Point - E.W.C.

Overblown hype, especially that which lures children into the kingdom of avaricious consumerism, strikes a sensitive chord in an anime purist. Petty snobbery and self-righteousness have little to do with my disdain for the kiddie phenomenon. I hate "Pokémon" because good anime, anime with heart and depth and plot, gets booted from America's multicultural pop art showcase to make room for this cash cow. I hate "Pokémon's" ubiquity: Bulbasaur and Charmander at Burger King; Vulpix on hair brushes; Ash Ketchum on T-shirts; Jigglypuff keychains; "Pokémon" video games, plush toys, Pokeballs, electronic pets and just about anything on which you can stamp a Pikachu.

I hate "Pokémon" for aesthetic reasons, as well. With the exception of Team Rocket, and their unexpectedly cool gender-bending fetish, the characters are just lame. Not to mention that the Pokémon themselves lack pizzazz. Couldn't the creators of the show give these creatures a better beast language than the endless chirping, grunting, squealing and screeching of their own names? Most of all, I just don't like the message "Pokémon" sends to kids.

That's right! I think "Pokémon" is potentially dangerous to impressionable young minds. Speaking not only as an otaku but also as a leftist, tree hugging, hippie bastard, I think "Pokémon" promotes an unhealthy relationship between kids and their pets. "Pokémon" taps into a child's primal urge to control and dominate over weaker, more vulnerable creatures. It encourages the same megalomaniac tendencies that have spawned miniature houses, toy dogs and, for that matter, World War II. Ash Ketchum hunts down these poor creatures as they run along in the fields, minding their own business. He confines them inside a little sphere and then commands them to fight pointless battles they would otherwise avoid. Worst of all, the Pokémon trainers enter their captives in battle arenas where they rumble with other Pokémon before rowdy spectators. If I didn't know better, I'd think "Pokémon" is, in reality, a heinous conspiracy to drum up public support for legalizing cockfights. Did I forget to mention that Ash is training to become a Pokémon "master"? As an African-American, I take offense to that word, and therefore declare "Pokémon" insensitive to minorities.

Perhaps "Pokémon's" most nefarious design on the Western world is feeding the growing narcissism of an overindulged generation. Consider this preposterous notion: Pokémon will not reach a superior status level unless guided under the supervision of human beings - a shocking reproof to Charles Darwin's theory. This concept insinuates the evolution of a subspecies is due less to its adaptation abilities and more to the reckless delusions of giddy pre-teens.

"Digimon," however, is like hemlock in a golden chalice. Somehow, the presentation makes the bad stuff easier to swallow. The creators of "Digimon" were liberal enough to make these DigiCreatures their own self-contained individuals. For one thing, the Digimon speak. They also inhabit their own world, separate from the world of humans. They don't have to be "trained" by their young "masters" to elevate their status. The Digimon evolve, or rather "DigiVolve" in response to danger. Though, fiercely loyal to their human partners, Digimon fight on their own accord. The kids in the show act more like cheerleaders while their digital pals do most of the grunt work. Given these factors, chances are America won't be seeing any DigiFever in the near future. But that's fine by me. (E.W.C.)

Counterpoint - Matt

I pity E.W.C. Really. And not just because, after pulling that much nonsensical verbage out of her rear, she must have spent a week in intensive care. I pity her because she is wrong. So very, very wrong. Christ, woman! It's a cartoon. To argue that "Pokémon" - with its joyful and unrepentant weirdness - is inferior to a "slavish" (and I suppose that's insensitive to minorities too) imitator like "Digimon"...well, I've got three words for you. Pi...ka...chu.

Because after all is said and done, Pikachu is one monstrously cute son of a bitch. I want everyone right now to close your eyes and picture Pikachu. See! You smiled! You may not want to admit it - but you smiled. Cute...cute...cute...he's so damned cute he makes you want to bang your head against a wall. (But in a good way.) Charmander...Bulbasaur...Squirtle...cute names and cute monsters. Why are they so cute? I don't know. They're just drawn that way. Digimon are drawn with horns and fur and boxing gloves. And each of their attacks seem to involve the forceful ejaculation of bodily fluids. I know enough people who can do that.

A good story doesn't answer every little question for the viewer. And "Pokémon" hardly answers any questions at all. Where do Pokémon come from? How do they fit in those little balls? Why is a 10-year-old allowed to roam the countryside unattended by an adult? And, most importantly, what is up with Team Rocket? Nobody knows! But kids sure love it. That's because "Pokémon" exists in an imaginative universe, one that makes intuitive sense to a 7-year-old, but rejects the rigid analysis of a cynical know-it-all like E.W.C. Sure, "Pokémon" has been, shall we say, well-marketed. And it made a few people a couple of bucks. Nothing wrong with that - that's the American way...and...um...the Japanese way too, I guess.

But to say that "Pokémon" is bad for kids? Yes, the trainers capture little creatures and compel them to fight - and, yes, this does resemble cockfighting. But who doesn't love a good cockfight? Ash is a good role model. He has a goal and he works hard to achieve it. And he sets his sights high. "To be the greatest Pokémon master ever." I like that. Not just a "good Pokémon master" or a "better than average Pokémon master." Ash wants to be numero uno. Similarly, children are not encouraged to "catch a few" or "catch your share." No, it's "gotta catch'em all." Ash's obsessive drive for supremacy is a refreshing change from the "I love you. You love me" slack-jawed rhetoric of the free-love era. Welcome to the 21st century economy, Bobby! Whether it's Pocket Monsters or market share, today's youth needs to embrace a competitive philosophy of excellence. And they also need to be cute and lovable. Voila. C'est le "Pokémon."

Backing "Digimon" over "Pokémon" is like picking "Gobots" over "Transformers." Whereas "Pokémon" centers on a single protagonist who motivates the action, "Digimon" relies on the tired clichés of mediocre storytelling. Six children are mysteriously pulled from summer camp and deposited in the DigiWorld, where they bumble from one episodic conflict to another, helped only by their six gastrointestinally challenged Digimon. The Nerd. The Cool Guy. The Valley Girl. Tai and friends read like the latest gifts from the stereotype-of-the-month club. "Digimon" is plagued by too many characters and way too many names: Yokomon and Biyomon and Birdramon and on and on. It's a bad sign when you have to take time out from the action to review the character's names. And that happens every episode with every character! Pikachu can communicate more personality and depth using a three word language than Digimon can muster during an episode's worth of their incessant yakking. Why bother to let the monsters talk if they have nothing interesting to say? For that matter, why bother letting Joe or Izzy talk - they're just going to deliver another hackneyed punch line?

The creative (and I use that word loosely) forces behind "Digimon" demonstrate no interest in developing characters. During one episode a monster, Shellmon, is actually introduced as "something that gets mad for no reason." Imagine if Shakespeare had given the same treatment to "Richard III" - "This is the winter ... and I am mad." Certainly the plot of "Digimon" suffers from the lack of an exciting villain. Which is cooler: the disturbingly sexy Jesse and James or evil black gears?

There really is only one way to settle the question of "Digimon" v. "Pokémon." And that's on the battlefield. Pikachu and pals will plain punk those DigiDorks. Don't be fooled by the cuteness. Pikachu would be kicking ass and taking names. (And for "Digimon," that's a lot of names.) And he would do it with wit, sophistication and style. Ditto for Ash. After he was through with Tai and Sora they'd be looking for a way back to DigiWorld. Now some would say that my love for "Pokémon," and its hero in particular, stems from a certain regard for a chain-saw-wielding amputee of the same name. Maybe so. But with Pikachu at his side this is one Ash who doesn't need a shotgun to be groovy. (Matt Yamashita)