Digimon Adventure S01E46

MetalEtemon’s Counterattack (JP)

MetalEtemon’s Comeback Tour (EN)


Written by:

JP: Hiro MASAKI
EN: Jeff Nimoy and Bob Buchholz

First aired:

JP: January 30, 2000
EN: April 13, 2000

Section: Summary

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! After years without a new album and fears of retirement, the King has returned! Now rebranded as MetalEtemon, everybody’s favorite rockstar is back on tour! He’s literally metal; he didn’t switch genres. That, or he has a very, VERY loose idea of what the Metal genre is. Anyway, he descends with a meteoric bang and his performance takes exactly six Digimon and people by storm! Ogremon is injured in the mosh pit, which was a bit unexpected because he’s huge and the other moshers were all children. Puppetmon harangues our beloved music icon for an autograph and a selfie, and without his entourage, the King is left to fend him off alone. The remaining attendees tend to Ogremon’s mosh-inflicted injuries, and then someone from Security shows up entirely too late to actually do anything. Meanwhile, Tai is unable to ruin the concert for once because he’s busy leading a breaking-and-entering mission into Puppetmon’s house, which, honestly, the little jerk had coming.

Dialogue Deviation

Narrator: “To find his true self, Yamato challenged Taichi to a duel. In the midst of their battle, an entity took possession of Hikari’s body and explained the secrets behind the Chosen Children. All of the mysteries were revealed. But in the end, Yamato chose to leave them and find his own path, while Mimi, who felt troubled with fighting, also left the group with Jou. What is the fate of the children, now that they have split apart?”
Tai: “Matt and I were having a disagreement…”

The “disagreement” was over who was getting more punches to the face.

Tai: “… when suddenly, an entity began to speak through Kari. It showed us images of the past when we first saw the Digimon four years ago. Next, we saw past images of Piedmon attempting to steal the Digieggs of what were to eventually become our Digimon. A young Jennai rescued the eggs and took them to the safety of File Island, where we first found them. After our history lesson, Kari returned to normal, but Matt still wanted to leave.”

So… also normal?

Tai: “Mimi and Joe also separated from the group. If this keeps up, there won’t be anyone left to save either world!”

Section: Digimon Analyzer

[A familiar face is being chased by trees with unfamiliar faces]
Narrator: “Woodmon: a plant Digimon. Normally it impersonates an ordinary tree and lives on the energy of Digimon it ensnares as they pass by.”
Ogremon: “Get away from me, you pile of Woodmon! I know your tricks: you pretend to be trees and then absorb the energy from unsuspecting Digimon as they pass by!”

That was surprisingly succinct for both the dub and Ogremon!

Dialogue Deviation

Ogremon: “Don’t you underestimate my power! Still, even a swarm like this is too many for me to fight at once… I’ll just have to fend them off and keep running!”
Ogremon: “This is your last warning! All right, you asked for it: how many Woodmon can an Ogremon chuck if an Ogremon could chuck Woodmon?”

Uh-oh, he’s breaking out the jokes. You guys are in trouble now!

As he’s running away, Ogremon gets a bonus line:

Ogremon: “They sure run fast for tree stumps!”

Section: Side Note

As mentioned when he was first introduced waaaay back in episode 8, Ogremon’s special attack, Supreme King Fist doesn’t get its own name in the dub. They use “Pummel Whack” for both it and Bone Club.

I would like to take a moment to appreciate Ogremon’s dub voice, which I really love. The tone and grumble Beau Billingslea works into the voice make it sound beastly but SO SMOOTH. It’s like monstrous velvet; just amazing. It doesn’t sound like it’s just a dude doing a monster voice; it’s like a real voice coming from a monster. Original Ogremon’s voice is perfect for him as well, but Billingslea was a brilliant casting choice for him in the dub.

Dialogue Deviation

[Cut to Mimi and Jou and their Digimon conversing over a meal. Mimi apologizes for her selfishness]
Jou: “Selfishness? I don’t think you’re being selfish at all! What you say is absolutely right, Mimi. Fighting only gives way to more fighting, and that never solves anything. But… No, never mind.”
Joe: “I don’t think you were selfish. In fact, I think you were pretty brave. What you said was true: fighting just leads to more fighting, and then nothing ever gets resolved. My brother Jim used to say the same thing after he’d get beat up.”

Okay, that was a great adaptation UNTIL that last bit, which just invents Jim getting bullied. Poor guy got turned into a hiding coward from an oblivious closet-sleeper, the writers stole his moped and gave it to Joe, who can’t even drive it, and now we learn he got beaten up on the reg? What the hell, dub?? Stop picking on Jim!

Side Note

Jim’s misfortune came about because Jou looked up at the sky, where the Earth can be seen from the Digital World now, and thought of his brother Shin, which was depicted by Shin’s image in Jou’s glasses.

I don’t know exactly why he was thinking of Shin specifically, but Shin did tell him before he left that he doesn’t have to do what their dad wants for him. Maybe Jou is relating that to Mimi going her own way?

Dialogue Deviation

[Jou looks wistfully upward, but says it’s nothing]
Gomamon: “You should share with us if you have something to say.”
Jou: “It’s not like that, Gomamon. Even if there’s something you want to say, there are times when it’s better not to say it.”
Gomamon: “Don’t keep things bottled up inside; it’s not healthy!”
Joe: “Don’t tell me about not being healthy! I’ve been not healthy my whole life, so I’m an expert, and if I want to keep things bottled up, I will!”

All right, I guess picking on Jim was the turning point of the script for this episode! What a reversal from the original line, which was very poignant and mature.

Don’t get me wrong — I like Joe’s line! It’s sassy and funny on its own; it’s just a total departure from the original and completely changes the scene.

Gomamon: “Yeah, maybe it’s as you say…”
Gomamon: “Well, it looks like somebody needs a time-out in the corner!”

HE HAS A POINT

Gomamon: “No, you’re right!”
Jou: “Yeah? You think so too, Gomamon?”
Gomamon: “I was just trying to lend a friendly ear!”

YOUR EAR SUCKS

Joe: “I know you were, Gomamon. Sorry, buddy.”


[As what appears to be a meteorite descends upon them, we check back in to see how Ogremon is doing]
Ogremon: “This is bad! I can’t die here!”
Ogremon: “I can’t get rid of you guys! You’re not trees; you’re weeds!”

Regrettably, Pummel Whack does not have a Pummel Weed-Whack variant.

Section: Cut or moved footage

The dub replays a few scenes after the commercial break:

1: Jou et al watching the meteorite descend, and Joe has the added line

Joe: “That thing is monstrous!”

2: Ogremon and the Woodmon about about to get up-close-and-personal with aforementioned meteorite

Ogremon: “It’s headed right for us!”

3: Weirdly gentle impact which lands directly on top of the Woodmon and knocks Ogremon over and into a pit

Dialogue Deviation

[Elsewhere, Taichi et al feel the seismic impact of said meteorite. They wonder what it was]
Tentomon: “A meteorite! A huge meteorite! A meteorite crashed down!”
Taichi: “A meteorite?”
Sora: “Let’s not get caught up talking about the meteorite.”
Tentomon: “A meteor!! And I mean a whopper! It just crashed in the forest!”
Tai: “Totally cool! Let’s go check it out!”
Sora: “I don’t know, Tai. It could be dangerous.”

Right, why would Tai be interested in a meteor(ite)? He’s the boy on a mission, remember?

Joe correctly called it a meteorite, but they otherwise say “meteor” in the dub., “Meteor” refers to the visible trail when a meteoroid (space rock) travels through the air. If anything is left and reaches the ground, that’s called a meteorite.

The original described it as inseki 「隕石」, which is the word for “meteorite”. “Meteor” is ryuusei「流星」.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteoroid

Dialogue Deviation

Sora: “Let’s get back to what we were talking about.”
Takeru: “Yeah. Let’s go to Pinocchimon’s mansion.”
Sora: “I don’t know, Tai. It could be dangerous.”
T.K.: “Yeah, let’s head over to Puppetmon’s mansion instead.”

Yeah, that’s the opposite of dangerous! (He says the same thing in both, but the context change makes it funny.)

Koushirou: “Instead of waiting, we should take the fight to him?”
Tailmon: “I agree. We don’t have time to waste.”
Izzy: “I suppose it’s inevitable. He’s one of the Dark Masters, and we’ll have to fight him sooner or later.”
Gatomon: “Yeah, it’s time somebody cut his strings instead of waiting around here. Let’s take the fight to him for a change. If we don’t hurry up, I’m afraid that both our worlds will be destroyed.”

Sora: “W-Wait a minute, everyone! Pinocchimon is an Ultimate Level! We won’t beat him that easily!”
Takeru: “But we have to fight him one day, don’t we?”
Sora: “Wait a second, you guys! Let’s think this over. Puppetmon is a Mega Digimon, and we won’t be able to defeat him that easily.”
T.K.: (sarcastic) “Oh, in that case, let’s give up and go watch cartoons!”

Now you’re talkin’!

Taichi: (thinking) “If something happened to Takeru, what would I say to Yamato?”
Tai: (thinking) “What about T.K.? With Matt not here, it’s my job to make sure nothing happens to him.”

I feel like that task can be delegated to the group…

Side Note

It’s not a major change, but Taichi’s line of thinking shows how he’s grown to respect Yamato. In episode 43, Yamato argued with Taichi that the group shouldn’t confront the Dark Master’s head-on because of the high mortality risk, but Taichi insisted on seeking them out. Yamato’s words had an effect, though! Obviously, Taichi is going to look out for Takeru anyway, but wanting to live up to Yamato’s expectations is something new. Their fight really rustled Taichi’s jimmies, and it will take time for those jimmies to find peace.

Dialogue Deviation

Sora: “There’s no other choice, if that’s what you’ve decided.”
Taichi: “It’s not like that! If there’s any danger, me and Koromon will take the enemy attacks. Then you take everyone and get out.”
Sora: “Taichi…”
Taichi: “I’m counting on you.”
Sora: “I’ll go along with your decision, but I’m still not sure it’s safe.”
Tai: “I know it’s dangerous, Sora, and we’re not looking for trouble, but if anything happens, Koromon and I will hold off Puppetmon while you take the others and escape. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Sora: “You mean it?”
Tai: “No. I mean, ‘course I do!”


[Where the meteorite made its weirdly gentle impact…]
No dialogue.
Off-screen Voice: “Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, get ready for the comeback tour of the year! Baby… I’m back! … *elvis chuckle* Yeah!”


[Mimi, Jou, Gomamon, and Palmon arrive below the impact sight (which is up on a cliff)]
Jou: “Over there. The meteorite fell up on that cliff.”
Mimi: “But where did it come from?”
Palmon: “Maybe from Earth.”
Joe: “Look, there it is! The meteor landed up on that cliff!”
Mimi: “I wonder where on Earth it could have come from…”
Palmon: “Probably L.A.!”

Joe, you had it right before. Did you forget which one is which?

Section: Side Note

Wow, that was weirdly close to the original exchange. Anyway, Palmon’s bizarre shade at Los Angeles may be a reference to “the Los Angeles meteorite”, a Martian meteorite that fell near Los Angeles in 1980 but wasn’t submitted for analysis until October of 1999. It was confirmed to be a meteorite in January of 2000, so it’s possible it was in the news at the time this episode was written. This episode aired in Japan in January 2000 and in the US that April.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_(meteorite)

Dialogue Deviation

[Now Gomamon smells something (wasn’t me). He runs off after it]
Mimi: “That’s dangerous! It could be a trap!”
Mimi: “Not so fast — I might sweat!”
Palmon: “And I keep tripping on my roots!”

Your roots are your feet, so you’re doing something wrong.

[They find a Digimon trapped under a pile of tree branches]
Palmon: “Are you okay? Hang in there!” *clears the branches, then exclaims in surprise* “It’s Ogremon! He’s not moving. He could be dead.”
*Ogremon stirs*
Mimi: “He looks hurt.”
Gomamon: “Hey, what should we do?”
Palmon: “We’ve gotta get these branches off of him!” *clears the branches* “Ogremon! Yikes! We’d better get out of here before he wakes up!”
*Ogremon stirs*
Mimi: “It looks like he’s hurt.”
Gomamon: “Good – then he won’t be able to chase us!”

I love the gear change of, “We’ve got to help! I’ll save you, citiz– NEVERMIND, put the branches back on him! We’re leaving!”

Jou: “We’ll be in big trouble if he attacked us again like he did on File Island… It’s best if we ignored him.”
Joe: “Remember him from File Island? He was meaner than a cat getting a bath!”

Yeah, they bathe themselves, you idiot.

Joe: “Let’s pretend like we never found him.”

Spoken like a true doctor’s child and future doctor — in both versions.

Side Note

Ogremon visibly has blood – normal-ass, dark red blood — on his face, which is not removed in the dub version. There’s an animation error in which it briefly disappears in one shot, but that is from the original animation.

Incidentally, I can’t help but notice that Jou, who allegedly faints at the sight of blood, is not fainting.

Dialogue Deviation

Ogremon: “Y-You…! A Chosen Child!”
Mimi: “No! Don’t move! You’ll open your wounds!”
Ogremon: “You’re the Digidestined!”
Mimi: “Well, I guess you don’t have amnesia, but try not to move anyway, okay?”

Moving is extremely dangerous for people with amnesia for some reason.

[Mimi directs Palmon and Gomamon to fetch healing herbs and water respectively]
Mimi: “Jou…”
Jou: “I got it! Leave his wounds to me. I am a doctor’s son, after all.”
Ogremon: “Y-You guys…”
Mimi: “Joe, I want you to–“
Joe: “I know… My father’s a doctor, and he taught me a lot.”

Did he teach you “let’s pretend we never found him”?

Joe: “I used to practice on my toys.”
Ogremon: “‘Toys’?!”

Did he teach you your bedside manner? How’s your malpractice insurance?

[Mimi applies the herbs Palmon collected to a wound]
Ogremon: “That hurts!”
Mimi: “These herbs must really sting.”
Ogremon: “Ow! That stuff burns! Be careful!”
Mimi: “Big baby! Don’t you want to get better?”

All he said was “be careful”. That is not a contentious request!

[Jou assesses the patient and determines that his arm might be broken and requires a sling. Lacking a sling or sufficient bandages, he goes for the next best thing: toilet paper]
Jou: “Um… I guess this will work.”
Mimi: “Why toilet paper?”
Jou: “For bandages. Before we returned to this world, I thought I should bring things that would be useful. This was all I could think of, though.”
Jou: “But when you need to use it like this… Look, it’s a big help, isn’t it? All set!”
Joe: “Ooh, toilet paper!”
Mimi: “Do you have to do that now?”
Joe: “Yes. Really, Mimi! I’m using it as bandages. Before we came back to the Digital World, I thought of things we might need, and toilet paper was the first thing that came to my mind!”

Joe sounds so happy with himself when he says that line.

Ogremon: “Feels soft. It must be 2-ply!”
Joe: “Lay off the digivolving for a few days, and you’ll be as good as new!”

Dr. Joe making casually ableist comments towards his non-digivolving patient in a world where there is no medical board…

[Ogremon questions why they’re helping him after he tried to kill them on File Island… where they are currently]
Mimi: “Again with killing and not killing? Don’t you know any more tasteful lines?”
Ogremon: “More tasteful lines? U-Um? Er…”
Mimi: “No need to strain yourself. Well, take care.” *turns to leave*
Mimi: “Well, we were taught that if someone’s in trouble, you always help them out.”

JOE.

Mimi: “That means even if they were trying to pummel you into oblivion!”
Ogremon: “Gee, I never thought of it that way! Thanks! I owe you one!”
Mimi: “Don’t mention it. Besides, that’s what friends do; they help each other out.” *turns to leave, as friends do*

Ogremon: “N-No… W-Wait! Th… Th…” *bows his head* “Thank you!”
Mimi: *smiles* “No problem. You’re welcome.”*
Ogremon: “Wait – don’t leave now! I’ve…” *bows his head* “… never had any friends…”
Mimi: *smiles and gasps for some reason* “Well, you have them now!”

Mimi is delighted at Ogremon’s humble display of gratitude, something she wouldn’t have expected from a former enemy, and certainly not one as haughty as Ogremon. Mimi is delighted that Ogremon is a friendless sad sack that she can take under her wing and teach to commit crimes, I assume. I don’t know what kids get into these days.

Gomamon: “Ogremon is crying!”
Jou: “This must be what people call ‘tears even in a demon’s eyes.'” [Japanese idiom “oni no me ni mo namida” 「鬼の目にも涙」, for seeing someone “scary”, like someone very strict or aloof, being moved to tears and showing their compassion]
Gomamon: “I’ve never seen Ogremon cry before!”

That’s because you never want to hang out!

Jou: “Don’t tell me you need more toilet paper to blow your nose!”

Ogremon doesn’t have a nose. Ogremon, if you need legal representation to get justice for this flagrant abuse, I know a guy!

… it’s not Tentomon.

[Ogremon wipes away his tears]
Ogremon: “Some dirt just got in my eyes!”
Ogremon: “It’s all right; I’ll just use my sleeve!”
Puppetmon: (off-screen) “That’s gotta hurt with all those spikes!”

There’s no spikes on the sleeve he isn’t wearing, but he can put as many spikes as he wants on the sleeves of Joe’s shirt after he sues it right off.


[Suddenly, a voice called out from the forest]
Pinocchimon: “Let’s play~! Let’s play~!”
No dialogue.

[Pinocchimon stands on a tree branch, ready to drop some hot trivia]
Pinocchimon: “Let’s play ‘Riddles’!”
Mimi, Palmon, Jou, and Gomamon: “Pinocchimon!”
Palmon: “What do you mean, “Riddles”?”
Pinocchimon: “What am I missing?”
Gomamon: “What you’re missing?”
Pinocchimon: “Hurry up and tell me!”

Gomamon: “Hey, wait!”
Pinocchimon: “If you don’t answer the riddle, I’ll kill you.” *fires glowy bullets from his hammer*
Palmon: “Mimi, let me evolve!”
Mimi: “But…! I can’t… If Togemon got killed…”
Jou: “Gomamon! Evolve!”
Puppetmon: “Here’s a riddle: what has four strings and is made of wood?”
Mimi, Palmon, Joe, and Gomamon: “Puppetmon!”
Puppetmon: “No – a violin! But that’s a good guess! I guess you guys aren’t music-lovers.”

I have a lot of appreciation for this – it’s such a good bit. The dismount was a little shaky (NOT bad – it just went on a little long), but it’s still a funny diversion that pokes fun at the group’s tendency to shout the name of an arriving villain.

Gomamon: “No, it’s you we don’t like!”
Puppetmon: “Oh, yeah? Do you like this?” *fires glowy bullets from his hammer, which Gomamon does not seem to care for* “I can also play a really mean saxophone.”

Dragging the joke on a little too long aside, the idea of Puppetmon playing saxophone with a jagged mouth made of wood is pretty amusing.

Side Note

Maybe I haven’t noticed it before (because I skip past the evolution sequences most of the time) or I’ve blocked it out as a defense mechanism, but that damn squealing sound plays repeatedly when Ikkakumon digivolves into Zudomon in the dub, and just… it was a bad idea.

Dialogue Deviation

[Zudomon tries to use his Hammer Spark against Pinocchimon’s Bullet Hammer, but the tiny hammer is much stronger than the giant hammer, so the giant hammer flies away, Zudomon briefly caught on fire, fell down, and reverted to Gomamon]
Pinocchimon: “You’re not answering, so I’ll just kill you.”
Puppetmon: “Don’t tell me playtime’s over!”

[A majestic figure swings by on a vine… uh… yodelling? Tarzaning? What do you call that? Anyway, he does it again as he swings back the opposite way]
Pinocchimon: “Who are you?”
Puppetmon: (trying to cut off the… Tarzaning) “All right, already!”

[The majestic figure lands. Now in full view, he is the shining visage of the one and only…]
Etemon: “Don’t you know a superstar when you see one?”
MetalEtemon: “Get digi with it!”

Don’t ever say that again.

MetalEtemon: “MetalEtemon’s in the house!”

… but WOOOOOOOO!!! The King is BACK, babies!

Section: Side Note

For the babies newer generations: “get digi with it” is probably a reference to the song “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It” by Will Smith, which was released in 1998. Etemon could not directly get jiggy wit’ it for legal reasons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettin’_Jiggy_wit_It

Section: Cut or moved footage

In the dub, there’s a fade-out for ads after MetalEtemon’s line, and then it moves the zoom-out still of MetalEtemon standing on the branch over them to before he starts clapping. Puppetmon gets an added line in this space. There’s a video below highlighting the scene’s sound effects in the Side Note block below where you can see the difference.

Puppetmon: “Who’s that guy?”

Dialogue Deviation

MetalEtemon: “Now applause, applause!” *claps* “It’s been a long time, Chosen Children.”
MetalEtemon: “A superstar like me deserves a little applause, baby!”

MetalEtemon: *claps* “After all, it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other!”

Section: Side Note

When MetalEtemon applauds himself in the original, the claps sound tinny because they’re metal (or metal-coated). A similar effect is also applied to his footsteps when he runs later. The dub does not include these.

Sorry for the abrupt audio cut-off at the end — the scene immediately switches to Jou’s line before MetalEtemon’s line is finished. Since the dialogue isn’t the part the video is highlighting, I just cut it off.

Section: Eyecatch

If you’ve ever been to one of his concerts, you know this applause will last around 45 minutes, so you might want to grab a drink or something.

Dialogue Deviation

[Jou identifies him as Etemon]
MetalEtemon: “Etemon is old news. Now I’ve been reborn and become MetalEtemon!”
MetalEtemon: “I used to be Etemon, kid, but that was a long time ago! Now… I’m MetalEtemon! Thank you, thank you very much!”

Section: Digimon Analyzer

Narrator: “MetalEtemon: the Ultimate Level Digimon that evolves from the Perfect Level Etemon. His special attack is Banana Slip!”
Gomamon: “We thought Etemon was tough! Now MetalEtemon’s a Mega Digimon! After his Banana Slip attack, he’ll have to peel us off the floor!”

That doesn’t sound very ap-peel-in– OW! Hey, he started it!

I am happy they kept MetalEtemon’s attack name as Banana Slip. He has another attack, Number One Punch, which is renamed to “Metal Punch” in the dub. He has another “attack” which is cut entirely.

Dialogue Deviation

Palmon: “I thought you died! How did you come back?
MetalEtemon: “Thank you for asking!”
Palmon: (sarcastic) “Just what we need — new and unimproved!”
MetalEtemon: “Let me tell you how I became me!”

Good thing dub MetalEtemon is egotistical enough that he doesn’t need to be prompted to explain and move the narrative along.

[With an unmoving band appearing behind him, MetalEtemon belts out a moving power ballade]
MetalEtemon (voice-over): “(singing) It’s a tale that makes both its listeners and storyteller weep! (speaking) After my battle with MetalGreymon, you are all aware that I was sucked into a black hole, yes? Within the dark realms of hell, my body was destroyed and regenerated over and over again… But the reason I didn’t die, but survived, was to get my revenge on the Chosen Children who caused me this! I was finally reborn into MetalEtemon: today, I have returned to this world!” *flashback end* (singing) “All so I can get my revenge on you! You understand? It’s the Grudge, Pain, and Revenge Blues!”
MetalEtemon: (singing) “Now here’s what transpired when Etemon expired…” (no longer singing [boooooo]) “Listen up, baby! I’m sure you all remember the battle I had with MetalGreymon. I tell you, he’s one tough dinosaur, honey! After that, I was swallowed up by a black hole. I think I gave it indigestion! My digital information was scattered throughout the universe. I pulled myself together and chilled out for a while in Digimon Limbo. My information was chopped, mixed, whipped, and pureéd! I felt like a four-speed blender, honey! But I refused to return to the Digital World until I was bigger, better, and had a full head of beautiful metal hair!” *flashback end* “Now I’m back to get my revenge on you, Digidestined!” (resumes singing) “I’ve got the low-down, dirty revengeful… OOW! I’m talkin’… big-time Digidestined bluuues…”

“Here’s what transpired when Etemon expired” is a banger lyric. This is such a good adaptation of this scene!

Side Note

The band that appears behind MetalEtemon is a still frame, so as the music plays, they… do not. Always weird, but is it as weird as when they’re “playing” but out-of-sync with the notes?

Dialogue Deviation

[MetalEtemon has finished his song]
Pinocchimon: “It’s over…”
MetalEtemon: “There’s more to come, little boy.”
Pinocchimon: “‘Little boy’?!”
MetalEtemon: “Banana Slip!”
Puppetmon: “ENOUGH!”
MetalEtemon: “I just got started there, you oversized footstool!”
Puppetmon: “Who’re you callin’ ‘oversized’?!”
MetalEtemon: “Watch your step! Banana Slip!”

He offers a warning before intentionally causing someone to slip because he’s a professional.

[Banana Slip!]
MetalEtemon: “What’s wrong, little boy?”
Pinocchimon: “Don’t call me ‘little boy’!”
MetalEtemon: “Too much of a waxy build-up?” *elvis chuckle*

… what?

Section: Cut or moved footage

(< 1 sec) There is a white flash when Puppetmon uses “Puppet Pummel” to smack MetalEtemon in the shin with his hammer.

Pinocchimon's hammer strikes MetalEtemon's shin, leaving behind a red mark.
Dialogue Deviation

MetalEtemon: “How dare you!”
MetalEtemon: “Ow! I’ll use you as a toothpick!”

There are so many wood-specific threats in this show…

Section: Cut or moved footage

Pinocchimon uses Drill Nose to drill a guy with the word “metal” in his name with his sensitive little nose, and its lands on his buttcheek, so MetalEtemon farts on him with a custom attack, “Fart Attack“. As in attacking with a fart, not like a heart attack but with farts instead of infarction (which would be infarttion). And the fart appears to be coming from his right buttcheek. It’s a weird attack.

It’s a seamless cut, and you can’t tell anything is missing by looking.

Dialogue Deviation

Pinocchimon: “Now you’ve done it!”
MetalEtemon: “Little children should behave like little children!”
Puppetmon: “You fight dirty!”
MetalEtemon: “I’m not dirty; I just got detailed at the car wash yesterday!”

Jou: “Run now!”
Ogremon: “Good idea!”
Joe: “Now’s our chance to escape!”


[Elsewhere, Takeru and Patamon have led their friends to Pinocchimon’s mansion. Taichi scopes out the place and see two guards standing out front, so he passes his Digivice to Koushirou to register them to the laptop’s Digimon Analyzer]
Taichi: “Look them up.”
Koushirou: “Okay.”
Tai: “See who they are.”
Izzy: “Analyzing.”

Izzy, we’ve been over this: you’re not the computer. You put the Digivice in the computer and it analyzes the data.

Section: Digimon Analyzer

Narrator: “Floramon: a plant Digimon who has evolved into the shape of a reptile. Her special attack is Allergy Shower.”
Izzy: “One of them is Floramon. She’s a plant-type Digimon who digivolves like a reptile. Her attack is Rain of Pollen.”

And uh… what is different about how reptiles digivolve?

Narrator: “Deramon: he looks like a bird at first glance, but he is a strange Digimon with vegetation growing out of his back. His special attack is Royal Nuts.”
Izzy: “At first glance. it looks like a bird-type Digimon, but it’s got a plant growing out of its back. Prodigious!”

[Deramon: “That’s just my butt, but yes, it is prodigious.”]
Section: Side Note

Deramon sounds like a child in the original, but dub Deramon sounds like some guy with another ambiguously northeastern American(?) accent and a radio host’s tempered enthusiasm for everything around him. He’s voiced by Doug Erholtz, who also did the voice for MetalSeadramon, which suddenly explains the accent. He also did the absolutely terrifying voice of Unimon in episode 7. What a talent!

Floramon goes from sounding like a normal woman to sounding more like a puppet, which is odd, but her actor plays it really well. She’s voiced by the late, great Philece Sampler, who also voices Mimi.

Dialogue Deviation

Taichi: “They’re Perfect Level?”
Koushirou: “Yes.”
Tentomon: “Even so, they shouldn’ be a problem. Shall we get goin’, y’all?”
Tai: “So they’re not Ultimate Digimon, right?”
Izzy: “Right.”
Tentomon: “Nonetheless, we should be careful. They could be quite dangerous!”

They are Ultimate Digimon — “Ultimate” is the dub name for the Perfect level, and the Ultimate level is called “Mega”.


[Pinocchimon had MetalEtemon caught up in puppet strings, but then he realised the Children have run off]
MetalEtemon: “What did you say?!”
Pinocchimon: “This is your fault!”
MetalEtemon: “It’s your fault!”
MetalEtemon: “It’s your fault, you piece of rotted driftwood!”
Puppetmon: “You recycled tin can!”
MetalEtemon: “Big, dumb knothole!”

I suspect MetalEtemon’s insults are highly offensive to wood-based creatures but also not inaccurate when talking about Puppetmon…

[MetalEtemon attacks, but Pinocchimon kicks off his back, knocking him into a tree, then he walks away]
Pinocchimon: “I quit.”
MetalEtemon: “What happened to you?”
Pinocchimon: “I quit. I’m going home.”
MetalEtemon: “What an un-charming brat! But it’s better that he’s out of the way. Just wait, children! You’ll regret making light of this demon of revenge!”
MetalEtemon: “Hey, where are you going?”
Puppetmon: “Home. You’re lousy at name-calling.”

… okay, he’s not wrong…

MetalEtemon: “Oh, yeah? Well, I’m metal and you’re wood. Whatever you say bounces off me and splits you in half! Who needs him, anyway? I can find those Digidestined myself. After all, I am the ultimate metal detector. Let’s go!”

… that checks out.

Side Note

Deramon, introduced in the next section, speaks with old-fashioned Japanese, which is funny because his voice sounds like a little kid. He ends his sentences with “de aru” 「である」, which is a verb meaning “to be”, but he uses is more like a verbal tic (the way the Gekomon add “geko” to the ends of their sentences). Because it is normal Japanese, there’s a bit that the Chosen Children reflexively copy it and start using “de aru” in their speech as well.

Now, because it’s just the verb for “to be”, the question is: “how the hell do I translate this?” It’s referenced in the script! I’ll just tack a [de aru] tag to the end of the quote so you know when characters who don’t normally use “de aru” are using it. This doesn’t apply to Deramon, because it’s just how he speaks.

Incidentally, I tried to give him an old-fashioned way of speaking in his translated dialogue, like how I translate Tentomon’s dialect. I probably failed, like I do when I translate Tentomon’s dialect. Enjoy!

Dialogue Deviation

[Elsewhere, Koromon has evolved to Agumon and launched an assault against the two “guards” minding their own business in front of Pinocchimon’s mansion]
Deramon: “What is it that you’re doing?!”
Agumon: “What are you saying? You’re Pinocchimon’s followers, aren’t you?”
Deramon: “Absolutely not!”
Floramon: “We’re not his followers!”
Takeru: “Then what are you?”
Deramon: “Well, he thinks of us as playmates, but we do not feel the same! Just between us: the truth is that we abhor Pinocchimon!”
Takeru: “Oh, yeah. I remember now. Pinocchimon doesn’t have any friends.” [de aru]
Deramon: “Whoa! If you wanted fried chicken, you could have asked!”
Agumon: “We thought you were protecting Puppetmon’s mansion.”
Deramon: “Oh, so you barbecue me?!”

Seriously, he’s just working! You could have at least tried to bribe him first.

Floramon: “We’re not protecting anything.”
T.K.: “Then what are you guys doing?”
Deramon: “Well, we’re supposed to be Puppetmon’s playmates — you know, someone to chase around and attack when he gets bored. But let me fill you in: Puppetmon is an obnoxious jerk and none of us around this place can stand him!”
T.K.: “Now I remember: Puppetmon doesn’t have any friends, even though he thinks he does.”

I don’t know that he actually thinks he does have friends. From the end of episode 44, it kinda seemed like he’s aware he doesn’t, but he didn’t want to admit it.

Hikari: “Really? That makes Pinocchimon a really sad guy then.” [de aru]
Tailmon: “You don’t have to copy him.”
(Hikari realises she’d just [de aru]’d and laughs)
Kari: “Wow. What could be worse than having a life without a single friend?”
Gatomon: “A litter box lined with fly paper?”
(Kari laughs at the idea of a person trying to change the litter from a box that’s been lined with fly paper, who would be the only victim in that scenario unless they didn’t put actual litter in it, in which case it’s not a “litter” box then, is it?)

Taichi: “Well, is Pinocchimon inside?”
Deramon: “He isn’t. He’s gone out.”
Agumon: “What should we do, Taichi?”
Taichi: “Let’s go inside Pinocchimon’s mansion.”
Takeru: “Deramon, could you take us there?” [de aru]
Deramon: “Very well. Follow me. I want to emphasize one thing: this a secret from Pinocchimon.”
All: “Understood!” [de aru]
Tai: “So is Puppetmon inside the house right now?”
Deramon: “I think he’s out being fumigated for termites.”

D- joke downgraded to an F-, and Deramon has been reported for plagiarism.

Sora: “So what should we do?”
Tai: “Well, now’s a good chance to take a look inside the mansion.”
T.K.: “Deramon, will you show us around?”
Deramon: “Sure. I used to be a tour guide at Digimon Studios. Oh, no video cameras, flash photography, food, or drink are allowed during the tour.”
All: “Great! Let’s go!”
Dermon: “The main structure was built before the Digital Revolution.”

Ah, yes, the revolution sparked by the launch of pizzahut.com in 1994…

Side Note

Obviously, in the show, that’s a joke referring to the Industrial Revolution and houses built before, but the “Digital Revolution” is a real-world term referring to the transition from analogue to digital technology. It’s generally accepted to have started in the 1950’s and ended… not yet.

Of course, the Digital World is the Internet, which wasn’t invented until 1969, so Deramon is lying.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Revolution

Dialogue Deviation

[Elsewhere…]
Mimi: “Do your wounds still hurt?”
Ogremon: “I’m fine, Miss. Rather, I must repay this debt.”
Mimi: “You don’t have to repay us.”
Ogremon: “No, I will! Otherwise, I won’t be at peace! That’s the lone wolf’s moral code!”
Jou: “‘Moral code’? As in the ‘allow me to introduce myself’ sort of moral code?” **
Mimi: “That’s so outdated!”
Ogremon: “So what? I’m an old Digimon!”

Gomamon: “Ah, Ogremon is sulking!”
Mimi: “So, does it still hurt?”
Ogremon: “Actually, no, not really. I need to know how I can ever thank you all.”
Mimi: “Oh, forget about it. You don’t need to thank us.”
Ogremon: “No, I have to. It’s an ancient tradition to repay all acts of kindness. It’s part of my sacred moral code as an Ogremon.”
Joe: “‘Sacred moral code?’ What are you, a member of King Arthur’s court or something?
Mimi: “Oh, that’s so romantic.”
Ogremon: “I’m sorry. I’ll try to be meaner next time.”
Gomamon: “Yeah, you’ll ruin your reputation!”

Section: Side Note

** Damnit, Jou, you and your highly culture-specific lines!

“Allow me to introduce myself” (ohikaenasutte)「お控えなすって」 is an archaic introduction still used as a greeting in some professions (street vendors) and the yakuza (Japanese criminal organisation). When Jou kneels to ask this, there’s some traditional-sounding music to accompany his gesture. In this context, he’s probably asking if Ogremon is referring to bushidō (「武士道」, “warrior’s way”). One of the eight virtues of bushidō is loyalty to whom one is indebted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushido

https://www.themartialway.com.au/bushidos-eight-virtues/

Dialogue Deviation

Taichi: “Wh-What was that just now?!”
Deramon: “I believe it was a Jack-in-the-box!” [fun fact: a Jack-in-the-Box is called a “surprise box” (BIKKURI bako) 「ビックリ箱」 in Japan]
Taichi: “You’re not trying to lead us into a trap, are you?”
Deramon: “T-that is not the case! We are not so twisted as Pinocchimon! Please believe me!”
Hikari: “Big brother, let’s believe him.”
Tai: “What was that?”
Deramon: “It’s a Jack-in-the-box with a serious attitude!”
Tai: “You wouldn’t happen to be leading us into some sort of a trap, would you, Deramon?!”
Deramon: “Why, of course not. I would never try anything as deceitful as Puppetmon, cross my wings and hope to fly — honest!”
Kari: “I believe him, Tai. How about you?”

Aren’t they deceiving Puppetmon into thinking they like him..?


[Mimi et al. chill with their new pal]
Ogremon: “Why I fight with Leomon?”
Mimi: “Yeah, I want to know the meaning behind your fighting.”
Ogremon: “I don’t know anything so complicated as ‘meaning’. You could say Leomon and I are destined to be eternal rivals!”
Mimi: “So what happens when one of you wins?”
Ogremon: “What happens when someone wins? Then they’ll feel like I did it!'”
Mimi: “Then what?”
Ogremon: “Then..?”
Mimi: “Then your rival would be gone.”
Ogremon: “Leomon gone…? Stop it! I don’t even wanna think about that! Defeating Leomon is my only reason to live! If Leomon was gone, then I… I…”
Mimi: “Isn’t that a logical contradiction? Think about it carefully.”
Ogremon: “Shut up! I don’t care what happens after I beat Leomon! I’ll think about that after I beat him!”
Jou: “So that’s your conclusion in the end, eh..?”
Mimi: “Ogremon, can I ask you a personal question?”
Ogremon: “Yes, it’s true, I don’t floss.”

Nobody does. Ask any dentist.

Mimi: “That’s not what I was going to ask. Why do you fight with Leomon? Do you hate him?”
Ogremon: “No, no, it’s not a question of hate. It’s our destiny to fight each other. He and I will be rivals for all eternity.”
Mimi: “Well, if that’s your only purpose in life, what would happen if you actually won?”
Ogremon: “I never really thought about it before. Maybe I’ll take a vacation. A cruise is always nice.”
Mimi: “And after that?”
Ogremon: “What do you mean, ‘after that?’?”
Mimi: “Well, if the fight’s over, you wouldn’t have a rival anymore.”
Ogremon: “Of course I would! He and I are like two old warriors, fighting a war that had no beginning and has no end. Why, the only reason I exist at all is to defeat Leomon, and if he were gone – well, I’m so confused.”
Mimi: “You’ve got to have more of a purpose in life than to just defeat Leomon.”
Ogremon: “Leave me alone. You can’t possibly understand — this rivalry is as old as time itself. I don’t care what happens. I’ll think about it after I’ve defeated Leomon.”
Joe: “You’re getting way too excited. I’d better take your blood pressure.”

That is not how or when you measure someone’s blood pressure, Jo–JOE, THAT’S THE BROKEN ARM.


[Meanwhile, Pinocchimon is returning home after a hard day’s work. Taichi suggests his housemates fire a cannon at him]
Deramon: “You want me to shoot? …I suppose there is no other choice… But this is DEFINITELY a secret from Pinocchimon!”
Deramon: “What? That’s against every principle I stand for! … All right, what the heck? I’ll do it, but don’t tell Puppetmon — it’ll be our secret!”

[Deramon quickly adopts the new principle of “fire a cannon at your employer” and does so. Pinocchimon takes cover]
Pinocchimon: “That’s it… The Chosen Children. All right, then, watch me. I’ll seriously beat you!”
Puppetmon: “I know who it is! It’s the Digidestined. Hey, that’s not fair! You’re using my toy!”


[Elsewhere, MetalEtemon swings on vine, about to locate Mimi’s group]
MetalEtemon: “Where did you go, children?”
MetalEtemon: “You can’t hide from me. I’m the King of Swing!”

MetalEtemon, I think you need to fire your producer. They clearly do not understand Metal or your brand.


The episode ends on the arrival of a new mysterymon. In the original, Ogremon just looked at him silently with his mouth open (because it’s always open) (he doesn’t have a nose), but in the dub, he laughs at this ridiculous-looking newcomer (rude). The dub’s narrator caps it off for us:

Narrator: “Who is this new creature? Could he be Ogremon’s archrival? And will Puppetmon escape Deramon’s cannon blast to take his revenge on the Digidestined? Tune in for the next episode of ‘Digimon: Digital Monsters’.”

The Digi-Verdict

I’m not surprised or offended by added goofiness to an Etemon/MetalEtemon episode; if they hadn’t done it, he would have. Besides, with the scenes they cut, they had to make it up somewhere.

This episode covers the most important scenes very well, though. Joe’s respect for Mimi’s decision was handled tastefully until Jim’s unfortunate demise, which was a weird addition. The dub’s adaptation of Ogremon describing his rivalry was honestly great – it portrayed the silly romanticism behind the whole thing and in a way that translates to Western culture well. Richard Epcar’s depiction of MetalEtemon remains a work of art.

Overall, the episode was fairly standard for the dub. I give it a B, for ‘bandages’, the substitution of which with toilet paper will be important evidence when we take Joe to court.

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4 Comments

  • AegisP says:

    I now since realized this IS more of a comedy site than a serious comentary analysis and that’s NOT BAD. No, really, no sarcasm here. I guess I was used to DBZ Uncensored being explanations of scenes and that jerk Dogasu making huge essays that had the explained the opinions of the site’s authors that I have come to expect more commentary. I am extremely sorry for pushing my expectations on to the website.

    Now my comments will be more comedy oriented. Abtal Digital Kizuna: Return of Agumon’s Big Brother

    • Orient your comments however you like; just don’t nag me for writing the way I write. Your apology is accepted provided that behavior stops.

      Re: “that’s not bad”. I haven’t taken any of your comments to mean what I’ve written is bad. If you’ve ever implied that what I’ve written is bad, it sailed right over my head and I didn’t consider it a possibility. To me, it just seemed that you were looking for something you simply weren’t going to get from here.

      Either way, I think of “good” and “bad” in more technical context — that is, something written is good if the meaning comes across and bad if it doesn’t make sense — so if I have written something that qualifies as “bad” in that context, then I would like to know to see if I can fix it.

      • AegisP says:

        Sorry, they will stop for sure. I do love these comparisons and they seem to be very informative. Also I still remember that you added an edit when I gave good advise that’s awesome, I havent forgotten it.

  • Takeru says:

    I’m finally caught up! Thanks for writing these out!

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