Honestly, I feel that a lot more effort was put into the Digimon anime than most series based on toys. You have Pokemon with Ash Ketchum and the "Monster of the Week" format. Then you have this show, which explores fairly adult issues such as death. I think Matt's parents were going through a divorce at the time, which is why he was so hardened at times. I can appreciate such storytelling because it feels genuine. It's not a perfect setting by any means, as each character has a personal obstacle that they must learn to overcome.