Mimi gets upset and yells out that it would have been worse if Agumon hadn't tried to stop them which is true but it's not what Tai was saying. Matt chimes in that Tai is blaming the good Digimon and it's wrong! Getting all up in Tai's grill about it and not letting him get a word in, perhaps trying to overcompensate for how wrong he was in just standing by when his friend's Digimon was being beaten to a pump and how Tai was nearly next.

Sora tries to play peacemaker but Matt just decides to bitch it out and walk his ass on out. Koushiro is still talking as all this goes on. Tai also leaves. Kari and Takero say they'll try to smooth it out with their respective brothers later on and the group is about to disband when Joe drops a bombshell. This gossip is so huge that even Koushiro reacts.

There follows a bizarre scene where Joe is then grilled about the girlfriend, but not in the usual way, and then the remainder of the group creepily monotone that 'sure, we believe you', which infuriates Joe to no end.

Look at the amount of casual behaviour right here. So legit. 

Mimi shuts down talk of the Tai/Matt fight by asking Sora which one she'll choose as they're both so handsome now. Sora chokes on her food and ignores the topic. Their Digimon mock them with their own pretend conversation about types when Sora sees Mei (sneeze girl) walk past and jumps on the distraction.

Tai and Matt inadvertently meet back at school and locate Nishijima who is an Information Strategy Section, Information Management Office Grade 2 Management Officer. He reveals that the Digimon that are coming through are infected and that they got a lot of their information from someone called Gennai.

That 'it' had better just be knowledge, Nishijima. 

Random interlude when we discover that Koushiro is buying his clothes online. No special reason. Maybe Mimi. Anyway, being Koushiro he's made his own dress up software.

That had better be online shopping you're talking about!

Which has an interesting definition for casual clothes, incorporating a Captain Jack Sparrow look, a Hogwarts outfit, Shakespearean ruffles and various animal onesies.

Matt can't play his harmonica because he's worried about Tai. Agumon can't enjoy the beach because Tai's pondering.

Matt wonders if they'll all change, Tai knows that Matt hasn't changed and understands why he's upset but confides to Agumon that he's scared. He's really afraid that he could kill someone without meaning too - a valid fear.

Most of the kids meet up at Koushiro's office, and Tentomon strong arms Biyomon and Agumon into a demonstration.

Seems a bit harsh, but last time Koushiro tried to explain something verbally everyone tuned out.

He's made a virtual network to stash the 'mons between jobs.

Verdict:

So they're still pushing the angst between Sora and the boys, and Tai and Matt themselves. This episode seemed to have a lot more to say about Joe but he got severely overlooked and made fun of. Tai is completely and utterly the sole voice of reason in this episode and that's scary. The other kids can't see the other point of view that the world at large is holding and apparently are fine with large amounts of destruction because our Digimon are good. Yes, but NO ONE OUTSIDE YOUR CIRCLE AND THE MIB KNOW THAT! Tai is the one who's been chased, attacked and forced to watch his buddy Agumon take a thrashing while his friends did nothing. Tai was there at nearly all the damaged sites and saw how close people came to death, how close HE came to death.
He's not lacking courage, he's just not sure what to do about the situation. I mean, if the next time your Digimon evolved to fight another monster - maybe someone dies. Maybe someone has died already in the previous attacks. How would you feel, given that some responsibility would weigh on you? Could you do it again? Issue the order for the battle and risk death or injury to others or sit back and do nothing, and still risk death or injury to others? Tai's in-between a rock and a hard place and the story seems to reflect that, and it's pretty thought provoking. It's just a shame that the story doesn't know how to handle the other kids - it gets pretty jumpy at times where it flciks to Takeru and Koushiro biking, then to someone else, then to the girls having a meal and Sora running out to see Mei but there's no follow up... it's very strange to watch, and I feel like there's an issue with the rest of the Digidestined in general because they all seem like apathetic ass-holes right now.

Gallery:

"Alright fess up - who farted?"

"We will now begin the summoning ritual"

Guy. Guy Incognito and my friend here is Summer Person.

Asking for seconds, hasn't finished firsts. 

"I had to eat this before Tai got here!!"

Contemplation station

Last time I saw a scene like this a Titan attacked

Ah, this show ain't no good..