Pokémon trap. Since both franchises’ inception in the late 90s, parallels have been drawn between the two, highlighting the similarities of their premises. Over the years, however, though Pokémon is still the more mainstream IP of the two, Digimon has been able to distinguish itself as a separate entity with its unique brand of storytelling and in-world mechanics. Digimon’s most recent anime, Digimon Ghost Game, is perhaps the clearest example of this differentiation yet.
Though the concept of small monsters becoming partners with their human counterparts sounds analogous, the distinction between Pokémon and Digimon already starts there. Where Pokémon’s “Pocket Monsters,” like Pikachu, are flesh and blood creatures, which function as a replacement for real-world animals in the Pokémon universe, Digimon’s “Digital Monsters,” like Agumon, come from a parallel digital reality. And, while the relationships between Pokémon and their trainers and Digimon and their partners may seem familiar as well, Digimon are capable of speech, allowing for a different type of bond between a Digimon and its partner than between a Pokémon and its trainer.
How each franchise approaches their respective anime distinguishes them from each other as well. While Pokémon has been following Ash Ketchum’s adventures since 1997, across various regions and with a rotating cast of ing characters such as ex-Pokémon gym leader Brock, Digimon has taken a different approach. Rather than following the adventures of one boy and his friends forever, the Digimon anime sometimes changes its cast of characters and overarching plot completely, essentially starting anew with only Digimon’s lore as its foundation. These differences and more have led to the creation of Digimon Ghost Game, which once again cleverly avoids being compared to Pokémon by utilizing its approach to anime and jumping into a genre that Pokémon has never really employed before: namely horror.
What Digimon Ghost Game Does Better Than Pokémon
What Digimon cleverly does in Ghost Game is to use its lore and world-building to create suspense. The ghosts that are referenced in the title, like the Sewn-Lip Man from its first episode, are actually creatures that come from the parallel digital reality that Digimon come from as well. However, most of the characters in Digimon Ghost Game aren’t aware of this reality yet, and as such, the terrifying things that happen within the anime are tied to the paranormal. Additionally, Digimon Ghost Game shrewdly utilizes its setting, which is a not-too-distant future where advanced holograms have become a part of everyday life, leading to people who see strange things waving away the possibility of something terrifying as a clever hologram. As a result, the Sewn-Lip Man can steal people’s time and age them at a frighteningly rapid rate, or mummies can kidnap people at night. The anime doesn’t hold back from showing the creepiness of these events, and it’s all the better for it, combining sci-fi and light horror to create something new.
Pokémon’s and Digimon’s similarities have been debated non-stop, but by creating a formula of its own, Digimon has been able to distinguish itself from its popular rival and succeed in creating a lasting legacy. Digimon Ghost Game leans into these differences. It taps into a genre that Pokémon has never really explored before, separating itself once again and giving audiences a new take on Digimon in the process.
