Brief Summary
This video reviews Digimon Ghost Game, assessing its success within the Digimon reboot project. It highlights the show's strong start with its dark tone and intriguing characters but criticizes its episodic nature and failure to develop overarching storylines or character growth. The video also addresses the head writer's comments about targeting short attention spans and concludes with a verdict on whether the series delivered on its potential and met fan expectations.
- Strong start but lacks development
- Episodic nature hinders overarching story
- Missed potential for character growth
- Questions about target audience and storytelling choices
Introduction
The video introduces Digimon Ghost Game, the latest original Digimon anime series, which premiered simultaneously in Japan and internationally. It was part of the Digimon reboot project, a multi-year plan by Digimon, Toei, and Bandai to revitalize the franchise. The success of Ghost Game, an entirely new series with original characters, would be a key indicator of Digimon's ability to compete in the anime landscape. The video aims to explore how Digimon fans feel about the series and whether it appeals to both lapsed and long-time fans.
The Setup
Digimon Ghost Game had a strong start with its dark tone, monster designs, and intriguing mystery. However, it fails to allow character growth or expand on the initial mystery. Unlike past Digimon series with complete stories and overarching villains, Ghost Game is almost strictly episodic. Each episode's story is self-contained and rarely referenced again after the initial setup involving Hiro's missing father, Digimon arriving in Japan, and the mysterious Black Gatomon.
The Problem
Digimon Ghost Game doesn't fully commit to being episodic, attempting to be both episodic and serial. The show reminds viewers of overarching mysteries, such as Hiro's father's disappearance and Gulus Gammamon's dark transformation, but fails to provide answers. Hints and foreshadowing appear throughout the series, suggesting a larger story, but these threads are never properly developed. The head writer's interview suggests that these details may only be resolved in the final episode, which feels unsatisfying.
The Impact
The characters in Digimon Ghost Game have remained stagnant for a full year, despite the passage of time in the show's world. Hiro, Kiyoshiro, and Ruli, despite their promising starts, have not evolved beyond their initial character traits. The evolutions of the Digimon, which were previously used to visualize characters overcoming obstacles, no longer serve this purpose. Gammamon's ultimate form debut lacked development and payoff, and the same goes for Angoramon's ultimate form.
The Reason
The head writer's interview reveals that the episodic nature of Digimon Ghost Game was influenced by the belief that kids have short attention spans due to platforms like TikTok and YouTube. The creative staff worried that viewers would not watch longer stories or serials. This assessment of the audience's ability to consume quality media is not generous. Serialized shows have become easier to consume due to streaming services, and young people will watch content if the quality and storytelling are there.
The Divide
The video acknowledges that some viewers enjoy Digimon Ghost Game on a week-to-week basis. Individual episodes are often well-made, but the repetitive nature of the series becomes apparent when viewed as a whole. Each episode is essentially a reskin of the last, with little change to the status quo.
The Verdict
Digimon Ghost Game delivered what was advertised: a light horror-themed take on the Digimon franchise with fun characters and new evolutions. However, it did not deliver the sense of momentum and serialized storytelling that fans have come to expect from Digimon. The series did not bring answers to the big questions it asked in its first few episodes. Digimon Ghost Game is a fun, episodic anthology set in the Digimon universe, but it may disappoint viewers expecting a more developed story. While it has contributed to online discussion and community, it has not made Digimon a household name again.
