#digimon meta

Shuuji’s relationship with his family

Firstly, we should consider that the only information we have about Shuuji’s family comes from a biased source: Shuuji himself. His family does not physically appear in the story of Survive; rather, he tells the other characters about them, and they feature in a long nightmare sequence at the beginning of part 5.  This nightmare is incredibly loaded–watch it again if you need a refresher. It is evidently based on an actual memory which provides important context for this complicated relationship. Let’s go through the major beats.

Shuuji’s father accuses Shuuji of hating him, which Shuuji desperately denies. His father counters that if Shuuji didn’t hate him, then he would “demonstrate the ability expected of a Kayama boy”. 

Shuuji’s brother interjects, telling Shuuji not to bother; he’ll just work hard enough for both of them.

Shuuji’s father asks why he’s giving up, and suggests Shuuji isn’t really his son. Shuuji immediately starts trying to appease him; his father is unresponsive. 

Shuuji lashes out, accusing his family of not understanding him. He then has a few lines aside to himself which are quite interesting, including: “From the start, I didn’t want to do it. I couldn’t do it...” (Put a pin in this, we’ll come back to it.)

Panicking, Shuuji starts simply pleading not to be abandoned.

Even the most surface-level read of the text here is pretty cut and dry: Shuuji is traumatized enough by his relationship with his family to be having nightmares about them, and his father (if not the entire family) is incredibly emotionally abusive. If we assume the wording used in the dream is exactly as it was in the real conversation, then the phrasing Shuuji’s dad uses here is extremely calculated. Shuuji’s failures aren’t just bad because he failed; they’re bad because they mean he hates his father. This deliberately emotive language paints Shuuji in the role of an aggressor in a scenario where he is actually the victim. 

Perhaps because of conversations like this, Shuuji does not appear to recognise that he is being abused; directly after waking from the nightmare he even says that his dad “had to” abandon him. First of all, this establishes that, at best, he simply feels abandoned by his family–but, at worst, he may have actually been literally disowned or otherwise cut off from them. Second and more crushingly, he seems to actually believe that abandonment is a proportionate and justified response to his perceived inability to succeed. 

We don’t really know enough about Shuuji’s brother to make any real judgment on him; Shuuji calls him “an incredible person” but does so in relation to his own poor self-esteem (“much better than me”, he says), and in his Recollection anticipates being mocked by him. His brother’s only line in the nightmare–offering to “work hard enough for both of [us]”–is interesting, though. The most charitable read could suggest he is trying to defuse the situation but it seems slightly more likely that he’s simply validating his father’s lack of confidence in Shuuji. This is common in families where only one child is abused by a parent or parents; siblings sometimes become involved–or at least complicit–in the abuse, so as to protect themselves.

A quick note: Digimon Survive on its own can make it seem as if maybe Shuuji is doing badly academically, and that’s why his father is angry with him. However, we now have the additional context of the Recollection stories (translated here) which explain that he isn’t just a good student; he’s actually ranked first in his class for grades (@digital-survivor​ has made an excellent post explaining why this is so significant.)

If he’s doing so well academically, then although grades and college entry are what Shuuji often refers to when he’s talking about living up to his father’s standards, it’s more likely that the problems between him and his father are based around Shuuji’s personality and the harsh style of leadership his father expects him to demonstrate. 

Essentially, Shuuji just isn’t like the rest of his family, and they are trying to force him into their mold. And when it comes to Shuuji's own feelings, think back to: “From the start, I didn’t want to do it. I couldn’t do it...”

It's not just that Shuuji is struggling to meet his family’s expectations; he literally doesn’t want to do the things they’re asking, and doesn't think they're even possible for him. But, by his own admission, Shuuji is obsessed with his father’s approval, despite clearly believing–and basically being told–that he can never actually get it without compromising his own identity. Either way, it’s clear that his father has incredible power over him, and wields that power cruelly.

Shuuji’s trauma response

We can see hints of Shuuji’s troubled mental state pretty much from the outset. From the top of the game he’s established as a somewhat awkward, bossy person, who seems socially isolated; he doesn’t appear to have existing bonds with any of the other campers, and you can even find some NPCs making fun of him in the prologue chapter. 

Once in the other world, besides a (frankly normal) level of distress and anxiety in their newfound situation, it also becomes apparent that Shuuji has a lot more going on. He has an almost compulsive need to feel independent, as he becomes strangely uncomfortable and upset when others offer him help. He also clearly has issues with control; although it’s spurred in part by the other kids looking to him as the eldest, Shuuji frequently tries to take control of situations. He’s usually outvoted; however, while he often folds oddly quickly (interestingly, you see him stutter a lot in these instances, a characteristic Lopmon shares), later he more consistently doubles down and lashes out verbally at others when they don’t listen to him. 

His bossiness with the others and his harshness with Lopmon (we’re getting there, don’t worry) is also easily associated with his desire to please and emulate his father. This is common in abused children, who often try to appease their abuser by acting in whatever way they think is least likely to result in further aggression, even when they aren’t there.

In case that was too lowkey, you see Shuuji doing this overtly in the nightmare scene; notice that he is not actually arguing against the way he is being treated, but trying to convince his father that he will behave in the way he wants. The only moment in which he expresses frustration (“you don’t understand me”) is not responded to by the other characters in the dream, suggesting that it’s a feeling he has not actually voiced. (In the true route, Shuuji says that his family has never really had a direct conversation with each other, which would support this.)

At this point it’s also worth saying that not everyone’s trauma response is good, healthy or rational. It would be nice to believe that all victims of abuse simply cry quietly in the corner now and then without otherwise causing trouble, and that may be true for some. However, for many survivors it is not that simple, especially if they have avoided treating or even acknowledging their trauma for some time.

Besides fear and sadness, many survivors may also feel anger; towards their abuser, towards their own powerlessness or even toward people/things that seemingly have nothing to do with the trauma. They may struggle to trust others or form healthy relationships. They may act in ways others consider unusual or inappropriate. None of these things make them less worthy of empathy or compassion.

However: when people cope with abuse–or any other kind of trauma–by perpetuating it on others, that’s where it gets sticky. So, let’s address the bunny in the room.

What is going on with Lopmon?

I’d like to first draw your attention to Shuuji’s treatment of the other characters–including the other Digimon–besides Lopmon. He does have a tendency to be bossy, but this is not exactly inappropriate given the situation; he’s the oldest of all the Survive kids, and the others specifically look to him for guidance (even if they often disagree with it). 

Even Shuuji’s official bio describes him as "gentle and peaceful”. Significantly, Shuuji is also specifically shown soothing others, even when he himself is distressed. Of particular note is the fact that, after Ryo’s death, it’s Shuuji who calms the group down and takes them back to the old school; right after, he also talks Kaito out of immediately going after Miu. 

At his rock-bottom worst, when Arukenimon tempts him with the promise of the group going home in exchange for one child sacrifice, Shuuji still offers himself with very little hesitation to spare the others–he does panic when it comes to sealing the deal, but he still doesn’t throw any of his friends under the bus. Although the other kids are pretty frustrated with him at this point, after he dies they’re quick to note that for all his shortcomings, Shuuji always had the team's safety in mind. So. What is it about Lopmon?

When it comes to Shuuji’s relationship with Lopmon, there is an additional layer of nuance to be considered, beyond even “they are two separate characters in a piece of media”. Digimon Survive operates with the idea that each partner Digimon is literally a part of their fated child’s soul, a concept that was also true for the original Digimon Adventure anime and its sequel.

At a glance, Lopmon and Shuuji might not seem particularly similar. However, they actually share several notable qualities. Like Shuuji, Lopmon dislikes fighting and conflict in general (in group discussions, Shuuji almost always advocates diplomacy or retreat instead of fighting). He’s also determined to contribute and be of use to those he cares about, and prefers to do so without help from others. Most significantly, Lopmon has a strong desire for approval and praise–and sadly, like Shuuji, it is frequently to his detriment. 

But Lopmon also embodies several of Shuuji’s less obvious qualities–ones that are less obvious specifically because Shuuji is trying to suppress them.

Lopmon is very visibly sensitive, often crying, stuttering or trailing off when he’s emotionally affected. He has trouble asserting himself, and can be clumsy and slightly awkward. Another quality of Lopmon’s that’s relevant to Shuuji is that he is not very good at articulating his feelings. When Takuma finally decides to mediate between the two, Lopmon only manages to say that he “needs to be with him” but can’t express why, leaving both him and Shuuji frustrated.

Lopmon’s vulnerability mimics Shuuji's own internal state; his innocent but deeply wounded inner child, who has been made to feel worthless through emotional abuse. In short, Shuuji doesn’t like Lopmon because Shuuji doesn’t like Shuuji, and is specifically cruel to him in ways he is also cruel to himself.

Most interestingly for these two, the creators of the game stated they would use the “Digimon are part of a person’s soul” concept to explore darker themes, with Producer Habu giving the specific example in a stream that “hurting your Digimon is a form of self-harm”. This suggests that the intention of the creators is, in presenting Shuuji and Lopmon’s relationship, not just to show the cycle of abuse that Shuuji is part of but to metaphorically depict a person struggling with self-harm. 

Shuuji & Lopmon as a self-harm metaphor

Shuuji calls Lopmon things like lazy, useless, stupid–words that, either directly or by implication, have also likely been used against him by his family. He rejects Lopmon’s efforts to bond with or please him and holds him to unrealistic and unfair standards, much as his father does with him. Interestingly, Shuuji directly compares himself to Lopmon right after having the nightmare about his father, saying that Lopmon is “like he was” back when his father “chewed [him] out and had to abandon [him]”. 

This wording is important. Shuuji still believes himself to be the problem in his family situation and that his father’s harsh methods are justified–so he uses them on Lopmon, in whom he sees his weaknesses reflected, not only to punish him but to try to “fix” him. However, much as Lopmon functions symbolically as an extension of Shuuji, he is still technically a separate person. Thus, by forcing Lopmon to be held to these same unattainable standards, Shuuji simultaneously perpetuates the cycle of abuse in two ways; by revictimising himself, and by inflicting abuse on another vulnerable person.

You can see this in action when Takuma finally convinces Shuuji to “teach” Lopmon. Shuuji responds by trying to make Lopmon do muscle training like push-ups, which turn out to be physically–perhaps even anatomically–impossible for him. Takuma points out that this isn’t how Digimon gain strength, and Shuuji immediately becomes angry and defensive.

But the things Shuuji’s father expects of him are similarly unachievable; Shuuji literally can’t get results by trying to be the harsh disciplinarian his father wants, because he just isn't one. Like his father, he is asking things of Lopmon that fundamentally contradict who Lopmon is as an individual.

Physical abuse is a whole other issue–but it’s important to note that Shuuji’s abuse of Lopmon does not become physical until he reaches his absolute lowest point; he’s literally been mentally tortured, and has become completely desperate and delusional.

It is interesting that right as Shuuji crosses the line to physically harming Lopmon–metaphorically, escalating from negative self-talk to physical self-harm–Wendimon appears, initially appearing to help Shuuji only to ultimately kill him. This could be considered a grim allegory for how self-harm, though it may seem to provide temporary relief, is a dangerous and unreliable coping mechanism. Furthermore, it shows that Lopmon is even more like Shuuji than we’ve realised up to this point; a gentle person who can nonetheless be driven to great cruelty under harsh enough conditions.

It also doesn’t occur until right after he offers himself to die for the others.This is not purely a noble move–Arukenimon points out, probably correctly, that Shuuji is terrified and wants his suffering to be over. Other dialogue during the Wendimon fight suggests that Shuuji also suffered from suicidal thoughts, stating that he doesn’t deserve to live, though we don’t know if they are recent or if he has harbored them for some time. 

Shuuji has some really interesting dialogue in this sequence; he actually expresses pride in Lopmon for the first time upon seeing how powerful he is, and expresses a desire to use that power against people who have hurt him–specifically including his family. This moment is not about Shuuji becoming powerful, though–rather, it shows us how powerless he is, and how desperate he is to have some sort of strength to assert himself.

This act of destruction also unifies Shuuji and Lopmon for the first time; not through acceptance and trust but through pain and suffering. After eating Shuuji, Wendimon speaks with the voices of both characters as it fights the others, crying openly as it expresses their agony. And their most despairing thoughts are also the same; guilt over their actions, despairing over what they could have done instead, as well as hatred toward themselves.

It gets better (thanks Ryo!)

I know this has been really heavy so far... so let’s talk about the true route for a little bit.

Ryo is the character who Shuuji’s fate hinges on, and this makes good sense for a few reasons. Firstly, in all but the true route, Ryo’s death is a major factor in Shuuji’s own downward spiral; he feels incredibly guilty for failing to protect him, which you do see him attempting several times, trying to calm Ryo and keep him with the group. It’s not the only reason he breaks down, but it’s an important trigger. 

However, in the true route, Ryo’s survival of the bridge incident gives us a chance to see one of his most important and positive qualities: he’s very observant. In the waterway incident, this really shines through; not only does he escape Arukenimon’s illusions the fastest, he’s not affected by them at all. In similar fashion, he’s able to analyse the situation with Shuuji in ways the others can’t; by immediately drawing parallels between Shuuji’s delusional behavior and his own in the past, Ryo is the only one capable of identifying both the problem and the solution.

The problem? Shuuji is traumatized, and the enemy is exploiting that. Not only does Ryo state this directly, he even admonishes the others for not being more sensitive to it. The solution? It’s a little bit weirder, but I’ll explain why I think it’s effective.

Punching Shuuji–while not the most elegant response–is the first step in eliciting a physical reaction that unifies him with Lopmon in that moment. Notice that Shuuji instantly loses his aggression after Ryo does this; not only that, but (though I’m not sure if this carries over in the original Japanese or other locations) even his speech patterns almost immediately start to mimic Lopmon’s own.

The way Ryo calls him out verbally also unifies Shuuji with Lopmon. He points out the lengths to which Lopmon has gone for him even though Shuuji never appreciated it, and that harming him is cruel and unfair–though unknowingly, he’s also directly summarized Shuuji’s relationship with his father. It’s entirely possible that Shuuji has never considered this with regard to his own situation, not just Lopmon’s, and Ryo’s words give a whole new context to the way he has been taught to view the world. 

Then Ryo does something very important: he tells Shuuji that he has friends who will support him through what’s happening right now. He holds him accountable, but he also makes it clear that he will still be helped and cared for.

Following this, Shuuji’s apology to Lopmon is genuine, emotional and incredibly humble; and this time around, Lopmon’s evolution into Turuiemon is triggered by empathy, not rage. @digital-survivor​ (again, haha) has made a great post about how Lopmon’s evo line in the true route represents Shuuji’s positive character development should he let go of his need to please his father and trust in his own decisions. I wholeheartedly agree with this post so I will not analyse these scenes too much further, but I will add the following:

The Turuiemon evolution scene is particularly significant because it signifies the turning point not just for Shuuji's relationship with Lopmon, but his relationship with himself. From that moment on, when he praises or validates Lopmon, he’s also praising and validating the parts of himself that he previously saw as weak or useless, slowly healing the damage that has inflicted on him over the years. One of the things he says to Lopmon during his apology is “I have to heal you”; and, yes, he does need to make up for the things he’s done to Lopmon! But Shuuji also needs to heal, and to show the same patience and gentleness to himself that he is willing to show others.

However, the Cherubimon evolution scene is the one I really want to focus on because, besides being a culmination of Shuuji’s gradually increasing self-worth–and, of course, his bond with Lopmon–it is also a direct inversion of the Wendimon evolution scene. 

As I mentioned earlier, the Wendimon evolution occurs right after Shuuji offers himself to Arukenimon as a sacrifice to save his friends. In this moment Shuuji’s motivation is not pure; he does want to save his friends, but he’s also desperate, miserable and wants his pain to end. The way he says it–“it should be me”–also indicates he feels it’s the ‘correct’ option that he is obligated to choose, not something he is fully willing to do.

Wendimon's evolution happens only because Shuuji forces it to through abuse; and, though Wendimon is incredibly powerful, this power cannot be controlled and backfires horribly, symbolizing Shuuji's self-destruction.

The Cherubimon evolution happens in a similar (though not quite as high-stakes) situation; Shuuji and Lopmon are facing off against a powerful enemy, and Shuuji tells Takuma to leave them and get the others, despite knowing they might not make it. In this instance Shuuji is not acting out of fear or panic; he’s assessed the situation and consciously chosen to shield the others, because he truly believes it’s the right thing to do.

In this instance, Cherubimon's evolution is triggered through Shuuji's conviction and his deep bond with Lopmon, their combined power manifesting exactly as Shuuji intends it to–symbolizing his self-acceptance.

“The Discourse”

Since the original anime, Digimon has always–in my opinion–tended to depict children’s problems with honesty and compassion. Digimon Survive is, at least as far as I know, far darker in tone than any other piece of Digimon media to date, and so it’s to be expected that it would deal with more complex issues. Parental abuse isn’t the only heavy hitter in the main cast’s trauma bag; it also addresses possibly terminal illness and even the stalking/sexual harrassment of a very young child.

Frankly, I commend this game for depicting Shuuji’s trauma in such an unflinching way, showing both the darkest possible outcome as well as a more hopeful path. If it makes you uncomfortable, then that’s probably exactly what the writers had in mind. Child abuse–mental, physical, anything–is a terribly painful subject, and the game is very specific and intentional in showing why Shuuji is the way he is. I think it’s also significant that, even outside the true route, it’s very clear that Takuma and the other characters don’t condemn Shuuji as a bad person who deserved his fate–they simply regret not having the means to help him.

As I said earlier, while of course not all victims of abuse will express abusive, or even just misguided behavior themselves, it is important to recognise that some might. To put it bluntly: if you are willing to retract support for abuse victims because they have made mistakes–especially children, making mistakes that are direct results of how their abuse has mentally impacted them–then I would question if you support them at all. No abuse victim–no person–is perfect, and while of course all people should be accountable for their mistakes, this doesn’t mean they should not also receive support for their problems. 

Of course, Shuuji is a fictional character, and so to dislike him is not necessarily reflective of how one feels about real children in his situation. But the fandom response to this character has been so aggressive and unsympathetic that it’s difficult not to wonder if maybe people just really didn’t understand the point of him. In any other piece of media, it’s hard to believe an abused child with a self-harm problem would be judged as harshly.

In fact, even within the Digimon franchise, Ken from 02, whose physical abuse of his partner Wormmon is much more regular and pronounced (people like to say the difference is Ken’s actions are influenced by external forces–actually, so are Shuuji’s) is a fan-favorite. Why is that? Why are people so quick to say that Shuuji “deserves” to suffer, while Ken is generally regarded as having one of the best redemption arcs in the fandom–when the situation is actually not that different? Is it because Lopmon is a cute bunny and Wormmon is an icky bug? Is it because our attitude to consuming media with “problematic” characters has simply changed over time?

Furthermore, what exactly would Shuuji have to do to “earn” his happy ending in the true route? He already apologizes, and immediately modifies his behavior toward Lopmon once it’s fully addressed. He continues to feel guilty for it, right up into the later parts of the game–but even when he brings this up (which is rarely) he never makes it about him. If you want him to have some sort of external punishment, Ryo did tell him off after punching him in the face–and if that’s not good enough, he literally dies painfully in the event that nobody is there to do just that. 

The narrative does not condone his actions, nor are they without consequence. So the question is really: exactly how much more do you want him to suffer? And why, when the game has already shown you that suffering more will not fix his behavior or save Lopmon? I think it is important to ask ourselves these questions, especially because, if anything, the entire message of the true route is that by making an effort to empathize with others–including those who have done wrong and seem unreachable–we may be able to help not just them, but the community or even the world as a whole. 

If you still don’t like Shuuji, that’s fine; again, he’s not a real person, and anyone is free to think whatever they like. If his actions disgust you and you can’t get past it or just generally hate his vibes, that’s none of my business.

But I think for many people, seeing Shuuji and Lopmon’s story turn from a cautionary tale of self-loathing to one of redemption through self-acceptance is a genuine source of comfort and hope.

In short, it’s a shame to write off this character at his worst, without giving him a chance at his best.

But he learns, eventually, even if it means he has to learn it the hard way (Leomon’s death will always haunt him, I’d wager). Like I said before, the Digital world in this universe is cruel, but based on Leomon’s words, you can get around it by knowing when to fight and when to bend over. It’s a very practical lesson, I feel, that many parts of western media don’t truly get: you need both hard and soft power in the right moment with the right people to get a point across. Sometimes words can change a person’s mind, but in other situations you must use strength; when there are enemies to defeat, sometimes it’s the only way. It’s not about being a killing machine, or a useless passive tool; you just have to know when to strike.

So, we can read this as the Digimon gaining a conscience and mind besides what they were programmed, or what the habitat of the Digital world gave them. Ironic enough, the original Digimon abandoned the human, only to later gain a sense of “humanity” of their own by interacting with human children, decades later. Funny how it comes along.

·      Other Symbolism and imagery

Well, here I’ll point out other symbolism and imagery that didn’t fit into religion or culture. Pop culture references, slang, and the like.

First up, let’s start with Beelzebumon’s design, which, I think I said before, not only calls back to Phantom of the Paradise, but also to a bird. Notice the sharp helmet, the black wings, the talon-like fingers…He looks downright bizarre, doesn’t he? Compared to other more humanoid Digimon, he looks a little uneven.

Yet I think the birds imagery is there for a reason, since it can allude to many things. It can allude to ravens, who are often associated with death with Western culture; but also but generic carrions / birds of prey, since they’re the most aggressive types of birds, and as we know, Beelzebumon early on is presented similar to an icon of Death the series has: he brings doom, and even if he manages to kill only one character, his actions manage to shape up the rest of the series.

I also think it’s fascinating that the Deva that suggests him to make the Deal to get power is Catsuramon, based on the dog in the Chinese Zodiac. In more colloquial terms, hitmen who are used by men in high places to get rid of possible enemies are often called “dogs” since they’re used often to do the dirty work; ea “take out the trash” so that a powerful man’s public perception/reputation isn’t soiled. In a way the Devas use Beelzebumon in a similar manner, just use him as a mercenary to take out the pesky kids who would otherwise ruin their plans. They don’t care about his wellbeing or struggle, after all, he’s nothing to them; just the convenient hitman for their plans to go as intended. So what if they ruin a potential friendship between him and the gang? It it not of their concern, and if he goes too out of hand (like it did happen in ep. 35), well, you know the saying “put the dog to sleep”? I reckon if Beelzebumon hadn’t been so powerful and there had been more Devas around at that point, maybe it would’ve been his end much earlier on.

And again, the symbolism! Ruki initially used Renamon as an “attack dog” as well, not really concerned for her wellbeing but just using her to get to a goal. Remember how I said earlier Renamon and Guilmon’s fight is framed to resemble more an actual dog fight than anything more animeish or fantastical. I do love how the show clearly states that self-reflecting and maturing is what distinguishes our heroes from the “villains”; Ruki learns from her mistakes and begins to trust and care for Rena, while the Devas just wallow in their pride until the end of the world comes and bites them in the ass.

Remember what I said before about Vajramon, about how he’d be important later on? His crush is interesting to notice because, in an oddly manner, it’s eerily similar to how Impmon’s interactions with Renamon are showcased. Vajramon urges for Renamon to ditch the humans and live with the Digimon, on their own terms. It’s not so dissimilar to how Impmon initially tried to lure Renamon in to his side, to convince her that living wild and free is ten times more exciting than being at the mercy of the humans.

The red shoes comparison in ep. 27 is also good to point out again since I’ve read some analysis of the fairy tale, and apparently, the story could be read as an analogy to temptation and redemption (religious redemption)….Just in the same episode where our demon boy gets tempted to make a pact with the devil, something he’ll regret later on…

I’ll have to add more to this idea. The comparison with the Red Shoes is interesting because usually, unless it delivers vital information or adds importance to the plot (like say, Princess Tutu with Swan Lake), fairy tales and references in children’s media tends to be very simple, well known facts or stories, so that more audiences can understand the reference without getting lost. Here’s the thing tho, while the Red Shoes was popular for a few years, it’s nowhere near as popular as other fairy tales like Cinderella or Red Riding Hood or even Hans Christian Andersen’s other works like the Litle Mermaid or the Ugly Duckling. If the writing staff wanted to pinpoint something, they could’ve easily used an invented fairy tale or brought forward a local Japanese folktale. So, the Red Shoes is added there because it can relate to the plot, but again, also look at it from a symbolic perspective.

In most analysis of the fairy tale, the story can be read as an allusion to temptation and redemption, specifically of the religious variety. So now, we can see, well, what’s the big deal? Since neither Juri, Takato or Jen have those stories in their characters arcs…But you know who does?

Bingo.

And you know who has his prominent scene where he sells his soul to the devil in the same episode?

Bingo bingo bingo.

·      East and West, and the Relative “Othered” Culture

Digimon takes a lot of cues from real-life mythologies to base the designs of their monsters, nobody denies that. We’ve spoken of the religious aspect of these two, but what about the cultural aspect? Does it ring as true?

Well, yes. For religion shapes a lot of our cultures as well, and informs us a lot about our mindsets, our beliefs, and other aspects that form our selves. But other aspects of culture can flourish apart from religion; family, education, work or anything else that shapes how we function in our society. Digimon can take these elements and mold them to shape new aspects of the characters.

First, we can explain that Digimon, as an anime, is a product made mostly by a Japanese staff, with Japanese writers and producers, and as we can infer, Japan, like any other country; has a different culture than the one we (the West) is accustomed to. Heck, that can be applied to each Western country as well, since each of us differ in some aspects (where it be food, language, beliefs, etc etc). Based on what most of the writers grew up with, they were probably influenced by their surroundings when writing the series.

So where does Renamon and Impmon fit in all this? Well, compared to the other main Mons, the two are the ones that represents the most an specific culture, like religion.

I already explained enough in religion, so I won’t repeat much, but it’s interesting to point out again. Renamon is influenced with a lot of imagery from different Eastern religions, from Taoism and Shinto, and she’s not only related in religious terms, but also culturally. She’s very reserved, and that’s a stark contrast against the other Child Digimon who are much chipper and chattier. In TVTropes, I read, instead, that her quite, withdrawn behavior is a nod to the Yamato Nadeshiko model, an archetype in Japanese media that refers to the “ideal Japanese woman”, an archetype for a female character that is idealized as what the perfect Japanese woman would be. Quiet, elegant, but also strong and able to withhold struggles. Now, I stated before Renamon was written as agender, as stated by Konaka, but in some episodes of the series sometimes the writing schews towards favoring a more feminine view of her (characters calling her “beautiful”, the association with cherry blossoms…), and with that idea in mind, she clearly personifies this ideal. She’s strong, she’s never left without agency, but she also never loses her composure and always respects her superiors. Based on her design and her leitmotif (the flute whenever she appears), she withhelds her culture in great passion (in most dubs, she’s the only Digimon that keeps her attacks in JP, whereas the others have theirs translated or are just basic Eng), and again, she’s sent as the partner to the girl that belongs to a more traditional Japanese household.

Being a Digital Monster, she can’t belong to any specific culture, but if we can apply the idea of “coding” (adding certain characteristics of a culture or a race to a character that in principle wouldn’t have (example: an alien), but without outright stating it), then we can infer the writers intended for her to be read as Japanese. Yet, this has a different effect on her than on Impmon. I’ll speak of that later.

Impmon instead represents Western imagery in almost every aspect of him. His design resembles a little bit Mickey Mouse, the supposed “icon” of Western cartoons, or even Bimbo from Betty Boop. A mascot, really. A cute trickster cartoon meant to entertain children; makes sense to pair him up with the youngest Tamers, then.

His dialogue in the Japanese dub is peppered with random words of English as well (he mentions “pride” and “baby” quite pronounced in episode 8). Usually in anime this is a shortcut to point out the character has influence from the West, or is American; usually it’s done to point out how different the character is from the rest of the cast, who are more prominently portrayed as Japanese, or how the character attempts to look “cool” by speaking another language. Think of many English speaking characters in Western media who attempt to speak French / Italian to seem “sophisticated” or “romantic” (Cultures will idealize/romanticize and exoticize other cultures, it happens all the time, no matter the culture).

The American influence is also in Beelzebumon. The leather jacket, the bike, the rock theme tune he’s associated with…Commonly associated with the greaser /rock and roll movement, which took place in America. You can recall the number of “bad boys” influenced by this look in media in general. It also has influence on how Japanese media portrays bad boys, since he has blonde hair.

Now, you’d think it’s nothing special, but in anime blonde hair is very special. In Japan, people with natural blonde hair are uncommon to see, since it’s a very homogenous race. People with natural blonde or red hair are uncommon, or foreigners, so often in an anime or manga, unless the character is stated to be from another country, if they have blonde hair it’s often to showcase how they “stand apart” and are “noncomformist”. A large subsection of Japanese youth who bleach their hair often do it to stand out from the rest of society, and sometimes they can be associated in media with gangs and delinquent behavior. You see a bit of this with Yamato in Adventure, that portrayed his initial aloofness and lone wolf nature with his design (also the “aloof musician” and his partner being a literal wolf- he’s based a lot on American ideals of a bad boy); but we also see this complete with Beelzebumon, who’s the “stranger” of the team. And well, gotta fit the “bad boy” aesthetic. (Notice western biker bad boys often are brunettes; take that into consideration)

And yes, whenever a series does attempt to interpret a culture, it will inavertedly “other” this culture in contrast to the homogenous, dominant, hegemonic culture. There’s always an Other, in any story. Here in Digimon, it’s the inverse of how would Western Media do so. While with Renamon, it’s used to emphasize her connection to the country, and show her as dignified and traditional; with Impmon is to further emphasize his role of the “outcast” in the group, how he initially stuggles to fit in with the others in many ways. He’s too American initially to get along with the other more Japanese characters.

…And yet, it is interesting, again, to pinpoint, the character that bonds the most with the “foreigner” is the one that’s most wrapped around Japanese traditions. Hmm…

·      Impmon’s redemption, and his placement in the franchise as a whole /Second chances

Digimon as a franchise is not a stranger to redemption arcs, or giving second chances to those who wronged. Tailmon, Ken, Oikawa, Kouichi and others have committed mistakes in the past, or wronged the main characters in significant ways, yet the narrative always attempted to find a way for them to right the wrongs and let the characters commit to turn to the best versions of themselves. Sometimes they succeeded, sometimes they lost, sometimes they almost gave up their lives…What matters here is that there was always a chance.

So, where does this go? Well, that Impmon is in a similar position. He probably fits the classic Redemption Arc to a Tee, considering he was conscious of all his decisions, and wasn’t brainwashed/didn’t know better to make his decisions. Yes, you could say Catsuramon influenced him, but all of his choices were done by his own decision. So he wanted power…And he got a taste of what unlimited power can give you, and where it can lead you, if you have no control. He goes to a point where he basically asks himself “was this worth it?”.

What is important to note is while it is possible to redeem yourself, it is not easy, for these characters have to sacrifice. They hurt others so much, endangered their mission, so they must understand some things may not be so easy to achieve. They have to gain empathy, to fully turn good, they must realize the damage they cause to others in the first place. They end up even losing loved ones on the way (Wormmon, Wizarmon), but it’s what finally leads them on the path to goodness, I think.

What is also vital is that these characters are contrasted against the villains, which showed that, despite their cruel nature, they have a conscience, a sense of empathy, something which the villains lack. They have to stop and think, and realize that their actions have consequences.

It’s also interesting to point out that often, these characters don’t turn to villainy out of a sense of arrogance or pride; but the franchise cleverly shows that it’s often grief and misplaced emotions that fuels them to the dark side (it doesn’t help that a wicked figure is often nearby to tempt them). Ken, Oikawa and Tailmon turned evil out of the grief of losing loved ones or living a life of resentment, abandonment and pain. We’re given enough depth to understand that under different circumstances, they wouldn’t have taken this path. Similarly, I feel Impmon wouldn’t have taken his path if he hadn’t been beaten so badly by Indramon and then exiled himself away from the Tamers (who were ready to welcome him into the team at that point).

Also, curiously enough, the atoner characters in Digimon often are associated with purple. Wonder why…

·      Moon queens and their doomed romances /Parallels in couples from other media

Here I’ll focus mostly on other mythology/ media and the moon association, since it adds a lot to the discussion.

I said before, and I’ll repeat it again, but Renamon is closely associated with the moon. She’s framed in shadows often, her first transformation into Kyuubimon is during the full moon, and Taomon and Sakuyamon feature the moons in their transformations.

Incidentally, their first meeting is on a night of a full moon, her natural element. It could lead to a suggestion of how he tries to tempt her to the “dark side”, but it cannot work on her because the moon is her mother, she bathes in starlight and shadows; she feasts on moonglow and clouds. The darkness knows her, so it cannot scare her.

Interestingly, a lot of mythology related to moon maidens/moon goddesses are love stories. Like the Greek Moon Goddess Selene who fell in love with Prince Endymion from Earth (that’s the basis for Princess Serenity’s story in Sailor Moon), or the Chinese Moon Goddess Chang’e who was forced to live on the moon once she was separated from her lover. It is interesting that goddesses who are associated with the moon, in two very different culture (Ancient Greece and China) have their goddesses star in love stories with a mortal man. (we could say that Impmon, in this analysis, is the man- the man who sinned, but was allowed redemption- wow, symbolism from three different religions at once!)

Of course, it is interesting to point out that in Shinto religion, the Moon god is male, which would be a contradiction to our analysis, but I still feel you can make the connection work well.

...And yet, once she evolves into Sakuyamon in the human world, one shot of her has her framed similar to Amaterasu, the sun goddess of Shintoism. Symbolism? You decide.

They even share a few parallels with Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, from Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire. Dany, like Renamon, is often associated with the moon (“moon of my life”), and has a mystical connection with a magical creature (dragons, kitsunes) and magical white hair. They’re seen as goddess-like figures in their narratives. (Mhysa, Mother of Dragons, the Unburnt) They both tend to be strong and ruthless to their enemies, but compassionate with their loved ones. They also both have a storyline that they start as pawns of someone else, only for them to end up as Queens in their own right.

Both of the female in these couples are often associated with the East, while the male is associated with the West.

Jon doesn’t have much in common with Impmon/Beelze aside from the black/death/raven association (“Lord Crow”), but they both struggle with accepting their identity as they are (a weak runaway Digimon, a bastard in a prejudiced society), yet both manage to go through stories where they turn being from the lowest of the low to having some of the largest roles in the cast, even gaining power in the process (Lord Commander/Prince That Was Promised, Reformed Demon Lord). Finally, both couples have a lot of foreshadowing and symbolism as well (“a flower grew from a chink of ice in the wall, filling the air with sweetness” / “The Moon has kissed you, Lord Snow…”). And both stories are deconstructions of their traditional genre (High Fantasy/Monster Pet anime). Guilmon, like Drogon, is the red and black dragon whom can have a dangerous side if left untreated, but both Takato and Dany need to learn how to control their children so that they cannot keep causing uncontrolled damage. And well, both stories really start to get going once the birth of a dragon comes forward. XP

And well, the three main Digimon are also the same color as Dany’s dragons! Coincidences, I know, but I like it.

·      Death and the Maiden / Hades and Persephone / Life, Death and Rebirth

Now, at this point this is pure speculation, since this is mostly a Western concept, and probably does not have an exact Japanese equivalent; but often ideas and similar archetypes can be found in almost all cultures and mythologies across the world, and I liked the pattern where this was going; so, better to mention it just in case.

The concept of Death and the Maiden is a very old archetype, harkening back to a set of paintings done during Renaissance Italy, where it depicts a young woman in a passionate relationship with the personification of Death, often in the form of a skeleton. It’s an art movement meant to display the natural contrast between Life and Death  (the woman representing life and birth, and the skeleton representing, well…Death; precisely). People have caught on to this movement, and began applying similar concepts in other pieces of art, like literature or theatre.

This has even earlier origins in the Greek Myths of Eros and Psyche and Hades and Persephone; where a pure female figure, often a goddess symbolizing life and spring; falls for a decadent godlike being that symbolizes Death and Otherness.

It’s a tale as old as time, basically; the idea of a beautiful, heavenly woman falling for a demonic monster-man. It’s a staple of almost every culture and every time period. It’s in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the first story ever told in the written world, with Enkidu and Shamat; Greek Myths, as I said before, like Eros and Psyche and Hades and Persephone. Phantom of the Opera (and its variations…Yes, Phantom of the Paradise can go here), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Man Who Laughs, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, Wolf Children, La Belle et La Bête and its million adaptations, King Kong, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the X-Men (specifically romances with either Nightcrawler, Wolverine or Beast; since they emphasize more the message of “my lover is a monster but he’s truer than most “normal” people”), Mamoru Hosoda’s Belle (oooh, Hosoda, the same director of Our War Game…), Ancient Magus Bride, The Shape of Water, hell the whole concept of a “bad boy” lover can be this, if it’s emphasized his “Otherness” or “animalistic” tendencies…What these stories have in common is the “monstrous lover” aspect and elements like Redemption, Compassion for the Other, and the Transformative Power of Love. We can even see these simplistic storylines appear in more mature works like Jane Eyre or A Song of Ice and Fire (and yes, even Dany has a similar “Beauty and the Beast” motif in her story, yet it is not reciprocated from her side). Add to it elements of the “Byronic Monster” that first popped up in Frankenstein, about giving pathos and dimension to the monster figure, beyond being just a threat to be eliminated; and there you have elements that adapt to current Monster romance stories.

So, I find this concept when applied to Renamon and Impmon fitting, especially if we can apply it to their Ultimate/Mega levels. Sakuyamon is framed specifically as a Defense Digimon, and her transformation emphasizes sakura blossoms, which are a flower that blooms especially at the start of spring. She’s drawn with so much grace and elegance, one could associate her figure as that of a goddess (fitting, since she was named after one). Sakura blossoms symbolize often new beginnings, rebirth, purity and beauty; which would place Sakuyamon in the Persephone/Shamat/Beauty role in this scenario.

The Beelzebumon…Now, his story is not based on his looks, which is the basis of most of these monster stories, but he’s still associated with a “monstrous figure” in his darkest moments during the story. A threat to be vanquished. Everything in his design alludes to evil, death and the devil; as I’ve previously commented on. Not only is his name taken from a well known demonic figure (Beelzebub), but details of his design call back to common characteristics of animals associated with death. His wings, long and black, call to the raven; a bird often associated with ill omen and cemeteries. He even has other elements that call back to birds: the beak-like helmet, or his long, talon-like fingers. His design seems to allude to a bird of prey or a carrion bird, known for feasting on corpses. Add to that that he gruesomely kills Leomon, setting up the following events of the second part of the series; and his backstory in other Digimon media as a Demon Lord…He can be easily associated as the Lord of Death in this universe. The Hades to Sakuyamon’s Persephone in this scenario.

So, with such big contrasts, one would think they would be polar opposites, right? Have nothing in common, no? Well, that’s where we differ. In many of these “Beast and Beauty” / “Monster and Maiden” stories, they ultimately, against the judgement of others, get together. They learn to see similarities with each other and that leads them to start a stronger bond. Commonality leads to empathy, which leads to compassion, which leads to a transformation of the self. If it weren’t for Renamon’s empathy, Impmon would’ve been left for dead in the Digital World. Once in the Real World, he’s given a second chance, and without delay he starts amending the bonds he had broken previously. Incidentally, the “transformative power of love” is in full essence here, since once he again the friendship of Ai and Makoto, he’s able his true Ultimate/Mega form, Blast Mode, which in extended media, is stated to be a “Beelzemon freed of any wickedness in his heart”. Note that Ai’s name in Japanese is often translated as “love”, so, the effect of love indeed does transform our favorite Imp; from a rascal, to a monster, to a person searching to do the right thing. And again, recall back the religious symbolism- the fallen angel NOW regains his wings…And now he can atone for his sins. And once fully good, the Maiden accepts the aid of the Monster once again, without judging him or criticizing him.

We can even suggest that Jen’s sensei aiding him to get to Ai and Makoto fits into the “don’t judge a book by its cover” message, since Sensei was the only one who saw fit to help Impmon, since he wasn’t scared of him. He knows nothing of his past, only knows of his looks, yet “senses no wickedness in his heart”; unlike all the other passengers in the train who screamed at his sight. So, good, we basically get all the message of the story covered at this point!

So, while it’s far from a typical romance, it does share a lot of similar elements for the story to take place. (Perhaps in a future sequel, maybe…)

·      “Compassion is so often the solution”

I wanted this to be an entry in itself. Because ultimately, compassion is what saves both of them. It’s often a statement in most children’s media, which would be considered a cliché and just something not worth talking over, but for this relationship it’s vital.

Heck, it’s compassion what leads to Renamon’s first time evolving. Fighting not for the sake of fighting, but for saving Ruki (“You’re my partner”). It’s also the culmination of her character development, going from a Digimon only attacking and dedicated to fighting to giving her life for her friends…It’s that level of compassion where the gods grant her chance to evolve to Mega, the time when she shines the brightest. It’s when Ruki starts seeing her as an equal, and cares for her wellbeing, that their bond can strengthen and achieve evolution without qualms. Compassion allows her to achieve her true power and turn into a beautiful, powerful Goddess.

Similarly, Impmon is saved more than once due to the power of compassion. And the most vital time, it wasn’t even Renamon’s doing! The event that lead the course to change his life came all from Juri’s actions, who meant nothing to him at that point. As Dukemon defeated him in battle, he was ready to strike, ready to finish all the harm and misery and Beelzemon brought upon the children, but he stopped. He stopped, and only because Juri requested it! Even Beelzemon couldn’t understand it at first; his tone of voice and body language seemed to have accepted defeat and possible death at that point.

Beelzebumon: Why?  I don’t get it…I killed Leomon, after all…

Juri (in tears):…Even if we kill you, that won’t bring him back…And I never want to feel this pain ever again! So please…Just stop…

-Episode 36

And everyone stops, the battle ends. Dukemon devolves and Takato goes to comfort Juri, while Beelzebumon is lost amidst his thoughts. Everything, all he knew, all he believed in, was shattered in that battle, was shattered in that moment a little girl pleaded for his life. So what was she to him? What was he to her? He believed for a long while that humans were stupid and selfish; and in her eyes, he would be nothing more than a bloodthirsty murderer. He could’ve died, and maybe stuff would’ve ended right then and there.

But Juri shows him something different, another layer, a second chance, selflessness. His whole image of humans broke in that moment, at the same time that broke all his illusions of power. If it weren’t for that simple act of kindness, maybe he wouldn’t have reconsidered and taken responsibility for his actions. Maybe he would’ve pondered killing more and more Digimon until a Mega showed up and put him in his place.

But because of that little gesture of mercy, of kindness, was what lead him away from his “expected” destiny, that of a cruel Demon Lord; to forge his own path, the Fallen Angel who gained his wings again. He suffered, and lost, but he learned, and he got better than ever. And all because somebody helped him, in the darkest he’s ever been.

Other things

Nothing serious, it’s just that in promotional material for the series, they’re always one way or another together. Look:

·    

  Final thoughts

And all this is why I think this is the most interesting couple that has existed in the Digimon series, or has the potential to be one of the more interesting; since a lot of ideas and themes are tied with context and symbolism and imagery. It’s not just casual dialogue or “well they look cute together”, a lot of beauty of their potential is all in the imagery, the music, the hidden meanings, etc. It’s just a shame the fandom never took off because of outside circumstances, because I know they have the potential, in a parallel universe, to be some of the most characters in the fandom. I mean, they already are, but I think would people would be more on board with their relationship if they saw the parallels. I mean, after all, they’ve got soo many elements others go nuts for in other fandoms: redemption arc, symbolism, “bad boys”…