Originally a Manga¹, DigiMon was later turned into an Anime². Soon after the explosion of Pokémon fever, DigiMon was dubbed into English and began airing on television throughout the world.

The Plot

The show revolves around the adventures of a group of children, as is typical of Anime for the young crowd. While bizarre weather ravages the world³, the children are sent to a summer camp, where it snows. Things rapidly become more bizarre. They are sucked into the sky, and reappear in a strange and colourful place. They learn from small monsters that have been waiting for them - their Digital Monsters or 'DigiMon' - that this is the Digital World. Eventually they discover the strange weather occurs because of the actions of certain evil DigiMon, and that they are the 'DigiDestined,' a group of children prophesied to save both the Digital and Real Worlds.

The Children

There were originally seven DigiDestined transported to the Digital World. For each there was a DigiMon waiting. These basic DigiMon have the ability to 'Digivolve' whenever their respective child is endangered. Their 'state of rest' as it were, is one step up from their basic state - they can remain in this state indefinitely, but further Digivolution drains their energy and may cause them to revert to the basic state. Otherwise DigiMon return to their cute 'at rest' condition as soon as danger has ended.

Tai, the over-bearing, soccer-playing, second eldest, is the de facto leader of the group. A character flaw he displays is that he always has to be in charge - he has to be the big shot, the hero. Not so much a bad leader, he is, alas, overconfident. His DigiMon is Agumon, a small tyrannosaurus who breathes fire. In his basic form, Agumon is Koromon, a bouncy head with scraggly almost-ears and no real attacks. His Digivolved form is Greymon, a larger tyrannosaur who breathes more fire and has a bony horn/helmet growth on his head. When 'fully' Digivolved he becomes Metalgreymon, whose bony helmet becomes metal. Shooting missiles out of his chest, he has what appear to be non-functional wings. Agumon also has the ability to 'Warp-Digivolve' into Wargreymon, who stands much more upright - more like a human/dinosaur merger. In this form he can focus great amounts of energy into a single point.

Matt, the oldest of the DigiDestined is occasionally criticised by the others for maintaining a tough, 'cool guy' persona, but he is really a sensitive guy, especially when dealing with his brother TK. Matt's DigiMon is Gabumon, a horned bipedal wolf who wears his fur like a coat. In his basic form, Gabumon is Tsunomon, a furry head with an extra-large horn. Gabumon can digivolve to Garurumon, a large quadruped wolf with armour-like skin and an icy 'Howling Blaster' attack. Garurumon Digivolves to Weregarurumon, who stands approximately 20-foot-high - basically an oversized werewolf. Gabumon can also warp-digivolve into Metalgarurumon, whose adornments include an assortment of missiles, rockets and a super-large ice-beam.

Mimi, the semi-spoiled brat of the group whose faults include being a bit of an airhead, constantly complains about the Digital World damaging her hair, her clothes and her appearance. This happens when she is not whining about the lack of fast food or malls. However, she's also a kind, caring person. Her DigiMon is Palmon, a walking plant with a flower on her head. Palmon also has stretching stalks for fingers, which allow her to use a 'Poison Ivy' attack. Palmon's basic form is Tanemon, a small radish that hops about the place. Palmon Digivolves into Togemon, a 30-foot-high cactus with red boxing gloves who sprays needles. Togemon digivolves further into Lillymon, who curiously is much smaller, only about 8-foot. Lillymon, who can fly, shoots flower beams from a flower-shaped gun formed from her hands.

Sora is on Tai's soccer team but doesn't understand his need to be a hero - she thinks Tai tries to be a team player - because when he messes up and a team member makes the save, he claims that was his intent. Sora is the one who tries to be responsible because nobody else will. She is a tomboy, and has the greatest personal problems - her mother tries to get her to follow in mum's footsteps by taking up costume and clothing making. Sora later comes to realise that her mother only wants what is best for her, which allows her DigiMon, Biyomon, to Digivolve to her ultimate state: Garudamon, a walking humanoid firebird. Biyomon is a cute pink bird with a metal anklet, and a green 'spiral trister' attack. Her intermediate state is Birdramon, a phoenix. Biyomon's basic state is Yokomon, an unusual type of flower.

TK, Matt's brother, is the youngest of the DigiDestined. A nice kid but a bit of a wimp, a condition he covers up with false bravery. TK's DigiMon is Patamon, which can be best described as a flying, bubble-shooting hamster. Patamon Digivolves from Tokomon, a smaller, similar DigiMon, and Digivolves into Angemon, a huge buttock-exposing angel, who may be a tad underdressed for a young person's TV show. Differing from the others, Patamon cannot further digivolve. This, however, is not important - Angemon is stronger than the other intermediate DigiMon.

Joe, the pessimist, is also frequently correct. Clever enough to be a doctor - his parents want him to be one - but being a hypochondriac, he doesn't much care for the idea. Joe's digimon is Gomamon, a purple tattooed-seal who can call upon scores of coloured fish to assist him. Gomamon Digivolves from Bukamon, probably best described as a 'thing that flies'. He Digivolves into Ikkakumon, a walrus who shoots torpedoes from his horn. Ikkakumon then becomes Zudomon, an enormous spiny turtle with a spiked-lightning-rod for a horn. He also carries a large hammer.

Izzy, the brainy one, spends more time with computers than people. Upon hearing his parents talking about how he was adopted, he went into people withdrawal. Get to know him and you will find he's a really nice, well-adjusted, guy - once you get him to stop spouting jargon. Izzy's Digimon is Tentomon, a beetle who is as well-versed on the digital world as Izzy is about computers. Tentomon shoots lightning from his wings. His basic form is Motimon, who looks like a friendly ghost who sidles along the ground. Tentomon digivolves into Kabuterimon, a larger flying insect similar to a cockroach, and from there digivolves into Megakabuterimon, a gigantic beetle in possession of an even more powerful electric attack.

Kari, not one of the original seven DigiDestined, shared an experience common to the other DigiDestined, seeing two DigiMon fighting in the real world. She is Tai's younger sister, about the same age as TK She joins the others in the digital world after the defeat of three major evil DigiMon. Her DigiMon is Gatomon, a white cat with tiger-claw gloves. Gatomon was whipped into subservience by the evil Myotismon, only discovering her own importance after being unable to destroy Kari when she had the chance. This was eventually achieved with the aid of Wizardmon, a lifelong friend Gatomon helped, before running in with Myotismon. Gatomon digivolves from Salamon, who looks like a small yellow puppy, and Digivolves into Angewomon, a female counterpart to Angemon, albeit slightly better clothed. Like Angemon, Angemwomon cannot digivolve any further, but is very powerful, allowing all the other digimon to focus their attacks through her for a single super-attack.

DigiDestined Equipment

Each DigiDestined has three items of importance: their Digivice, their Tag, and their Crest. The Digivice is a multi-purpose electronic instrument, combining a clock, a homing device/tracker, a meter which gauges the animosity of their DigiMon, and the catalyst that allows the DigiMon to Digivolve when it is sufficiently animas. The Tag and Crest go together. Each DigiDestined has a crest (of hope, courage, sincerity, etc.) which, when activated, allows their Digimon to Digivolve to its highest level. This does not include Agumon's and Gabumon's warp Digivolve, which requires Angemon and Angewomon to shoot them with arrows of hope and light.