Following on from last week’s review and, of course, our podcast discussion episode, it’s time to watch the 19th episode of Digimon Adventure: (2020)!
Opening thoughts
So after last week’s episode, I’ve got to say, I’m pretty pessimistic, but hopefully that’s the worst episode and we’re back to quality episodes again.
I’m additionally pessimistic due to the concern that this episode, and upcoming arc, is just the beginning of another Taichi and Yamato show as the other characters are…elsewhere?
Digimon Adventure 2020 Episode 19 “Howl, Jyuoken”
Digimon Adventure 2020 Episode 19 Review
Thanks AnimeLab for uploading the episode an hour later than I expected which reduced me to clicking CTRL-F5 every few minutes for an hour.
Anyway, so the episode starts and we get straight into the opening, so hopefully that means that the Digimon Encyclopedia has been permanently moved to the end – which is still a much better place for it in my opinion. Last week on Digimon we had an episode that ruined the previous two episodes. Yay! I do absolutely dig Devimon’s voice though. So deep, ominous, and creepy!
Anyway, Devimon addresses some evil Digimon that has has in his army for a bit before we get to see what Taichi and Yamato are doing – Taichi is trying to contact the others on his Digivice and, props to the team for actually remembering the characters were fighting last episode and kept the dirt and scratches on their cast.
Koshiro is able to contact Taichi who then reveals that he, Sora, Joe, Mimi are back in Tokyo, I guess for real this time? However, their Digimon are not there, which makes them concerned to know that they’re not with Taichi and Yamato either. I’m glad that we get to see what the other characters are doing at least.
A news broadcaster says that the power is back but the prolonged disturbances has lasting effects on the train line. Joe reported everything that happened to a police box but they didn’t believe him. Koshiro says there are lots of fake information on the Internet about it and Sora recognizes Taichi’s Mum and sister. Hikari’s Mum continues to be weird and realises she forgot the car so she hands the cat to Sora and tells the group of children to look after a slightly younger child and the cat.
Back to Taichi, because we’re done looking at Hikari for now. There’s a big plot Earthquake which turns out to be Valvemon walking. Such a throwback to Digimon World 2003. Valvemon is actually full of Troopmon and Minotaurmon, which is interesting how we’re seeing Digimon that are warships and piloted as such.
WOW THESE LASERS THE CHILDREN ARE WALKING THROUGH HOW ARE THEY NOT HURT. Anyway, Leomon, who is riding a Peckmon shows up, which would be extremely cool if it wasn’t the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. Leomon attacks Valvemon and the Troopmon and we get an anime slice moment. AND THEN SPADAMON AND FALCOMON SHOW UP WHICH IS GREAT I LOVE SPADAMON HE IS MY FAVOURITE.
Apparently everyone is this group rides Peckmon and then they leave with Taichi and Yamato on the Peckmon. Which is still weirdly hilarious.
We then get to see Agumon and Gabumon eating fruit and Agumon looks so concerned about the apple. Probably because the animators didn’t animate the apple being eating. Leomon knows of the children because of Neemon, who Yamato then asks about. Leomon gives Devimon a name, which is surprisingly the first time the show has actually named Devimon, which is weird to me.
I love the little scene we get of Troopmon repairing Valvemon, anyway, Leomon name drops the Holy Digimon while he’s dropping slightly obvious exposition and how their cargo must be the Holy Digimon. Taichi says that they’ll join him. Is this the longest we’ve gone without a single evolution this entire season, because, instead of riding Gabumon, we’re now just riding Peckmon. Which is still very weird looking.
The group plan to steal the cargo from Valvemon with what seems to be very little actual planning an dthey break into Valvemon and start getting shot at by Troopmon again and the Troopmon are still terrible shots.
Gabumon manages to evolve while running DIRECTLY INTO GUN FIRE. Agumon rides Garurumon as they continue to run directly into the gun fire.
Leomon says that he has heard of the Chosen Children in a legend and wonders if the destiny of the world is about to go into drastic change. Leomon then decides to hit a few of the lasers with his sword to show that they actual DO hit apparently and then decides to fight the Troopmon.
Meanwhile Minotaur says that Leomon’s target must be the cargo, which seems obvious. The group then burst into a room with more Troopmon and Leomon destroys them by using his sword as a boomerang which makes somehow more sense than Troopmon’s lasers.
Minotaurmon shows up and Leomon says that he’ll keep Minotaurmon busy. Minotaurmon says he has Bullmon to keep the children busy and Agumon gets to evolve. Bullmon is an armor level Digimon who evolves from Wormon with the DigiEgg of Hope, by the way. Bullmon is probably the least designed armor Digimon.
Anyway, Greymon fights Bullmon and Minotaurmon fights Leomon and Garurumon JUST STANDS THERE DOING NOTHING before remembering that he can fight too only to have Greymon thrown at him.
Minotaurmon says that Devimon has some power to change the Digital World. Bullmon starts to charge at Taichi and Taichi just stands there instead of running away, which is…weird. Anyway, Garurumon pushes Bullmon away and then starts to lead Bullmon into the walls by making him follow him and then dodging. It’s weird that they are struggling so much with an Armor level. Anyway, Greymon gets powered up by Taichi’s courage, which is always cool, and he is able to defeat him.
Leomon then decides that he and Minotaurmon should finish the fight by fist bumping each other angrily. Leomon has a new attack which is a new version of Jyuoken. It’s called New Jyuoken. I wish I could say I was making that up.
Minotaurmon sits their dying and says that they won’t be able to overcome what’s coming at their current power levels and then explodes. Leomon reveals the cargo, it’s Takeru! Because of course it is. Which is expected, but disappointing, because I really wanted to see his solo Adventures.
We then see Angemon who appears to be captured by Devimon in some dark place. Great.
Digimon Encylopedia is Ikkakumon, let’s see what horror Koshiro will say this time. Oh, he just wonders if Ikakumon can warm up his bento box. Great. Kabuterimon is next.
Rating for Digimon Adventure 2020 Episode 19
3/5
A lot of cool moments and it’s the start of a new arc, which makes me really look forward to the next episode. However, this episode just had so much that I wasn’t a fan off – the minimal character moments, the fact that Troopmon are terrible at aiming which is basically all they are really good for.
It’s better than last week, it’s leading into some promising plot for the next episode…but it’s just not a great episode. It was okay, and that’s it. There’s just not much more to say about the episode.
So what were your thoughts on Digimon Adventure 2020 Episode 19? Let me know in the comments or in the discussion thread on /r/Digimon!
You can help out the podcast and blog in the following ways:
- Donate via our PayPal
- Nabbing something cool from our Redbubble
- Our Patreon (if you’d like to make more than just a one-off donation)!
- May’s ko-fi account!
- By spreading the word!
And thank you to our supporters on Patreon; Joe, Steven Reeves, Kaida Washi, Chisai, Kyle, Lizmet, Nicholas, MetalMamemon, Sam, Spiral, Keith, SilverHairedFreak25, Magnus, Lucas, Blindman, and Jaephus!
Be sure to check us out on our various social media accounts: