In a nutshell, the plot revolves around seven kids (Chosen Children) who while at Summer Camp get transported to the Digital World. Each of them befriend a Digimon (digital monster) and it is their job to protect both their world and the Digital World by defeating the evil Digimon. Unlike some of its contemporaries, 'Adventure' benefits from an overarching plot which is split into four main arcs. The first arc serves as an introduction to the characters and the setting, and as such is pretty episodic. The initial repetitiveness can be a turn-off for some, but if you bear with admittedly lackluster start then you will be handsomely rewarded. Each subsequent arc manages to strike a solid balance between fleshing out the characters and advancing the plot, providing a thoroughly enjoyable experience with rarely ever a dull moment. It culminates in an emotional climax that will leave you yearning for more.
However, the plot is not without its flaws. Firstly, it's a black and white story of good versus evil with clearly defined good and bad characters, so there is very little ambiguity. This can have an adverse effect on re-watch value. Secondly, 'Adventure' suffers from feeling video game-esque. At the beginning of each arc we're introduced to an antagonist whose motivations usually do not amount to more than world domination, and it is the protagonists' goal to defeat them, each antagonist being stronger than the last. It comes across as uninspired, and those expecting more creativity will be left disappointed. Thirdly, one does not need to look far to notice dei ex machinas or plot armour. The number of times that the main cast should have been killed but manage to get away virtually unscathed beggars belief, and for the more critical fan this can be a bit of a turn-off.
Having considered the plot, it is also reasonable to look at the themes. Themes such as good vs. evil, friendship and self-discovery are all explored naturally through the events and characters. Thematically simple enough for the younger audience to understand, but never heavy-handed. Darker topics such as death, divorce and inferiority complexes are also addressed, though are never too intense for the younger ones. Dealing with a wide-range of ideas, 'Adventure' can be appreciated by everyone.
As wonderful as the themes are, the real appeal of 'Adventure' lies mainly in its characters. In particular, the Chosen Children. Each Chosen Child is very distinct with different quirks that make them stand out from one another, so there is bound to be at least one that you will latch onto. Throughout 'Adventure' they are seen individually, in pairs, as groups or all together, and seeing how the Chosen Children interact with one another is one of the high-points of the series. You could take any combination of them and the scenario would practically write itself. Moreover, while the Chosen Children are portrayed as the heroes of the series, 'Adventure' remembers that they're still kids. They're wise beyond their years, but they still make childish mistakes. This makes them feel more sincere, and therefore more relatable. Despite having a large cast, 'Adventure' manages to adequately develop all of them. They all have their own problems, their own past that's gradually explored as the series progresses, and by the end they've all matured into very different characters compared to how they had begun the series. It's also worth noting that, unlike many other kids' shows, parents play a pivotal role. Particularly, they are important to the development of the cast. This adds a greater sense of realism to 'Adventure'.
Having covered the human characters, it would make sense to look at the Digimon. They make up a large portion of the cast, and as such there is a wide variety of them. They're all drawn differently enough and have different strengths and weaknesses to distinguish them from one another. However, viewed critically there is a common fault: they all lack depth. The villains, as previously mentioned, have very simple goals and motivations, so those expecting more complex antagonists will be left disappointed. The side characters were likable enough, but it felt like their purpose was simply to aid and develop the main cast, so they get the short end of the stick development wise. The main Digimon, with the exception of Tailmon, begin and end the series having experienced no development, so they can come across as being a little bland. On the other hand, they do contribute to a lot of the humour in the series and play a significant role in the Chosen Childrens' development, so they are hardly bad characters.
As strong as the character writing is, the same cannot be said for the production values. Backgrounds were bright and colourful to the point where they appeared tasteless. Lighting which could've been used to enhance the mood of several scenes was virtually non-existent. Human character designs were extremely basic with very little detail. There were some inconsistencies with animation, such as characters who are supposed to be walking appearing static. Action scenes were simple and showed the limitations of 'Adventure's' budget. There's also some stock footage in 'Adventure', though is most prevalent in the transformation scenes. An effective marketing strategy to promote the toys, but potentially irritating for the more impatient viewer. Of the transformation scenes four of them involve CGI. Given the age of the series and its budget it was very primitive, but thankfully it's kept to a minimum. The only real positive is the diversity of the creature designs. There are dozens of different Digimon throughout the series, all unique enough that they never feel uninspired. On the whole though, the visuals were pretty gaudy and certainly the weakest aspect of 'Adventure'.
An equally significant aspect to take into account is the sound. I last watched the English dub around 10 years ago, so this section will focus on the original Japanese audio. The opening theme is 'Butter-Fly' by Wada Kouji, recognisable for his work on other Digimon scores. It's a very catchy J-Pop opening that does well to prepare you for what's to come. The ending themes are 'I Wish' and 'Keep on' by Ai Maeda, and like Kouji she has also worked on several other Digimon scores as well as being the voice actor for Mimi. They're both cute J-Pop endings, and if you're a fan of the genre then are good songs in their own right. However, background music is unfortunately not as diverse as it could be. 'Brave Heart' is the evolution theme song, another catchy tune that helps us put up with the ordeal of the transformation scenes. 'Seven' is another solid track that often added to the emotional impact of a scene. The best track, though, is Boléro by Maurice Ravel. A brilliant track that fans of classical music will love, it was implemented excellently. That's as far as the score goes though, which is a shame. Foreign voice acting is never easy to assess, but from what I could tell it was pretty good. The malice in the evil Digimon was expressed well, as was the innocence of the Chosen Children. In particular, I think Jou's voice actor did a great job of conveying his cautious, worrisome personality.
Overall, 'Adventure' is a solid kids' show that still holds up when viewed as a grown-up. What the series lacked in production values, it more than made up for with excellent writing and great characterization that continually developed. Thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end, a series made to promote the toys should never have been this good. Whether you plan on revisiting it or are considering watching it for the first time, 'Adventure' is well worth having on your radar.
