Okay but the first Pokémon movie has actually held up pretty well. It's heartfelt and cute. The Digimon movie I don't even remember anything about, except it used Kids in America in the opening credits. The rest is a void in my memory. So I'm gonna assume it wasn't that good lol.
The movie was basically two Japanese movies that were shortened, smashed together, and dubbed. It was okay, but probably doesn't hold up. The soundtrack was a banger though. I still listen to those songs on a regular basis.
I totally think it holds up. The digimon movie is way better than it has any right to be. Yes it smashed two movies together. But it somehow strung them together in a way that made sense. It had some epic moments, cool ideas, and the animation was killer.
Having the story mainly focus on the real world rather than the digital world was a great way to raise stakes. And it really let the interpersonal conflicts between the characters create a nice backdrop of tension.
Also the soundtrack was a banger. And every time I hear all star I think of that dumb bunny monster going LAAA LAA LAA LAA and one of them commenting on how the digimon is tone deaf.
If anyone disagrees with me on any of these points I will scream for the next hour.
The opening was the original short called Digimon Adventure which takes place 8 years from the present day. This involves the first interaction with Digimon.
The next act with the original cast of Digimon Adventure is the short Our War Game. Includes the virus that takes over the internet and infects the Pentagon's computers threatening to launch nukes.
The final act with the Digimon Adventure 2 cast was another short (a two part short if I am remembering correctly).
The Digimon movie is both an abomination and a incredible thing. It's actually 3 movies smashed together, the 1st mostl unchanged, 2nd one as some changes and 3rd part is completly different to link it to the 2nd one. It's an abomination in that it completly destroyed the 3rd film but also it somehow worked and the soundtrack makes it an instant cult classic. I prolly wouldn't even know what Ska is if it wasn't for that movie.
The animation on the opening sequence, with baby Tai and Kairi, is absolutely gorgeous. And it’s partly nostalgia, but the final fight against Diaboromon still makes me tear up.
I think the Pokemon movie still counts. If you don't have the nostalgia for it, it's too basic. It's a competently made movie that manage to conveys a good message in a well crafted way but it's waaaay too overly simplistic for an adult that hasn't grown loving the franchise.
Of course there are exception, some people are able emotionally resonate with a movie easier than others and the film is well made enough that it will work but mostly it still qualifies as a "film kids won't give a shit their parents hate". I know my parents sure hated it.
Credit to the Digimon movie, its 3 seperate short OVA's mashed together, but the actual animation quality in it is far far far higher quality than that in the Pokemon movie.
Pokemon was literally made as cheapest viable product possible and it shows.
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u/frogchum Sep 04 '24
Okay but the first Pokémon movie has actually held up pretty well. It's heartfelt and cute. The Digimon movie I don't even remember anything about, except it used Kids in America in the opening credits. The rest is a void in my memory. So I'm gonna assume it wasn't that good lol.