Joe is the only digidestined whose parents we haven't seen.

But of course he has to be represented by someone when everyone's families are standing out on the street watching the battle in the sky, and calling out encouragement when the kids leave for the digital world.

So, we meet his older brother Jim (called Shin in the Japanese version). I would say he's probably in his early twenties. He's a med student and seems like a pretty nice guy.

Here's what we know about Joe's family.

He has a mother who probably coddles him a bit, is a bit overprotective. He mentions her a coupla times in the first two episodes, saying that his mother is going to demand a refund on the camp, that he wants to call his mother so she can come and take him home, etc.

Then, I'm not 100% sure he does have a mother, you know there are a few discrepancies in the first episodes (like Matt and TK being half-brothers, Matt mentioning his mother as though he lives with her, Mimi mentioning a baby brother, etc). Still, I guess without contradicting evidence available, I guess I have to trust what the dub says since that's what I'm basing the site on. ^_^;

Joe's father is a doctor and wants both his sons to be doctors too. He checks up on Joe's grades and probably does put some pressure on him to perform well; Joe was nervous/depressed after getting a C and knowing his father was waiting for him to report the mark.

Jim encourages Joe not to be a doormat, saying that it's his life and he has to live it his own way. Jim himself is going to med school as his father wants, but when he's a qualified doctor he wants to go to a third-world country where his skills will be useful. Both boys know their father doesn't approve of this idea; presumably he's more interested in their having the prestige associated with being a doctor.

There's quite a lot of song-and-dance about Joe being pressured to become a doctor. In fanfics, from his own brother, and in fan comments. Actually, we haven't even been shown that he doesn't want to be a doctor. He knows some stuff about first aid/medicine, seems to be smart enough to become a doctor and is decent at looking after people. He said once that he was afraid to die because he was supposed to go to med school. If I was about to be eaten by Bakemon I wouldn't be thinking of something I hate as something that makes me want to be alive.

Seriously, the reason Jim gives for Joe's possible reluctance to be a doctor is that Joe gets faint at the sight of blood. Yet he calmly (and expertly) bandages Ogremon without cringing. So what's the deal with this? I think Joe took it to heart when his brother told him to live his life and not let Dad run it for him, but I think Joe does want to be a doctor himself. That's just my theory.

Joe also briefly mentions a grandmother (inappropriately, might I add *sweatdrop*).

Back to Jim. All the other kids have had their families shown a number of times before we see any of Joe's relatives. (I like mentioning anything that sets him apart from the others somehow. ^_^.) Back when Myotismon's fog, Bakemon etc were wreaking havoc, Joe was trapped on the other side of town because the trains, boats, etc were all down.

When he does manage to return and there is a break in the action, he goes back to his home. The rooms are totalled; furniture and stuff thrown around everywhere. His brother Jim has been hiding in the closet; he seems to take meeting Bukamon in his stride (I guess when a lot of Bakemon have gone and trashed your place it gives you slight immunity to weirdness, and besides Bukamon isn't the most intimidating-looking Digimon) and the two talk briefly.

Joe introduces Bukamon as a friend of his and acts like he knows what's going on in the city, which surprises Jim ("for once in your life you actually sound like you know what you're talking about"). I think Joe is proud of this; he sounds just a touch smug while he's talking casually.

Jim soon changes the subject to talk about their father and Joe being a doctor. Bukamon thinks Jim is saying Joe isn't smart enough to be a doctor, and immediately (aggressively) launches to his friends' defense, saying that Joe can be anything he wants to be.

Later, Jim goes with the digidestined and checks up on all the unconscious parents and adults of the city. He says they're breathing and seem to be asleep. While the digidestined go to fight VenomMyotismon, he stays behind to keep an eye on everyone and after the battle is over, goes to the scene of the action on his motor scooter. ^_^.

He went to check that the kids were alright to report back to their parents. After the sky goes weird and the kids decide to go back to the digital world, Jim makes some comment about how if the sun doesn't come up tomorrow, he'll know Joe screwed up. Izzy's mother gets mad at him and berates him, he apologises quickly. ^^. Joe says he knows his brother was only kidding, and besides - he's gonna make darn sure the sun DOES come up!

Later, Jim is standing with the other kids' parents as they watch the battle with Apocalymon. After things clear up, he says he is proud of his brother.

Jim strikes me as one of the few extremely real characters; he's exactly like a person in real life, which even the digidestined aren't always.

You know, I think Joe's family is pretty typical in lots of ways. Seems that most kids who are studious and get good grades have parents who put pressure on them to do well. They're often the type who are like, "you got a 99, what happened to the other 1%?" if I may exaggerate to make my point.

*rereads this page* Wow, that was shockingly written. -_-. Sorry about that... I think I said most of what I wanted to say.

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