Digimon: Digital Monsters

As similar to Pokémon as this series may be, Digimon was an interesting series in its own right. It seemed to blend the more modern dependence on technology and the old-school adventure story and aimed it at kids. I’m not sure how I feel about the implications of that, really, but I’ll readily admit that I liked the show, though I didn’t really play the games or collect the cards.

 You see, like Pokémon before it, Digimon started in Japan as a trading card game for children. When it grew popular enough, it was then made into an animated series aimed at teens. Then the Western world got a hold of it, dumbed it down and dubbed the original voices into English, and aimed it at the under-10 age-bracket.

Actually, if you think about it, Pokémon and Digimon are pretty similar. Both deal with a group of children in an unbelievable setting with non-human, sentient companions that can evolve and/or change their shape into something more powerful. What’s different about them is the execution: Pokémon is set in a world where the companions are a completely separate species, and could be considered pets or aids. Digimon had the companions exist in an entirely separate plane of existence – the Digital World, yes, like computers—and made of data. Until the third season, Digimon were thought of as figments. The couldn’t exist in the real world, so they didn’t to society on a whole. As well, Digimon and their evolutions were less permanent. Once their more powerful form was not needed, they'd sluff off the extra data and revert back to their base-form. Pokemon could not do that, they were permanent once they changed.

 But there’s more: Digimon was darker than Pokémon ever was. Whereas Pokémon dealt with one kid’s passion to be the best – the very best, like no one ever was—Digimon dealt with a group of eight kids stuck in another world, trying to deal with new knowledge and keep both the Digital World and their own reality from ending, all while bonding with their digital companions.

So why was it so popular? Well, in comparison to Pokémon, it wasn’t. It didn’t have a games franchise to rival Pokemon. The most play is got was the cards and the show, though their were videogames and possible a boardgame. And I liked the show because, unlike Pokemon, the Mon were their own characters. They were developed, they could speak coherently, they were more than just a weapon for the human characters. It was refreshing.   

At the same time, Digimon had a better plot. It wasn’t the same struggle over and over. There was a long-running goal that took more than eight frames of animation used over and over to solve. And, best of all, there was actually character development! Yes, imagine that; an animated cartoon aimed at kids with deep characters, emotional depth, and engaging plotlines! Will the wonders never cease?

The only thing  don’t much like about it now it the animation. It’s very distinct, and rather unrealistic. The characters all sort of look like bobble-heads, with huge hands and feet. But on the plus side: The theme song was so catchy the anatomy flaws were easy enough to look over. So of you haven't seen an episode yet, take a look. My childhood will thank you.

 Link to the first episode is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ekjyWerppw