There will be a spoiler mention later but I'll warn before we get to it. Also, this review can be read without prior knowledge of the Xros Wars (Fusion) series though it being the sequel to the 2nd season of Xros Wars, it will may have spoilers for the last season or two.
So, I'll be honest. I waited years to watch Seasons 1 & 2 of Xros Wars and right as i was about too, a Dub was announced for it, called Digimon Fusion. So, I watched it and it's 2nd season. The 1st season was not that good and got better around the ... half point, but I considered dropping it. Glad I didn't. The 2nd season was awesome and i waited years till recently hoping for a Dub but, the writing was on the wall, a dub was unlikely to happen especially given certain actors would need to be brought back. (In other words, would cost more to Dub) I also think (don't quote me) that Fusion did poorly in the US, which would further explain why Digimon Hunters (Xros Wars Season 3) didn't get a Dub. Maybe it will in the future but I doubt it but love to be wrong.
Anyway, that brings us up to speed with the series, now is Hunters any good? To my delight yes it is, very good in fact. While 2 or 2.5 episodes were stinkers for me, I enjoyed the majority. Does it have problems? Yes, it does, namely 1 thing goes unanswered involving someone who forgot the gang nor was it even brought up and the biggest thing you may've heard is, until the last 3.5 episodes, the plot revolves around the gimmick of hunting Digimon and the real plot is set aside with slight hints in a few episodes here and there (Emphasis on few and slight hints). BUT! Despite this, the "Digital Monster of the week" format worked really well. Some say there wasn't character development but that's not true. Its just harder to notice for some characters unless you're paying attention. Sure its not big or major character development for anyone but its there and each "Digital Monster of the week" episode we see has plenty of life lessons in it and more; over all it was enjoyable and a blast and one of the better Digimon anime out there if you ask me.
Now the good news is, you can watch this by itself, no need to even see the first two seasons of Xros Wars before the third season being Hunters. YES there will be spoilers for the first two season if you do this and YES you will lose out on context and such for some things but the Hunters anime does a good job of mentioning what happened in the last two seasons when it brings up anything/someone from the past two seasons and something that happened in the past. By the way, it'd been maybe 5 years? years either way since I last saw Fusion (Xros Wars) and i finished both seasons and sadly forgot most of it (Can't say those seasons were memorable, but that doesn't mean they're bad and it's prolly the same for Hunters too given the format) yet despite forgetting most of it, I wasn't lost for long as Hunters explained most of what I forgot for the characters and plot it brought up. That said am sure it would've been slightly more enjoyable if I could've remembered the last two seasons better.
Now let me rate the Hunters anime... a solid 7.5 out of 10.0 and I really don't feel it deserves the low score on MAL that it has, especially if you don't worry about the plot too much and just enjoy the "Digital Monster of the week" format the Hunters anime has as you'll get to the plot at the end, until then, enjoy the anime for what it mostly is and yes, there is a reason why it's like this and is explained in the plot towards the end.
Oh and I forgot to mention but I LOVE the OP music and didn't skip it but like once or twice.
Also, out of the new human characters, Airu is my fav~
Now about that spoiler I mentioned, we're coming to it but know what I'm about to say has no bearing on anything I said already nor did it affect the rating as this is concerning the end of the anime plot and the rating stayed the same both before and after those 3.5 episodes. Alright, stop reading now unless you have seen the anime and thanks for reading, hope it helped you and hope you enjoy the anime if you watch it. :)
Ok so, having the old cast (Not all, but a good many) return was pretty awesome, sadly I was already spoiled on this years ago and never forgot it (and would've been reminded even if i had) so i knew it was coming. It was not only awesome to see them again but sweet speculating the plot of what was coming as the Watch Maker and his role is where you start speculating, especially at the point the old cast i mentioned are teased around the half point given what happened up to that point and in the episode. Also, even though I watched the entire Digimon series' anime up to this point English Dubbed, watching the Sub wasn't that bad nor was I confused by any name differences for the old cast. The Japanese Sub was really well done too. Double Kudos to the fact Taiki (Mikey) Kudou's VA is the same VA who plays Conan Edogawa aka Shinichi Kudou in Detective Conan. Guess one truth really does prevail ey you two Kudous? (They both have the same last name and voice in both their anime, coincidence or not? Who can say lol)
I really do hope someday we get a sequel to Hunters as it was clear they may've been setting up for a sequel with how the Hunters anime ended (It has an ending but more can be made given how it ended) and I'd love to see the cast again, especially Airu and her Digimon.
Alternative Titles Synonyms: Digimon Cross Wars, Digimon Xros Wars: Toki wo Kakeru Shounen Huntertachi, Digimon Xros Wars: The Hunting Boys Running Through Time, Digimon Xros Wars: The Young Hunters Who Leapt Through Time Japanese: デジモンクロスウォーズ 時を駆ける少年ハンターたち Information Type: TV Episodes: 25 Status: Finished Airing Aired: Oct 2, 2011 to Mar 25, 2012 Premiered: Fall 2011 Broadcast: Sundays at 06:30 (JST) Producers: TV Asahi Licensors: Flatiron Film Company Studios: Toei Animation Source: Original Theme: Isekai Duration: 25 min. per ep. Rating: PG - Children Statistics Score: 6.421 (scored by 13,316 users) 1 indicates a . Ranked: #74722 2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #4276 Members: 26,866 Favorites: 32 Available AtResources |
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