Pop Culture Panda: 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.

On the way there, Mimi gives Mei an even longer nickname of Meimei, and they discuss Mimi being a returnee. Kari and Takeru get passive aggressive about Takeru's womanising.

I kind of wish these two would just get it on already so we can get over this overly polite angst.

Sora's face says it all. Mei has an existential crisis about being referred to as a sheep.

I like how they tie in Koushiro's previous discussion with Takeru about clothes to impress Mimi with this episode. He's fumbling around when Mimi herself comes over and says to pick a certain robe and Koushiro just agrees straight away.

These two would actually be cute together.

I feel like either everyone in this group is trying to bone each other but going about it in really awkward ways. That, or the writers are trying to screw with all the shippers in the fandom. Then I feel weird about watching this because aren't they all like family by this point? However some new ships like Koushimi actually make sense. The way things are written in these episodes... it's like we've missed something though, and some ships have already sailed and failed, so to speak.

Possibly a statement on how Gomamon identifies gender-wise, but here he is again in the ladies locker room. Last time he was kicked out
but this time no one seems to care?

Mimi is the most perverted one here with whatever odd cultural/sexual harrassment reference she's doing here.

At least Gomamon's in the fun bath house. The boys are all business and boring. There's a tense moment of side eyeing and flimsy towels in the steam room, but I expected that from Tai and Matt no matter the setting.

Loving Mimi's expertise at throwing stars as a bonding activity. Girl got a deft hand, man!

Tai doesn't look very impressed though. Is he still cranky about Matt? I get the feeling he's not very fond or Mimi, or is perhaps intimidated by her in this series.

Things get a bit silly when Meicoomon hears a parade and runs off, becoming disorientated and hearing things. She's about to throw a creepy fit when Mei finds her.

Unfortunately, she doesn't learn from this and runs off *yet again* this time getting Biyomon involved, and they are taken to the men's baths via the towel trolley they're hiding in.

I understand the Japanese bathing ritual but it'd be weird with a teacher there. Just saying.

Absolute high school hi-jinks worthy of it's own juvenile movie.

Mimi bursts into the men's locker room and decides to sing in the men's bath as a distraction. The other girls have no qualms about running in to the room either to find their Digimon.

It doesn't go to plan of course.

Kari tromps in a bucket and goes sliding down the hall - having to be saved by a half naked Takeru who doesn't seem to mind at all.

Koushiro is nearly butt naked and drops the hose and the soap when he sees the girls run past him.
Just as well they weren't looking or he'd probably pass out.

Nishijima is not at all perturbed by meeting some of his young female students in this manner. Sora puts a bucket on her head, and one on Mei's in a futile attempt to cock block themselves.

They locate their Digimon but thanks to a comedic timing clause, Tai and Matt choose this moment to walk out of the steam room. Tai stands there like a stunned mullet and Matt just creeps back into the steam room, shutting the door. Sora screams, even though she's seen Tai in his under-roos before, and he's technically wearing more than that right now. Mei proclaims that she can't see anything because her glasses have fogged up.. but she says this while looking down at Tai's crotch area.

Icing on the cake, Mimi runs over and starts having a general chat about anything and everything while Tai stands there, lost in incomprehension before yelling at the girls to get the heck out.

Probably worth noting that Gatomon and Agumon peer pressure Gabumon into removing his precious fur coat and Gatomon relaxes in the men's (mon's?) side of the baths. Mimi is again heard to be a cheeky bastard pervert and it's apparent she has no filter at all.

On the way home they talk about where Mei's from and Tai makes a dig at Matt's grandparent's home because there are no computers there.

It took me a minute to place this, but it's a reference to one of the crappy movies they did.

Gomamon tries to tell Joe about their trip but Joe's in study lockdown. Nishijima and Himekawa make sure everyone returned home safe (creepy, but reassuring) and then jinx themselves by saying it should be fine for them to sign off, causing Ogremon to appear. They order his death by firing squad, but Leomon picks him up and takes him back.

Koushiro, Tai and Sora approach Nishijima at school for more information about the distortions, and inadvertently learn about the incident the night before.
This time, Nishijima has come prepared, and has bought a whole bag of doughnuts to appease Tai with.

I love this face on Tai right here.

Koushiro declines a doughnut, but Tai reaches in immediately and Sora asks him where his manners are. Tai asks her innocently if she's going to have one. Sora decides it would be rude not to, and grabs one.

He waits until she looks away blushing and then puts on this not quite a smirk but a more smug, affectionate look to say 'I knew you couldn't resist dem doughnuts, you cinnamon fiend you!'

Heck, even Koushiro gives in and eats one.
Nishijima tells the kids before they leave to look after themselves ("especially you lot") as they think the defective Digimons may be targeting them. Sora mentioned that Matt did not attend, causing Tai to stalk off.
Good work, Captain Obvious!
Koushiro, who actually cares about the important things, ponders what Nishijima means. Sora tuned out again because she was worried about Tai/Matt, or looking at Tai's butt, or worried about Tai's butt's relationship with Matt. Koushiro simply states that he will increase security in the server room.

Verdict

Well this was interesting for a Digimon show, this whole episode probably wouldn't feel out of place in literally any other high school anime series but it was fun to watch.

Meicoomon is annoying as hell though, wandering off, being creepy, wandering off... being creepy. Yeah, we get it, she's connected to the bad Digimon somehow. What I don't get, is why none of the Digidestined have asked Mei for her backstory. It's not like a secret club where you just use a Digimon instead of a password... Where was she in Adventure? Where was she in 02? We were lead to believe that Kari was the last member of the original 8, so where the hell has Mei been? Has she moved here out of convenience or is it for some sinister purpose? Why is Meicoomon a Champion level?

It just seems like none of the Chosen Children give a ripe fart about the impending doom, or who this rando sneeze girl is or even the bloody Digimon FBI over there?