This is one of those articles that I don’t really need to write, but for the sake of open discussion and giving credit where credit is due, here we are. Digimon and Pokémon have been around for quite a while, and as far as who is around and who is not, it’s pretty obvious. Just so we don’t rest on ceremony, let’s dive in.

Characters are more memorable. With shows comprised of haphazard ensembles like Digimon, One Piece, and Dragonball Z, it’s hard to not just stick to the main character’s plot (hard, not impossible). With Pokémon, they stick to a friendly and familiar archetype of three: Ash and two companions. With Pikachu being more of an attachment to Ash, the interchangeable supporting cast stays memorable as they serve to challenge and aid Ash through the new region in the season. I would be remised if I didn’t mention the Day One Fam, Brock and Misty who give more credence to the story than Sora or Matt ever did in Digimon.

Maybe it’s an unfair comparison since Digimon relies on a collectivism ideology where the sum of the group is greater than the individual efforts and strengths is the back of the story; whereas Pokémon is and has always been the story of Ash becoming the very best, like no one ever was (you know). But, since no one asked and I decided to compare the two, “thems the rules” one would say. Comparing two American Localized ‘Mon shows, we’d compare the “what” makes them stand out.

Stated in the first piece of this discussion, Digimon has a more compelling story in each season; BUT Pokémon has always had stronger characters. This even goes to side characters, Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny, Team Rocket, versus…Gennai, and that’s about it. Even newer cash grabs like the next-gen Pokémon versus new Digimon, even with the ending being Mon, like Lucemon, Cyberdramon, or Shoutmon, it’s hard to remember which season they came from or their significance. Whereas, with the help of the games, the legendary Pokémon made it very easy to know the significance of each region’s Pokémon.

Names

Pokémon names were also more original. You had Pikachu (the mickey mouse of the show) vs. Agumon. Inherently Pikachu (which already sounds cuter), a smiling fat (in the 90’s) yellow mouse, where Agumon, an orange baby T-Rex, would appeal to the male audiences. So already we have the poster boy mascots in differing appeal levels, one that appeals to a wider demographic than another. Again, we are talking about kids between the ages of 4-12.

Side Characters

Side Characters were more memorable. Although they can be written off as the soulless NPC of this anime, these characters were featured in almost every episode, Team Rocket, comprised of a contrast, the bumbling adults that were up to no good versus the happy kid protagonists. They even featured their own Iago from Aladdin, Pain and Panic from Hercules, or LeFou from Beauty and the Beast with Meowth. If you aren’t picking it up by now, all these were classics in a time before Pokémon hit the hysteria level. So even bad guys were likable. Team Rocket was the plot to most episodes like how Rita and Goldar were the repeat offenders of Power Rangers. Oak, Joy, and the Officer Jenny provided staples in each town or a rhythm that allowed the audience to know what happened if people got in trouble, how to take care of Pokémon or where Ash was in his journey.

Tent pole Characters

Anyone remember Susanomon? How about Gallantmon Crimson Mode? Malomyotismon? All Digimon. So let’s try, Diancie, Zygard, and Zoroak? Oh. Same thing? Well yeah, a lot of new things and new names are tough. If you did then kudos, but let’s compare a Piedmon to a Mewtwo, a Lugia to Azulamon, or a Diaboromon to an Entei. The difference? Earlier generations and movies to surround the characters that were all about introducing you to this, along with very specific names that don’t get muddled with a lot of consonances and “Mon” at the end.

To wrap it all up, these are two different shows and for the time frame. Pokémon hit on all the right marks when it comes to being a commercialized and digestible show for younger ages. When looking back, more than just nostalgia there’s a lack of narrative strength, but when it comes to memorable aspects, it takes Digimon down every time. We won’t even go into the video games, but maybe in Part 3, we can.

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