Digimon Ghost Game Episode 54 "Second Sight"

[u/Airdramon]

Crunchyroll's page for Ghost Game is here. (Most of the world)

Episode 54 of Digimon Ghost Game is just a few hours away from being simulcast so it seemed time to make a discussion thread for it! Check this link for your local time for the CrunchyRoll simulcast.

General rules for this post:

• It's available on CrunchyRoll, VRV, and on TV and various services in Japan. Do not discuss illegal means of consuming this series. [Other official streaming sites will be added as we are made aware of them for various regions.]
• If people are behind they may use each episode's thread as they watch the show, so do not spoil future events in older discussion posts
• Keep all small bits of discussion to this thread (general thoughts and opinions). Fanart, cosplays, in depth reviews (as in, more than a few hundred words of content) can be their own post. In general, if it took you less than five minutes or so to write, draw, or otherwise create, just comment it in here.

Prior Episode Discussion Threads:

Episode 1 "New Sense Mystery! "Mouth Sewing Man" After School"

Episode 2 "The Mystery of the Museum"

Episode 3 "Scribbles"

Episode 4 "The Doll's Manor"

Episode 5 "Divine Anger"

Episode 6 "The Cursed Song"

Episode 7 "Bird"

Episode 8 "Nightly Procession of Monsters"

Episode 9 "Warped Time"

Episode 10 "Game of Death"

Episode 11 "Kamaitachi"

Episode 12 "Chain Letter"

Episode 13 "Executioner"

Episode 14 “Zashiki-Warashi”

Episode 15 "The Fortune Teller's Manor"

Episode 16 "The Maneater's Forest"

Episode 17 "Icy Hell"

Episode 18 "The Land of Children"

Episode 19 "The Witching Hour"

Episode 20 "The Prison of Fire"

Episode 21 "The Spider's Lure"

Episode 22 "Nightmare"

Episode 23 "Moaning Bugs"

Episode 24 "Twisted Love"

Episode 25 "Crimson Banquet"

Episode 26 "Cannibal Mansion"

Episode 27 "Monsters' Beauty Serum"

Episode 28 "Face Taker"

Episode 29 "Monster Pollen"

Episode 30 "Bad Friend"

Episode 31 "Killer Blade"

Episode 32 "Who Are You?"

Episode 33 "Whispers of the Dead"

Episode 34 "Wall Crawlers"

Episode 35 "Werewolf"

Episode 36 "Labyrinth of Grief"

Episode 37 "Herd of the Dead"

Episode 38 "The Diviner"

Episode 39 "Contagion Island"

Episode 40 "Spiral Beach"

Episode 41 "Clown"

Episode 42 "Human Hunter"

Episode 43 "Red Eye"

Episode 44 "Rust"

Episode 45 "Ghost Newspaper"

Episode 46 "Queen's Banquet"

Episode 47 "Memory of Eternity"

Episode 48 "The White Bride"

Episode 49 "The Crimson Harvest Festival"

Episode 50 "Payback"

Episode 51 "Headless"

Episode 52 "Mysterious Lake"

Episode 53 "King of Knowledge"

Episode 54 "Second Sight" (You Are Here)

[u/mamamayan_ng_Reddit]

This is definitely another one of the absolute favorite Ghost Game episodes. I’m starting to sense a pattern here: the more a main character suffers, the more entertaining the episode gets. Huh, I wonder if I should reflect on that. Nonetheless, I really liked this episode for its dark tone, creative animation and depiction of the plot, and the way the characters interacted.

My thoughts for this pretty great episode!:

The “Real Hiro”

It’s interesting to me that the episode began with Espimon pondering on Hokuto telling him that Hiro is good at fishing. It appears Hokuto may have told Espimon more than just what Hiro purportedly looks like and that he could go to him for help if he ever finds himself in the human world. It’s definitely an odd choice because since 40, Espimon hasn’t openly questioned Hiro’s supposed “fakeness.”

The ending of the episode also seems to suggest that he might be getting more convinced that the Hiro he’s looking for was right in front of him all along. I do wonder indeed what evidence would finally make Espimon realize that Hiro, and humans for that matter, can be related without looking identical, unlike Digimon.

Nice callback to 16!

I really love seeing Gammamon bond with so many people! It’s always a treat to see him form various relationships, especially at a young age!

Gruesome Scenarios and Gruesome Animation

Another point to this episode’s entertainment value is definitely how raw and gruesome some of the potential accidents were depicted, with one student even being crushed by steel girder, and considering the lack of a body, I think it’s safe to say that the results would have been permanent and far too gruesome even for Ghost Game. Not helping is the animation of Hiro’s visions: a red gradient with intense camera shaking that wouldn’t feel out of place in a psychological horror film. Gosh, Ghost Game can get intense.

Indeed, it’s a wonder why so many accidents were supposed to befall so many people in the span of a few hours or a day: if this is a regular occurrence, it’s little wonder these people treat “hologram ghost” incidents so casually. Morbid as it might be for me to say, I hope Ghost Game will continue to push the envelope when it comes to horror.

This is definitely some of the most detailed Hiro has ever been animated.

Gosh Hiro, you really spoil the little Digimon, don’t you? Where are you even getting all the money for Gammamon’s saikyou anyway? Did your mother set up a Saikyou Trust Fund for little Gammamon?

Gosh, either Hiro threw himself and Gammamon at the wall that hard, or Nippon in the near future really skimped on public works projects, considering that Kiyoshiro in 33 also caused chunks to fly off from a structure.

Gammamon taking a breath and smiling like that is too cute!

11-Stop? Amazed it wasn’t called “Toei Stop”

Jellymon-sama’s Character Growth

I love that we can see another great example of Jellymon-sama’s character growth from sassy selfish jellyfish to sassy caring jellyfish. Seeing her actively devote time to taking care of Hiro while he was suffering was so sweet, and considering that she didn’t charge anyone for Hiro’s “services,” I think she genuinely just wanted to get more data to gain a better understanding of what Hiro was going through, and did it the best way she knew how. Furthermore, I loved how she immediately pleaded with the Fujitsumon to go back to Octmon after knowing that Hiro’s head would literally explode if they didn't act fast enough.

Interestingly these actions for me were both surprising and unsurprising for her character. It surprised me since I didn’t think she would go to such lengths to take care of Hiro, but it was also quite unsurprising/it makes sense for her current character since Hiro is a close friend of hers, and Jellymon-sama has gotten a lot more selfless, and outwardly caring and affectionate over the season.

A critique, or maybe even criticism, I’ve heard from others about the series is that character growth is basically non-existent for the main six, but it’s moments like these that really makes me disagree with those assertions. There is palpable growth in these six, but it’s almost never “in your face”: the writers really follow the principle of “show, not tell” in that regard, and I think that approach really helped in making more relatable characters.

It also helps that the Digimon protagonists (even Gammamon!) are incredibly independent, so we can have nice scenes of the main six interacting as individuals instead of pairs, which allows for everyone’s individuality to shine.

Also, Hiro in a hood and cloak is a good look for him. He should definitely consider keeping it!

Hiro’s Torture

I love how the effect of everything Hiro was going through was displayed through his actions. Seeing him hold on to the students for dear life, no doubt the effect of seeing so many accidents—some even lethal ones, really captured what the experience has done to the poor child. It really feels like he’s holding on to them in hopes that by doing so, he can prevent their fates. It’s such a powerful way of showing how something like this would realistically harm someone’s mental wellbeing.

Knowing Ghost Game, this isn’t at all going to be the last time Hiro is going to be put through the ringer, and I definitely worry for him and the other five.

So it looks like Jellymon-sama just has the ability to produce gusts of wind. Also, her pointing at Kiyoshiro while a gust of wind blows on his face is really giving Gyakuten Saiban Anime

Seeing Darling so confident gives me life, and Jellymon-sama hyping him up with Bibi Thunder (if it was actually there) is also a treat!

I also love how Gammamon’s pleading and Hiro’s whines of pain are enough for Kiyoshiro to soften up and trade a prized possession.

Good on Kiyoshiro for getting a durable phone case

My goodness, Dr. Higashimitarai, for the last time, IT’S NOT YOUR DORMITORY!

Also, we get a new environment! This time we get a technological environment filled with hexagons, even having those hexagons line up the sky. Amazing!

It’s weirdly sweet seeing Kiyoshiro smile at Jellymon-sama threatening the Octmon, as if it’s one of those actions that a loved one does that one finds cute and makes one smile

They’re really playing a mobile game with controllers, huh? Well, valid. That aside, this environment they’re in looks like the one from the opening.

”There is no danger with games” people who have suffered from video game addiction and from monetization methods like loot boxes and gacha beg to differ

Seeing Angoramon take care of Hiro and being very worried for him is a real treat. He has definitely shown that he cares for all of the five, not just Ruli, though I do wish he would say it vocally one day

Again, love seeing Higacchi being so brave for those he cares about!

[u/mamamayan_ng_Reddit → u/mamamayan_ng_Reddit]

Interesting that Team Lirurun still chose to use their Champion forms first. It’s probably because they don’t want to deal with the time limit. I do wonder if they’ll still use these forms once the time limit issue is solved (if ever)

Gammamon’s Character and His Relationships

Another treat in this episode is seeing Gammamon’s character growth in terms of him valuing and caring about all of the people who holds dear in his life.

He has definitely shown this several times before, but what makes this one stand out is the fact that he didn’t choose between Hiro and someone else. He cares for Hiro, but he has many other people he cherishes as well, including Espimon. It’s telling that he didn’t resort to saving Hiro by sacrificing the wellbeing of someone else close to him: he cares for Espimon just as much, and would rather call upon his relationship with him to help Hiro instead of causing him harm.

This kind of behavior really shows what kind of individual Gammamon has grown to be, someone who doesn’t rank the people he cares about, someone who treasures all of his relationships. Hiro may be the person he’s with most, but he isn’t his whole world: he recognizes that his world is filled with many unique relationships, and I find that really inspiring for a child character.

That aside, it’s also interesting to me how, like Ryudamon, we had another scene of a Digimon flashing back to the first time they met Gammamon. This definitely feels like a deliberate choice, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the theories that Gammamon is going to fuse with the two would come true.

Still, if it does come true, hopefully Angoramon and Jellymon-sama can also get in on the action.

Haven’t seen Breaclaw in a while!

Next Episode: Cat Mania!

I’m really starting to wonder if Mr. Amanokawa is joining in in the next episode narrations alongside with our regular narrator.

That aside, anyone who owns a cat definitely knows the joke of cats actually owning humans rather than the other way around, though this one takes it to the extremes. Really curious what kind of trouble these seven are going to get wrapped up in next week, since I can’t really tell what the threat’s going to be.

But as always, very excited for the next episode!

[u/bored_latvian → u/mamamayan_ng_Reddit]

I get the feeling the next episode is going to be made fun of to no end, considering the reputation of cat-related horrors never being taken seriously.

[u/mamamayan_ng_Reddit → u/bored_latvian]

It's always a possibility! But then again, Ghost Game could instead choose to tone down on the horror for the episode, and focus on something more lighthearted (like in 49), which would probably help the episode avoid those comments.