I just put together some moments in Rika and Ryo's life to get a whole picture of what was going on with them through time - in a real order. I used the year 2001 to be easier for us all to get the whole picture. First episode of Digimon Tamers was released somewhere around september 2001, that's why I chose this year.
- #1 - August 2000 - Digimon TCG Finals, Rika plays against Ryo and loses.
Ryo leaves the tournament and meets Cyberdramon for the first time; he goes to the Digiworld with him.
- #2 - end of 2000/already 2001? - Rika wins a TCG tournament
Back at home she meets Renamon and becomes her Tamer.
- #3 - Summer 2001 - Rika meets other Tamers
- #4 - end of September/beginning of October 2001 - Tamers go to the Digiworld
- #5 - October 2001, third day in the Digiworld - Ryo appears (episode 28)
- #6 - (probably) October 2001, sixth/seventh day in the Digiworld - Rika and Renamon digivolve to Sakuyamon
- #7 - one day later - Tamers are back in the real world
- #8 - twelve days later (end of October/November 2001) - Sakuyamon gives Justimon all her powers
- #9 - the 13th day in the real world (end of October/November 2001) - last episode of Digimon Tamers
- #10 - April/May 2002 - Drama CD: Message in the Packet - new school year for the Tamers
- #11 - April 01st, 2002? - The Runaway Digimon Express - 6th Digimon movie - Rika's 11th birthday; cherry trees blossom
HOW DID I DO IT?
I already wrote that I used the date 2001 because Digimon Tamers was released in 2001 (Japan, in USA was 2002). I took other information from the show, Drama CDs, movie and simple facts.
#1 = In Drama CD: Message in the Packet (#10) Ryo is recording his message for Cyberdramon. He mentiones there that it's been two years since he first met him and that it was after a tournament, where he finally beat a strong girl (I'm pretty sure he meant Rika).
Do you remember when you first showed up in front of me? It was at the competition two years ago, on the night of the finals. The night when I finally won against a girl whose strength I'd never seen the likes of before. [laughs] I was on my way back to the hotel in Ueno. It was already dark, and while I was walking down the main street, a Digital Field appeared there. ... You were irritated with your inability to evolve, and said you needed a Tamer like me to get stronger. I decided right away to go join you in the Digital World. (from the Drama CD, Track 10)
I'm not sure, if 'right away' meant RIGHT AWAY and that Ryo went to the Digiworld that same night after the tournament. But I do remember I read somewhere that he disappeared after a tournament. So this must be it. 10 months later Tamers meet him in the Digiworld, it's October and Ryo says (german version, he doesn't say anything in dubs) that he's been there for ten months. That's how I came to August 2000.
#2 = Rika won a tournament after Ryo already disappeared. That's why Kazu (and he's probably not the only one) thinks that she could only win that night because Ryo wasn't there anymore. After she won she was asked if she had any strong opponents and she said .. no, .. no one. Is it possible that she thought of Ryo when she said that? xD Ok ok, that's out of context ~_~!
However, back at home Rika met Renamon and became her Tamer (flashbacks in episode 6).
#3 = I think it was Summer (at least end of it) when Tamers first met. The weather was sunny, it was warm (their clothing), Takato and Henry even swam once on a camping trip.
#4 = We know that it was October when they first met Ryo and we know that they met him their third day in the Digiworld. Since we don't know what date it was, it could have been end of September or already October. Most likely already October.
#5 = I counted the nights in the Digiworld and it was their third day there when Rika, Kazu and Kenta met Ryo. Ryo told them about Cyberdramon and how he had to come to the Digiworld. He asked them what month it was and they told them it was October. So at least once we can be pretty sure what month it is! In german version he also tells that he was there for 10 months (that's how I came to August 2000 (#1)), in dubs he doesn't say anything about that.
#6 = I counted the nights again but I had a small problem. The episode with Takato and Henry (when they meet Shibumi) is taking place in a cave under water or sth and I couldn't tell if it was night or day ... If it was night, Rika digivolved to Sakuyamon the seventh day in the Digiworld but if it was day then .. it had to be a pretty long one! So, the sixth or the seventh day in the Digiworld Sakuyamon showed up.
#7 = In the evening of the same day Rika left the others to search for Impmon. It was already night when she came back. In the same night Tamers came back home to the real world.
#8 = I counted the nights again ... First four days were normal and in episode 49 was a sign ''One week later''. That's how I came to the conclusion that our favourite Ryuki scene happened on their 12th day in the real world.
#9 = One day later Digimon Tamers had its last episode.
#10 = Appearently Drama CD happened before the sixth movie (not in the real world though ... Drama CD was released in April 2003 and movie 6 in March 2002). That's what I read on several pages so it must be true. Tamers enter a new school year, which starts in April in Japan. I think it was probably April here because otherwise it kinda wouldn't match with the sixth movie. It already doesn't match completly but ok, I'll introduce you the facts and you can come to your own conclusion if you don't like mine!
#11 = My source says that cherry trees in Tokyo start to blossom in end of March and stop to blossom in the beginning of April. A rumour (?) says that Rika's birthday is on April the 1st (that'd be funny if it was true xD). We know that Takato and co wanted to make Rika a surprise birthday party and that Takato lied to her that they wanted to visit the cherry tree gardens to see how they blossom - in japanese version of the movie. Rika told him that they didn't blossom yet, so we can assume that her birthday is in March or maybe really in the beginning of April (since we know that in the end of the movie Rika watches cherry trees with her mother and grandmother). We know that she's 11 because her cake has 11 candles on it.
There are some moments in Ryo's history that deserve to be in this time line but we know that he appeared in season 2 (and even in movie 2). I think that the third and the first two seasons don't really match, that's why I'll put these moments from Ryo's life here:
August 1st 1999 - Digidestined from the first season enter the Digiworld.
1999 - Digidestined defeat Apocalymon, the gate between the worlds is sealed.
December 31st 1999 - Ryo is summoned to the Digital World to save Taichi and company from Milleniumon (WonderSwan games).
2000 - Ken meets Ryo in the Digiworld.
2000 - Ken and Ryo see the battle between Omnimon and Diablomon on the internet.
2000 - Ken and Ryo go to the Digiworld to defeat Milleniumon.
2000 - Ryo defeats Millenniumon during the D-1 Tournaments and is sucked into a time/dimension warp.
2002 - Three new Digidestined appear, with time they defeat MaloMyotismon and the gate between the worlds stays open.
200? - Ryo awakens in the Digital World without his previous memories. Later he finds out that Milleniumon was supposed to be his partner and that a part of him remained in Monodramon after he was born (that's why Cyberdramon is so agressive).
Ryo's time line before Digimon Tamers was copied from Akiyama, the best Ryo shrine. The first time line was made by me.