Japanese Opening Theme 01: Butter-Fly
American Equivalent(s): Digimon Theme (Versions 1 & 2)
Used in Japanese Episodes: 001-054
Used in American Episodes (Version 1): 101-133
Used in American Episodes (Version 2): 134-154
Japanese Theme Running Time: One minute and thirty-five seconds
American Theme Running Time: One minute
Seven children fly across the screen in the air and are sucked into a digital field until the show's logo appears. Next, the children fly into a world that spins up and at the top we seen an island that is controlled by Devimon while black gears are flying around. We then see seven Digimon transform from their Baby II forms into their Child forms then we see them with the children as several scary looking Digimon plan to attack them. Our next shot is that of a Digivice which then leads into the seven Child form Digimon spinning around while their Adult forms show up on the screen. Greymon breaks through some rocks while Taichi stands there amazed and then runs with him. Birdramon flies up in the air with Sora. We then see Koushirou flying up in the air with Kabuterimon then the camera pans down to show Yamato riding on Garurumon and then we see them jump off of a cliff and soar across the sky flying into the moon. Next we see Jou sitting on something in the water which is then revealed to be Ikkakumon. Then we see Togemon walking through a city with Mimi sitting on one of her gloves. Lastly we see a scared looking Takeru which we then see the scared feeling turn into amazement when he sees Angemon who is shown flapping his wings. The last bit shows the Adult Digimon minus Angemon preform their attacks then we see the Baby II Digimon jump up to Child form closing with Taichi holding his fist up with the camera panning back revealing the seven children with their Adult level Digimon.
Thoughts
The first opening to any long-running series is one that fans will remember most. For most this song is their first impression of what the show will be like. Of course the later songs come and go, but the first one will stick around forever.
In Japan, the opening to Digimon Adventure has stood the test of time. When people listen to this song people are taken back almost 16 years ago when people first watched the Japanese version with its different music, voice acting and so on.
The English opening has a lot of the same stuff going on even though the American approach is very different. The instruments used are very different from Butter-Fly. Butter-Fly is a rock song while Digimon Theme has a lot of synthesizers going on in it. The lyrics have their own thing going on (more on that later). While I don't care for Digimon Theme at all (the opening will forever be Butter-Fly to me.) I don't deny that without Digimon Theme kids would have never become the fans they are now and will live on forever to them.
Side Note
My big question is why did Saban change the opening theme in first place? They should have just dubbed Butter-Fly and call it a day? Thing is it doesn't work like that sometimes. The original opening is 35 seconds too long. Of course Saban could have made a shorter version, but that would have meant either time elapsing the episodes or cutting some scenes all together.
To me the real reason is that Saban thought that Digimon Theme was better than Butter-Fly. Cop-out answer, I know, but there's no other way around it. It's an issue that will be present thought the whole dub with this song being the opening for the next 2 series as well.
Lyrics
The American opening is not a translation of the Japanese song instead it's its own thing. The following lyrics are Ryuu-Rogue's translation of the song. The original lyrics are here. The American song's lyrics will be below the Butter-Fly translation
I'll become a cheerful butterfly that rides on the glittering wind and come see you right now.
It's best to forget the unnecessary things.
There's no time left to be fooling around.
What do you mean, wow wow wow wow wow? I wonder if I'll reach the skies?
But, wow wow wow wow wow, I don't even know what my plans are for tomorrow.
In this world of nothingness that arises out of an infinite dream,
It seems as though our beloved desires will lose,
But even with these unreliable wings, covered in images that tend to stay.
I'm sure we can fly, on my love.
Di, Di, Di
Digimon, Digimon
Di, Di, Di
Digimon, Digimon
Di, Di, Di
Digimon, Digital Monsters
Digimon are the champions.
Digimon, Digital Monsters
Digimon are the champions.
Change into digital champions to save the Digital World.
Digimon, Digital Monsters
Digimon are the champions.
Digimon, Digital Monsters
Digimon are the champions.
Digivolve into Champion
Digivolve into Ultimate
Digimon, Digital Monsters
Digimon are the champions.
Digimon, Digital Monsters
Digimon are the champions.
Digimon, Digital Monsters
Digimon
The biggest difference here is that the original song is a love song, but it is not told which character is singing it. It's up to the viewer to decide.
The dub's opening on the other hand is all about the Digimon and chants their name nonstop.
Cut Scenes
The original opening is 95 seconds while the dub's is 60, so that means that there are some scenes that are cut. Here are the scenes that have never been shown in the dub as one scene is in the ending while another wasn't shown until Digimon Adventure 02's dub opening. Sorry that my pictures come form Ryuu-Rogue's fansubs.
The show's title
Tokomon evolving into Patamon
\Close up of the Chosen Children.
Taichi in amazement and running with Greymon.
Yamato & Garurumon jumping off of a cliff.
Yamato & Garurumon going over the moon
Angemon flapping his wings
Added Scenes
About 3/4s of the way through the Myotismon arc Saban changed some of the footage in the opening to add Kari, Gatomon, the Ultimate level Digimon & Myotismon which of course in the case of Myotismon would become outdated as of Episode 40, so in order to do that they had to remove some Butter-Fly footage.
-The footage of the In-Training level Digimon transforming into their Rookie levels was sped up further to insert a scene of Gatomon from Episode 29.
-The footage of T.K. looking scared and then into amazement has been replaced with the scene of T.K. & Kari using their crest's power from Episode 38.
-Angemon's scene is still there, but it was sped up so that after we see a shot of Angewomon shooting off her Celestial Arrow from Episode 37.
-The whole scene with the Digital World turning upward with Devimon and the black gears has been replaced with a up-close shot of Myotismon from Episode 34.
-The scene with the Digivice and all the Rookie Digimon spinning in something is replaced with a shot of Myotismon using his Grizzly Wing from Episode 34.
-All the shots of the Champion level Digimon are replaced with scenes of the Ultimate forms from their Digivolution sequences.
-Pretty much the rest of the Butter-Fly footage has been excised to include scenes of WereGarurumon from his Digivolution sequence, a shot of MetalGreymon using his Giga Blaster from Episode 25, a shot of MegaKabuterimon using his Horn Buster from Episode 37, a shot of Garudamon flying up from Episode 29, a shot of Lillymon using her Flower Cannon that Saban edited themselves, a shot of Zudomon using his Horn & Tusk from Episode 36 and shots of the kids & Digimon from the Keep On ending theme.
-The last shot of the Opening (which is still from Butter-Fly) adds Kari in.
The dubbed opening adds in some sound effects (such as Birdramon's cry) that are not in the original opening.
Final Thoughts
Anyone who has seen this show can likely sing either song by heart whether in its language of origin or their local dubbed version. My suggestion is give one of them a chance if you haven't heard the other.
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