Digivolution
From Free net encyclopedia
Digivolution is a term used in the English version of the Digimon television series. It is a fictional process of a Digimon developing into a more powerful being. The Japanese versions of Digimon Adventure simply use the term "shinka" (進化), which directly translates to 'evolution'.
Digivolutionary Levels
- Digitama (Digiegg on the TV show)
- Fresh (baby on the tv show, baby 1 in Japan)
- In-Training (baby 2 in Japan)
- Rookie (child in Japan)
- Champion (adult in Japan)
- Ultimate (perfect or complete in Japan)
- Mega (ultimate in Japan)
Effects of Digivolution
Digimon have several digivolution stages. When a Digimon digivolves, it goes into a higher stage. The Digimon becomes more powerful, with more offensive power and also becomes physically stronger. The Digimon name also changes, often becoming longer the higher the digivolving stage.
The Digimon's physical appearance changes as well. After digivolving, the Digimon is often larger than its previous form (eg. Agumon - Greymon), though this is not always the case (eg. MetalGreymon - WarGreymon).
There are a variety of changes that can occur. Each Digimon and digivolution stage has a different effect. A Digimon may have arms and legs when it had none before, become bipedal when it was quadpedal (or vice versa), or even change from nonhumanoid to humanoid form. There are too many physical changes possible to be listed here.
Though Digivolving is named after the theory of evolution, it is much closer to metamorphosis, but human aging is a more appropriate comparison (hence the level names mentioned above). When a person ages, he slowly changes from one life stage into another. Example: a baby ages into a toddler and then a preteen and so on. He or she becomes larger and stronger during the aging process (at first). However, digivolution is instantaneous.
De-Digivolution
In the TV series, the Digimon partners of the Digi-destined often return to their previous form after fighting a battle in a more powerful form. This regression in the evolutive scale is often referred as "de-digivolution". In certain cases, the Digimon may end up severely wounded. When that happens, their form will be reverted to a more basic stage (like the digitama), and additional training (as well as time) will be required in order to reach a more stable state again.
Types of Digivolution
Digivolve (Evolve — 進化【しんか】)
Image:GabuDigivolve.gifThe most common form. A Digimon changes into a higher stage. In the first two seasons of the TV series and the first couple of video games (including the original Digimon), it is a natural process that occurs to Digimon without additional aid, like aging. However, a human with a Digivice can act as a catalyst for the effect. In the Tamers series, it is more difficult to Digivolve than the first two series; in order for their digimon to reach the Champion level either Calumon or an Evolution card must be used as a catalyst alongside their D-Arc Digivice. To allow a digimon to evolve to Ultimate an additional catalyst is needed, such as the Crests or a "Blue Card". However, toward the second half of Digimon Adventure 02, Gennai using power given to him by Azulongmon unlocked the Original Digidestined's Digimon's power to Digivolve to Ultimate without a Tag and Crest, although this was later sacrificed to enable for Imperialdramon to mode change to his Fighter Mode.
Super Evolve (Japanese-only term; 超進化【ちょう・しんか】)
Image:MetalGreymonDigivolve.gifWhile the English dub simply called it Digivolution, the Japanese version used a different term for when a Digimon evolved from their Champion/Adult state to their Ultimate/Perfect. The Digimon would exclaim "Chou shinka!" during the evolution.
Warp Digivolve (Warp Evolve — ワープ進化)
Image:GabuWarpDigivolve.gifUsed in Digimon Adventure/02 in the case of Agumon, Gabumon, Leomon and Angemon. Also, in Tamers, Impmon. When given enough power, a rookie or champion gains the ability to bypass his other form(s) to Digivolve straight to its Mega Form.
In the third Digimon movie, Angemon, a champion, only bypassed his Ultimate stage and digivolved into Seraphimon, his Mega form. Although this is not considered to be canon to the TV series storyline, as how Angemon was capable of doing this is unknown.
Warp DNA Digivolve
This Digivolution was used in the movie "Return of Diaboramon". Agumon and Gabumon were able to bypass their Champion and Ultimate form and DNA digivolve into Omnimon. When they Warp DNA Digivolve, they became just the arms of Omnimon.
Armor Digivolve (Armor Evolve — アーマー進化)
Image:Submarimon.gif The fusion of "Digi-Egg" (known as a Digimental in Japan) and Digimon. An ancient technique to digivolve seen in the Digimon Adventure 02 series. Each Digi-Egg represents one of the traits of the crests used in Digimon Adventure (i.e. courage, friendship, love, hope, light, knowledge, sincerity, reliability). A normal Armor Digimon has the power similar to that of a Champion Level Digimon. It is assumed that a Golden Armor Digimon has the power of an Ultimate Level Digimon, however evidence favors that a Golden Armor Digimon is more like an extremely strong Champion. In Digimon Adventure 02, the Golden Armor Digimon Magnamon releases all of his power in order to destroy an Ultimate Level Digimon named Chimeramon. Achieving the power of a Golden Armor requires either of the legendary Digiegg/Digimentals (of Destiny/Fate and Miracles respectively). The command to activate the Evolution is "Digi-Armor Energize" for normal Digi-Eggs and "Golden-Armor Energize" for Golden Digi-Eggs in the English version. Both types are "Digimental Up" in the Japanese Version.
DNA Digivolve (Jogress Evolve — ジョグレス進化)
Image:DNA2.gif A method of evolution in Digimon Adventure 02. This method was used to raise the Digi-Destined's partners to the Ultimate (JPN: Perfect or Complete) level without the need for a tag and crest. Despite some debate amongst fans this form of digivolution is basically the merging of 2 digimon into one(usually of a higher level but in some cases such as Omnimon there is no higher level.) Because the video and card games have ExVeemon naturally digivolve to Paildramon (with Aquilamon and Ankylomon becoming Silphymon and Shakkoumon) some fans have begun to think that DNA Digivolution is actually just one digimon supplying the power normally supplied by a tag and crest in order to digivolve, this is actually because these 2 digimon have no natural digivolutions as of yet and probably never will. While there have been a few different types of jogress in the various video games it is explained clearly in the anime that DNA Digivolution is in fact the merger of the two digimon, proof of this is seen in some of the jogressed digimon such as Omnimon and Paildramon, however it may be different in some non-cannon games. In the dub of the 4th movie, when Agumon and Gabumon became Omnimon, it was called Warp DNA Digivolution. The term "Jogress" is a portmanteau of the English words "join" and "progress".
Mega Digivolve
This is a special type of digivolution only used by Paildramon in the anime. It came about when Gennai gave the digidestened's digimon Azulongmon's core and all of the digimon experienced a power surge that caused them to digivolve, while most of them only digivolved to rookie Paildramon who was fighting at the time Mega Digivolved into Imperialdramon. A figure of azulongmon is seen forming a circle that Paildramon goes throw while transforming into Imperialdramon.
Mode Change (モード・チェンジ)
Image:ModeChange.gif Not really an evolution, a Mode Change occurs when a Digimon gains different traits by switching to a new form. The new mode is usually more powerful than the last. Used in both Digimon Adventure 02 and Digimon Tamers. Only Imperialdramon, Beelzemon, Alphamon, UlforceVeedramon, Belphemon,and Gallantmon are known to be capable of this. In the manga V-Tamer, UlforceVeedramon mode changes to Future mode, and in Digimon Chronicle/X-Evolution, Alphamon changes to Ouryuuken mode. Belphemon changes into Sleep mode (which is actually weaker than the regular Belphemon).
Matrix Digivolve (Champion to Ultimate)
Image:Terrier.gif The digivolution process which is triggered by "the Catalyst" or its Digimon form Calumon and a "Blue card". In the Tamer's digital world (tv show series 3), a Digimon cannot digivolve at all without the Catalyst. This only appears in the third season of the TV series. In the dub, the Digimon call out "Matrix Digivolve", but in the original, it is only said by the Digivice itself. The term Matrix Digivolution is also used in the proccess of merging with a Tamer in order to reach the Mega level.
Biomerge (Matrix Evolution - マトリックス・エボリューション)
Used only in the Digimon Tamers Series and Digimon Movie 6: Runaway Digimon Express. This is an optional 'Warp Digivolution' where a digimon merges with its Tamer to reach its Mega Form, with both Tamer & Digimon fighting as one. Only four tamers Takato Matsuki with Guilmon, Henry Wong with Terriermon, Rika Nonaka with Renamon, and Ryo Akiyama with Cyberdramon gain the ability to use this evolution. During the D-Reaper arc at first this evolution could not be used while the Tamers were back in the real world, but a gift from Dobermon who had been sent by the Digimon Sovereigns (Digimon Gods in the Japanese version) allowed the Tamers to use this evolution in the real world. The command in the English version is "Biomerge Activate". It should be noted that, while the term is called "Matrix Evolution" in the Japanese version, the Digimon envolved in the process simply says "[name] shinka!"
Shining Digivolution
This evolution was used by Calumon. When the catalyst was released from within him, he used Shining Digivolution to digivolve all the digimon in the digital world into Megas to fight the D-Reaper
Spirit Digivolution
These Digivolutions only appeared in Digimon Frontier.
Spirit Evolution (スピリット・エボリューション)
Image:SlideE.gif The use of a Digimon spirit to digivolve. There are two spirit types: human and beast. A human can use a spirit and a digivice to become a Digimon. In the English Dub using a beast spirit is classified as Beast Spirit Evolution. This only appears in the Frontier series.
Slide Evolution (スライド・エボリューション)
Not really an evolution, more like a way to quickly switch between human spirit or beast spirit form. It is similar to Mode Change. It only appears in the Frontier series.
Fusion Evolution (Double Spirit Evolution — ダブル・スピリット・エボリューション)
The merging of a beast and human spirit to form a more powerful being and only two of the characters (Takuya Kanbara & Koji Minamoto) gained the ability to use this evolution. Seen on the Frontier series, Unlike dna digivolution this is a true merger of the two digimon as the digimon produced contains only elements of the two original digimon(i.e. Aldamon's head is the same as Agunimon's)
Unified Spirit Evolution (Hyper Spirit Evolution — ハイパー・スピリット・エボリューション)
Evolution where it's user uses the power of the Human and Beast Spirits divided from five of the ten different elements. This only appears in the Frontier series and only two of the characters (Takuya Kanbara & Kouji Minamoto) gain the ability use this evolution after the Great Angel Ophanimon upgrades both of their D-Tectors. Between Takuya and Kouji the Spirits they would each use are their own Human and Beast spirits as well as the Human and Beast Spirits divided from two out of four of both their Teammates and the spirits that once belonged to their enemies. Takuya uses the Spirits of Fire, Wind, Ice, Earth, and Wood to become Emperor Greymon and Kouji uses the Spirits of Light, Thunder, Darkness, Water, and Steel to become Magna Garurumon. Once they de-evolve the Human and Beast Spirits that belong to their teammates will return to their rightful owners.
Ancient Spirit Evolution (エンチェント・スピリット・エボリューション)
Final evolution in the Frontier series. The Digimon resulting from this evolution is Susanoomon, which consists of all 20 spirits. Both Takuya and Koji evolve into this form and later all of the digidestened minus koichi use it.