Digimon Data Squad S01E18

Grandpa Digivice leads the team to the Infinite Ice Ridge, but their plans are interrupted by a surprise appearance by Keenan and Falcomon. A short fight ensues, but it is also cut short by Gotsumon attempting to bury everyone alive, Keenan and Falcomon included. Gotsumon takes Grandpa Digivice hostage, forcing Thomas and Yoshi to leave their Digivices behind as they are brought to Merukimon. As it is revealed that Grandpa Digivice and Merukimon know each other (and Merukimon accuses the humans of deleting Digimon violently, a charge Grandpa Digivice flatly denies), Marcus saves Keenan from falling into a crevice, then goes to find the others. Once reunited, the three evolve their Digimon to the Ultimate Level, but Merukimon walks through them. Grandpa Digivice reveals his own partner, Kamemon, evolving him to Gwappamon and wrecking the Ice Ridge. Grandpa Digivice stays behind as the rest of the DATS team takes the unconscious Keenan with them as they escape back to the Human World.

Agumon: Maybe he’s actually a Digimon!
Gaomon: Don’t be stupid, that’s impossible.
Agumon: Maybe he’s a Digimon like Keenan!
Gaomon: Do me a favor: just be quiet.

The dub was funnier again. Dub Agumon’s line was said like he was joking or sarcastic, making fun of Keenan thinking he was a Digimon, with Gaomon just deadpan shutting him down. Once again, it’s the acting that makes it work.

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The dialogue is almost exactly translated into English for the first several minutes of the episode. The only changes come from adding in jokes that are actually funny because they rely on the voice actors’ abilities, not puns for the sake of puns.

Ikuto/Keenan questions whether or not he’s really a Digimon after his run-in with Marcus, and honestly, why hasn’t it occurred to him that he’s the only Digimon whose name doesn’t end in -mon?

Much as I like this series, the Ikuto/Keenan storyline is full of plot holes.

As before, Kuramon, the Fresh-level Jellyfish-Crossed-With-A-Contact-Lens Digimon is retained.

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Narrator: Tsumemon, a baby-level Digimon that destroys data at a shocking speed. It moves very quickly and is hard to catch!
Thomas: Tsumemon, an In-Training level Digimon that can destroy data at an amazing speed. They move very quickly and are difficult to detect.

And of course, Lalamon gets overwhelmed by the Tsumemon, necessitating she be saved by Agumon.

Gotsumon: <But human scum is human scum.>
Gotsumon: <But humans are full of tricks!>

Gotsumon is thinking to himself after Merukimon allows Keenan to face DATS alone. Merukimon said that Keenan needs to awaken his inner Digimon warrior. In the original, Gotsumon’s thought is that Ikuto is scum just like DATS. In the dub, he seems almost concerned about Keenan, thinking DATS will defeat him.

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In the original, Masaru shouts at Ikuto, saying his name out loud. This results in Grandpa Digivice repeating “Ikuto?!” in shock. In the dub, Marcus just calls him “kid,” and Grandpa Digivice says “Keenan?!” on his own, as if figuring it out entirely on his own.

In the original, he mentions the Noguchis, Ikuto’s parents. In the dub, he just says, “I knew it was you!”

In both versions, Gaomon calls out Gao Rush when attacking Falcomon. The dub name for the attack is Speed Bag.

It’s a weird censor, and one I only bring up because Data Squad uses all of the original’s sound effects. When Falcomon punches Gaomon, the scene is kept intact, but the sound of the impact is replaced in the dub with a whooshing sound, like a Power Ranger striking a pose.

Masaru: I couldn’t watch you die like that.
Marcus: I have to win first.

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It’s hard to explain, but in both versions, Masaru/Marcus tells Ikuto/Keenan that their fight will be settled later. Ikuto looks and sounds a little surprised, but the sound Keenan makes sounds more like incredulity, making it seem funnier.

Or maybe I’m just reading into it too much.

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Lots of mentions of death in the episode, and all of them are, as you’d expect, softened in the dub. It’s not terrible most of the time, but it does sound awkward in some instances.

And then there’s one instance where Marcus insists “Digimon can’t die!” so I don’t know what’s going on anymore.

Some flashback scenes were changed in the dub. Images of Digimon being vaporized and humans carrying rifles of some kind were replaced with some shots from later episodes of trees falling during the same conflict.

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Marcus’ face has seen better days.

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I always geek out about this scene. Love watching it each time, and it shows how much better Data Squad is at effectively using its music compared to other dub series.

I watched the sequence simultaneously in both languages, and there were no cuts or extensions. I’m impressed the music fit as well as it did, or at least that they managed to cut the music in a way that fit so well. The only downside is that Thomas adopts Marcus’ and Yoshi’s timing for the cry, meaning he shouts “Full” with a closed mouth.

When RizeGreymon used Trident Revolver, he fired at the screen three separate times. The dub cuts this down to one.

Merukurimon’s Thousand Fists attack is retained the dub.

Gotsumon: As expected of Merukurimon-sama!
Gotsumon: It’s just as I expected – they’re far weaker than I thought.

Well, which is it? Did you expect this, or are they weaker than you thought?

To make that longer line fit with Gotsumon’s mouth flap (and presumably to make up for the cut to RizeGreymon’s attack), the scene was slightly extended.

RizeGreymon’s Rising Destroyer was retained the dub. Or maybe it’s Rizing to go with his name, I don’t know.

In a dramatic moment (and with unique music in the original), Grandpa Digivice steps up and reveals his own green and black Digivice and his partner Kamemon. And despite it being less serious, I just love the dub’s reaction.

Masaru: Old man!
Yoshino: Kamemon?
Marcus: The tea guy!
Yoshi: He fights?!

It’s just more realistic and funny.

Kamemon’s name in the original is pronounced with a short “a” sound, like Agumon is. His name in English is the same, but with a long “a” sound, like the ey sound in “Greymon.”

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Narrator: Gawappamon. An Adult-level Digimon who is always cheerful and energetic. His special attack is to shoot high speed spinning discs from his head, DJ Shooter.
Gwappamon is a cheerful Champion-level Digimon. During his special attack mode, CDs shoot from the top of his head at high speeds, known as DJ Shooter.

Note that the subtitles may have just spelled it differently with that extra “A,” but essentially, this Digimon’s name was retained in English.

Man, it seems like no one likes Ikuto. In both versions, Merukumon tries to blast DATS, even when Masaru is holding Ikuto in his arms.

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Not sure how Sampson got there so damn fast. He was in a helicopter waiting to pick them up within seconds of the Digi-Gate opening.