Sockit Takuya (Digimon Frontier)

Sockit Takuya
The episode in which Digimon Frontier have officially decide to "Jump-The-Shark" with one of the most infamous moments/scenes in all of Anime.
Series: Digimon Part of Season: 4 Episode Number: 23 (Digimon Frontier) 178 (Overall) Air Date: (Ja:) September 15, 2002 (En:) February 10, 2003 Writer: (En:) Dave Wittenberg Previous episode: Home Again, Takuya Returns Next episode: Alone But Never Alone

Sockit Takuya is an episode from Digimon Frontier. It is the twenty-third episode of the show and is the 178th episode of the Digimon series overall.

Summary

When Zoe, J.P. and Tommy get kidnap by Ranamon, Koji must track them down to stop Ranamon and save Zoe, J.P. and Tommy.

Why This Episode Should Literary Suck It

1. Unlike most (if not all) episodes from Digimon Frontier, this episode is a literary 22-minute long filler episode with little-to-no plot what so ever, this is not excusable in Digimon as that anime show (alongside Pokémon) is known for being more action-pack and story driven when compare to previous anime shows before-hand.
2. Much like Shell-Shocked of Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, this episode is infamous for its super inappropriate moments that is unpleasant in an action anime show for kids, including its writing by Dave Wittenberg (which will be explain why in a bit).
3. This episode is also infamous for being a Zoe, J.P. and Tommy torturer episode, as they get tortured though out most of the episode.
4. Ranamon is in her worst in this episode, as she kidnaps Zoe, J.P. and Tommy and torturers them to get answers about the cast's friends.
5. We have one of the most infamous moments in all of Anime Media: During the tickle scene, one of Ranamon's dis-in boded hands tickles Zoe's exposed navel with a feather, while that is normally a thing that happens in shows that involves tickling, the thing is, the camera does a ZOOM-IN on Zoe's exposed navel during that scene, and they do this not once...but THREE TIMES. They even do that to Tommy's navel as well (albeit only once), this is, with out question, one of the single most inappropriate moments to have ever happen in a Digimon episode, let alone an episode in an anime show as a whole, even for anime standers this scene is extremely inappropriate, and makes this scene in particular feel more like a parody scene that would be shown on YouTube or something by Adult Swim.
   1. On that subject, during that part, Zoe says a very infamous line during that scene "No, not the...belly button!", which is also a very inappropriate to say in a kids show and also feels like a parody line that would be said on YouTube or something by Adult Swim.
6. This episode has a lot of pointless filler that makes it drag even more slower, such as the aforementioned tickle scene.
7. Near the end of the episode, Koji does find Zoe, J.P. and Tommy being tortured by Ranamon, but rather then battling Ranamon and saving Zoe, Tommy and J.P. (like you know, an actual hero would do), he just stands there like a complete and utter idiot, and doesn't even help Zoe, J.P. and Tommy until after Ranamon is done torturing Zoe and Tommy. What a way to help your friends by doing absolutely nothing Koji.........
   1. This is especially out-of-character for Koji, as he's normally the no-nonsense, very serious always wanting to fight-type of person, so for him to just stand there doing absolutely nothing through out the majority the time that Zoe, J.P. and Tommy been tortured by Ranamon makes this scene even more frustrating.
8. For some strange and buzzer reason, while J.P. gets kidnap by Ranamon, he serves no impact to Ranamon's plan what-so-ever, he doesn't even par-take in the navel tickle torturer that poor Zoe and Tommy goes though (al-tho to be fair, J.P.'s wearing a jumpsuit, so Ranamon can't exactly tickle his navel, but still), making his inclusion of the kidnapping pointless.
   1. There for, you can remove him from this scene, place him with the other cast, and it will impact nothing.
9. Misleading Title: It gives of an impression where something in the episode will make Takuya "suck it", but that never happens in the episode.
   1. On that note, because of the name, you would think that the episode would be focus around Takuya, when in truth, its mainly about Zoe, J.P. and Tommy being tortured by Ranamon.
10. Unlike some of the previous episodes, Ranamon never gets her comprehends for her actions against Tommy, Zoe and J.P., which for the first time, makes her a Karma Houdini.
11. This episode includes a selection of terrible morals that are taught to kids, teenagers and/or adults, with four of them to be exact:
    1. The first moral states that it's OK to torturer someone to get answers, as shown by Ranamon torturing Zoe, Tommy and J.P. by tickling them with feathers.
    2. The second moral is probable the most inappropriate, in that you can tickle little kids' navels without any fear or consequences, as shown by the "Zoe's navel tickle" and "Tommy's navel tickle" scenes.
    3. The third moral states that you should never help anyone who is in danger or being tortured by someone, as shown by Koji just standing around like an idiot as Ranamon tortures Tommy, J.P. and Zoe.
    4. The fourth and absolute worst moral is that you can get away for something you do and you will not be punish, as shown my Ranamon getting off scot-free from her actions.
12. Overall, because of its filler-like plot, as well as the infamous "Zoe's navel tickle" and "Tommy's navel tickle" scenes, this Digimon episode feels more like something out of an entirety different anime show that's made for kids(I.G Pokémon, Fruit Basket and Hamtaro), or a goofy cartoon show like Ed, Edd n Eddy, Camp Lazlo or The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, not something out of an action anime show like Digimon.
    1. On the subject of the Zoe's navel tickle torturer scene, because of said "Zoe's navel tickle", this episode also feels more-or-less like a fan-service fetish episode, as it feels like the writers REALLY wanted to do something substation with Zoe's navel and decided to make this episode just for the fun of it.

Redeeming Qualities

1. Zoe, J.P. and Tommy are likable characters.
2. Thankfully, later Digimon episodes/shows (so far) never do that stuff again, most likely due to the negative feedback this episode got by fans the fact that later episodes of Digimon Frontier, and the rest of the Digimon series never do anything similar to said scene, hints the negative feedback.
3. As least its not near as bad as a sertent Digimon Tamers episode.
4. This is a filler episode, so fans can skip it if they chose to.

Reception

Since its release, "Sockit Takuya" is known for being one of the most controversial episodes in the Digimon series, and has received mixed-to-largely negative reviews by critics and fans, while some do considered the "tickle scene" to be cute, others criticize the episode for its filler-like plot, Zoe, J.P. and Tommy getting tortured, and the infamous writing choice of having the camera do a zoom-in on both Zoe's and Tommy's navel while having their navel tickled, which is often considered super inappropriate in a kids show, as well as criticize Koji's role in the episode. And its because of this, "Sockit Takuya" is often considered as one of the worst episode in Digimon Frontier, and is overall considered one of the worst episodes in the entire Digimon series.

Trivia

1. Sockit Takuya is one of the the very few anime episodes (as well as cartoon episodes in general) were the female character with a baring mid-draft outfit is fully aware that her stomach is exposed, as shown by Zoe saying "No, not the...belly button!" during the tickle scene.
   1. Whats interesting to note is that in the Japanese version of the episode during the tickle scene, Zoe says something very different, instead she says "No, no, not there!", rather then say her navel.
2. Because of how much of a negative feedback the "Zoe's Navel Tickle" scene got by fans and critics alike, as of right now, later Digimon shows never do anything similar to that episode again(as in main female characters getting their navels torturer in some ways).
3. Sockit Takuya is one of the few episodes to not be adapted in its Manga version of Digimon Frontiers, this is likely due to the "Zoe's Navel Tickle" scene being deemed too inappropriate and out-of-place.

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