It’s been a while since I posted a review! Life just creeps up on you like that I suppose, take a few days off to focus on IRL stuff, and bam! 2 weeks have passed! Regardless, I found this film a big improvement over its predecessor. The central premise is that the kids have to start from square one with their Digimon since the reboot completely wiped their memories. It was kinda weird seeing Agumon and co distrust the kids after dozens upon dozens of episodes of them being best buds, but it allows more emphasis on their individual personalities, which are often overlooked when they’re tied at the hip to their partners. This dynamic is turned up to 11 with Biyomon, who hasn’t just forgotten Sora, but outright hates her. I enjoyed the two getting more focus since they’ve been severely overlooked throughout the series, but the confrontational attitude felt inconsistent with Biyomon’s character, who was always portrayed as kind / caring.
The plot really kicks into gear when this Digimon called “Hackmon” visits the government headquarters and discloses that Meicoomon is being hunted down for nefarious ends. Shortly after, Ken, who’s revealed to actually be another guy called “King Drasil,” tries to do precisely that. And despite the best efforts of the kids, even trying to take refuge on a ship and unlocking new mega forms for some of their partners, Drasil achieves his goal and makes Meicoomon go crazy.
Overall, the beginning was better than the back half of the film for me. I really liked how the kids had to rebuild their relationships with their Digimon, especially since that aspect was kinda glossed over in Adventure. However, I’m frankly sick of Meicoomon; it takes up so much time that could be used on the main group, and its personality and voice get extremely grating after a while. In general, the story seems overly reliant on new characters to drive the plot forward instead of using the vast well of characters they already have. Why not involve real Ken? What about having one of the partner Digimon get indoctrinated and start a Digimon-rights movement? There are already over 100 episodes of the kids beating up the Super Duper Mean Evil Digimon Of The Day, I wish they’d try something a bit more mature or unique in a sequel series like this. It’s not bad as-is… just not as good as I feel it could be.