So the second part of the Digimon Adventure Tri movies came out just recently in Japan. Crunchyroll, as usual, released the movie in the US by dividing it into 4 episodes, much like the first film. Also like the last film as I give my review, I will address the characters and terminologies from the Japanese versions, as opposed to the ones used in the English dubbed release. Spoilers as well, so stop the video now if you don't want to continue further. Otherwise, the review begins in 3, 2, 1, Kill Shot!
The 2nd part of the movie begins with a temporary peace in the real world from the Infected Digimons, giving time for the Chosen Children to have a vacation at a local hot spring. Joe couldn't join in because of his exams, so the newest member of the Chosen Children, Meiko, fills in along with her Digimon Meicoomon. The whole trip turns into a misadventure that covers much of the first episode.
In the next episode, a distortion causes Orgemon to enter the real world. Mimi, determined to show the public that there are good Digimons, has Palmon evolve into Togemon and engages in battle. But Mimi's effort has gone awry as Togemon's Needle Spray accidentally hits one of the news choppers. The battle ends with Leomon popping out and dragging Orgemon back to the Digital World. Mimi's actions, along with Joe choosing again to not participate in the conflict, causes further tension among the group.
Later we go back to another misadventure when the Chosen Children, sans Joe, attend their local school festival. The Digimons, not wanting to be left out, decide to crash in with a reluctant Leomon as their guardian.
In the final act of Part 2, Meicoomon is captured by Ken Ichijouji, the antagonist from Digimon Adventure 02. Leomon, Gomamon, and Palmon came to the rescue, with the latter two showing off their brand new evolution forms for the first time. After Meicoomon is rescued, in a twist, Meicoomon turns out to be infected and kills Leomon before returning to the Digital World. It is then revealed that Meicoomon was the true objective of the invading Infected Digimons.
As I had hoped, the second movie actually does much better than the first one, with the four acts pretty much done in a very episodic way as to being one continuous story arc. I really enjoy the misadventures of the Digimon in this movie as well as that of the Chosen Children. It makes the audience remember, at least for a little while, that the Chosen Children are still kids and deserve having fun from the conflict that's going on.
That said, the movie goes back to the discension among the ranks on not just how to deal with the Infected Digimon, but also their own personal problems. Taichi and Yamato have yet to settle their differences, but is set on the side for this film as it focuses mainly on Mimi's character and ego affecting the group, as well Joe's cowardice for not joining at all and focused on his studies, thereby affecting his relationship with Gomamon. The problems surrounding these two characters are far better written than was the case with Taichi in the first film.
The 2nd movie also provided some revelations towards the overall plot of Digimon Adventure Tri - Meicoomon being the target of the Infected Digimons; Ken appearing to be one behind the invasions; a history between Nishijima and Himekawa, the guardians of the Chosen Children, with Himekawa hiding quite a dark secret; and the personal problems of each Chosen Children serves as a trial that they must overcome in order for their Digimon to achieve a new evolution form.
On the last part, it does return the movies to the formula of the TV series where overcoming personal problems is the key for the human characters to allow a new evolution for their Digimon. I don't necessarily find this a bad thing with Tri and it is nice to see the new evolutions of the Digimon.
I only have two issues with the 2nd film. The first is a minor one in which it does have some animation errors, but it's not like in Dragon Ball Super where it's front and center and you will only notice these errors if you happen to have quite a good eye. The second, which I find quite annoying is Leomon. Why is it in virtually every incarnation of the Digimon series, Leomon ends up getting killed off? His death in the original series was quite impactful at its time, but nowadays his death has become a common trope on the franchise. So I wasn't really surprised at all of Leomon getting killed off in this film for the sake of revealing Meicoomon as a new villain.
At any rate, the 2nd Digimon Adventure Tri movie is definitely better than the first - a better written story; a much lighter tone; enjoyable slice-of-life stories; and the new evolutions. It's definitely worth watching either as a full movie or in chunks of 4 episodes. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give Part 2 of Digimon Adventure Tri a 4 ouf 5.
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