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Digimon (short for Digital Monster) (Japanese: デジモン, Romaji dejimon) is a Japanese series of children's merchandise, including toys, manga and anime, featuring monsters of various form living in a "Digital World". Digimon contains many of the typical themes associated with mon (monster).

Overview

Digimon started out as a dueling digital pet or tamagotchi called "Digital Monster" that was released by Bandai on June 26, 1997. The Digital Monster toy was enormously successful, and four different colors of the toy were released in November of the same year. In December of the same year, the "Digital Monster Version 2" was released.

Digimon first appeared in illustrated form with the advent of the one-chapter manga, C'mon Digimon, which was released in summer 1997. C'mon Digimon then spawned the popular Digimon Adventure V-Tamer 01 manga, which began on November 21, 1998. Digimon first appeared in game form on January 28, 1999, with the release of the popular Digimon World game for Playstation, and made its first foray into animation a few months later.

TV series

Following the release of the first three theatrical Digimon releases in Japan, in 1999, the first Digimon television series, Digimon Adventure first aired; three other series followed, Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Tamers and Digimon Frontier. Adventure 02 is a spin-off continuation of Adventure. Tamers only connection to the Adventure series is the character Ryo (whose story was explained through the Digimon games for Bandai's Wonderswan video game system). Frontier has no connections to the other three series. Frontier was also the final season of Digimon, ending with its 50th episode(205th in the overall series), End of the Line.

The movies

There have been eight individual Digimon films released in Japan, with all but the eighth spinning out of the assorted TV series.

Digimon Adventure

At a length of thirty minutes, the original movie, the first Digimon animated product, occurs before the events of the first TV series. It focuses on Taichi Yagami (Taichi "Tai" Kamiya) and Hikari Yagami (Hikari "Kari" Kamiya) four years before their adventure in the Digital World, and shows their first encounter with Digimon. A Digi-Egg emerges through the children's father's computer, and promptly hatches into a Botamon, which causes trouble as it evolves, eventually becoming a Greymon and battling a Parrotmon. When the events of this movie were covered in the TV series, it was revealed that the events of this battle caused the eight children to be selected to become the new generation of Chosen Children, also known as the Digidestened.

Our War Game

This second movie, which runs to forty minutes, takes place after the end of the first TV series, and features its cast. When the computer virus Digimon, Diablomon (Diaboromon) raises havoc all over the world through the Internet during Spring Break, four of the DigiDestined, Tai, Matt, Izzy and T.K., must put a stop to it before it provokes the launching of nuclear warheads. Taichi and Yamato Ishida's (Yamato "Matt" Ishida) Digimon pursue the villain through the Internet, and in the final battle, merge into Omegamon (Omnimon) to destroy him. The victory not only prevented the missiles from destroying Earth, but also pushed the e-mail sent by Tai to Sora Takenouchi.

Digimon Hurricane Touchdown/Supreme Evolution! The Golden Digimentals

The third Digimon movie is the first to take place in the time of the second TV series. The short length of most of the movies means that they are commonly screened as a double-bill with another short feature, but at a length of sixty minutes, this movie's length meant that it screened alone, split into two acts.

This movie features the new generation of Chosen Children as they travel from Japan to the U.S.A. and meet up with American Chosen Child Wallace (Willis), helping him to stop the enigmatic threat of Chocomon (Kokomon), who, it is eventually revealed, is actually one of Wallace's own twin Digimon. Chocomon seeks to be reunited with Wallace, and captures the original Chosen Children in this bid. The new Chosen Children go up against Chocomon in an epic clash, as their foe evolves into his Mega form, prompting a series of new evolutions from Angemon, Angewomon, V-mon (Veemon) and Terriermon which win the day.

It is generally accepted that this movie is out of continuity with the events of the TV series, due to the appearance of Angewomon (at a time when the Digimon have lost the ability to assume this level of form), and her and Angemon's transformations into their Mega forms, an ability never displayed in the show. Likewise, the sudden, unexplained appearance of the titular Golden Digimentals does not fit with the series.

Digimon: The Movie

As the only theatrical release of a Digimon animated feature in the west, Digimon: The Movie combined Digimon Adventure, Our Wargame and Digimon Hurricane Touchdown/Supreme Evolution! The Golden Digimentals into one singular movie. However, as there was no specific connection between the storylines of these movies in their original Japanese form, some substantial rewriting and re-editing of the movies occurred - most notably, Wallace was written into the second feature and credited with the creation of Diaboromon, while the third movie received some particularly large cuts, reducing it's length to thirty minutes and, most specifically, removing the subplot about Chocomon's capture of the original Chosen Children (although bizarrely, this was still mentioned on promotional material and VHS and DVD packaging). The Digimon Movie soundtrack is currently avaliable at Amazon.com.

This is the first Digimon movie to be created in a western country and was released in theatres by 20th Century Fox and Saban Entertainment.

Diablomon's Strikes Back

English: Revenge of Diaboromon

Thirty minutes in length, the fourth Digimon feature again returns to the era of the second TV series, taking place three months after after the climactic events of the series, and sees the Chosen Children go up against Diablomon again. As the younger kids attempt to handle the flood of Kuramon into the real world, Taichi and Yamato head back to the Internet with Omegamon to deal with him. Omegamon successfully destroys him. However, this proves to be a trap, as his destruction allows many more Kuramon to go to the real world, where they merge to create Armagemon (Armageddemon), powerful enough to defeat both Omegamon and Imperialdramon. In the end, Omegamon gives his energy to Imperialdramon Fighter Mode, powering him up to Paladin Mode and giving him the strength to destroy Armagemon.

When the movie was originally screened in 2001, it is apparent that there was some degree of interest in dubbed it for release in some form in the west, as the script was translated into English by the series translator (known to internet Digimon fans as Megchan). However, for whatever reason - possibly due to the Disney takeover - this production never came to light. The movie was at last dubbed and aired on ABC Family on August 6, 2005 at 9:00 A.M.

The Adventurers' Battle

English: Battle of the Adventurers

The fifth Digimon movie is the first to feature the new universe of the third TV series, Digimon Tamers, and sends Takato on vacation to Okinawa to visit his cousin, Kai. Encountering Minami Uehara, Takato learns of an evil plan formulated by Mephismon (Mephistomon) to use V-Pets to disrupt Earth's electronics network and spell the end of the human race. Together with Kai, his fellow Tamers and the mysterious Shisamon, Takato goes up against Mephismon to save the world.

Early mistranslated promo information cemented the idea that this fifty-minute movie was out of continuity with the series, but in the finished movie, there is very little to suggest that this could be true. The fact that Kai goes on to appear later in the series itself suggests that the movie is in continuity. Like Revenge of Diaboromon, this movie was translated into English around the time of it's original screening, but was not dubbed until 2005.

Runaway Digimon Express

English: Runaway Locomon

This thirty-minute movie takes place after the Digimon Tamers series finale, and features the Tamers trying to stop a train Digimon named Locomon, who is being controlled by Parasimon. The movie also serves to turn the spotlight on Ruki Makino (Rika Nonaka), who also falls under Parasimon's control, as we see her memories of her estranged father, who receives no attention in the ongoing series.

Originally screened in Japan in March 2002, it reached American TV screens in October 2005. The English version of this feature was, oddly, shown before it's prequel movie "The Adventure's Battle."

Revival of the Ancient Digimon

English: Island of Lost Digimon

The last of the Digimon movies to spin out of one of the TV series, this fourty-minute Digimon Frontier movie sends Takuya and company to the legendary "Wandering Island," where they find themselves caught in the middle of a civil war between human and beast Digimon, instingated by an evil Digimon named Murmuxmon. Murmuxmon, posing as the leader of each side in the war, plans to free an ancient evil that the Ancient Warriors, Ancient Greymon and Ancient Garurumon had defeated in the distant past.

This movie is also out of continuity with the series, and it is easy to explain why through the observation of three facts. Takuya and Koji are shown to be in possession of their Beast Spirits. Zoe has her Human Spirit. Bokomon is not carrying Seraphimon's egg. These three events are not reconcilable with the TV series - Bokomon was always carrying the egg once Zoe reclaimed her spirit, but Takuya and Koji obtained their Beast Spirits after she lost it.

It aired in October 2005.

Digital Monster X-Evolution: The Thirteenth Royal Knight

The longest-running Digimon movie (the only one to premiere on TV), clocking in at seventy-five minutes, is entirely rendered with computer-generated imagery and is the first to exist in a universe of its own, not spinning out of any of the TV series. The story is, however, loosely based on Digimon Chronicle (the accompanying fiction of the product line at the time). The main character is Dorumon, a mysterious little Digimon who travels around the Digital World attempting to discover the reason for his existence. But with his past surrounded in mystery, Dorumon's future also soon becomes uncertain as he finds himself caught between the warring forces of the X-Antibody Digimon, and the Royal Knights, the servants of the Digital World's host computer, Yggdrasil.

Comics

C'mon Digimon

In summer 1997, a one-chapter 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, printed in the pages of V-Jump magazine. Starting on November 21st, 1998 it ran to fifty-eight chapters and ended August 21st, 2003. This manga introduce the character of Taichi Yagami, although it must be noted that he is not the same Taichi that features in the Digimon Adventure TV 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 tie - 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, Rei Saiba, Neo's sister, who has a digimental that will allow the Demon's experimental digimon to digivolve to a level beyond Mega, 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. They are all villains that eventually reform except Rei, who has no digimon partners or evil intentions.

Dark Horse

Dark Horse Comics published American-style Digimon comic books, adapting the first dubbed 13 episodes of the first animated season. The conclusion to the story arc, however, was never released.

Panini

The European publishing company, Panini, approached Digimon in different ways in different countries. While Germany created their own adaptations of episodes, the United Kingdom reprinted the Dark Horse titles, then translated some of the German adaptations of second-season episodes, and finally began to print their own original stories, which appeared in both the UK's Official Digimon Magazine, and the official Fox Kids companion magazine, Wickid. These original tales 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 and would sometimes focusing on subject matter not covered by the show (Yamaki's past), or in the west (Ryo's story, the undubbed movies). Eventually, in a money saving venture, the original stories were removed from Digimon Magazine, which returned to printing translated German adaptations, this time of Tamers episodes. Eventaully, both magazines were cancelled.

TOKYOPOP manga

The TOKYOPOP Digimon manga is a Chinese manhua written and drawn by Yuen Wong Yu, based on the television series and brought to North America, translated by Lianne Sentar. Covering Digimon Adventure in five volumes, Digimon Adventure 02 in two and Digimon Tamers in four, it is heavily abridged, though in rare occasions plays through events differently to the anime. This is the main attraction of the series. Three additional volumes exist, covering Digimon Frontier, but these have not been released in English by TOKYOPOP.

Digimon Chronicle

Digimon Chronicle was the storyline accompanying the 2004 Digimon product line. Originally rumoured to be a new, full-blown manga to replace V-Tamer 01, it eventually transpired to be mostly prose text, printed in the booklets which accompanied the "Pendulum" digital pets. These booklets also contained short, non-sequiter six-page mangas. 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.

This fiction tells 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.

D-Cyber

The D-Cyber manga is another Chinese Digimon manhua 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 MetalPhantomon 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.

Fan Influence

As Digimon continues to grow in popularity internationally, the fanbase around the show and manga continues to grow with it in a manner akin to other fandoms. As with most anime, this includes extensive shipping. Digmon fanshippers popularized the jargon of their specific brand of shipping by combining the first and last syllables of the relevant characters names, rather than the standard American "/" or "X".

Due to the relative quickness and more accurate translation of the dubbing of the third season, American and Japanese fandoms were somewhat aware of each other and contributed to each others fandoms.

Many fandoms sprouted from Digimon, including a popular fandom called "FDD" (Fictional Digimon and Digidestined)that had a large fandom for Digimon from 1998 on and is still alive today. Their purpose was to create fictional Digimon and Digidestined teams (or now Tamers) and exchange stories, ideas and drawn images. The fandom is still active in select websites, such as Injenn.net and Sagari-Cross.com. They would create their own Digimon and Digidestined and write stories about their adventures. Customs included starting new stories, drawing pictures for fellow FDDs, and making websites about their characters.

Notable people

Akiyoshi Hongo - Creator of the original Digimon concept
Hiroyuki Kakudo - Director of Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02
Yukio Kaizawa - Director of Digimon Tamers and Digimon Frontier
Chiaki J. Konaka - Head writer of Digimon Tamers
Takatori Arisawa - Composer of the Japanese versions of Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Tamers and Digimon Frontier
Jeff Nimoy - US Director of Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02

Movie Cast

Richard Epcar - Mephistomon
Bridgette Hoffman - Patamon (Movie 4)
R. Martin Klein - Hawkmon(Movie 4), Gabumon (Movie 4)
Lex Lang - Omnimon (Movies 2, 4-5) Rapidmon (Movie 3), Locomon (Movie 6)
David Lodge - Wataru Urazoe(Movie 5), Parasimon (Movie 6)
Yuri Lowenthal - Kai Urazoe (Movie 5)
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn - Lopmon (Movie 6)
Dave Mallow - Seraphimon (Movie 3)
Mona Marshall - MarineAngemon (Movie 6)
Paul St. Peter - Diaboromon (Movie 2), Wendigomon (Movie 3), Armageddemon (Movie 4)
Tara Platt - D'Arcmon (Movie 7)
Derek Stephen Prince - Mr. Uhera (Movie 5)
Philece Sampler - Jeri (Movie 6)
Stephanie Sheh - Minami Uhera (Movie 5)
Jason Spisak - Tai (Movie 4)
Kirk Thornton - Omnimon (2, 5)
Dave Wittenberg - Takuya (Movie 7)
Wally Wingert - HippoGryphomon (Movie 7)
Tom Wyner - Seasarmon (Movie 5)

External links

English

Japanese

Bandai of Japan's Digimon website

@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 '''''English: Island of Lost Digimon'''''
-The last of the ''Digimon'' movies to spin out of one of the TV series, this forty-minute ''Digimon Frontier'' movie sends [[Takuya Kanbara|Takuya]] and company to the legendary "Wandering Island," where they find themselves caught in the middle of a civil war between human and beast Digimon, instingated by an evil Digimon named [[Murmuxmon]]. Murmuxmon, posing as the leader of each side in the war, plan to free an ancient evil that the [[Ancient Warriors]], [[Ancient Greymon]] and [[Ancient Garurumon]] had defeated in the distant past.
+The last of the ''Digimon'' movies to spin out of one of the TV series, this fourty-minute ''Digimon Frontier'' movie sends [[Takuya Kanbara|Takuya]] and company to the legendary "Wandering Island," where they find themselves caught in the middle of a civil war between human and beast Digimon, instingated by an evil Digimon named [[Murmuxmon]]. Murmuxmon, posing as the leader of each side in the war, plans to free an ancient evil that the [[Ancient Warriors]], [[Ancient Greymon]] and [[Ancient Garurumon]] had defeated in the distant past.
 This movie is also out of continuity with the series, and it is easy to explain why through the observation of three facts. Takuya and Koji are shown to be in possession of their Beast Spirits. Zoe has her Human Spirit. [[Bokomon]] is not carrying [[Seraphimon]]'s egg. These three events are not reconcilable with the TV series - Bokomon was always carrying the egg once Zoe reclaimed her spirit, but Takuya and Koji obtained their Beast Spirits after she lost it.