Digimon (Japanese: デジモン, Romaji dejimon) was originally a dueling digital pet ("digi pet") created by Bandai, circa 1996.
At the same time, a manga titled "C'mon Digimon " was released, but quickly collapsed. Its concept, however, gave birth to the much more successful "V-Tamer," a serialised manga in the page of V-Jump magazine, beginning in 1998 and running to 2004.
TV Series
Main Article: Digimon: Digital Monsters (anime)
In 1999, the franchise was turned into an animated series, with assorted tie-in movies, as well as representants in other media segments, like a series of video games for various platforms and a trading card game . The animated series is easily the best-known fragment of the Digimon universe, and responsible for the majority of its popularity worldwide.
"Digimon" are "Digital Monsters". According to the stories, they are creatures who inhabit the "Digital World", a parallel universe that is in part a manifestation of Earth's communication network. The stories tell of a group of pre-teens (known as the "Chosen Children" or DigiDestined in the dub) who accompany special Digimon born to defend their world (and ours) from various evil forces. To help them overcome the most difficult obstacles found within both realms, the Digimon have the ability to evolve (Digivolve in the dub). In this process, the digimon may change appearance and personality, and become much stronger. The group of children who come in contact with the Digital World changes from season to season.
As of 2004, there are four seasons: the first two make one storyline, while the latter two (Tamers and Frontier, respectively) have unrelated plots. The third season makes reference to the television and commercial enterprises of the first two. In addition, there are several movies based in the Digimon universe, the most recent being Digimon: X-Evolution, released the beginning of 2005 in Japan. This new segment in the Digimon saga was entirely done in CG animation, but included all the familiar voice actors from previous series.
Digimon is produced by Toei Animation and Bandai. Originally, the series were exhibited on Japan's Fuji Television. In the United States, the series was dubbed by Saban, and was initially broadcasted through Fox Network's Fox Kids and Fox Family, but after Disney's acquisition of Saban during the third season, the first three seasons stayed on ABC Family and the fourth premiered on UPN, farmed out as part of a deal between Disney and UPN, which concluded with Frontier's end, leading to the season being re-run on ABC Family. In Canada, the show was broadcast on YTV. Assorted fansubs and dubs for the series also exist, with focus having been on the undubbed movies.
The animated series have also spawned a manga adaptation, Chinese in origin, written and drawn by Yuen Wong Yu . It has been published in English in North America by TokyoPop, and it retains its right to left format, although the three volumes adapting the fourth season have not been released. Digimon is published in Singapore in English by Chuang Yi. Dark Horse Comics has also published American-style Digimon comic books, adapting the first dubbed 13 episodes of the first animated season. In the United Kingdom, Panini Comics reprinted these Dark Horse titles, then some translated German adaptations of second-season episodes, and finally began to print their own unique stories, which danced in and around the continuity of the second animated season, before shifting to the third season, where the stories were more carefully thought out to fit between the tight storytelling of the animated series. These original stories appeared in both the UK's Official Digimon Magazine, and the official Fox Kids companion magazine, Wickid , both of which have since been cancelled.
The Movies
Digimon: The Movie, released in the US territory by Fox Kids in October 2000, consists of the union of the first three Japanese movies. Those stories are based in the universe introduced in the first two seasons of the TV series. The five to follow were never released in America.
Digimon Adventure (The movie)
The first story focused on Taichi (nicknamed "Tai" in the English dub) and Hikari ("Kari") 5 years before their adventure in the Digital World. It shows their first encounter with Digimon and what happened to them (as well as the other children) when they participated in their first digimon battle after raising a quickly growing Botamon . In the story, that digimon hatches from a Digi-egg and eventually evolved into Greymon to fight a Parrotmon who appeared in the city. The movie was used in episodes of Digimon Adventure to explain why Taichi & company became Chosen Children in the first place.
Digimon Adventure: Our War Game
The second story shows many of the Digi-destined, but only four end up saving the day when a computer virus Digimon raises havoc all over the world through the Internet. The kids must stop the evil digimon quickly before he provokes the launching of nuclear warheads aimed at Japan (where the kids are). Taichi ('Tai' in the English dub) and Yamato ('Matt' in the English dub) end up getting so worried about their Digimon (in the form of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon) badly losing to the evil Digimon, Diablomon that they actually phase into the Internet and mysteriously give them the power to destroy the enemy in time. Both Digimon merge, evolving into the powerful Omegamon/Omnimon. However, Diablomon is still too fast, until Koushiro ('Izzy' in the English dub) comes up with the idea to redirect e-mails that they are receiving from children watching the battle to slow him down, allowing Omegamon to finish him off just before the missiles hit. In the end, the deactivated missiles land harmlessly in the water.
Digimon 02: Digimon Hurricane Touchdown/Supreme Evolution! The Golden Digimentals
The last story involves the next generation of Digi-destined children after they travel from Japan to the U.S.A. and meet up with Wallace (Willis in English version), helping him to stop the menace of an enigmatic threat. As a kid, Wallace was given two twin digimon, one of which, Kokomon , mysteriously disappeared without a trace, returning later as the ruthless Wendimon. Takeru ('T.K.') and Hikari ('Kari') are the first ones to encounter Wendimon in New York while they are visiting Mimi; he kidnaps Mimi (she disappears before Takeru and Hikari's eyes) along with the rest of the older Digi-Destined and begins to de-age them. Wallace eventually explains his connection to Wendimon and that Wendimon wants to see Wallace again, which was why the Digimon kidnapped the older Digi-Digidestined -- because they, like he, have Digivices.
But when Wendimon evolved to Antylamon, and then Cherubimon, he de-aged Wallace ("Willis" in the English dub) and the younger Digi-Destined as well. Wallace figures out that his Digimon's urge for things to go back to the way there were litterally meant to make Wallace a kid again. After the battle is over, Cherubimon is defeated and the older Digi-Destined reappear at the points they disappeared from. In the end, Wallace discovers that his digimon was still alive after the fight, ready to be reborn from a Digi-egg.
- The American compilation of this & the two previous movies claims that Wallace 'created' Diablomon in an attempt to create a continuous storyline; in reality, the third movie is not even considered canon to the show's plotline. The compilation also cuts the de-aging of the older children & battles from the third movie in order to shorten the film. Also for the dubbed version of the third movie all the images of that were shown of the older Digi-Destined at the beginning of the dubbed film were actually what they were doing when they disappeared.
Guest Characters
Digimon 02: Diablomon Strikes Back
In this movie that takes place three months after BelialVamdemon's (MaloMyotismon's) defeat, the Digidestined go up against Diablomon again. Taichi ('Tai') and Yamato ('Matt') head back to the Internet to deal with him with Omegamon, while the younger Digidestined go to deal with the rampage of a swarm of Kuramon (Diablomon's Baby I form). With the help of Angemon and Angewomon (with Takeru ['T.K.'] and Hikari [Kari]), Omegamon was able to destroy Diaboromon again...but it turned out to be a trap, as his destruction allowed many more Kuramon to go to the real world. Things go out of control when the Kuramon in the real world merge to create a Mega level called Armagemon (Armageddemon), an alternate Mega in Diablomon's evolutionary line. It is so powerful that neither Omegamon nor Imperial Dramon were able to defeat it on their own. In the end, Omegamon gives his energy to ImperialDramon Fighter Mode, powering him up to Paladin Mode. Using his Omega Blade attack, ImperialDramon is able to strike down Armagemon, splitting him back up into the Kuramon. With the help of the energy from the Digi-Destined Digivices and the cell phones from the other kids of Japan, the Omega Blade is powered up, allowing all of the Kuramon to be destroyed for good. This is notable for being the only movie that has Ken in it.
Digimon Tamers: The Adventurers' Battle
Takato visits his cousin Kai in Okinawa, only to learn of an evil plan conducted by Mephismon/Mephistomon. Early mistranslated promo information cemented the idea that this movie was out of continuity with the series, but in the finished movie, there is very little to suggest that this could be true. Given that Kai goes on to appear later in the series itself, and knows who Guilmon is at the time, would suggest that the movie is in continuity.
Guest Characters
Digimon Tamers: Runaway Digimon Express
This takes place after the series finale (though this is never explained in the film); in it, the Tamers try to stop a train-Digimon named Locomon , who was being controled by Parasimon . The movie served to provide insight on Ruki.
Digimon Frontier: Revival of the Ancient Digimon
The last of the TV-based Digimon movies, but is not in continutiy with the show (we can deduce this thusly: Takuya becomes BurningGreymon, hence it occurs after episode 12, but Bokomon does not have Seraphimon's egg, so it's before episode 13 - but Zoe becomes Kazemon in the movie, and at this point in the series, she does not have her Spirit to enable her to do so. Hence, not in continuity). Takuya and company end up on a floating island in the middle of a civil war between human and beast Digimon, instingated by an evil Digimon named Murmuxmon . Murmuxmon was posing as the leader of each side in the war so that he could free an anicent evil that the Ancient Warriors, Ancient Greymon and Ancient Garurumon had defeated.
Guest Characters
Digimon X-Evolution (Eighth Movie)
"Digimon X-Evolution" (subtitled "The 13th Royal Knight" on much official material, but not in the movie itself) is the first Digimon movie entirely in CGI.
The movie spans 75 minutes, making it the longest Digimon movie up to date.
The story takes place in the Digital World, chronicling the adventures of DORUmon. It is based, to some degree, on Digimon Chronicle , the mini-manga and storyline accompanying the Pendulum X (digital pets) in Japan.
CD Dramas
Digimon 02: Michi E No Armor Shinka
The 1st CD Drama, it takes place two months after the battle with MaloMyotismon. In a attempt to get some chocloate from the girls, Daisuke ('Davis') tried to change his image. He emulates Yamato ('Matt') & Koushirou ('Izzy'), both ending badly. As for the girls (Hikari ['Kari'], Mimi, & Sora), they end up as hostages of Boltmon , a Digimon who just wants a heart. After Puttimon settled things with Boltmon & Daisuke's ('Davis') issue (When he posed as Ken's 'Digimon Kaiser' persona), the gang faced the mastermind who used Boltmon, Pukumon. Thanks to a Dark Tower, the Chosen Children had to fight him with Armor Digimon; Jyou ('Joe') mixed up the D-Terminals, but this allowed the team to bring forth new Armor Digimon and managed to beat Pukumon up, causing him to retreat. Boltmon took his leave as well. The entire CD was comedic in nature.
Digimon 02: Natsu e no Tobira
Another 02 CD drama, it took place in the summer of 2003, when Daisuke & Veemon went to America to visit Mimi & Wallace. But strange things started & seem to resolve around a strange girl who's smitten with Daisuke..
Comics
C'mon Digimon
Sometime in 1997 or early 1998, a manga involving battles between more-or-less holographic Digimon was planned, but apparently never got off the ground. However, this manga was published as a special in volume two of V-Tamer, and there it was revealed the hero of this manga, Kentarou, was the source and inspiration for the design and character of Taichi Yagami, the hero of V-Tamer and the leader of the Chosen Children in the television series Digimon Adventure.
Digimon Adventure V-Tamer 01
V-Tamer was the first and longest running published Digimon "manga", starting on November 21st, 1998 and ending August 21st, 2003. Taichi Yagami first appeared in V-Tamer, although he is not the same Taichi that was in the Digimon Adventure television series - V-Tamer takes place in an alternate universe. In this universe, Taichi is involved in a V-Pet tournament, where he is told he cannot play because the Digimon in his V-Pet isn't recognized as being a real Digimon. However, after the tournament is over, Taichi plays the winner of the tournament, a boy named Neo Saiba, and their battle ends in a die - something that is supposed to be impossible. Later, Taichi is summoned to the Digital World by a Holy Angemon (known in North America as Magna Angemon) called Lord Holy Angemon, and there he meets the mysterious Digimon in his V-Pet, Zeromaru the V-Dramon. Taichi and Zeromaru travel to Lord Holy Angemon's castle with the aid of Gabo the Gabumon, and there Lord Holy Angemon begs Taichi to find the five Tamer Tags and defeat the evil Demon, who has disrupted the peace of the Digital World.
Along the way, more humans are brought to the Digital World, including Neo Saiba, Rei Saiba, Sigma, Mari, and Hideto. All brought their by Demon, Neo is chosen to raise the Digimon that will hatch from the Super Ultimate egg Demon is raising, and the others, called the Alias III, are to help Neo and Demon with their Digimon. Hideto's partner is an Omegamon/Omnimon, formed by the jogress of "Org" and "Meluuga", a War Greymon and Metal Garurumon; Mari's is a Rosemon, and Sigma's is a Piemon.
Digimon Chronicle
Although not a manga in the usual sense, the six page story-starters sold with the Pendulum X toys are considered by some to be a Digimon manga. There are four "chapters", one sold with the Pendulum X 1.0, another with the Pendulum X 1.5, another with the Pendulum X 2.0, and the final chapter with the Pendulum X 3.0. Together with the Pendulum X toys, these tell the story of a Digital World controlled by a sentient computer named Yggdrasil. Because Digimon had multiplied so much in the past, Yggdrasil, the host computer, was unable to handle the load and the Digital Hazard occurred. Yggdrasil then created the "New Digital World", consisting of three layers for the past, present, and future - Urd, Versandi, and Skuld, respectively, and then let loose with Project Ark and the X Program to eliminate any Digimon Yggdrasil no longer wanted.
However, the Digimon adapted by obtaining a program called the X Antibody, which strengthened them, changed their form, and made them immune to the X-Antibody. Yggdrasil sent in the Royal Knights, thirteen Digimon devoted to keeping order in the Digital World, and at this point Kouta, Yuuji, and Shinji, three humans, somehow found their way into the Digital World and met their partner Digimon, DORUmon for Kouta and Ryuudamon for Yuuji. Kouta and Yuuji resisted Yggdrasil and the Royal Knights, but Shinji apparently sided with Yggdrasil.
Tokyopop Manga
The Tokyopop Digimon manga is a Chinese manga based on the television series and brought to North America. It covers all of the series up to Tamers with only a few volumes.
D-Cyber
The D-Cyber manga is another Chinese Digimon manga based on the adventures of Hikaru, Masuken, and Teru. It introduces the concept of X Digimon, but their origin is different from that in the Japanese Digimon Chronicle. In short, an evil Metal Phantomon seeks to steal the Dragon Spirit from Hikaru's Digimon and use it to revive a powerful evil Digimon. In the end, it takes the power of the three Holy Knights (Omegamon, Dukemon, and Magnamon) and the power of the three Tamers to put a stop to Metal Phantomon and what he's done.
Notable people
- Mahito Amada - Japanese voice actor of Junpei Shibayama
- Hisao Egawa - Japanese voice actor of Ogremon & Mugendramon.
- Toshiko Fujita - Japanese voice actor of Taichi Yagami.
- Rika Fukami - Japanese voice actor for Ophanimon.
- Issei Futamata - Japanese voice actor for Shinduramon
- Hirata Hiroaki - Japanese voice actor for Leomon.
- Yuka Imai - Japanese voice actor of Renamon.
- Sawa Ishige - Japanese voice actor of Izumi Orimoto
- Kouji Ishii - Japanese voice actor of Chatsuramon .
- Akira Ishida - Japanese voice actor of Wizarmon.
- Unshou Ishizuka - Japanese voice actor of Vajiramon
- Kentarou Itou - Japanese voice actor of Katsuharu
- Kanemaru Junichi - Japanese voice actor of Ryo Akiyama.
- Araki Kae - Japanese voice actor of Hikari Yagami and Patamon (Frontier).
- Hitoshi Kamibeppu - Japanese voice actor of Angler the Trailmon .
- Hiroshi Kamiya - Japanese voice actor of Kouji Minamoto
- Tomoko Kaneda - Japanese voice actor of Culumon.
- Masako Katsuki - Japanese voice actor of Paijramon
- Taeko Kawata - Japanese voice actor of Kotemon .
- Masami Kikuchi - Japanese voice actor of Jou Kido and Neemon .
- Reiko Kiuchi - Japanese voice actor of Daisuke Motomiya.
- Chiaki J. Konaka - Head writer of Digimon Tamers.
- Hiroko Konishi - Japanese voice actor of Takeru Takaishi (Adventure).
- Etsuko Kozakura - Japanese voice actor of Pinnochimon.
- Juurouta Kosugi - Japanese voice actor of Quiglongmon , Mephistomon, & Ice Devimon(Tamers)
- Motoko Kumai - Japanese voice actor of Sukamon
- Takeshi Kusao - Japanese voice actor fore Revolmon
- Lex Lang - English voice actor of WarGreymon, Cyberdramon , and various others.
- David Lucas - English voice actor of Guilmon, Black War Greymon and various others.
- Ai Maeda - Japanese voice actor of Mimi Tachikawa.
- Miwa Matsumoto - Japanese voice actor of Patamon
- Shihomi Mizowaki - Japanese voice actor of Palmon
- Mary Elizabeth McGlynn English director and voice actor of Ophanimon.
- Yasunori Matsumoto - Japanese voice actor of Etemon and Mecurymon .
- Hikaru Midorikawa - Japanese voice actor of Angemon (Frontier) and HippoGryphomon .
- Toshiyuki Morikawa - Japanese voice actor of Yukio Oikawa and Mummymon.
- Kotono Mitsuishi - Japanese voice actor of Minami Uehara .
- Yuko Mizutani - Japanese voice actor of Sora Takenouchi.
- Ryuusei Nakao - Japanese voice actor of Lucemon Falldown Mode
- Jouji Nakata - Japanese voice actor of WereGarurumon (Frontier)
- Rio Natsuki - Japanese voice actor of Miyako Inoue.
- Kumiko Nishihara - Japanese voice actor of Lucemon.
- Tomohiro Nishimura - Japanese voice actor of Grottomon
- Junko Noda - Japanese voice actor of Veemon
- Hiyama Nobuyuki - Japanese voice actor of Black War Greymon and Seraphimon.
- Kenji Nomura - Japanese voice actor of Arbormon
- Ai Nonaka - Japanese voice actor of Li Shiuchon , Lady Devimon, Togemon(Frontier), & Nefertimon{Frontier}.
- Daran Norris - English voice actor of Mercurymon.
- Masako Nozawa - Japanese voice actor of Guilmon
- Chikao Ohtsuka - Japanese voice actor of Piemon and Apocalymon.
- Akemi Okamura - Japanese voice actor of Bearmon.
- Ryotaro Okiayu - Japanese voice actor of RhodoKnightmon.
- Fumiko Orikasa - Japanese voice actor of Ruki Makino
- Derek Stephen Prince - Enlish Voice actor of Impmon, Ken Ichijouji & various others.
- Paku Romi - Japanese voice actor of Ken Ichijouji, and Osamu Ichijouji.
- Chika Sakamoto - Japanese voice actor of Agumon
- Takahiro Sakurai - Japanese voice actor of Tentomon
- Katori Shigematsu - Japanese voice actor of Piyomon.
- Susumu Chiba - Japanese voice actor of Mitsuo Yamaki.
- Kazuko Sugiyama - Japanese voice actor of Bokomon .
- Kenichi Suzumura - Japanese voice actor of Kouichi Kimura.
- Aoi Tada - Japanese voice actor of Terriermon
- Hiroki Takahashi - Japanese voice actor of Impmon
- Naozumi Takahashi - Japanese voice actor of Wormmon
- Minami Takayama - Japanese voice actor of DORUmon
- Junko Takeuchi - Japanese voice actor of Gomamon and Takuya Kanbara
- Masahiko Tanaka - Japanese voice actor of Mihiramon
- Isamu Tanonaka - Japanese voice actor of Piccolomon .
- Hideyuki Tanaka - Japanese voice actor of Omegamon (X-Evolution).
- Haruhi Terada - Japanese voice actor of Ranamon
- Yuka Tokumitsu - Japanese voice actor of Tailmon
- Kouichi Toochika - Japanese voice actor of Hawkmon
- Makoto Tsumura - Japanese voice actor of Takato Matsuda.
- Yuji Ueda - Japanese voice actor of Dino Humon.
- Megumi Urawa - Japanese voice actor of Iori Hida and Armadimon
- Kumiko Watanabe - Japanese voice actor of Tomoki Himi
- Norio Wakamoto - Japanese voice actor of Ice Devimon (Frontier)
- Wakana Yamazaki - Japanese voice actor of Archnemon.
- Taisuke Yamato - Japanese voice actor of Takeru Takaishi (Adventure 02).
- Kappei Yamaguchi - Japanese voice actor of Chuumon .
- Mayumi Yamaguchi - Japanese voice actor of Gabumon and Jenrya Li.
- Kiyoyuki Yanada - Japanese voice actor of Andromon.
- Eiji Yanagisawa - Japanese voice actor of Worm the Trailmon .
- Yasuhiro Takato - Japanese voice of Elecmon .
Compare: Pokémon
See also
External links
English
Japanese
