Hello and welcome to Project Nitsuj. Last time on the show we started Digimon Ghost Game. Digimon have been showing up in our world (and for some reason they’re all horror-themed). Gammamon has a dark version inside of him that doesn’t mind the blood. How will the group respond to this? Let’s find out.
Episodes 14-17
Episode 14 sees the group go to a resort for a conference Kiyoshiro is attending. We see Gammamon isn’t too clear on the fact that Bokomon is gone (it’s a Mr. Hooper situation) so Hiro is hoping the trip will cheer him up. We find out that the hotel is said to be haunted by a Zashiki-warashi (why is that a bad thing? Those things bring you good luck) who seems to be scaring the guests (especially the little girl, https://youtu.be/bpJJzEkIFlU) and pulling pranks. They eventually find the Zashiki-warashi who is Koemon a monkey-like Digimon who nobody could see except for an old hostess who would play with him. Sadly, she retired and left Koemon alone. To cheer up the little fella, the group creates fireworks for him and encourage him to go out in the world and find other Digimon.
Episode 15 might just be one of the creepiest episodes to date. In the episode a bunch of Digimon led by Phelesmon under the disguise of a fortune teller has been luring people (mostly women because they buy into this crap) to their tent and scaring the hell of them before turning them into statues with scared faces plastered on them. The reason why the Digimon are doing is because this is the only way they can materialize into our world (they feed on fear). Ruli’s friends are interested in the fortune teller so Ruli helps them find it where she discovers the truth about fortune telling. She’s attacked by the Digimon with Angoramon saving her. They then take the battle on the digital plain where Angoramon evolves (finally) into Symbaangoramon (wow, he’s skinny. And he has pants) to fight Phelesmon where Gammamon and Jellymon evolve to help out. Their fight ends in a stalemate with Phelesmon taking his leave and turning everyone back to normal.
In episode 16 Hiro goes camping with Gammamon where the two get caught in the middle of a battle between Morishellmon and Jyureimon (it’s figures that a Jewish tree would be in an anime like this. Actually, I’ve always wanted to ask him this question: https://youtu.be/wmDQKckFuk8?t=4). Jyureimon has been spiriting people away and eating them to get stronger (he turned them into root beer). Morishellmon has been trying to save humans but they keep coming to the forest and getting captured by Jyureimon who is slowly taking over the forest. Jyureimon finds them and Gammamon evolves into Betelgammamon where he has the advantage with his fire attacks (burn it all down). Hiro refuses to let Betelgammamon destroy another Digimon and this results in him getting captured. Before he can become root beer, the others arrive and together they destroy one of Jyureimon’s arms (or branches now that I think about it) and he retreats. Morishellmon frees all the humans he was protecting and tells Hiro to leave saying he’s too soft (I agree. He got away this time but sooner or later you’re going to have to destroy another Digimon to protect others whether you like it or not).
Nothing much happens in episode 17 while helping perform system maintenance on a geothermal station, a Digimon attacks the place and nearly freezes the boys to death. Luckily, the female cast manages to save the day.
Episodes 18-20
Alright, episode 18 is slightly disturbing. A Digimon named Petermon has been going around kidnapping kids and bringing them to his Neverland where they can never grow-up (Disney is so going to sue you guys. But hey, they stole from them first, so fair game. I’m looking at you, Kimba and Lion King). Two Hawkmon asks the group for help and they manage to make it into Neverland to fight Petermon and save the kids. Petermon uses the children as shields and the Hawkmon evolve into Orcamon (Mira: Uhhh~, no. Even by this show’s standards that’s not how it works) where they use their sonar to wake everyone up so that they can come to their senses. Once everyone evolves so too do the kid Digimon and Petermon starts to lose it. After defeating Petermon he refuses to send them back as he says adults are liars who never keep their promises (he’s not wrong). However, Hiro assures him that he’s going to become a fun adult who keeps his promises. Petermon still has his doubts, but Captainhookmon (oh come on~) shows up to confirm that Hiro isn’t lying and invites Petermon to join his crew which he accepts (now off to find the One Piece). Petermon sends everyone back believing in Hiro and sails off with Captainhookmon (look out for Gatormon).
Episode 19 introduces us to Picklemon (aka Pixiemon). When Gammamon heads out to run his first errand, everyone else tags along from the shadows to keep watch over him. However, Hiro and Ruli get attacked by Picklemon who has the power to travel through space and time (its like the Celebi of the Digital World. Though to be fair Picklemon did come out before Celebi so technically Pokémon is copying Digimon. But be honest, which one stuck with you more?). Picklemon sends Hiro and Ruli to different time periods where the longer they stay the more they risk becoming a part of that period. Through the power of friendship (and defying the laws of physics), the group reunites with Hiro and Ruli where they fight against Picklemon and beat it. Picklemon refuses to give up and decides to travel back in time and defeat Gammamon, but that doesn’t work out so well. Becoming interested in Gammamon, Picklemon travels to the future where he becomes a fan of Gammamon and wants to be his best friend. Picklemon returns everyone to their correct time period and Gammamon completes his first errand by himself.
Episode 20 is where things start to get interesting. While at an amusement park, Hiro and Gammamon get targeted by two Digimon who want to return to the Digital World and are looking for Blacktailmon, the Digimon that gave Hiro his dad’s watches. Hiro and Gammamon are viciously hunted by the two Digimon with Gammamon actually getting beaten in a fight. However, he comes back and does a slide evolution from one of his forms to the next to defeat the two Digimon (nice work). As the two Digimon lie defeated, Blacktailmon arrives (where the hell have you been? I’ve been waiting for the delivery all week. It was supposed to be here last Friday) and opens a portal to the Digital World allowing the Digimon to return.
Episodes 21-24
In episode 21 we get the return of a classic from my childhood, Archnemon (they even have her morph into her human form from Digimon 02). She tricks Hiro and the others into her nest where she plans to eat their brains (in fact, it’s hinted that what she did at the beginning of the episode to some construction worker. These Digimon are getting a lot scarier and more dangerous). The group gets separate from each other and fight off Archnemon’s underlings to the best of their abilities, but they all wind up getting captured and tied up (they really need to get the hang of fighting evil Digimon). Just when Archnemon is about to eat Gammamon’s brain, he digivolves into Gulusgammamon and completely destroys her (yes! More of this please). Hiro tries to talk to it, but Gulusgammamon turns back into Gammamon before he can ask it any questions.
Episode 22 sees Kiyoshiro and Jellymon open up a comforting sleep business with the help of Pilomon. Ruli and Angoramon get roped into trying their deluxe sleeping special where they get caught in a nightmare (not as scary as Scarecrow’s nightmares but still pretty terrifying) where they’re being chased by Skullgreymon (the bad to the bone that Digimon). It turns out Pilomon is having a nightmare and everyone has been getting caught in it. As if that wasn’t bad, whatever injury they sustain in the dream world will happen in the real world (Inception rules apply). Kiyoshiro and Jellymon go into the nightmare as well to help the others where even with their combined powers they can’t defeat Skullgreymon until they realize that they’re in a dream which means they can control it. Using the lucid dream theory, they manage to defeat Skullgreymon and wake up Pilomon to save their own skins. And where was Hiro and Gammamon during all of this? Getting his phone fixed.
In episode 23 Digimon have been getting possessed and going on a rampage in city. Even Gammamon and the others get possessed and attack their partners (a virus infection). With the help of Clockmon and Mummymon the group finds out that the virus was caused by Morphmon who has been captured by a human and sent out the virus in an attempt to call for help (next time try text). Kiyoshiro figures that Morphmon is releasing the virus through a no longer active satellite and if something isn’t done it’ll release the virus on the whole causing every Digimon to go wild. When Gammamon returns to attack Hiro, Hiro manages to return him to normal by making him eat spices (makes sense. Many insects hate spices). Gammamon then destroys the satellite after evolving returning everyone back to normal and this allows Kiyoshiro to pinpoint where Morphmon is being held. Clockmon rescues Morphmon from a researcher who captured Morphmon by luck and the group frees it from its modem prison.
We end the second half of the anime by focusing on a boy named Yuto who works at his family’s shop but as of lately all his close friends have been attacked (he’s got a yandere on his hands). Yuto calls on the help of our tamers where we find out the Digimon stalking him and causing all this trouble is Ajatarmon who has fallen in love with Yuto and won’t let anyone take him away from her (wow, it’s Little Shop of Horrors. In a strange way). She now plans to turn Yuto into an Ajatarmon so that they can be together forever. After testing her serum on Kiyoshiro which turns half his body into vines she gets ready to inject Yuto when the others come in and a fight ensues. They manage to defeat Ajatarmon, but she won’t give up on turning Yuto into a Digimon which they all say is impossible (season 4 would like to have a word with you). Since Yuto can’t turn into a Digimon, Ajatarmon says she’ll turn herself into a human and injects herself where the experiment fails and she dies.
Well this seems like a dark note to end on. Glad to see the series go down a few dark routes and embrace its horror routes. Join me again next week as we take a look at part 3. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.