Digimon and Pokemon – What’s the Difference?

Many people think that Digimon and Pokemon are the same or that one is just another version of the other. Well, this is not surprising! Even some of the fan groups of both series accuse each other of imitation. The thing is – they are very… very different! They may have similar sounding names, but they are not the same.

Before we talk about why and how they are different. Let’s have a look at their similarities, which may be the reason why non-fans confuse one from the other. The first is their names – both have “mon” as a suffix, which practically means the same. Digimon is short for Digital Monster, while Pokemon stands for Pocket Monster. Second is that they are present in many platforms of entertainment: long running anime shows, manga, trading cards, video games, toys and merchandise, and animated movies (although we have yet to see a Digimon live-action film which Pokemon already has). Lastly, both Digimon and Pokemon are Japanese franchises albeit from different companies.

So to give light to those who are confused on how and why Digimon is very much different from Pokemon, please scroll down and read...

How They Began

Most people got to know Digimon and Pokemon because of their anime shows beginning in the late 1990s. However, their first appearances were not on TV and not as anime.

Digimon started off as a virtual toy or digital pet game, similar to the Tamagotchi. The difference is that, while the Tamogotchi just needs to be taken cared of to avoid “sickness and death,” the Digimon can also play in a fighting game.

Pokemon, on the other hand, was a video game first before heading on to become a popular anime series on TV.

You may want to check out our Digimon toys!

Nature of the Creatures

The nature of Digimon and Pokemon are totally different!

Pokemon creatures are animals living on the planet, but unlike normal animals, they are endowed with powers and special abilities. Pokemon trainers will need to travel much to search, collect, and train their Pokemon. Each species of Pokemon has their own unique power and skills, and they have the ability to interact with humans albeit they cannot talk the way people do. They can only blabber in syllables, which coincidentally sound like their species’ name (eg: Pikachu – pika pika pika). There are a few Pokemon who do talk (like Meowth of Team Rocket), but only because its part of their unique abilities.

Digimon creatures are digital lifeforms whose origins are from the “Digital World,” a parallel dimension to the real world. Digimon are created from data. They exhibit more free will as compared to Pokemon. They can be found living in their own digital cities and not in the wild or forest (like animals). Just like Pokemon, they have powers and abilities unique to each kind, can interact with humans, and be trained (or tamed). But unlike Pokemon, all Digimon can talk.

You won’t see a tamer (human companion of a Digimon) shouting at his or her Digimon during battle telling it what to do. They make decisions together!

Powering Up

Both Digimon and Pokemon can enhance their powers and abilities.

In Digimon, powering up is called Digivolution. It occurs when the Digimon gains enough experience to have collected sufficient data and information or when its tamer uses a rare Digivice, which makes the owner to be Digidestined and causes his or her Digimon to digivolve. The Digivolution is very handy during battle and when there is danger or people in need of rescuing. The effect of Digivolution is not permanent; the Digimon can return back to its normal state.

In Pokemon, the effects of powering up via “Evolution” (the term used in Pokemon) are permanent. The process seems to coincide with how the Pokemon ages. When a Pokemon does evolve, its nature and species become completely different – like when Pikachu evolves into Raichu. A good analogy for this is like the caterpillar changing itself into a butterfly.

Death and Re-generation

When a Pokemon gets killed in a fierce battle or mortally injured that causes it to die eventually, that’s it – the life of the Pokemon is over. Remember, Pokemon are still animals with flesh and bones!

For Digimon, the creatures don’t necessarily die! When they are mortally wounded, lose all their energy, or killed in battle, their digital configuration can be re-generated. They will be re-born as a digital egg or Digiegg, and will go through the entire process of growing up and gathering data through experience. In other words, they will just be RE-BOOTED just like a computer!

Heavier vs Lighter Stories

The Digimon and Pokemon franchises both have amusing stories that impart great lessons about friendship, compassion, and heroism.

However, in Digimon, these themes get more emphasised. The emotions are clearly shown and characters are seen as more relatable because of their humanised personalities. Defeating evil is a central plot, the stories are a bit heavier, and they tend to be appreciated more by older children and grownups.

Whereas, in Pokemon, the plot and stories are more lighthearted. The episodes offer light entertainment that younger kids can appreciate and enjoy. Even the battle scenes are less fierce and narrated with an emphasis on fun over conflict.

Lastly...

Whether you love Digimon or Pokemon – or maybe both – it doesn’t matter. They are both great franchises that have entertained generations of fans and continue to do so for today’s children and their parents alike. What’s more is that we have them both here at Mr Toys!

Do you know of some other facts showing Digimon's uniqueness and difference from Pokemon, which are not mentioned in this article? Feel free to share your thoughts and send us comment!