Brief Summary
This episode of Dub Talk dives into the nostalgic and chaotic world of "Digimon: The Movie," a compilation of three separate Digimon films Frankensteined together. The hosts discuss the movie's localization, memorable lines, voice acting performances, and the overall experience of watching this 90s cinematic oddity. They also touch on the technical achievements in remastering the film and express their appreciation for the dedicated teams involved in bringing it back to audiences.
- The hosts praise the localization and voice acting of the original Digimon dubs, highlighting memorable lines and performances.
- They discuss each of the three films that make up the movie, pointing out plot inconsistencies and character quirks.
- The hosts express their appreciation for the technical achievements in remastering the film and the efforts to bring back the original cast.
Intro
The Dub Talk podcast starts with a language and content warning, advising listener discretion due to potential spoilers for various anime series. The opinions expressed are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Dub Talk podcast as a whole.
Introduction to the Episode
The hosts introduce the episode as part one of a two-part finale for their "Summer at the Movies" season, focusing on the original "Digimon: The Movie." They describe it as a movie made of three movies held together by duct tape, featuring music by Fatboy Slim and Smashmouth, encapsulating the essence of the 90s. The hosts also joke about the movie poster's inaccurate scale of character to screen time, noting the limited roles of characters like Joe, Mimi, and Sora.
Initial Impressions and the 90s Vibe
The hosts discuss the movie's 90s aesthetic, exemplified by the Angela Anaconda intro and the screen saver-like opening credits with bouncing PNGs. They mention that the art assets for the movie poster were created from scratch by someone who worked for Becket magazines. The hosts highlight specific 90s references, such as defeating Diablo with the power of a "You've Got Mail" movie and lines like "Well, I only had two beans for my three-bean salad anyway," emphasizing the film's nostalgic charm.
Direction and Script Writing
The hosts discuss the direction and script writing by Jeff Nemoy and Bob Buchholz, praising the localization of the original Digimon dubs for balancing SMP and maintaining the original spirit of the show. They appreciate the lines that made it into a children's movie, such as the exchange between Tai's mom and Tai. The hosts applaud the writing team for making the three films feel like one movie, acknowledging the difficulty of localizing and combining disparate films.
Overall Quality and Experience
The hosts agree that the Digimon seasons one and two dubs hold up well, referencing character death and heavy topics. They compare the original "Digimon: The Movie" to the standalone Digimon movies, stating that while Lenty put out a better product overall, the original movie is the better experience. They note that the script writing is punchy and energetic, and the direction is well-executed.
Kari as Narrator and Character Analysis
The hosts discuss Kari, voiced by Laura Joe Miller, as the narrator of the three films and the only recurring character besides Willis. They note that Willis was likely only written for "Hurricane Touchdown" and possibly "Diaboromon Strikes Back," but was added to connect the movies. Laura Joe Miller's performance is highlighted, especially in the first movie, with her interactions with baby Tai and Koromon.
Digimon Adventure Analysis
The hosts analyze "Digimon Adventure," praising Joshua Seth's Tai and the performances of Brian Sadal, Michael Sorich, and Bob Papenbrook as Agumon and his various stages. They appreciate Michael Lindsay's performance as Joe, despite his awkward baby Joe voice. The hosts note that there isn't much to discuss other than the fun lines and the brief appearances of the other kids.
Our War Game Analysis
The hosts discuss "Our War Game," noting that it takes up a majority of the film and is similar to "Summer Wars." Joshua Seth's performance as Tai is highlighted, along with Mona Marshall's Izzy, who gets many great one-liners. They appreciate the dynamic between Izzy and Tentomon, voiced by Jeff Nimoy, and the humor derived from Izzy's struggles with Tai's mom's cooking and the reply-all email chain.
More on Our War Game
The hosts continue discussing "Our War Game," praising Michael Reisz as Matt and Wendy Lee as T.K. They highlight the scene where Tai calls their grandmother and the humor of Matt's line about his grandmother's egg timer. The hosts also discuss Tai's mom and her memorable lines, as well as the 90s advertisements and references in the film, such as Northwestern Airlines and the TWA terminal at JFK.
Hurricane Touchdown Analysis
The hosts discuss "Hurricane Touchdown," noting the geographical inaccuracies of Willis walking from New York City to Colorado. They mention the dark ocean moment and the NFT virus plot point. Doug Holtz's performance as older T.K. is praised, and they discuss T.K.'s actions towards Ken in "Digimon Adventure 2." Bob Glouberman's performance as Willis is considered strange, and they analyze Willis's character arc.
Voice Acting and Character Performances
The hosts discuss the voice acting performances in "Hurricane Touchdown," praising Brian Donovan as Davis and Paul St. Peter as the villains. They appreciate Mona Marshall's portrayal of Terriermon and the fact that no two partner Digimon sound the same, even when played by the same actor. The hosts also mention the late Robert Axelrod as Armadillomon and Feliz Sampler as Mimi and Cody.
Final Thoughts and Appreciation
The hosts share their final thoughts on the film, agreeing that it is both a mess and awesome. They praise the English language Digimon soundtrack and the dub of the movie. The hosts express their appreciation for the crew who put together the movie and the technical achievements in remastering it. They thank Justin Seus and the team at MediaOCD, as well as Marissa Lenty and the crew at Sound Cadence for doing a redub.
Outro and Shoutouts
The hosts provide information on where to find the Dub Talk podcast and their Kofi and Patreon accounts. They shout out their Patreon supporters and share their individual social media handles. The hosts conclude by recommending going to the movies and enjoying the current cinematic offerings.
