What is Digimon

'Digimon' is short for Digital Monsters. It is supposed that this series came out before Pokemon in Japan, but Pokemon became more popular. The origins of this idea most likely lies in the Tamagatchis (excuse me if I spelled it wrong), the digital pets that are in handheld devices that you could "feed" and play with. I have heard that Digimon was just a copy of Pokemon, by some of those all too faithful Pokemon fans, but I assure you, it is not. The ideas are close, and alike in ways, but are very different. If it was just to make fun of Pokemon, then, why isn't there like, a 'Pikamon' in Digimon? Well, there isn't.

Digimon and the Digital World (Digiworld for short), are all made up of data, like how all things are made up of matter. Though they are made of data, in the series, the Digimon are still real, they can be hurt and destroyed, and they all have feelings. Digimon, don't die, unless they are destroyed in the Real World. In the Digital World, if a Digimon is defeated, they disappear and are reconfigured and become Digieggs in the Primary Village/Village of Beginnings. (There are 2 names since in 01 and Frontier, they have different names for some reason)

      The 'Digidestined', are the 'Chosen Children'. The children in 01 and 02 were chosen with a common event (the Heighten View Terrace incedent), where a Greymon and Parrotmon were seen fighting. In Frontier, all of the kids from the city were called to the Digital World by Ohpanimon, and only the bravest to stay were chosen from all those children.
      The Chosen Children were given 'Digivices' in each season. Those are the symbols that they are Digidestined. There are several variations of them in each season. In 01 and 02, the old Digidestined own the original Digivice. In 02, the new Digidestined have the D-3s, so that they could be compatible with the armor Digieggs. In Tamers, they have 'D-Arcs' (if you unscramble the letters, it spells 'cards' or 'card', and in the show, they slash cards through the D-Arc). In Frontier, they have the 'D-tectors', which they can scan data and store their Spirits.
      In 02, the Digidestined also have 'D-terminals', in which they can email one another, or speak through like walkie-talkies.
      These Digivices enable the partner Digimon of the Human, to Digivolve (which will be explained below). Also, each Digidestined in 01 (and only applies to this season), has a tag and crest, which is their strongest trait. The tag and crests help the Digidestineds' partner Digimon Digivolve past the Champion level. The true power of the tag and crests are within the Digidestineds' hearts, so the crests aren't always required for Digivolution.

      Also, like in Pokemon, Digimon evolve. It is called 'Digivolution' or 'Digivolve'. But, unlike in Pokemon, the Digimon can devolve (or de-digivolve). There are 6 known stages/levels of Digimon. They are: Baby 1 (Fresh), Baby 2 (In-training), Rookie, Champion, Ultimate, and Mega. There are higher levels beyond that of the Mega form, which has been accomplished, but have no names. Digivolution is merely just advancing to the next level. (Please note that also Paildramon's 'Mega Digivolution' is just a normal Digivolution. Paildramon is an Ultimate DNA Digimon Digivolving to his Mega form of Imperialdramon.) There is also a known 'Warp Digivotion', which is hardly used by other Digimon. It is a skip in levels, such as a Digimon goes from their Rookie form straight into their Mega Form, or a Rookie into a Ultimate (reference of Dioboromon from the movie).
      There are 2 other types of Digivolution in 01 and 02. One is the Armor Digivolution. It is said to be an old form of Digivolution, of which only 5 types of Digimon can do it now. (There may be 6, but it can't be determined, since the Digiegg of Kindness was never seen in the series.) The only Digimon that have the abiity to Armor Digivolve are: Veemon, Hawkmon, Armadillomon, Patamon, and Gatomon. There is one Digiegg for each crest, as well as 2 Golden Digieggs, the Golden Digiegg of Miracles and the Golden Digiegg of Fate/Destiny. (Do not get the Digieggs that enable Digimon to Armor Digivolve with the Digieggs that Digimon are hatched from.)
      Besides, Armor Digivolution, there is also DNA Digivolution. If you are familiar with Dragonball Z, DNA Digivolution is merely just a 'Fusion'. And no, they do not yell 'Fusion, Ha!' in the process of DNA Digivolution. Two Digimon DNA Digivolve to form a new Digimon, yet has both minds of the Digimon controlling the new one. Usually, if two Digimon DNA Digivolve, their next form is the next level higher than the two that DNA Digivolved. (Ex. 2 Champion stage Digimon that DNA Digivolved, their new form is an Ultimate) To DNA Digivolve, just like in DBZ, the two Digimon must be at the same level. Not in terms of ki, but their levels.
      There are 3 other types of evolution, 2 in Tamers, and 1 in Frontier. I am not familiar with one of the evolutions of Tamers, called 'Matrix Digivolution' I believe. I missed practically all of the season, and didn't like it all that much. (If anyone knows what exactly it is, email me please) The one I am familiar with, which is almost like the Digivolution from Frontier, is the 'Biomerge Digivolution'. (I am not sure with the name.) Here, the human partner, and the Digimon partner, do a fusion. Still, they do not yell 'Fusion, Ha!' and do a dance. I'm not sure how they do it exactly, but what I know is that the human and the Digimon become one, the Digimon Digivolves to a new form, which is controlled by both the Digimon and the Human (whom is not seen physically, but just as a spirit within the Digimon).
      The Frontier evolution, is known as 'Spirit Evolution'. The chosen children do not have Digimon partners, but become the Digimon through this evolution. More specifically, they become one of the 10 "Legendary Warriors" of the Digital World. To execute the Spirit Evolution, the children use the 'D-tectors' and scan data that appears around their hand. But they must own a Spirit before they can evolve. There are 20 total Spirits, 2 for each element: Light, Darkness, Fire, Wind, Ice, Thunder, Water, Wood, Rock, and Metal. The reason for 2 Spirits for each element is that there are 2 types of the spirits: Human Spirit (H-Spirit), and Beast Spirit (B-Spirit).
      There are variations of the Spirit Evolution though. One is the basic 'Spirit Evolution', in which the human uses the H-Spirit to Digivolve. The humans are in full control of the Digimon in this form. The next is 'Beast Spirit Evolution', where the humans don't always have total control over their B-Spirit forms. There is the 'Slide Evolution', where the Digimon can switch between their H-Spirit and B-Spirit forms. Then, there is the 'Double Spirit Evolution' ('Fusion Evolution' in the USA version), in which the human can use both Spirits they hold and combine them to become a Digimon that is a fusion of both forms of their spirits. But in that form, they cannot Slide Evolve, and only 2 of the children are capable of this evolution. There is also the 'Hyper Spirit Evolution' ('Unified Spirit Evolution' in the USA version). Here, the keepers of the Light and Fire Spirits, collect the other Spirits from the other children, and use the other spirits they have scanned, to become a Digimon fused with all of those spirits. (Ice and Wind into Fire, and Thunder and Darkness into Light. Please note that the extra Spirits of Wood, Water, and Metal are already contained within either the Keeper of the Light or Fire Spirits' D-tectors, since there are only 6 chosen children in the series.) Lastly, there is the 'Ancient Spirit Evolution', where all 20 of the Spirits are combined to make one Digimon, controlled by either 2 or all of the chosen children. This Digimon is known as Susanoomon, the Digimon of Peace. (or something like that)

To go along with the Digivolving, there are also different types of Digimon (besides species). The higher category of Digimon than their species, is their type. There are 3 types of Digimon, Data, Vaccine, and Virus. Most Virus-type Digimon are usually the evil Digimon, but I'm not totally sure. I have found sites that say Wormmon (Ken's Digimon partner) is a Virus type, and he's on the good side.

Basically, each Digimon season/series is centered around something that could destroy the Digital World as everyone knows it. Either that, or some power-hungry person or Digimon wants to control it or wants revenge. Along the way, there are life-threatening situations, 'deaths', and hardships. In 01 and Frontier, the children are pulled into something that they have no idea what they're doing, or why they're there, and want to get out of the Digital World at the beginning of the series, but by the ends, they don't want to leave and say good-bye.

**Please note that I am only familiar with 01, 02, and Frontier. I am not much of a fan of Digimon Tamers. Also note that I mostly call the season titles by their Japanese titles, rather than by the seasons as known in the US.