The first manga I ever read... And the first manga series I ever completed. What can I say, reflecting on it now as an adult? (Apart from being shocked that I colored some of the pages with crayons...)
Well, critically speaking, Digimon was no masterpiece. It was a central part of my childhood and something I still enjoy today, but I admit I might be a little biased. The Digimon manga (the two series that I read; I can't comment on the later ones) was one of those rare cases where the manga was released after the anime had already finished airing.
This appears to me as a clear attempt by the creators to capitalize on their success as much as possible.
Five volumes to cover 54 episodes... The Digimon manga is essentially Digimon Abridged. It covers the general storyline and the key plot points, albeit in a hurried manner. The artwork isn't any better than in the anime, which is to say, quite poor. All the characters are introduced, but I can't claim the Digimon manga is anything extraordinary, or even worth reading if you've already seen the anime. Like the trading cards and toys, the Digimon manga seems like just another way for the company to make money. Vaguely enjoyable if you're a kid who's already a fan of the franchise (as I was), but not something you need to seek out to fully appreciate Digimon.
Popular Reviews
Well, critically speaking, Digimon was no masterpiece. It was a central part of my childhood and something I still enjoy today, but I admit I might be a little biased. The Digimon manga (the two series that I read; I can't comment on the later ones) was one of those rare cases where the manga was released after the anime had already finished airing.
This appears to me as a clear attempt by the creators to capitalize on their success as much as possible.
Five volumes to cover 54 episodes... The Digimon manga is essentially Digimon Abridged. It covers the general storyline and the key plot points, albeit in a hurried manner. The artwork isn't any better than in the anime, which is to say, quite poor. All the characters are introduced, but I can't claim the Digimon manga is anything extraordinary, or even worth reading if you've already seen the anime. Like the trading cards and toys, the Digimon manga seems like just another way for the company to make money. Vaguely enjoyable if you're a kid who's already a fan of the franchise (as I was), but not something you need to seek out to fully appreciate Digimon.