Even though far more important things occur, I will first comment on the most well-known aspect of this episode: the pairing of Sora and Matt. True romances are very rare in this franchise (it is a children's show, after all), so finally confirming one would ideally be a bold and welcome change. However, I imagine many people are still upset over the route taken, especially considering that Matt and Sora did not have much of a relationship in the first series, aside from one big moment during the Dark Master's arc. It's been over a decade and I have personally decided not to be much of a stickler about it, preferring to simply be happy that this element was included at all, even allowing Tai to demonstrate his maturity. This further cements the claim that Tai is a stronger character than Matt. It's unfortunate that many take for granted that he has had to endure some notable difficulties, while Mr. Rock Star has received nothing less than one continuous service round since the Dark Masters saga (except for the whole June subplot). Also, given that most love triangles slip into typical teen angst, even in intelligent shows (i.e. The Legend of Korra), I kind of appreciate that this particular subplot was not so prominent as to be intrusive; it says everything that it has to in mere minutes.
The rest of the episode is good fun, with a very festive and holiday appropriate feel. Ken's party is a good idea, furthering his relationship with the group and reminding us that he has only gradually come to accept their comradery. You can really tell how hesitant he is to involve them in this manner, and that brief moment with Cody effectively closes the friction between them. It's also great to see the older kids' joy in seeing their digimon for the holidays and subsequently attending Matt's concert, which brings some quality to the soundtrack. All of these things are interesting on their own, though I'd be lying in saying that they didn't feel undercooked.
While nowhere near as frustrating as "Digital Beauty", which favored utterly pointless stuff, this episode would have benefited greatly from cutting down or even excising the big action scene. It is an entertaining one, with lots of participants and above-par animation for their attacks, and the sheer thrill of seeing the two teams fight together for the first time. The scene where Greymon grapples with DarkTyrannomon recalls the original movie. But all of this could have been cut without consequence. I for one would have rather seen Ken's party and the preparations for the holidays play out with more detail, since both provide ample opportunity for interesting conversations. When Ken lets out a rare laugh, the reactions from the others bring weight to it (and I'll admit it's a moment that I never forgot), but it would have been great to actually see Ken truly open up and for the others to return in kind. The only subplot that is appropriately brief, and foreboding, is the introduction of Oikawa. Finally, Kari's little Christmas poem over the closing montage is clever, in a cheesy sort of way, and is well complemented by one of the better background themes from the dub.
The rest of the episode is good fun, with a very festive and holiday appropriate feel. Ken's party is a good idea, furthering his relationship with the group and reminding us that he has only gradually come to accept their comradery. You can really tell how hesitant he is to involve them in this manner, and that brief moment with Cody effectively closes the friction between them. It's also great to see the older kids' joy in seeing their digimon for the holidays and subsequently attending Matt's concert, which brings some quality to the soundtrack. All of these things are interesting on their own, though I'd be lying in saying that they didn't feel undercooked.
While nowhere near as frustrating as "Digital Beauty", which favored utterly pointless stuff, this episode would have benefited greatly from cutting down or even excising the big action scene. It is an entertaining one, with lots of participants and above-par animation for their attacks, and the sheer thrill of seeing the two teams fight together for the first time. The scene where Greymon grapples with DarkTyrannomon recalls the original movie. But all of this could have been cut without consequence. I for one would have rather seen Ken's party and the preparations for the holidays play out with more detail, since both provide ample opportunity for interesting conversations. When Ken lets out a rare laugh, the reactions from the others bring weight to it (and I'll admit it's a moment that I never forgot), but it would have been great to actually see Ken truly open up and for the others to return in kind. The only subplot that is appropriately brief, and foreboding, is the introduction of Oikawa. Finally, Kari's little Christmas poem over the closing montage is clever, in a cheesy sort of way, and is well complemented by one of the better background themes from the dub.
