Digimon Adventure S01E21

Okay, so Tai and Koromon land in a park, and there are humans everywhere, so they’re all like, “oh, gross, it’s an infestation!” So they go to Tai’s apartment, say hi to Tai’s sister Kari, eat a bunch of eggs, and then Koromon poops for the rest of his life. Tai watches some TV, video chats with Izzy while he’s stoned (not as entertaining as you’d think), then takes a nap. Kari, meanwhile, takes over Tai’s paternal duties by feeding his Digimon partner and explaining the facts of life to him.

Horrified by the aforementioned facts of life, Koromon and Tai run outside to find some Digimon blowing up buildings, which is somehow less traumatizing for everyone involved. Tai finally figures out how to turn his Digivice back on (it’s a switch you press in, not a button), and Koromon evolves into Agumon. A helpful and law-abiding Ogremon manages to unclog the sky drain through which Tai and Koromon entered the Real World after their sky flush, and they both float back up into the Digital World. Kari is left behind wondering wtf she just witnessed.

The opening recap has a winner:
Tai: “We staged a great plan to break into the pyramid and rescue [Sora] – a plan so good, it actually worked!”

Ha! I know the feeling, Tai.

---

[It’s a beautiful day in this crowded park!]
Taichi: “Ah…”
Koromon: “A-ah…”
Taichi: “This place is…?”
Tai: “We must have been pulled through some sort of dimensional opening between DigiWorld and this one… wherever this one is. I bet that opening’s the same way I got to DigiWorld…”

No, Tai, you got surfed into the Digital World, remember? It wasn’t that long ago; your pants haven’t even dried ye– oh.

---

Stunned silence.
Koromon: “J-just humans!”
Tai with surprising ventriloquism skills: “But where are we now? They look like human beings, and this looks like Earth, but is it really?”
Koromon: “I don’t know; I’ve never been here before!”

We’re like 25 seconds into this episode, and I am already feeling uneasy about this script.

[Edit after finishing the comparison: oh glob my brain I was so right about this script]

---

More stunned silence while watching the peoples.
Tai: “This looks like the park I played in as a kid! I think we’re in my hometown!”
Koromon: “No way!”

I mean, good on Tai for being so chill about the sudden world shift and abandonment of his friends. I certainly wouldn’t be so calm in his shoes!

---

Taichi: “It can’t be… We’ve come back to our own world?”
Tai: “Yeah, that’s the toy factory!”

That’s a toy factory?!

The katakana on the building says otherwise! It’s the Telecom Center in Odaiba (a real place, and that’s what it looks like!), though the katakana doesn’t quite look right (should be [テレコムセンター」), but that might just be because of the blurriness and/or heat haze effect.

---

Taichi: “… did we do it??”
Tai: “And that’s city hall over there!”

THAT’S City Hall?!?!

Where do you live?? Overkill Buildingsburg?!

In case you’re wondering but don’t have the episode to watch: the buildings look a little wavey in those screenshots because it’s a hot day in Odaiba, and there’s a heat haze effect over the scenes.

Nope.
Koromon: “Tai, I don’t mean to cut the sight-seeing tour short, but have you noticed that I’m not MetalGreymon anymore? I’m back to Koromon!”

Koromon, EVERYONE would have noticed if you were still MetalGreymon.

That would have been amazing…

---

[post-Koromon getting balled in the face]
Tai: “Hey! Where is this? Japan? Or the world where Digimon are?”
Koromon: “Where’s Etemon?! And the others?!”
Tai: “Hey, answer me, please!”
Girl who balled Koromon in the face: *runs away crying* “Wah-ah! Mama!”
Koromon: “Taichi, you shouldn’t make someone cry!”
Tai: “Hey!”
Girl who balled Koromon in the face: “Huh?”
Tai: “Tell me something: where are we? Is this world for real, or am I imagining it?”
Aforementioned Girl: “Wha…?”
Koromon: “We just want to know if you’re a real human being!”
Tai: “Please tell us! Are you a real girl, or a Digital girl?”
Aforementioned Girl: *runs away crying*
Koromon: “What’d I do? Did I say something wrong to her?”

Tai’s line of questioning is DEFINITELY what made her cry in the dub. You can’t just ask a lady if she’s Digital, Tai!

Taichi: “You idiot! It’s because she saw you!”
Koromon: “Ehh?! Me?!”
Crowd: *mumbling super-judgementally*
Koromon: “Am I scary? Hey, am I scary?!”
Tai: “You scared her! Now she’s gonna tell the Park Police!”
Koromon: “AH! The police?! Will they arrest me for making her cry? Save me, Tai! They’re gonna get me!”

Way to get the PaPopo on our tails, Koromon! We don’t even have tails!

---

Taichi: “Shh! Don’t talk! People here will see you.”
Koromon: “Hey, am I scary? Am I? Am I? Hey hey hey hey!”
Tai: “Quiet! Listen up. Just pretend you’re a soccer ball.”
Koromon: “Wait, wha–” *Tai punts him into the stratosphere* “AAAAAAAAA^{AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH       ✺}“
Tai: “Now let’s get out of here so I can chill and figure out what’s going on!”

In the original, Boléro plays as it shows more shots of the city.

The sweet sounds of Boléro.
Tai: “This all looks so familiar, Koromon. This has to be my home!”
Koromon: “Well, for your sake, I hope so! Not so much for the friends we left behind, but how can you be certain you’re not just imagining it in the DigiWorld, Tai?”

Koromon, you are also there.

(2 seconds) A shot of the signpost in *GASP* JAPANESE?!?! Why, I never!

Odaiba Seaside Park Station Front
(Odaiba kaihinkōen-eki mae「お台場海浜公園駅前」)

To hide the fact that the story is set partly in Not-America, the Japanese text on the signpost is crappily blurred:

[Taichi reads the sign, confirming that he’s back in Odaiba]
Taichi: “It must be because we got pulled into that distortion! That must be the reason you’re Koromon again, too! We did it!”
Tai: “I can’t wait to see my family, and when they get a look at you, they’ll know I’m telling the truth about DigiWorld! Then we’ll see if the others got home, too, and hook up with them!”

Or they’ll think “DigiWorld” is a top-secret government facility and you stole a test subject and call the actual popo on you. It’ll probably be fine.

The scene of Taichi excitedly snuggling Koromon is moved to after a commerical break in the dub. It follows the scene in the Dialogue Deviation above in the original.

[Train visage]
No dialogue.
Tai: “It’s a good thing I still have some of my camp money left! The subway’s a lot nicer than walking home!”

Uh, Tai? You don’t need to take the (conspicuously above-ground) subway. You’re like right there. He doesn’t take the train in the original; he just uses the station to figure out where he is.

Oh, so NOW the dub wants vehicles honking at nothing! The train isn’t making noise in the original.

[One not-train transit later…]
Taichi: “Look at this, Koromon. This is my home!”
Koromon: “No way! It’s BIG!”
Tai: “Wow! Everything looks exactly the way it did when I left for camp! That’s where I live, Koromon. Pretty neat, doncha think?”
Koromon: “All those rooms? Your family’s big!”
Tai: “It’s an apartment building. Lots of families live there!”
Koromon: “You have that many families?!”

---

[At the door of the Yagami household]
Taichi: “I wonder if Dad and Mom are doing well… I’ve been completely on the road, so they must be really worried.”
Tai: “I don’t know what to expect. Everything’s been so weird. Being in DigiWorld, I lost track of time. I wonder if they’re even going to recognize me!”

Or be willing to admit they recognize you.

Koromon: “Taichi, hurry and show them your face!”
Koromon: “We won’t know unless we go in!”

The nameplate by the apartment door is changed from Yagami to Kamiya.

Taichi: “Oh, right… How long have I been in the other world? A month? A year? Or maybe even…Maybe Dad and Mom have forgotten about me? I open the door, and a complete stranger comes out and asks, ‘who are you?'”
Koromon: “Taichi? Are you okay?”
Tai: “That’s weird. My key doesn’t work… They didn’t change the locks, did they…? Oh, it’s unlocked. They must be home! I remember when my mom planted those flowers.”

Pictured: zero flowers

Tai: “I remember buzzing my friends up on that intercom to come over and play video games and watch TV!”

That is the intercom for his own apartment, so… Is this Tai admitting he didn’t have any friends?

Tai: “Oh, and the time when my dad put our family nameplate on this door!”

Uh… looks like he missed the door slightly.

And he spelled it wrong.

Tai, continuing his rant from above: “But those memories won’t mean a thing, Koromon! If we came out of that dimension rift at the wrong time… what if I no longer exist?!”

…. what?

Koromon: “Tai, can I make a little suggestion? See a psychiatrist Open the door.”

I really hope some of his neighbors are outside watching this kid just standing in the hall with the door cracked talking to himself.

---

[He finally goes in]
Taichi: “I’m ho– *ahem* Excuse me?”
Tai: “HelloO!”

Listed for the loss of Taichi wondering if his family recognizes him, which makes the “excuse me?” really sad. D:

---

No dialogue.
Tai: “Look, the shoes are here! Mom? Dad?”

Your parents aren’t shoes, Tai. Come on – it’s hasn’t been that long!

As many of you probably know, in many countries around the world, it is unusual to not take off your shoes when you get home, and Japan is one of those countries. Tai’s remark is doubly pointless, because not only do people wear shoes at home in the US, the shoes at the entrance are all sandals:

This not being the US, people don’t wear sandals everywhere – i.e. his parents’ regular shoes are gone – i.e. his parents aren’t home.

Taichi: “Hey… this is my house! I mean, of course it is!”
Koromon: “The inside is small, huh?”
Taichi: “Shut up!”
Koromon: “No one’s answering. Maybe they’re out.”
Tai: “I wonder where they’ve gone?”
Koromon: “Maybe they went to DigiWorld.”
Tai: “That’s not funny!”

It’s kind of funny.

---

[Taichi drinks a cola from the fridge]
Koromon: “Is that tasty? Is it?”
Taichi: *gulp* “Aah~! Delicious! How long has it been since I had a cola?”
Koromon: *squeals in excitement* “Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimmeeeee!”
Taichi: “This really is my own world…”
Koromon: “Hey, Tai, over here! I’m thirsty!”
Tai: “Sorry, it’s the last one.”
Koromon: “WHA–?!”
Tai: “You should have asked for some before I finished drinking.”
Koromon: “I can’t believe you’d be so stingy!!”
Tai: “… I was just joking, crybaby.”
Koromon: “Really?”
Tai: “I left you half of it.”

Nice to see Tai’s feeling at home and has settled right back into his douchey ways.

Taichi: “But… when is now?”
Tai: “I sure wish I knew where my family was… “

In the middle of the day? I dunno – anywhere?

Taichi: “It still looks like summer, but…”
Tai: “… and how long I’ve been gone.”

Yeah, that’s a bit less obvious.

[Taichi spots the calendar on the fridge]
Taichi: “Aah!”
Koromon: *spit-takes out the cola can* “What is it, Taichi?!”
Taichi: “Today is August… It’s still the first of August in 1999!”
Koromon: “What does that mean?”
Taichi: “1 August 1999 was the day we all left for camp!”
Tai: “A-ha!”
Koromon: *spit-take* “Don’t scare me like that!”
Tai: (with his face right up on the calendar) “It’s been right in front of me! Today’s August 1st – the same day we landed in DigiWorld!”
Koromon: “We’ve gone back in time?”
Tai: “Yeah…”

NO.

Taichi: “… What’s going on? How many days, even months, must it have been in the other world? All those days we walked… All those Digimon we fought… How is it still August 1st?”
Tai: “This is the day the Digivices dropped into our hands, and this whole crazy adventure began! … Which reminds me: this is also the day my mom and dad were planning to visit my grandmother, who lives just outside of the city! See? My mom marked the date on this calendar so she wouldn’t forget. They must have taken my little sister, Kari, with them – THAT’S why nobody’s home now! Cool! Let’s just kick back and wait for them to come home!”

The date on the calendar is just marked “camp”. I can see why they didn’t want to take Tai along.

The year is censored on the calendar. Tai is just stupid enough to believe he time-traveled before assuming he’s been gone a year.

[clocky crossfade]
Taichi: “Why is it still the afternoon of that day? Did I become so homesick that I’m dreaming? Or maybe the other world was really a dream, and I’d actually collapsed in that park?”
Koromon: “Speaking of time …”

No one was speaking of time.

Koromon: “It’s time to eat!”
Tai: “Hold your Digi-horses! I’ve just learned I’m reliving a day I already lived!”

That is not what is happening at all.

Koromon: “Sorry, Tai.”
Tai: “No, I’m sorry, Koromon.”

No, I’m sorry. Sorry I agreed to this.

Tai: “I didn’t mean to yell, but this same hour, minute, and second have already occurred, except I’m home this time! Does that mean I have a twin living in some parallel world?”

Cod, I hope not. One of you is too much.

Koromon: “Taichi. Taichi. Taichi!”
Taichi: “Korom–?” *turns around and oh, hey, there’s a sibling*
*there’s a quiet, non-alarming sigh*
Koromon: “What was that?!”
Tai: “Huh?”
Voice: “Uh…”
Koromon: “Hear that?”
Kari: “Hi, Tai.”
Tai: *turns around* “Kari?”

Yes: Kari! She’s terrifying and merits a startled response!

Hikari YAGAMI is Kari Kamiya in the dub.

Taichi: “Hikari…”
Hikari: “Big brother, you came back.”
Taichi: “Y-yeah…”
Koromon: “‘Big brother’? This girl is your little sister?”
Tai: “Kari? You’re here? Mom and dad left you here at home all alone?”
Kari: “I’m a big girl. Hi, Koromon.”
Tai: “Kari, how did you know his name?”
Koromon: “Maybe she knows my name because your sister’s a lot smarter than you!”

That checks out.

Taichi: “I told you not to talk!” *to Hikari* “Hikari, it’s not what it looks like! This guy is…”
Hikari: “Koromon is with you?”
Taichi: “Huh?!”
Hikari: “Koromon came with you.”
Tai: “Cut it out, Koromon! I’m serious!” *to Kari* “Now, how did you know his name was Koromon?”
Kari: “What he said. Er, I mean… I don’t know. I just knew it.”
Tai: “I don’t get it!”
Kari: “Yeah, no surprise there. It’s like I’ve met him before; that’s why I’m not afraid.”

That, and he’s a squishy pink ball. Not even a scary one, at that.

Taichi: “You’re… not surprised by him?”
Hikari: “Why would I be surprised?”
Taichi: “And how did you know his name?“
Hikari: “That’s because… Koromon is Koromon.”
Tai: “But that’s impossible! This is the first time he’s ever been out of DigiWorld!”
Kari: “Well, maybe that’s where we met.”
Tai: “But you’ve never been to DigiWorld… have you?”
Kari: “I don’t know… I think so. It’s near your camp.”

---

And now, the cherry on top of this utter nonsense:

Stunned silence.
Tai: “Maybe Kari has been to DigiWorld. She did have on that camp whistle.”

Instead of her house whistle, right.

[Hikari is playing with Koromon]
Taichi: “Hikari, you’ve been home this whole time, right?”
Hikari: “I have a cold.”
Taichi: “You didn’t go to the other world like we did, did you?”
Hikari: “Other world?”
Tai: (entirely inner thought-monologue, even though if you look carefully, you can see his mouth moving) “Maybe she goes to my camp in the future and is sucked into DigiWorld like I was, but comes back before me. Only– I don’t know! This moving-back-and-forth-from-one-time-dimension-to-another is mega whacked!”

He still does not know what year he’s in.

Taichi: “Nevermind. Where are Dad and Mom?”
Hikari: “They went to visit Grandma. They said so this morning, didn’t they?”
Taichi: “A-ah… that’s right.”
Hikari: “Big brother, why are you home?”
Taichi: “That, uh… I was worried about you. Has your fever gone down?”
Tai: (still inner thought-monologuing while moving his mouth) “No one’s ever sure whether they’re here or now or… or there and then! Sometimes I feel like I’m more ‘where and when’ rather than here nor… there, or… what did I just say? I- I’m confusing myself! I know! Maybe Kari and I have a fever and we’re both delirious!”

Holy crap, was all that necessary? They couldn’t just have a normal conversation – we had to watch Tai stand around and internally stupefy himself?

As will be confirmed later, time flows at a different rate in the Digital World relative to the Real World. He returned to the Real World shortly after the moment he entered the Digital World.

How does Kari know Koromon’s name? She read the script, UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE.

[Taichi is checking Hikari’s temperature]
Hikari: “Big brother?”
Taichi: “What?”
Hikari: “Where did you really go?”
Taichi: “Huh?”
Hikari: “‘The other world’ where Koromon is from?”
Kari: “What’s wrong, Tai?”
Tai: “Nothing.”
Kari: “Then why do you think I have a fever?”
Tai: “Huh?”
Kari: “I’m not sick, and I’ve been to DigiWorld.”

And now she has to improvise because SOMEONE can’t be a professional!

Taichi: “…”
Hikari: “You weren’t at camp with everyone else, were you?”
Taichi: “That’s… oh, yeah… Maybe Yamato and the others came back, too…”
Tai: “No way…”
Kari: “Well, I think you have. Where else could you find a Koromon?”
Tai: (nervous) “The toy store.”
Kari: “Oh, please! They only sell knock-offs and you know it.“
Tai: “… you do know. I’d better call everyone else’s house to see if they got back home, too!”

Yeah, it’d be super awkward if it turns out you ditched them, and all that time you’ve spent ruminating over stupid shit in the comfort of the Real World was actually many agonizing, extraordinarily perilous days in the Digital World.

---

Taichi makes some calls to his friends’ homes and asks for Koushirou, Sora, and Yamato, is told they’re at camp, and moves on, because of course they are. Tai follows up with, “so, you haven’t heard from Sora since she left for summer camp?” and “Matt hasn’t called home or anything?” Since it’s the same afternoon they all left for summer camp and Tai is supposed to be aware of that: yeah, way to be smooth about not alerting the parents of their missing children, Tai.

---

[staring at the Digivice while Taichi wonders about the others]
Taichi: (thinking) “Or maybe I’m the only one dreaming? Which is the truth? Or are both a dream? Or both real?”
Tai: (thinking) “I wish Izzy were here. He could get this Digivice to work. Then I could go back to DigiWorld and rescue the others! There’s just got to be a way to fix this time dimension thing!”

If there’s anyone who can screw with the space-time continuum unnecessarily, it’s Izzy!

Hikari offers Taichi half of her lunch box (obentō 「お弁当」; presumably prepared for her by Mommy Yagami before she and Daddy Yagami had left). Kari informs Tai there is food in the fridge and offers her leftover piece of pie, uncovering two bowls and a small box, presumably because she knows Tai cannot tell the difference and will eat a box if told it’s pie.

Taichi: “Ah, thank you. Oh, wait just a bit!”
Tai: “I’ve got a better idea: I’ll make us a healthy breakfast!”

Sadly, it seems Tai will not fall for the old “small box = pie” trick a fourth time…

---

[Taichi has prepared and consumed an omelette]
Taichi: “Aah, I’m full! I can’t eat any more!”
Tai: “Man, I am so full, I won’t have to eat for at least a year!”

Maybe watch what you say…

---

[Koromon obviously needs to poop after consuming an omelette]
Taichi: “Hey, Koromon. Koromon!”
*poopy sounds*
Koromon: “Sorry, Taichi…”
Koromon: “Aaahh – so… full… AAAHH. I’d better go rest.”
Kari: “Don’t hide in the bathroom!”

Please hide in the bathroom to poop. Always.

Koromon: “Sorry, Hikari. I’m just terrible at holding it.”
Hikari: “I know about it.”
Koromon: “What?”
Hikari: “I used to wet the bed, and back then, big brother would help me. He’d wash my underwear in the middle of the night, and he would pretend he was the one who wet the bed.”
Koromon: “How embarrassing! Why do you want to hang out with someone who’s such a pig?”
Kari: “‘Cause you’re cute! Maybe not right now, but in general…“
Koromon: “Really?”
Kari: “Yeah. Do you wanna hear what happened to me at school? We took a farm field trip, and I slipped and fell in a pig pen. The kids were laughing at me ’til Tai jumped in. Know what he did? He played in the mud with me like I’d really done it on purpose!”

He definitely thought you did it on purpose.

Hikari: “He’s really nice.”
Kari: “Tai does bug me sometimes, but he is the coolest big brother in the world!”

Relatively speaking…

The dub adds a toilet flushing sound effect when Koromon says, “yeah…”. Since he ostensibly didn’t poop, he must have just been wasting water, which is even worse!

[Taichi reclines on the couch and turns on the telly and the air conditioner]
Taichi: “Aah, it’s cool… Home is really great. How many days had it been?”
Tai: “I’m really back… Ah, I used to hate that wind chime. Now I love it.”

… Tai, did you get into your parents’ “special spices” again?

Taichi: “No, that’s weird… because today’s still the first of August. I don’t care which is the dream and which is real.”
Tai: “And I really miss sitting around watching TV with my friends.” [the scene pans to show a shirt on the couch] “I miss mom scolding dad for not hanging up his shirts.” *yawn* “Boy, it’s good to be home.”

I like how Tai doesn’t question his dad taking off his shirts in the living room.

[Hikari can see the Digimon on the screen]
Hikari: “But if I told anyone, no one would believe me.”
Kari: “Mom and Dad don’t believe me. They just think that I watch too many scary movies.”

They’re right, of course. You’d think they’d keep a better eye on what their kids watch.

The air conditioner audibly shuts off in the original, but it’s hard to tell whether it’s shutting off at all in the dub.

[Taichi looks at his Digivice after the selective power outage]
Stunned silence.
Hikari: “Big brother, over there!”
Koushirou (on-screen): “Taichi… Taichi…”
Taichi: “Kou-Koushirou!”
Tai: “Hey, what’s goin’ on? My Digivice has activated itself!”
Kari: “What’s wrong with the computer, Tai? … There’s a face!”
Izzy (on-screen): “Can you hear me? — We — danger!”

Ugh, Dad changed the screen saver again!

Why can’t he just leave it on the flying toasters?!

(2 sec) A quick scene of Taichi… uh… aggressively talking to Koushirou through the computer was cut from the dub for some reason.

Taichi: “Koushirou, it’s me! It’s Taichi!”

[On a video chat with Koushirou]
Koushirou (on-screen): (eerily calm) “Taichi, where are you now? —“
Taichi: “I’m home! I’m back in our world. Koromon is with me.”
Koushirou: (eerily calm) “Is that so? Then, over here —“
Taichi: “Hey, Koushirou! I can’t hear you well!”
Koushirou: (eerily calm) “— you not come back — please —“
Izzy: (panicked) “Safe — no — it isn’t — Tai, wherever you may be, don’t come back here!”
Tai: “I can’t just leave you guys there, Izzy! I have to come back! I could be your only chance!”
Izzy: (frantic) “Digi Monster! — Total chaos! —“
Tai: “Wait, Izzy! I need help with the Digivice! And I forgot how to set the timer on the microwave!“
Izzy: (zero chill) “You’re better off where you are! Don’t come back!”

He seems like he’s doing well!

Izzy’s facial expression doesn’t quite fit his delivery, does it?

“WE’RE ALL GOING TO *yawn* DIE!!”

Yeah, he’s pretty out-of-it in the original. His message corresponds with a scene in an upcoming episode and has nothing to do with any impending or imaginary doom around him. He just decided to fuck with Tai in the dub. Who can blame him?

[Koushirou hung up on him]
Stunned silence.
Tai: “While we’re here, safe at home, my friends are in trouble.”

Well, one of them. The worst one, if we’re being honest.

Koromon: “Taichi…?”
Taichi: “… What’s going on? The other world and home… neither are a dream. Both are real. There and here are real. I’m here, they’re there. Hey, Koromon, is it okay for only me to be here?”
Koromon: “What now?”
Tai: “I don’t know, Koromon. I just don’t know. Two worlds are in danger, and I can’t do a thing about it. I feel totally useless!”

Don’t worry, Tai. It’s not just a feeling!

Tai: “I know this Digivice is powerful enough to do something, but I don’t have a clue on how to make it work! Oh, man, I guess I should just quit while I’m ahead!”

Wait, we can just quit? Just like that?

Koromon: “Taichi… but…”
Taichi: “That’s right. We don’t know how to get to the other world.”
Koromon: “But, Tai… you can’t.”
Tai: “Why can’t I? What am I gonna do? Throw the Digivice at the monsters and hope they get scared and run away?”

Seriously?! Hang on – I need to call my agent.

---

[Taichi chills on his bed with a plate of tasty watermelon nearby]
Taichi: “… worrying about it won’t do any good…”
Tai: “Kari’s right. I do need to relax and chill out… Maybe an idea of what to do will come to me… I hope…”

Why did I agree to let Tentomon be my agent? Cod I’m stupid.

---

[Koromon is destroying that watermelon in the other room]
Koromon: “This ‘watermelon’ is delicious!”
Koromon: “Boy, oh boy, if there’s one thing I duly love, I duly love this watermelon!”

Well, at least if I’m doing this, I don’t have to plan the Koromon/watermelon wedding. Have fun with that, Gear!

The watermelon-munching sound effects are a lot less slurpy and disgusting in the original.

Hikari: “Koromon?”
Koromon: “Yeah?”
Hikari: “It’s okay if big brother doesn’t go back.”
Koromon: “Eh?!”
Hikari: “You can stay here forever, too, Koromon. You both should stay here.”
Kari: “I’m glad you like it here on Earth, because you may be staying here for a while.”
Koromon: “Huh?!”
Kari: “You may not be returning to DigiWorld any time soon, if at all…. but you are more than welcome to live with us forever.”
Koromon (thinking): “Hmm… it didn’t hit me until just now. I may never get back to my home!”

Way to leave it to your tiny sister to break the news, Tai! You irresponsible jerk.

Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be significant, but Tai ignores the ringing phone, just like he ignored that tasty watermelon and his parental duties to Koromon, for way longer in the dub than Taichi does in the original. I’m only pointing it out because we know that Kari answered the phone, and it’s weird that she let it ring so long.

[Telephone ringing as Taichi snoozes]
Taichi: (awoken by phone ringery) “Is that Yamato?!” *runs to the phone and sees Hikari* “Huh?”
Hikari (on the phone): “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”
Taichi: *RUDELY grabs the phone from her*
Their mother (over the phone): “Be sure to take your medicine. Everything’s fine here. Grandpa and grandma are well. They’re worried about you!”
Tai: (eventually awoken by phone ringery) “Telephone!” *runs to the phone and sees Kari* “Who is it?”
Kari (on the phone): “Mm-hm. Mm-hm. I’ll see you, Mom.”
Tai: “Let me hear!” *RUDELY grabs the phone from her*
Their mother (over the phone): “We might be a little later than planned. There’s supposed to be a storm coming in, and there might be some heavy traffic coming back into town.”

The rest of the conversation is the same, including Tai hanging up on his mother after ripping the phone from his tiny sister and making his presence known, because that’s not a terribly awkward and horrifying way to end a phone call with your mother, and she won’t be concerned at all.

---

[Taichi has just hung up on his mother]
Long, awkward pause.
Taichi: “Hey, Koromon?”
Koromon: “Eh?”
Taichi: “You can stay here forever.”
Koromon: “Taichi…”
Taichi: “If you’re home, you don’t have to fight anymore. You’ll be able to eat whatever food and candy you like! You can sleep in a bed every night and take a bath every day. Mom might get mad sometimes, but whatever happens, I’ll protect you! Even Dad… … It’s summer vacation! It’s summer vacation now! We haven’t gone to the ocean yet, and there’s the fireworks festival… I have homework to do, too!”
Kari: “What’s happening, Tai? Other than your imminent lifelong grounding?“
Tai: “Now I understand. Earth is in just as much danger as the DigiWorld!”
Koromon: “How?”
Tai: “DigiWorld’s troubles are slipping through the dimension.”
Koromon: “What can we do?”
Tai: “There’s nothing we can do until I figure out how to use the Digivice so we can return to DigiWorld and fight the bad Digimon! But we’ll be okay for now, Koromon. This’ll be a nice break! Here, we have all kinds of food, and-and candy, and stuff! And we get to sleep in a soft bed! We’ll be livin’ large!”
Koromon: “Right…”
Tai: “Sorry, Digi-bud. Look, there’s lots of things to do out there. That satellite dish is more in touch with the world than we are!”

… I hope he’s not referring to what’s outside the window, which is definitely a Ferris wheel.

Pictured: not a satellite dish.

Tai (continuing his rant): “We could go to the beach, the movies, take Kari shopping…”

Why are you trying to be more of a parent to your sister than you are to your Digimon? You’re like 11; you aren’t taking anyone shopping.

[Taichi contemplates, squeezes, then prepares to throw the Digivice]
Taichi: “… It’s because of this thing I went to the other world! So what if it’s a holy device?! This thing— “
Tai: “What am I talking about? My friends are in danger because I can’t make this piece of techno-junk work and I can’t do a thing about it!”

Just push the “on” switch, dingus!

[Earthquake]
Taichi: “What the–?” *runs outside to investigate* “That’s… Tyranomon!”
Koromon: “What’s that?”
Tai: “Earthquake!” *runs outside during what he thinks is an earthquake* “What?! Is it Seadramon again? Oh, no, Tyrannomon! What’s he gonna do?!”
Tyrannomon: *spits a fireball at the city*
Tai: “OH NO! The one thing I didn’t consider he would do!”

Boléro starts playing in the background when Tyranomon appears in the original. Dramatic nonsense as usual in the dub.

Taichi: “Damnit!”
Hikari: “Wait!”
Taichi: “Hikari… you stay here!”
Kari: “Tai?”
Koromon: “What are you doing?! What about me and Kari?”
Tai: “She stays here! Kari, don’t leave for any reason! Koromon and I have to find that dimensional rift! We gotta find a way back to DigiWorld!”
Kari: “And slay the monster that just blew up a bridge? No…? All right, then.“

In the original, the television screens after Drimogemon’s attack are showing a regular local broadcast with an earthquake warning overlay.

In the dub, this is replaced with a reporter from later in the episode who shares information about the earthquake, but for the dub, he is ignoring the earthquake and the danger it poses to everyone around him.

TV Program: “Odaiba’s Summer Gourmet Spots Special – yay!”
Apathetic Reporter: “Apparently, some of our viewers have called in to our station claiming to have seen monsters on our news cast screen. On behalf of the station, I would like to remind you that your words are hurtful, and we do not appreciate you referring to our esteemed journalists in such a way.“

Boléro abruptly stops playing when Drimogemon disappears in the original. The dub’s dramatic nonsense fades out.

Taichi: “He disappeared, too!”
Tai: “No way! Maybe this is a dream!”

How many times do you need to go over this?

(1 sec) One last bit of the Odaiba gourmet foods program plays on the screens. In the dub, this is sort of referenced with a sound clip of some parrot-like-sounding women saying, “back to news!” with no imagery, and apparently they just flat-out interrupted the reporter’s diatribe in the middle of it.

“Delicious!”

Earthquake Reporter: “We interrupt this program to bring you information from the Hodo Center regarding the earthquake. The epicenter was Odaiba in the Minato district…”
Callous, unfeeling Reporter: “Authorities believe this is merely a bit of hysteria among a few individuals. If you think you see these ‘monsters’, you should seek medical attention immediately. See? It’s not funny when it happens to you, is it?“

---

Taichi: (talking/thinking over the rest of earthquake report) “It wasn’t an earthquake. Normal people can’t see the Digimon! Things will only get worse at this rate…”
Tai: “The Digimon are drifting back and forth between both worlds through that dimensional rift! We have to find it and get through it before those monsters destroy Earth and DigiWorld! It’ll take all of us working together to stop them – we’ve got to get back!”

Mon, it’s a good thing Tai has dual PhDs in theoretical physics and quantum mechanics! I don’t know what we’d do if he was just a confused kid trying to protect his home and friends!

---

Koromon: “Taichi… I’m going back to where everyone else is. Digimon can’t live in this world. I’m a Digimon, so I can’t be here.”
Taichi: “Koromon! How can you say something like that? Don’t say you’re going back!”
Koromon: “Even if we did, I can’t help you. In spite of all I’ve eaten, I can’t seem to Digivolve, so I can’t fight. I’d just get in the way…”
Tai: “I need you, Koromon! We can’t win unless we fight as a team! Don’t you give up now!”

Also, you have made zero attempts to evolve today. See: non-responsive Digivice.

Hikari: “Big brother!”
Kari: “Tai! Koromon! Wait for me! I want to come with you!”

You really don’t, Kari. You’d have to hang out with Izzy, and Matt, and Tai– er…

Kari’s pleading to go with them is not a thing in the original. It is a drawn-out, annoying thing in the dub. Hikari doesn’t want them to leave, sure, because she’s a tiny, adorable child who loves her family or some nonsense, but she’s not trying to tag along.

---

[oh lawdy, it’s weirdly-colorized Ogremon]
We know, dude.
Koromon: “Tai, Kari, it’s Ogremon, but the people don’t seem to notice him!”

Wait, are we JUST establishing that the normos can’t see those Digimon in the dub? Is that supposed to not be a thing in the dub? Is that why we had to watch that heartless reporter be so nonchalant about everyone’s safety?

Taichi: “W-what do we do? Ogremon is in this city! At this rate, everyone will be in danger!”
Tai: “What’s he doing? He’s just standing there, waiting for the light to change!”

Yeah, Tai, it’s a crosswalk. That’s how crosswalks work.

Tai: “Maybe if we wait, he’ll disappear like the others!”

After causing massive property damage! Yeah, that’s the ticket!

Boléro picks back up when ‘Ogremon’ attacks in the original.

[Koromon lures ‘Ogremon’ away by jumping up a building]
No dialogue.
Kari: “He’s trying to fight that monster single-handed!”

He doesn’t have hands, you insensitive jerk! Jeez, it must be hereditary…

Taichi: “Koromon!” *grips Digivice*
Koromon: “Taichi, hurry and get away from here!”
Taichi: “Don’t fight him on your own! Haven’t we always fought together?”
Koromon: “Taichi…”
Hikari: “Koromon, watch out!”
Tai: “Koromon, Digivolve!” *grips*
Koromon: “I can’t do it unless you use the Digivice!”
Tai: “I don’t know what’s wrong, but the Digivice isn’t working! You’ll have to Digivolve without it!”
Koromon: “I just cant!”
Kari: “You can do it, Koromon!”

No, Kari. That’s not helpful right now.

[‘Ogremon’ smashed Koromon and a building]
Taichi: “Koromon… KOROMON!!”
Tai: “Koromon… DIGIVOLVE!”

Worst Digi-dad ever.

[A hole in the sky appears]
No. Why?
Tai: “Look, the dimensional rift’s opening up like a mega vacuum cleaner! Koromon, now!”

What a coincidence that Tai wrote his PhD thesis on mega vacuum cleaner-resembling dimensional rifts specifically!

[Agumon flames ‘Ogremon’ into the sky hole]
Taichi: “You did it!”
[Agumon floats into the sky hole]
Taichi: “AGUMON!!”
Tai: “Take a hike!”
[Agumon floats into the sky hole]
Tai: “Agumon, come back!”

Well, you should have specified who you were telling to ‘take a hike’!

Agumon: “Taichi… Hikari… Bye-bye…”
Agumon: “I’m needed… in DigiWorld. I’ll never forget you, my friend. Thanks for your help!”

He… didn’t help you at all. It’s fine. Only like two more minutes left…

The dub replays part of Agumon floating away and Tai yelling, “wait, take me with you!” after the commercial break.

---

In the original, the sky hole scene has the song “Victory – Zen Theme” playing. It’s a super-sweet and serene track, and it makes the scene extra sad. 🙁

Taichi: “Agumon! Wait! I’m–” *Hikari grabs his arm and it’s so sad D:* “Hikari… I have to go back. If I don’t go with him… Feel better from your cold soon.”
Hikari: “Big brother…”
Tai: “Wait, take me with you! You still need my help! Agumo–“
Kari: (whiny) “Tai! Stay with me!”
Tai: (also somehow whiny) “No, go wait for Mom and Dad!”
Kari: “I’m so sorry.”
Tai: “Why?”
Kari: “You’re right. I know you have to leave.”
Tai: “I really do. Okay?”
Kari: “Okay.”
Tai: “Agumon can’t Digivolve without me. This is my fight, too!” *Tai’s mouth clearly moves, but he doesn’t say anything*
Kari: “Please be careful.”
[The hand-slipping scene is tastefully silent – thank you, dub]
Tai: “Goodbye, Kari!”
Kari: “Bye-bye, Tai! Don’t forget about me!”
Tai: “I wonder who that was… Ah, it’s probably not important.”

That could have been worse.

---

Narrator: “Hikari was left alone, but before long, that girl would set foot in the Digital World.”
Tai: “It was really hard to watch Kari as I floated away, but there was no way I could have taken her with me. I knew it was way too risky. Besides, Mom would’ve been really mad at me if I had. You thought I was grounded before for the phone thing? That was nothing! But what I didn’t know is that Kari would soon find her own way to DigiWorld!”
[interior shot of their apartment and the Digivice on the table]

HE WAS HOLDING THE WRONG DIGIVICE THE WHOLE TIME?!?!

---

Agumon: “You came back.”
Taichi: “Yeah.”
Agumon: “Is that really okay?”
Taichi: “I’ll definitely go back again… after we’ve done what we have to do here.”
Tai: “Agumon, we’re back in business! Now we’ve gotta decide what our first move is!”
Agumon: “Well, we have to find our friends. Then we have to make sure you and the others get home safely.”
Tai: “Not until we conquer all the evil Digimon! Otherwise, neither one of our worlds will ever be safe!”

UUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH