:: computerAdministrator ::
Digimon Worldbuilding Intro
CA: I find that a lot of people who are casually aware of Digimon aren't as familiar with the world or setting as people who are casually aware of Pokemon.
CA: You don't have to be an active fan of Pokemon to know that the creatures are pet-like, only say their names, and that there's a young boy named Ash that is partners with a yellow rodent named Pikachu.
CA: Meanwhile, most of the casual knowledge of Digimon is... that the series exists.
CA: And you'll get comparisons to Pokemon if you bring it up.
CA: Maybe they'll be familiar with Agumon if you show them a picture.
CA: And that's okay; not everyone has to be a fan of everything, but it can be hard to get your bearings as a new fan, so I'm writing this general guide to help!
CA: Note: Digimon is best understood as an anthology series where there are characters and species in common, but different settings can change the rules if they want to do so, and therefore not every element is going to be relevant or applicable to every series.
CA: AKA, take everything that I'm about to say with a grain of salt.
CA: You don't have to be an active fan of Pokemon to know that the creatures are pet-like, only say their names, and that there's a young boy named Ash that is partners with a yellow rodent named Pikachu.
CA: Meanwhile, most of the casual knowledge of Digimon is... that the series exists.
CA: And you'll get comparisons to Pokemon if you bring it up.
CA: Maybe they'll be familiar with Agumon if you show them a picture.
CA: And that's okay; not everyone has to be a fan of everything, but it can be hard to get your bearings as a new fan, so I'm writing this general guide to help!
CA: Note: Digimon is best understood as an anthology series where there are characters and species in common, but different settings can change the rules if they want to do so, and therefore not every element is going to be relevant or applicable to every series.
CA: AKA, take everything that I'm about to say with a grain of salt.
:: computerAdministrator ::
What is a Digimon?
CA: A Digimon is a mysterious digital lifeform that lives in the
Digital World, another dimension which is connected to the
Internet (often referred to as the Network).
CA: When humans created the Network, it connected our reality to the Digital World, which allows us to interact with Digimon.
CA: Digimon themselves take on a variety of forms, live in a wide array of biomes, and can interact with computers and other objects connected to the Network.
CA: They love to eat, sleep, train, battle, and they can be Partners with a human Tamer, but this last part is not required for them to live.
CA: Also, Digimon can talk, which seems to surprise a lot of people who are unfamiliar with the series.
CA: When humans created the Network, it connected our reality to the Digital World, which allows us to interact with Digimon.
CA: Digimon themselves take on a variety of forms, live in a wide array of biomes, and can interact with computers and other objects connected to the Network.
CA: They love to eat, sleep, train, battle, and they can be Partners with a human Tamer, but this last part is not required for them to live.
CA: Also, Digimon can talk, which seems to surprise a lot of people who are unfamiliar with the series.
:: computerAdministrator ::
Digimon Biology and Life Cycle
CA: Digimon all hatch from a Digitama (lit: Digital Egg) into a Baby I Digimon.
CA: As Digimon live and grow older and stronger, they Digivolve into a Baby II Digimon.
CA: This continues for the other stages of a Digimon's life: Child, Adult, Perfect, and Ultimate.
CA: Some Digimon can achieve an additional form more powerful than its Ultimate stage, called Super Ultimate.
CA: Different series refer to Super Ultimate as either its own stage or an addition to the Ultimate stage, but either way, it's another powerful form that is only available to a select few types of Digimon.
CA: Digimon do not have gender / sex characteristics, but they may refer to themselves with gendered pronouns and terminology, and they can also form romantic attachments.
CA: Reproduction / creation of new Digimon is done through a universal system of recycling data, duplication, and merging.
CA: Digimon take on different forms based on the type of data / information harnessed within itself.
CA: For example, according to the Digimon Reference Book, Punkmon "evolved by taking in data on music and fashion from punk rock culture," and its design and personality reflect punk rock culture.
CA: Eventually, a Digimon will die, either in old age or in battle, and be recycled into data.
CA: What happens at this point can be different between series, but they are often reincarnated into another Digitama, starting the whole cycle over again!
CA: As Digimon live and grow older and stronger, they Digivolve into a Baby II Digimon.
CA: This continues for the other stages of a Digimon's life: Child, Adult, Perfect, and Ultimate.
CA: Some Digimon can achieve an additional form more powerful than its Ultimate stage, called Super Ultimate.
CA: Different series refer to Super Ultimate as either its own stage or an addition to the Ultimate stage, but either way, it's another powerful form that is only available to a select few types of Digimon.
CA: Digimon do not have gender / sex characteristics, but they may refer to themselves with gendered pronouns and terminology, and they can also form romantic attachments.
CA: Reproduction / creation of new Digimon is done through a universal system of recycling data, duplication, and merging.
CA: Digimon take on different forms based on the type of data / information harnessed within itself.
CA: For example, according to the Digimon Reference Book, Punkmon "evolved by taking in data on music and fashion from punk rock culture," and its design and personality reflect punk rock culture.
CA: Eventually, a Digimon will die, either in old age or in battle, and be recycled into data.
CA: What happens at this point can be different between series, but they are often reincarnated into another Digitama, starting the whole cycle over again!
:: computerAdministrator ::
Chosen Children, Crests, and Digimentals
CA: You remember how earlier I mentioned that Digimon can be Partners
with Tamers?
CA: One special category of Tamer is a Chosen Child or Digi-Destined, which is a child who is partners with a Digimon and who is often meant to defeat some great evil that is threatening the Digital World in some way.
CA: We will get into the potential systems that choose said children later, but the part that I want to get into here are the traits / items that are associated with Chosen Children, specifically Crests and Digimentals.
CA: Each Chosen Child is tied to a personality trait, specifically Courage, Friendship, Knowledge, Love, Purity, Sincerity, Hope, Light, and Kindness.
CA: There are items that are connected to each of the above nine personality traits that can be used by Chosen Children to help their Partner Digimon to Digivolve and reach new levels of power.
CA: Crests are used to help Digimon Digivolve from their Adult form to their Perfect form.
CA: Digimentals are used to help the Partner Digimon Armor Digivolve, which is often a different form than if they Digivolve using other methods.
CA: One special category of Tamer is a Chosen Child or Digi-Destined, which is a child who is partners with a Digimon and who is often meant to defeat some great evil that is threatening the Digital World in some way.
CA: We will get into the potential systems that choose said children later, but the part that I want to get into here are the traits / items that are associated with Chosen Children, specifically Crests and Digimentals.
CA: Each Chosen Child is tied to a personality trait, specifically Courage, Friendship, Knowledge, Love, Purity, Sincerity, Hope, Light, and Kindness.
CA: There are items that are connected to each of the above nine personality traits that can be used by Chosen Children to help their Partner Digimon to Digivolve and reach new levels of power.
CA: Crests are used to help Digimon Digivolve from their Adult form to their Perfect form.
CA: Digimentals are used to help the Partner Digimon Armor Digivolve, which is often a different form than if they Digivolve using other methods.
:: computerAdministrator ::
Higher Forces
CA: Every Digital World is ruled over by a
Host Computer, which act as both the central server where a Digital World is
stored and as an administrator for said Digital World.
CA: Generally speaking, these Host Computers can take "physical" form as an Avatar in the Digital World, and they tend to command an organization of powerful Digimon to enact their will, whatever that may be.
CA: There are many Digital Worlds, often with different "layers," and most Digimon media takes place in the Yggdrasill Digital World.
CA: Two other major existing Digital Worlds are Digital World: Illiad and Digital World: Shambala.
CA: One entity (group of entities? Force of nature?) that can affect all Digital Worlds is Homeostasis, which generally speaking exists to maintain the balance between good and evil.
CA: Yggdrasill commands the Royal Knights while Homeros commands the Olympos XII.
CA: Generally speaking, the cosmogeny of Digimon doesn't affect the storyline of each individual series, but many of them like giving us breadcrumbs of worldbuilding that isn't necessarily applicable to the next thing that we encounter.
CA: That being said, the current trinity of the Yggdrasill, Iliad, and Shambala Digital Worlds holds true.
CA: But generally speaking, unless it is stated otherwise, assume that it's all taking place in Yggdrasill.
CA: Generally speaking, these Host Computers can take "physical" form as an Avatar in the Digital World, and they tend to command an organization of powerful Digimon to enact their will, whatever that may be.
CA: There are many Digital Worlds, often with different "layers," and most Digimon media takes place in the Yggdrasill Digital World.
CA: Two other major existing Digital Worlds are Digital World: Illiad and Digital World: Shambala.
CA: One entity (group of entities? Force of nature?) that can affect all Digital Worlds is Homeostasis, which generally speaking exists to maintain the balance between good and evil.
CA: Yggdrasill commands the Royal Knights while Homeros commands the Olympos XII.
CA: Generally speaking, the cosmogeny of Digimon doesn't affect the storyline of each individual series, but many of them like giving us breadcrumbs of worldbuilding that isn't necessarily applicable to the next thing that we encounter.
CA: That being said, the current trinity of the Yggdrasill, Iliad, and Shambala Digital Worlds holds true.
CA: But generally speaking, unless it is stated otherwise, assume that it's all taking place in Yggdrasill.
:: computerAdministrator ::
Digital Factors
CA: I mentioned up top that different Digimon series take place in different continuities, and these factors in particular need
to be taken in stride.
CA: The Digicore is generally used as an equivalent to a soul; it's the center of a Digimon's being, and if it is altered somehow, then it severely affects the corresponding Digimon.
CA: The Digital Hazard refers to several different concepts.
CA: In particular, it refers to several disastrous events that threaten the Digital World, the power that certain Digimon may hold that could result in said disastrous events, and the mark that signifies said power and danger.
CA: The X-Antibody is an aspect that can either be absorbed by Digimon into their Digicore or is an inherit part of a Digimon's Digicore.
CA: Essentially, Yggrasill was running out of space in the server, so they needed to free up space.
CA: They created the X Program which would kill 98% of the Digimon while Yggdrasill migrated the remaining 2% of Digimon to a different server structure.
CA: If a Digimon had the X-Antibody in their Digicore, they are resistant to the X Program, and it could cause the Digimon to take on a new form.
CA: In particular, my favorite Digimon, Dracomon X, is a Dracomon who incorporated the X-Antibody into themselves, and they're the Digimon that I raised the most often on the Digital Monster X - Version B that I first experienced.
CA: I have a D&D character who is a Sapphire Dragonborn Drakewarden Ranger with a Drake companion who is styled after Dracomon X, and said Drake companion is named Ketchup, after the Dracomon X that I first raised on the Digital Monster X.
CA: The Digicore is generally used as an equivalent to a soul; it's the center of a Digimon's being, and if it is altered somehow, then it severely affects the corresponding Digimon.
CA: The Digital Hazard refers to several different concepts.
CA: In particular, it refers to several disastrous events that threaten the Digital World, the power that certain Digimon may hold that could result in said disastrous events, and the mark that signifies said power and danger.
CA: The X-Antibody is an aspect that can either be absorbed by Digimon into their Digicore or is an inherit part of a Digimon's Digicore.
CA: Essentially, Yggrasill was running out of space in the server, so they needed to free up space.
CA: They created the X Program which would kill 98% of the Digimon while Yggdrasill migrated the remaining 2% of Digimon to a different server structure.
CA: If a Digimon had the X-Antibody in their Digicore, they are resistant to the X Program, and it could cause the Digimon to take on a new form.
CA: In particular, my favorite Digimon, Dracomon X, is a Dracomon who incorporated the X-Antibody into themselves, and they're the Digimon that I raised the most often on the Digital Monster X - Version B that I first experienced.
CA: I have a D&D character who is a Sapphire Dragonborn Drakewarden Ranger with a Drake companion who is styled after Dracomon X, and said Drake companion is named Ketchup, after the Dracomon X that I first raised on the Digital Monster X.