Japanese Episode 001: Adrift! The Island Of Adventure
American Episode 101: And So It Begins...
Japanese Air Date: March 7th 1999
American Air Date: August 14th 1999
Important Characters: Taichi Yagami (Tai Kamiya), Yamato Ishida, (Matt Ishida), Sora Takenouchi, Koushirou Izumi (Izzy Izumi), Mimi Tachikawa, Jou Kido (Joe Kido), Takeru Takaishi (T.K. Takaishi), Koromon, Agumon, Tsunomon, Gabumon, Pyocomon (Yokomon), Piyomon (Biyomon), Motimon, Tentomon, Tanemon, Palmon, Pukamon (Bukamon), Gomamon, Tokomon, Patamon, Kuwagamon
Important Places: Summer Camp, File Island (DigiWorld)
Seven children who live in Japan are enjoying a peaceful day in Summer Camp when suddenly weird things start happening and it is snowing in Japan in the summer. The seven children then get these weird devices which then sends a tidal wave and sucks them into the Digital World. Shortly after each kids is partnered with their own Digimon. An evil Digimon named Kuwagamon attackgs them, and with nowhere else to run they must fight, but the Digimon who are in their Baby II forms can't do anything but blow bubbles. With the power of their Digivices the Digimon evolve into their Child forms and save the day....Well that's what everyone though then suddenly Kuwagamon comes out and uses an attack that destroys the cliff they were all on and sends them falling.
Thoughts
I think anyone who grew up with Digimon could tell you the whole story of this first episode without even reading the above summary. This is the episode most people watched as their introduction to the series. It is a little cluttered as in it's 2 episodes in 1, but it's overall very enjoyable.
The dub is decent despite lots of rewrites. If I posted all of them I'd typing out entire transcripts, and that's not my job here therefore I'll only point out the really stupid lines.
As far as voice acting goes I won't be too harsh since it was the first episode the dub actors did, but I will say if the if I think the voice fits the character.
Tai: I personally think a woman should have voiced him in English, but Joshua Seth does an admirable job.
Matt: He's every bit as good as Yuuto Kazama
Sora: Also a good fit
Izzy: I love Mona Marshall as Izzy. This was one of the better dub voices
Mimi: Philece Sampler is every bit as girly as Ai Maeda is in the role
Joe: Sounds almost like Masami Kikuchi
T.K.: Wendee Lee did a great job with him.
I won't comment on the Digimon until later.
Side Note
In the Japanese version there is a narrator that recaps the story, and tells the events in this episode in the beginning, but in the dub Tai does the narrator's job. The dub won't get a narrator until Episode 34.
Paint Edit
When the kids are introduced their Japanese names & school information are removed and their English names are put in its place. This is the only time you see the original names of Tai, Matt, Izzy, Joe & T.K. in the dub. Japanese version on top, dub on the bottom.
Dialogue Edit
In the Devimon arc of the dub they erase any reference to the kids living in Japan.
Koushirou: "That's..."
Japanese Sora: "An aurora"
Taichi: "It's my first time seeing one."
Japanese Mimi: "Isn't it amazing."
Koushirou: "But that's weird! How can there be an aurora in Japan?"
Izzy: "Yeah, what is it?"
American Sora: "Maybe an Aurora."
Izzy: Oh you mean Aurora Borealis, the northern lights? That's impossible, you see that in Alaska. We're way too far south."
Fortunately in the Myotismon arc they retcon it and say the kids are in Japan.
Dialogue Edit
This is when Koromon is introducing himself to Taichi
Japanese Koromon: "I'm Koromon! I've been waiting for you Taichi!"
Taichi: "Koromon..? You were... waiting for me?"
Japanese Koromon: Yeah!
American: Koromon: "My name's Koromon...and we're...partners!"
Tai: "Koromon? That means...talking head?"
American Koromon: "Hmm. It means brave little warrior, and don't forget it, Tai!"
Side Note
During the Digimon Analyzer screens the narrator tells information about the Digimon in the Japanese version. In the dub it's one of the characters who tells information.
I must say that Masami Kikuchi's screaming is much better than Michael Lindsay's.
Removed Footage-4 seconds/Added Footage+2 seconds
When the Digimon state what they are to the kids there is a 4 second scene that is cut which is still shot of them laughing.
Dialogue Edit
The kids in the dub don't state they're from Odaiba Elementary instead they say stupid one liners like "Do you have Internet access?"
Side Note
Tanemon's name is horribly mispronounced in the dub. It's Tah-Nay-Mon not Tan-A-Mon.
Now that all the In-Training Digimon have appeared I'll comment on their voices.
Koromon: I'm not impressed. Fortunately he will get a voice change later, and it will be for the better.
Tsunomon: Fits pretty well.
Yokomon: Another good fit
Motimon: He's decent enough.
Tanemon: A great voice.
Bukamon: Another one I'm not a fan of. He sounds totally wrong. Give me Junko Takeuchi any day of the week.
Tokomon: Cute, but Laura Summer will change her voice for him later which sounds even cuter.
Dialogue Edit
2 lines, one from Joe & one from Matt. There was no talking in either scene of the original.
Joe: "My mom is going to want a total refund."
Matt: "I knew I should have brought my bug spray."
Music Edit
The main evolution theme to this series is Brave Heart. The dub replaces it with an instrumental piece.
Paint Edit
During Pyocomon & Pukamon's evolution screen their names in Romaji plus Piyomon's are edited out and replaced with the English names. Funnily enough the Katakana is untouched. As always Japanese on top, American on bottom.
Dialogue Edit
Almost all of the Digimon's attack's names were changed in the dub. The only one that is the same is Palmon's which is Poison Ivy. As for the rest:
Patamon: Air Shot becomes Boom Bubble
Tentomon: Petit Thunder becomes Super Shocker
Agumon: Baby Flame becomes Pepper Breath
Gabumon: Petit Fire becomes Blue Blaster
Biyomon: Magical Fire becomes Spiral Twister
Side Note
I'll comment on the Rookie Digimon's voices now.
Agumon: It's OK, he'll get a voice change in Episode 3 anyways, so not much to say now.
Gabumon: It fits
Biyomon: Another good fit
Tentomon: Awful, but his voice changes in the next episode, so it's not a big deal.
Palmon: Good
Gomamon: Still awful
Patamon: Adorable
Removed Footage-2 seconds/Added Footage+4 seconds
The way the reaction to Kuwagamon's attack is a bit different in the 2 versions. In the Japanese version Kuwagamon attacks the cliff then we see the kids in panic then a bird's eye view of the cliff then the same shot as before. In the dub the first reaction shot is removed and replaced with a 4 second scene of Izzy, Matt, Joe & T.K. from earlier in the episode.
After this the episode ends the same way in both versions.
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