Digimon Frontier S01E10

Uncontrollable Beast Spirit! Garmmon’s Evolution (JP)
Can’t Keep a Grumblemon Down (EN)

Original Writer:  
Dub Writers: Seth Walther

Original Airdates:
June 9, 2002 (JP)
November 12, 2002 (EN)

Side Note

This was my first ever comparison! And it was on an episode that aired on my birthday! Ah, good times. That said, this comparison is over a decade old, so it may differ in a lot of ways concerning style, humor, and consistency. I’ve updated a few things, but you have been warned. The old content begins below.

Section: Summary

Gear’s Notes: The title could use some serious help. Written by: Seth Walther. This episode had some serious issues with the stupid dialogue. I don’t know if I’m just nitpicky or not, but it seemed like every other line was horrible.

Side Note

In the opening scene of the original, the kids are running around the campfire shouting things like, “where is he?” and “where did he go?” In the dub, the kids run around panicking, shouting things like, “What if something bad happens to us?” and “Don’t say that, you’re scaring me…erm, scaring Zoe.” In the original, they sounded more upset and perhaps angry, whereas in the dub, they seemed terrified of something completely intangible.

Dialogue Deviation

Izumi: Where could he be? What could he be doing?
(the sun rises)
Takuya: Ah, we’ve lost him! 
Zoe: What’s that?!
(the sun rises)
Takuya: It’s called the sun, Zoe. Good eye.

How she was startled by the sun I’ll never know.

It’s not like it can sneak up on y–OH MY GOD RUN AWAY!

Tomoki: Oh? What’s this? 
Tommy: Hey, it’s a note! From Koji!

He hadn’t even opened the note yet. How did he know it was from Koji?


In the original, the note simply says that Bokomon and Neemon have decided to follow Kouji. In the dub, it’s Koji being rude to them, and a picture of Bokomon and Neemon drawn on there which somehow translates to a mountain of stupid dialogue (the usual Bokomon/Neemon insult-fest) Oh, and in the dub, the note is from Koji. In the original, the note is from Bokomon and Neemon.

[Update 25 July 2009] The original note was indeed from Koji. The kid adds “da ne” after he reads it, making it sound like part of the note. So, instead of “‘Went on ahead, Koji’, it says”, it sounded like he was reading it as “Went on ahead with Koji”. Hard to explain if you don’t hear it in Japanese, but that’s what happened. This correction was submitted by a user named Josephine.

Bokomon and Neemon’s note was re-written in English. It wasn’t a translation, though… 

Original: Went on ahead. —Kouji 
Dub: I’m going on alone so I can actually get something done.

Rude.

Dialogue Deviation

Izumi: But, why? 
Dub: More Bokomon and Neemon imaginary dialogue nonsense. They were arguing over a crayon.


In the dub, J.P. makes a lot of grunting noises when ripping up the note, like it’s some kind of serious physical labor. These grunts are absent in the original. 


Gotsumon: Almost got it…Almost got it…the Guardian of Light! 
Gotsumon: Boy, you’d think if they left a stupid inscription, they could leave a stupid map!

In the original, Gotsumon kept saying that he was close to finding the spirit of light. In the dub, that one symbol Gotsumon was examining so thoroughly (which happens to be Lobomon’s symbol) seemed to be an entire prophesy about opening the third eye to find the spirit.


Pretty much all the Bokomon and Neemon dialogue is ridiculous, so I won’t bother to list it all.


Gotsumon is described as being the bully of the Digital World in the original, while the dub says that he is childish. This leads to a mountain of dumb dialogue between Koji and Gotsumon. In the original, Koji tries to be nice, and Gotsumon is rude to him. In the dub, Koji is a jerk, and Gotsumon acts like a five year old. Apparently Koji has to be a jerkish loaner in this dub.


Anything Grumblemon/Gigasmon says in his caveman dialect is automatically stupid dialogue.

Section: Digimon Analyzer

In the original, Gigasmon has an attack called “Earthquake.” In the dub, this attack isn’t named.

Dialogue Deviation

Gotsumon: Here, rub this on your wounds.
Koji: Why did you help me?
Gotsumon: Hmph. That poor bastard will see how much I hate him. 
Gotsumon: This will make you feel better.
Koji: I don’t need anyone’s help.
Gotsumon: Yeah, I can tell. You did such a great job yourself.

Despite all the cuts and censors for the good of the people, the dub seems to like to teach kids that it’s cool to be rude to people (and rocks) who try to help you. 


Koji: Poor bastard? 
Koji: So? You can’t do better.
Gotsumon: I will! I’ll be a hero! And I won’t need any help like you do!

The dialogue itself isn’t so bad, but the way they squeezed it in where it didn’t really fit, coupled with that childish 5 year old delivery (intentionally, of course) from Gotsumon makes it sound terrible.


Random Gotsumon: If you ask me, that Gotsumon’s got rocks in his head.

Apparently the obligatory Gotsumon joke every season. 

(Silence) 
Neemon: Alakahoozits!

Maybe that was his impersonation of a wizard with allergies. Makes about as much sense as everything else…


Bokomon said that there was supposed to be an inscription in the rock, but he didn’t see one. (The one I mentioned earlier that Gotsumon saw but I couldn’t. Were the dubbers trying to rectify their mistake without redubbing it?) 


Neemon: What are you doing? (To Koji)
Bokomon: Koji’s Digivice! He must sense his spirit! If he senses it, then his power will release the spirit! 
Neemon: What are you doing now?!
Bokomon: The D-Tector can sense spirits. How can you possibly live here and not know these things?
Neemon: ‘Cause I’m not a D-Tector, am I?

Take that, Bokomon!


Junpei: You’re sure he came this way? 
J.P.: Stupid thick grass!

Kick its grass, JP! But seriously, all those excessive grunting noises are completely unnecessary. It’s grass, not quicksand.

 Junpei: Where could Koji be? 
J.P.: I’d give anything for a lawn mower!
Zoe: … or a gag.

HAH! Even Zoe’s getting tired of JP’s excessive complaining.


There’s a scene where Gigasmon attacks the remaining four kids. The “camera” I suppose, switches to each face briefly. In the original, each of the kids spits out one syllable of “Gigasmon” (Gi-ga-su-mon). In the dub, they all seem to take turns letting out a tiny, short, abruptly stopped scream. It’s kinda nice; they all take turns screaming.


Again, Gigasmon’s attack, Earthquake, goes unmentioned in the dub.

Gigasmon: What, aren’t you afraid? 
Gigasmon: Okay! Who to be first beaten up real good?
Zoe: Me!
Takuya: No, me!
J.P.: Me, too!
Tommy: And me!

Might as well sign me up, too.

Section: Cut or moved footage

The digivolution scenes were all lengthened in the dub. In the original, they were abbreviated.


Cut: (3 seconds) Grottomon using Snake Eye Break (smashing with his hammers) on Blitzmon and Agnimon is cut out. As a result, Snake Eye Break is not said or translated into English here.


Cut: (< 1 second) Wolfmon kicking Grottomon in the face.

Dialogue Deviation

Bokomon: (As Gotsumon climbs up the rocks) What are you doing?
Neemon: I don’t understand.
Gotsumon: I’m so…close!
Bokomon: (sees the explosion in the distance) What? 
Bokomon: Good, but watch that thing!
Neemon: And that thing!
Gotsumon: (looking at the jewel) Why couldn’t you just…fit right here?
Bokomon: Take your time…but we don’t have all day! (explosion) See what I mean?!

I’m not even sure why I listed this. Everything Bokomon and Neemon say in the dub is just awful, and I’m setting myself up for failure if I’m planning to list every instance of this.


This next change was done to accommodate the addition of a commercial break right in the middle of a scene. They could have handled it much better, however. 

Bokomon: Koji-han!
Neemon: Are you alright?
(They both scream when they see Gotsumon jump in front of Wolfmon) 
Bokomon: He’s done for!
Neemon: That means we’re next?
Bokomon: (both screaming) You’re right!

Section: Cut or moved footage

To accommodate for the commercial break, the dub added an extra scene of Gigasmon charging towards Lobomon just before Gotsumon’s attack.

Section: Digimon Analyzer

Gotsumon attack change: Angry Rock –> Rock Fist

Dialogue Deviation

Gotsumon: Hey…now put that…in the statue…now hurry!

Not a bad line, per se, but the delivery there was terrible.


Gotsumon then again mentions the third eye-spirit prophesy in the dub, while in the original, he simply says that Koji will unlock the legendary spirit. Seriously, where did this mystical non-existent prophesy come from?! It sounds about as authentic as Willis’ involvement in Our War Game.

Section: Digimon Analyzer

Syntax Change: Spirit…Evolution –> Execute…Beast Spirit Evolution!


Name Change: Garmmon –> KendoGarurumon

Dialogue Deviation

Takuya: Koji evolved again!
Junpei: But how did he? 
Takuya: Why did he find his first?!
J.P.: I could have done that!

Ungrateful jerks.

Gigasmon: You have the beast spirit… 
Gigasmon: Hey there…nice doggy…sit!

I hope he bites you. And gives you rabies or something.


Gigasmon: You should no keep what you not can control!

You should no write dialogue you know not be sounding stupid!

Final Verdict

Eh, it's alright.

The dialogue was a mess, but honestly, Zero-Two could be a lot worse. Then again, that’s a low bar to set.

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