Friends Are Forever
Rather than dish out the typical cute-girl-becomes-romantic-object subplot, Digimon Adventure puts romance in the backseat. While it does exist, fortunately for Mimi, she isn’t really part of the show’s romantic subtext until the release of the Digimon Adventure tri. films more than a decade later (and to be frank, I don’t want to talk about it). What is important, are the friendships that Mimi builds throughout the series. From being Sora’s confidant to having a big-sister relationship with Minako (or Yolei in the English version), Mimi always prioritizes the well-being of her friends.
Palmon
Palmon. Sweet, sweet Palmon. Unlike most Digimon partners who are complements to one another, these gals are really just two peas in a pod. Palmon is often clueless, but isn’t afraid to offer a morale boost when Mimi needs it. She is also a good, non-judgemental listener of Mimi’s antics, making her an excellent companion to her.
Takenouchi Sora
Sora is perhaps one of Mimi’s closest friends throughout the series. Seeing as they are the only girls on the team until Hikari’s arrival mid-series, they spend the most time with one another, cracking jokes and enjoying one another’s company. In the first season episode titled, Princess Karaoke, Sora appears to Mimi while she is half asleep and convinces her to follow her heart and trust in her friends. Their deep bond continues into Digimon Adventure tri., with Sora always being on Mimi’s side and comforting her when times are tough. Similarly, Mimi is quick to defend Sora and loves her very much.
Mochizuki Meiko
Mimi easily becomes friends with Meiko, a character introduced in Digimon Adventure tri. Not long after meeting Meiko, she Meiko the nickname “Mei Mei” (which is also the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound sheep make). She is equally affectionate with Meiko as she is with Sora, never hesitating to give her a hug when she really means it. Mimi is incredibly sensitive to Meiko’s feelings, defending her from Koushiro when he grilled her on Meicoomon’s history, and other times when she showed concern for Meiko’s feelings.
Kido Jyou
Another interesting relationship Mimi has is with Jyou. Though they are opposite genders, they share a typical mentor-student relationship, with Mimi referring to him as, “Jyou-senpai” (an honorific used for older mentors/seniors) and Jyou calling her “Mimi-kun” (this honorific, when given to a female by a male, acknowledges her as his junior). Despite Jyou’s many shortcomings, Mimi greatly respects him and looks to him for guidance when she is in trouble.
Mimi and Jyou are excellent compliments of one another. While Mimi jumps the gun on making decisions, Jyou hesitates to the point of inaction. In Digimon Adventure tri: Determination, Mimi asks Jyou if her actions are self-centered, to which Jyou does not refute. He does, however, express that making self-centered decisions is better than not taking making any at all. He then goes on to express the extreme pressure he is experiencing at this point in his life, the stress of his last year of high school taking an emotional toll on him. Although Jyou doesn’t have the answer she is looking for, the fact that they can confide with one another their deepest anxieties and worries demonstrates the depth of their trust they have with each other.
It is better to be jikochuu than to be a coward--Jyou, Digimon Adventure tri.: Determination