Digimon Adventure S02E19

The Synthetic Demon Beast, Chimairamon! (JP)
An Old Enemy Returns (EN)

Original Writer: Hiro Masaki
Dub Writers: Jeff Nimoy & Bob Buchholz

Original Airdates:
August 13, 2000 (JP)
November 18, 2000 (EN)

Section: Summary

Upon waking the next morning, the group splits up. TK and Cody go out with Tentomon to hunt for the base, and soon after, Yolei and Kari take off on their own as well, leaving Davis behind. Cody and Submarimon find the base underwater, and gain access through an open tunnel, losing communication with the rest of the team. Meanwhile, the base begins moving toward a dark whirlpool that Ken has been monitoring closely, despite Wormmon’s stronger than usual protestations. It seems to be giving off some kind of chilling evil effect, noted by Armadillomon, Pegasusmon, and TK.

Dialogue Deviation

The original recap focused mostly on Ken’s project to build Chimeramon, and omits the entire Miyako going ballistic storyline. The dub recap focused almost entirely on Yolei going ballistic, and doesn’t even mention the Kimeramon stuff. It’s weird.

Section: Inconsistency

The dub opening theme in this episode uses the song from season one (i.e., it says “Digivolve into Ultimate!” instead of “Armor Digivolve!” The sound effects are normal, but the song is wrong.

Dialogue Deviation

In the original, the narrator talks about the groups meeting up and going to sleep. In the dub, Gatomon asks how Veemon can sleep with Davis’ loud snoring. Veemon says he doesn’t.

In the original, Iori e-mails the group, since he, Takeru, and Tentomon fly off to search. In the dub, it’s implied that Cody e-mailed Kari and Yolei, who in turned e-mailed Izzy. Just seems like extra steps.

Additionally, this creates a continuity flaw. In the near future, we see TK, Cody, Yolei, and Kari still searching for the base and coming up short. The above change to the e-mail blatantly says that they know where the base is already.

Dialogue Deviation

Jun: If I had known it was Lake Yamanaka, I’d have gone right away.
Jun: Alright. All I have to do. Is take the bus. To the campsite. And Matt.

In the original, Jun just speaks normally despite the lip flap. In the dub, the actress matched the lip flap, making the line break up as written above.

Side Note

Does it count as product placement when you advertise yourself?

This image was retained in the dub, interestingly enough. Not because of the name or the special characters, but because it looks like the bus might hit the viewer, and we can’t have that.

Dialogue Deviation

Submarimon: The Kaiser’s base, dagyaa!
Submarimon: That thing is enormous! It makes Texas look like Rhode Island!

I wonder if that comparison between two US states flew over the head of the Japanese elementary school student who’s probably still learning all the Japanese prefectures.

Section: Inconsistency

Kari tells TK to contact Cody using the D-3. TK, clearly holding his D-Terminal, says he’s been trying.

Dialogue Deviation

In the dub, Wormmon tells Ken he can’t feel the evil emanating from the “Dark Pool” because he’s not a Digimon. This line does not exist in the original. But later, TK says he can feel the evil presence within. So much for that theory.


silence
Ken: You know what this place needs? More window space!

It’s simultaneously hilarious, endearing, and frustrating seeing Derek Stephen Prince’s toothmarks all over the scenery. Throughout the episode, more jokes are written in where there was silence or more serious dialogue. Derek does a great job delivering those lines in most cases in the most over-the-top manner possible, but it also really highlights the damage the script took in translation.

Side Note

Seems weird that Ken keeps monitors tied to external cameras inside the cells of his prison.

Dialogue Deviation

Wormmon: I knew it was impossible to recover it. Leave it, Ken-chan!
Ken: Sector A, report! Sector B, come in! Sector C, where is everybody?!
Wormmon: They were never very good at spelling.
Ken: UGH!

Overall, for a lot of these scenes, Ken in the original is serious, determined, focused, and slightly shaken. In the dub, he’s sarcastic, moody, and annoyed.

Side Note

In the original, when Digmon is drilling through the cell bars, it sounds like a drill, as you’d expect. In the dub, the action inexplicably sounds like a jackhammer.

Dialogue Deviation

In the original, the narrator says the fateful battle between Angemon and Devimon was three years ago. In the dub, TK says it was four. At this point, I can’t figure out the dub’s timeline to save my life, so I’m not going to think at it too hard.

Also, Takeru says that when Angemon died, he got angry and blamed fate, implying that Patamon’s death was predetermined. In the dub, TK says he blamed himself, thinking there must have been something he could have done to change things.

Side Note

In the original, the narrator and Takeru narrate over music and that’s it. The dub includes some original audio from the first season, specifically TK, Angemon, and Devimon talking.


A musical sting or something plays when Takeru throws his hat to the ground, but it sounds like it hit the floor with enough force to be a heavy object. It’s weird and kinda funny. This does not happen in the dub.

Dialogue Deviation

silence
Ken: How can he [Devimon] not know who I am? I’ve told everybody.

Okay, that was funny.

The rest of the added jokes in the scene are not.


Miyako rightfully freaks out when she first sees the Frankenstein’s Digimon. Yolei on the other hand just sounds curious.

Side Note

I know it’s divisive, but I really like the dub Armor Digimon voices for the most part. They all sound unique and easily identifiable.

Section: Digimon Analyzer

Narrator: Chimairamon! A synthetic Digimon created by the Digimon Kaiser using various Digimon parts. He has a fierce fighting instinct and superior destructive power. He fires deadly heat rays with his special attack, Heat Viper.
Ken: Kimeramon is my ultimate creation! I combined the most powerful parts of other Digimon to form this unstoppable fighting creature! His Heat Viper attack will melt my enemies into oblivion!

The most powerful part of MetalGreymon is his hair?

Anyway, despite the change in spelling, the name is pronounced the same in both languages.

Section: Inconsistency

Halsemon shouts “Tempest Wing” when he uses Eagle Eye.

Dialogue Deviation

Ken: Just as I expected!
Ken: Where’s my VCR?! Oooh, I wish I was taping this!

Great. Now I feel old.

Side Note

Okay, so I definitely get more of a condescending vibe from TK’s voice actor in the scene where he confronts Ken and I kinda love it.

As you can see in the video, the two attacks were covered with a flash impact screen in the dub. But just take note of the dialogue. If more of Zero-Two’s dub was handled like this, it would have been a much better series. This is easily the best dub scene of this series so far.

Also, dub Patamon’s little gasp was so adorable.


Kimeramon’s attack knocked TK off balance while he’s just tearing Ken apart. The dub cuts out a punch TK lands on Ken’s face.

Dialogue Deviation

Patamon: Wanna fight?
Wormmon: If you hurt Ken-chan, yes!
Patamon: Wanna fight?
Wormmon: Actually, I’d prefer a staring contest!

Both scenes were actually intended to be comical, though the original does this through music, while the dub does it through dialogue.


Takeru/TK leaves, promising to finish the fight later.

Ken: Insects…
Ken: Guess I’m not as cool as I think I am.

That’s a big character shift. Not an unbelievable one, but a big difference overall.


Halsemon: Thanks, Pegasusmon.
Pegasusmon: It was just a little… horse play.

Ugh, one moment of brilliance and it’s back to the same nonsense…


Iori: Takeru-san, here. (returns his hat)
Takeru: Thanks.
Cody: Here’s your hat back, TK. I didn’t want anyone to step on it.
TK: That’s okay, Cody, I have six others like it – one for each day of the week.


Daisuke: Anyway, after we rest, we’ll go after the Kaiser!
Davis: Anyway, let’s hear it for TS, who really let the Ken have it!


In the original Jun ends up at the wrong lake because the old couple driving her misheard what she said. In the dub, Matt gave her the incorrect location intentionally.

Final Result

This episode’s dub had ONE amazing scene in it, and the rest was pretty standard fare. Which, sadly, makes it better than most.

2 Comments

  • AegisP says:

    Resident Thorn on the side, AegisP, reporting!

    While I love that scene with TK and Ken and the WHIP TO THE FACE and the punching, because I am a lover of all things that censors love to remove out of kids shows, I disagree its good scriptwise, there are many important details that are left out or mistranslated outright. Still this isnt the dub I ever watch so If you enjoyed it I am super glad for you!

    Also I havent said so but I love the guy who does this comparisons. Much less jokes and more actual criticism. The guy who does the Adventure 1999 does have his moments though and he does give more criticism lately and is also open to it (The wham at the end of the Ikakumon episode comes to mind here.)

  • AegisP says:

    I guess its time I explained the details I thought were missing in the dub.

    In the dub, TK just insults Ken and mocks him. Pretty seemingly simple and straightforward.

    In the sub, Takeru laughs at Ken thinking he is the master of the dark power, but then warns it is extremely dangerous and he should stop before he gets hurt or worse.

    Even the ARABIC dub had “Waseem” do EXACTLY what the Japanese did, The one where the upper evolution levels of all the Digimon were big brothers who constantly bide their time until its time to evolve- errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr fight against evil

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