Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Digimon: Digital Monsters - Season 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Digimon: Season 2 is another exciting and must-see season of the classic fan-favorite anime series. Digimon is one of the most beloved anime classics of all time – with lovable characters and great storytelling. Featuring animation production by Toei Animation (Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon), an incredible second-season picks up the paces with more adventure.

Digimon: Season 2 – English Dub Version is provided on physical media by distributor Discotek Media. Season 2 has a good balance of throwbacks to the first Digimon Adventure (Season 1). Created by Akiyoshi Hongo, Digimon: Season 2 establishes new characters – friends and foes.

Produced by Daisuke Kawakami (Hunter X Hunter, RahXephon), Hiromi Seki (Ghost Sweeper Mikami, Beet the Vandel Buster), Kyōtarō Kimura (Yu Yu Hakusho, Osomatsu-kun), Digimon: Season 2 has a wonderful cast of characters. The Digimon: Season 2 English dub voice-cast includes Brian Donovan, Derek Stephen Prince, Doug Erholtz, Edie Mirman, Lara Jill Miller, Laura Summer, Neil Kaplan, Paul St. Peter, Philece Sampler, Robert Axelrod, and Tifanie Christun. Season 2 continues the journey of the DigiDestined.

The digital world seemed to come to a place of peace and tranquility. Things became at ease between the human world and the digital world – the realm of the digital monsters – Digimon. Despite a new sense of calm in the digital world, things could become more complicated and sooner than anyone expected.

Four years following the adventures in the digital world have passed and now things are entering a new realm altogether with a new group of digi-destined kids facing new challenges and enemies. With Davis, Cody, and Yolei joining the fun alongside T.K. and Kari. The stakes are higher than ever and an evil wizard of the Digimon world has decided to rule over the entire world. Can the digi-destined save the day and be the ultimate heroes?

The cast includes Daisuke "Davis" Motomiya (Brian Donovan), Ken Ichijouji (Derek Stephen Prince), Takeru "T.K." Takaishi (Doug Erholtz), Gatomon (Edie Mirman), Hikari "Kari" Kamiya (Lara Jill Miller), Patamon (Laura Summer), Hawkmon (Neil Kaplan), Wormmon (Paul St. Peter), Cody Hida (Philece Sampler), Armadillomon (Robert Axelrod), and Miyako "Yolei" Inoue (Tifanie Christun). The second season expands on the first season by introducing a good cast of new supporting characters. The continuing journey brings back fan-favorites while adding to the adventure.

A great ensemble of characters. The English dub voice-cast does a great job, too. One of the strengths of the English version is the dubbing. Digimon had a dub far better than the average dub. With some of the best dub voices in the entire anime industry, the second season expands on the narrative of the original Digimon and the end-result is something even more compelling for series fans. There was so much heart poured into the second season and the cast brought their A-game to the series.

The character designs by Akiyoshi Hongo (Digimon Frontier, Digimon Tamers) and Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru (Dragon Ball Z, Digimon Frontier) are exceptional. The character design art is something essential to the production. The designs add to the charm. The characters exude warmth and charm with the designs a huge element of the series – both the designs for the human characters and the Digimon themselves. Designs are also well highlighted with the Digimon characters evolving into new forms. The evolution sequences and design changes add to the charms of the anime. The second season brings some new evolutions and the design work is top-notch.

The chief animation direction by Setsuko Nobuzane (Digimon Tamers, Digimon Ghost Game) is beautiful and reason enough to see the second season. Digimon: Season 2 has fantastic animation – some of the best animation in the history of anime. The second season also features art direction by Yukiko Iijima (Lovely Complex, Lupin III: Seven Days Rhapsody). The team of animators involved on the production managed to bring something enormously special to the table. The results are top-notch throughout. Excellent effort from the entire animation team.

Directed by Hiroyuki Kakudō (Digimon Frontier, Digimon Fusion), Digimon: Season 2 is a classic anime with good reason. The second season expands on the already classic Season 1 and brings even more excitement with new characters and villains expanding on the original. The second season is a great sequel to the first and a must-see for fans of the anime series. As a childhood favorite of mine, the second season of Digimon was a must-see event for me week-after-week and it remains one of my favorite anime series. It is a joy to see that Digimon continues to be considered a classic anime with legions of fans.

Digimon: Digital Monsters - Season 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Discotek Media, Digimon: Season 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full-frame. The high-definition video presentation does a solid job upscaling the standard-definition video quality. The transfer has a decent degree of clarity and resolution given the source-limited animation.

It is unfortunate that Digimon was created in the time-period of digital transition for the animation process. The animation is neither hand-drawn with a film-based source (such as film scans that are capable of being scanned in the highest resolution possible in 2K/4K) nor the native high-definition animation of modern anime productions. I wish a native 4K restoration was possible with the art on film, capable of being scanned with a film source – the resolution would be that much better if such a source existed. Unfortunately, Digimon remains a product of its time and the animation was created at a lower resolution digital quality.

Though it is true that the presentation will never be able to match the resolution of a native high-definition presentation, the source-limited animation still looks impressive on the release. Discotek capably handled the video presentation and the upscaling process resulted in a somewhat improved video transfer. Fans will certainly be pleased with the results.

Digimon: Digital Monsters - Season 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English uncompressed PCM 2.0. The audio quality on the release is well done. The audio clarity is a good part of the presentation. The English dub well reproduced. The presentation is only of the English dub version. The Japanese language version is released in a separate collection by Discotek Media. Given changes between the original language version and the English dub version, separate sets were created by Discotek Media as the set could not simply have a simple dub/sub option as found on most releases.

One of the strengths of physical media is the ability to provide lossless audio encoding. Streaming video services only provide lossy (non-lossless) audio quality. For home theater enthusiasts wanting the best possible audio presentation, lossless audio provides a distinct advantage that is one of the big selling points of physical media. The lossless encoding can make a difference and add to the presentation quality. Enthusiasts appreciate that about the Blu-ray format – especially enthusiasts who own expensive audio gear such as high-end receivers, amplifiers, and/or speakers.

Digimon: Digital Monsters - Season 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The first print run of the Blu-ray release includes a nice o-card slipcover. The slipcover is nicely done and adds to the collectability of the release. The slipcover art is impressive. The cover-art underneath the slip has a double-sided cover. The art-work can display additional art in addition to the key art featured on the slipcover.

Art Galleries –

Digidestined & Partner Digimon includes 84 click-through slides.

Enemies & Allies includes 49 click-through slides.

Items includes 15 click-through slides.

It would have been nice to see some interviews and making-of videos about the production. These types of supplements would have been appreciated if such extras could have been added to the release. Even so, the set does offer some nice art galleries. The art galleries are certainly better than barebones and offer something fun for fans of the series who may appreciate flipping through the art slides as if looking through a Digimon artbook.

Digimon: Digital Monsters - Season 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Digimon: Season 2 is an entertaining and action-packed adventure. Fans of classic anime with great characters, storytelling, and adventure will find plenty to love about the second season of the fan-favorite anime classic. The Blu-ray release includes a solid presentation of the series. Discotek has assembled a nice package for fans of the anime series. Highly recommended.