I’m back! I know it’s been 3000 years since I posted my last Tri review, but I’ve finally finished the series. And Future was absolutely fantastic… if the goal was to create the most underwhelming conclusion possible for Tri. In all seriousness, the film was a huge disappointment and honestly makes me feel like I wasted my time watching the series. The previous entries definitely had issues, but they maintained a sense of momentum and built up mysteries / subplots I was excited to see wrap up in this final movie… only for most of them to be completely ignored or end in an incredibly unsatisfying way. Let’s go down the list: the Digimon PR subplot that’s a major part of the first 1/3rd of the series? Totally dropped aside from like two lines. Mr. Government Agent’s partner turning evil to find her old Digimon? Ignored and we don’t find out what happens to either of them. The Digimon losing their memories? They get them back (so resetting the digital world had no real consequences, and they were pretty much identical to their old selves by then anyway). The 02 kids being missing? Turns out they were suspended the whole time and none of them speak at all. Who’s shapeshifting into Ken / Gennai? Your guess is as good as mine because that’s not answered either (and they aren’t even properly defeated, they escape and muse about another evil plan, presumably meant for a sequel that never happened).
About the only part I enjoyed was Meiko not making up with Meicoomon and it being destroyed alongside the big bad. I didn’t mind her much at the start, but she just sucked up soooo much time and attention as the films went on that could’ve been put to much better use. I didn’t want to watch The Meiko And Meicoomon Show, I wanted to watch the Adventure cast learn and grow as they approached adulthood. I was glad that it didn’t get a happy ending, an insane amount of time / effort was expended to get it to calm down and return to normal, but ultimately the gang made the tough choice necessary to save the world, which shows character growth on their part. At the end of the day, Tri feels like a pale imitation of the original two series. It had plenty of good moments, and even a few great ones, alongside some intriguing ideas and solid arcs in the first few movies; but it throws out practically all the interesting parts to obsessively focus on Meiko and her boring Digimon I actively despised by the end. This is the first Digimon series (and Digimon movie, as all the other Tri films were at least respectable if flawed) I wish I hadn’t watched, and I’m glad Kizuna and Beginning exists so this wasn’t the last piece of Adventure media put out. I’m unsure what Digimon stuff I want to watch next, I’ve been thinking about Savers since people say it’s pretty good, but I haven’t decided on anything yet. I may just take a break for a while to recharge. Idk.