User Reviews

Generally, I expect episodes from this franchise to have some self-contained entertainment value, capable of being watched individually on random days. This one doesn't stand on its own very well as there isn't much sense in watching it without the adjacent ones. Two episodes in and "Tamers" has already demonstrated one of its major structural weaknesses, namely to tease the audience with intriguing matters while devoting more time to more mundane stuff. Much of the story concerns Takato trying to deal with the situation he finds himself in, but focusing on him while other characters are given, at best, extended cameos fails to replicate the strong air of mystery from the pilot. It's appreciable that the series actually addresses the difficulties one would encounter in keeping such a creature secret, but it's too light a matter to carry an entire story and ends in some pretty forced melodrama. In other words, it's mostly told on autopilot, just going through the motions necessary to set up the next challenge; consider the abrupt cliffhanger that has virtually nothing to do with the rest of the plot. The best scene, strangely, is the one between Takato's parents. Their dynamic while discussing the possibility of Takato having a pet is believable and amusing. It's a great shame that so little is done with these two in the future. Rika just provides some obligatory action, though Calumon's little encounter with the couple in the park is funny, which is not characteristic of his typical labored cutesiness. Overall, not a bad one per se, but a mere bridge between the first and third episodes, rather than something that can be enjoyed on its own merits.