"Digimon Tamers" is the best season of the Digimon franchise. My own relationship with it more or less matches that of the great Roger Ebert with "Bladerunner": "I never really embraced Bladerunner, admiring it at arm's length. Now, it is time to accept it into the canon." Of course, I personally don't like Bladrunner very much, but that's besides the point. This third season, though enjoyable, was never my favorite for various reasons, but as my perspective has matured over the years I've reached the point where I must concede to its achievements. Still, for all the steps taken in the right direction (and there are many), there was always significant room for improvement, especially in some key areas. The combination of these characteristics, as opposed to across the board excellence, are what make the series worthy of discussion. Maybe such a view is indicative of the love/hate relationship I have with this show. But that will all be explained down the line; what about the introductory episode?
The first thing one will notice is the stark contrast in style. The animation is of higher quality than the first two seasons, due in no small part to the real world setting. As was evident before, cityscapes are almost always better drawn than the settings in the Digital World. But the change in style is not restricted to the visuals. The pacing is more brisk, but in a way that feels efficient rather than rushed. I would say more happens in 3 minutes of "Tamers" than 8 minutes of "Adventure".
Most surprisingly, the introductions to important characters and details are much more restrained. Takato is the only one with a substantial role, while everyone else is comparatively glimpsed. Since he doesn't really have to compete with anyone, we get the opportunity to really become acquainted with Takato and his little quirks. It also helps that, unlike such characters as Marcus, this kid comes across as a believable, real person from the get-go, partially due to Brian Beacock's impressive voice work. The first appearance of Guilmon is built up greatly, complemented by various strange details that will be expanded upon later, such as exactly how Takato's notes were transfigured into "living data". Overall, this is the best and most promising season premiere in the franchise.
The first thing one will notice is the stark contrast in style. The animation is of higher quality than the first two seasons, due in no small part to the real world setting. As was evident before, cityscapes are almost always better drawn than the settings in the Digital World. But the change in style is not restricted to the visuals. The pacing is more brisk, but in a way that feels efficient rather than rushed. I would say more happens in 3 minutes of "Tamers" than 8 minutes of "Adventure".
Most surprisingly, the introductions to important characters and details are much more restrained. Takato is the only one with a substantial role, while everyone else is comparatively glimpsed. Since he doesn't really have to compete with anyone, we get the opportunity to really become acquainted with Takato and his little quirks. It also helps that, unlike such characters as Marcus, this kid comes across as a believable, real person from the get-go, partially due to Brian Beacock's impressive voice work. The first appearance of Guilmon is built up greatly, complemented by various strange details that will be expanded upon later, such as exactly how Takato's notes were transfigured into "living data". Overall, this is the best and most promising season premiere in the franchise.
