Digital World

The Digital World (often referred to as the "DigiWorld" in English media) is a fictional universe featured in the Digimon media franchise. In Digimon anime, manga, video games, and other related merchandise, the Digital World is a parallel universe to Earth that was made from computer data originating in Earth's communications networks.

Overview
According to the video game Brave Tamer, the Digital World's beginnings can be traced to the early twentieth century, with the activation of the Atanasoff–Berry Computer (ABC) - the first computer - which laid the basic foundations of the world. Subsequently, the first patented computer, ENIAC, was activated, and proceeded to build upon those foundations, shaping the Digital World. Over the ensuing years, through the continued growth of the electronic communications network on Earth, the Digital World continued to expand and grow, even after the ABC and ENIAC were shut down. There are multiple alternate reality incarnations of the Digital World, each one running parallel with the various multiple Earths that exist in the multiverse.

The different Digimon anime series are set in separate Digital Worlds. The basic mechanics, locations and inhabitants of Digital World appear in each, though the individual natures, origins, and histories of the worlds vary greatly. Similarities between the various Digital Worlds exist, however. They all basically parallel Earth's geographic features. There are continents, islands, deserts, mountains, oceans and almost all other kinds of terrain one finds on the topography of Earth. However, as data is easy to modify, and considering that the Digital World is made up of data, the features of any particular area of Digital World are subject to immediate and drastic alteration at any time. For example, a gigantic mountain can be formed in moments or halves of islands can be scattered across a sea with ease. The malleability of the Digital World makes it a frequent target of attack from within and from humans with malevolent intentions.

Although ordinary animals like birds and fish are known to exist in at least some of the Digital Worlds, the dominant lifeforms of all realities are Digimon. Digimon are sentient creatures that, like the Digital World, are made of data. It is possible for Digimon to travel to the "Real World," what Digimon call Earth, though this requires the opening of some sort of dimensional wormhole in Digital World.

Most of humanity does not know of Digital World's existence. The few humans that do either programmed some aspect of the original version of that world or were summoned there by a Digimon or another digital being. On rare occasions, however, a wormhole can appear on Earth, allowing people unknowing of Digital World to enter it.

Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02
The Digital World featured in Digimon Adventure is the same featured in Digimon Adventure 02; Adventure 02 is a sequel to Adventure. This incarnation of the Digital World runs closely parallel to three other dimensions. Two of which are a kaleidoscopic world that possesses the power to transform thoughts and dreams into reality, and a "world of darkness," a grim, foreboding ocean that has the ability to make the dark thoughts of others come to life. The Digital World is tied very closely to these two worlds and has absorbed a fraction of the former's power to bring thoughts to life; this power, combined with the data of the Digital World, gave life to human thoughts, dreams, spiritual beliefs and myths in the form of Digimon.

In this universe, Digimon life is cyclical. When a Digimon reaches the end of their life, the data which makes up their body disperses, only to reform at Primary Village, where it takes the form of a Digitama, (Dub: Digi Egg). The eggs are tended by Elecmon and hatch out into baby Digimon, so that the Digimon can live their lives over again, infinite times. There is some evidence to suggest that the data of evil Digimon does not reform at Primary Village, but rather is sent to somewhere in the world of darkness, either to the Dark Ocean or the Dark Area.

Many locations in this Digital World are named after computer programs and hardware. For example, the two continents of the Digital World are named Folder and Server. File Island is a key location in this Digital World, home to Primary Village and a form of nexus point for the world's data.

The Harmonious Ones are the guardians of the four compass points of the Digital World as well as the centre. Azulongmon is the guardian of the Eastern region, where the Japanese Chosen Children's adventures take place (corresponding to the Real World location of the human partners).

Years before the beginning of the series, when an evil being (most likely Apocalymon) came to the Digital World from beyond the "wall of fire," (similar to a computer's firewall) its presence caused the Digital World to become warped, throwing its chronology out of sync with the Real World, with one Digital World day equaling less than one minute on Earth. To defeat this being, a group of five human children were chosen and brought to the Digital World, successfully defeating the evil force. These children were known as the first "Chosen Children", (Dub: DigiDestined) and their legend was famed throughout the Digital World, with temples erected to their memories and a prophecy that said a new generation of Chosen Children would arise when the Digital World would need them again. Some years later, Apocalymon's effects on the Digital World result in a new group of eight children being selected to become the new Chosen Children and they were transported to the Digital World to battle the evil that had infected it. As a result of their success, Digital World time was re-synchronized with Earth time.

In Digimon Adventure 02, the dimensional balance of the Digital World came under threat when the human Yukio Oikawa - possessed by the digital ghost of the evil Myotismon - used agents such as the Digimon Kaiser (Dub: Digimon Emperor), Mummymon and Archnemon (Dub: Arukenimon) to erect huge black obelisks, known as Dark Towers (Dub: Control Spires), around the Digital World, destabilizing reality all around it so that he could gain access to it. The culmination of this plan resulted in the revelation of the Digital World's existence to the Real world at large; twenty-five years after these events, all humans have a Digimon partner.

Digimon Tamers
Digimon Tamers features a very different Digital World from that depicted in the first two Digimon series. In the earliest stages of its existence, this incarnation of the Digital World was little more than a barren desert. As it grew alongside the Earth's communications network, however, it evolved and changed in dynamic ways, with more and more "layers" coming into existence over the top of the old ones. The lowest layer is the original desert plain and the highest is the home of the Four Holy Beasts (Dub: Digimon Sovereigns) that rule the Digital World. In between lie many small "mini-verses," self-contained environments specially suited to the Digimon that live there, including (but not limited to)


 * An area of clouds and clockwork
 * A warped, black-and-white town
 * An area of forests, lakes and rivers
 * A 'world' entirely composed of caves and water.

Random packets of discarded data often roam the Digital World like tumbleweeds and can be used to help repair and heal injured Digimon. Although the Digital World has both night and day, there is no transitional period between the two, with darkness instantly sweeping across the world like a sheet, as though it were a binary alteration (on or off). Visible in the sky no matter what plane it is viewed from is a pulsing globe of code and light, which represent the Earth - from it emanate "data streams," vast columns of energy which reach down into the Digital World and manipulate its digital matter, physical representations of acts performed on computers across the Earth. Should an individual be caught in a data stream, they will be swept up into it and deposited elsewhere, on any of the Digital World's potential planes. Between Earth and the Digital World is a warped region of interdimensional space where reality is constantly in flux and defined only by the perceptions of individuals passing through it.

Digimon are, in fact, not native to this Digital World, having been created by a group of teenage computer programmers in the late 1980s as an experiment into the development of artificial intelligence. When their project was shut down due to lack of funds, their primitive digital life-forms accidentally found their way into the Digital World, where they began to grow and evolve. One of the programmers, Shibumi, observed this and wrote an algorithm that allowed the Digimon to evolve beyond their original specifications and truly become individual life-forms. Four Digimon in particular evolved into especially powerful forms and became the aforementioned "Four Holy Beasts." The Digital World does have some native life-forms, however, in the form of "DigiGnomes," the first form of artificial life who evolved from the matter of the Digital World itself before the coming of Digimon. The DigiGnomes tend to the welfare of the Digital World and have mysterious, undefined powers that allow them to grant the wishes of others.

While conducting secret information-gathering on the network, the Japanese SIGINT organization, Hypnos became aware of the existence of the Digital World and its Digimon, which they dubbed "Wild Ones." Some time after this, Digimon began to appear in the real world, possibly due to Hypnos's inadvertent creation of a "weak spot" in the borders between the worlds. Digimon materialize on Earth through a process known as "Realization," (Dub: Bio-Emerge) which begins when the barrier between the worlds is temporarily sundered to allow their passage through. The interaction of the two dimensions creates a "Digital Field" - a small gray fog bank - which allows the Digimon to synthesize false proteins and convert itself into a physical form after interacting with the Earth's electromagnetic field. These Digital Fields can appear in random locations instantaneously and often with little warning.

In addition to Hypnos and the original programmers, known as the "Wild Bunch," (Dub: Monster Makers) the only humans to initially be aware of Digimon and the Digital World are children who possess a partner Digimon known as "Tamers." These Tamers had been chosen by the DigiGnomes to become partners with Digimon and the creatures had used Shibumi's algorithm to bond human and Digimon together as partners via the D-Arc Digivice. However, with the progression of the series and the increase in Digimon activity on Earth, escalating from small skirmishes between the Tamers and single to few Digimon (with little to no damage to the Tamer's home city) to more devesating and eventually a massive, city-devastating battle with the "evil" Devas and finally to the full-scale invasion of Tokyo by the D-Reaper, the existence of Digimon eventually became public knowledge.

Digimon Frontier
The Digital World of Digimon Frontier is divided into ten regions, each one representative of one of the world's ten elements - Flame, Light, Ice, Wind, Thunder, Earth, Wood, Water, Steel and Darkness. A massive network of train tracks criss-cross the planet, with a terminal in each region, allowing the train-like Digimon, the Trailmon, to ferry passengers from one region to the next. The most distinguishing feature of this Digital World is the existence of "Fractal Code" - the "command code" for the data that forms the Digital World, possessed by everything, from individual Digimon to masses of land. Fractal Code is usually hidden, but once it is uncovered, it can be "digitized," which in turn "unlocks" the data of the item or individual in question, allowing it to be manipulated. In most cases, this leads to the data being absorbed - an action frequently perpetrated by the villains of the series. Conversely, if the Fractal Code is "rendered," it restores the data to its intended shape and form and "locks" it back into place. If a Digimon has their Fractal Code scanned, but their data is not absorbed, then it will reconfigure itself into a Digi-Egg, which then transports itself to the Village of Beginnings, where, after being tended by Swanmon, it will hatch out into a new Baby Digimon and start its life over again.

In ancient times, the Digital World was wracked by a massive war between the human-type and beast-type Digimon. It was then that the angel Digimon, Lucemon, appeared and brought the war to an end, leading to a period of peace. Lucemon, however, eventually grew corrupted, becoming a tyrannical ruler, prompting the emergence of ten great Legendary Warriors who embodied the ten elements. After a mighty battle, the ten Legndary Warriors were able to defeat Lucemon and imprisoned him in the "Dark Area" deep within the center of the Digital World.

Passing on into the realm of legend themselves and leaving powerful "spirits" embodying their elements behind, the ten warriors were succeeded by a trinity of angelic Digimon known as the "Celestial Digimon" - Seraphimon, Ophanimon and Cherubimon. The group was not a harmonious one, unfortunately - the beast-type Cherubimon disagreed with many of the human-type Seraphimon and Ophanimon's policies and made the argument one of the beast versus human. Mistakenly believing that the two human-types planned to betray him, the despairing Cherubimon found himself overtaken by the dark aura of Lucemon and was transformed into a virus form. The evil Cherubimon then led the beast-type Digimon in a campaign against the human types, ultimately capturing Ophanimon and forcing Seraphimon into a regenerative coma.

To save the Digital World, Ophanimon called upon children from Earth to merge with the spirits of the Legendary Warriors and become Digimon themselves to help free Cherubimon from Lucemon's influence. The new Legendary Warriors were eventually successful in freeing Cherubimon, but Lucemon, undeterred, soon had enough power to consume the fractal code of the entire Digital World and destroy its moons and then began to plan his conquest of Earth as well. In the last battle to save what remained of both worlds, the Legendary Warriors defeated Lucemon and the Digital World and the Digimon on it, were restored.

This particular Digital World is also orbited by three Digital Moons, each named after the world's three rulers and each one a different color - the blue Seraphimoon, the yellow Ophanimoon and the red Cherubimoon. At least two of the Digital Moons are inhabited, the Seraphimoon having a population of Starmon, Meteormon,\ and Burgermon, in their various Digivolutionary forms/stages. The Ophanimoon, surrounded by hazy clouds of yellow dust, is home to a Rebirth Village (similar to the Village of Beginnings in the Digital World), where new Digimon are hatched from Digi-Eggs and Digimon whose data have been destroyed can be reborn and reprogrammed as new Digi-Eggs.

Digimon Savers/Data Squad
In the Digimon Savers (Dub: Data Squad) universe, few people are aware of Digital World's existence. DATS - Digital Accident Tactics Squad (Digimon Data Squad), a secret government organization, is the one in charge of trying to avoid, prevent and clean up any damage or attacks that Digimon cause in the Real World. Many of the Tamers are DATS members. However, many Digimon in the Digital World hate most humans due to a massive attempted genocide of Digimon that happened ten years ago, caused by a group of renegade humans and Gizumon working for Akihiro Kurata, who invaded the Digital World and tried to destroy its inhabitants without mercy. A large part of the Digital World appears to be ruled by Merukimon, one of the Olympus Twelve gods, but not all Digimon are under his rule or even agree with it. It is said that there exists a "God" that oversees the Digital World and is called "Yggdrasil", which Merukimon mentioned in Episode 24. Yggdrasil (King Drasil in the dub) is served by the Royal Knights of the Digital World, a group of powerful and legendary Mega Level warrior Digimon.

Also in the Digital World, there are some floating land masses, carnivorous plants, a city mounted on the sides of a canyon and an abandoned research center. There is also a Holy Capital that is on the back of ElDradimon.

Digimon Xros Wars
In Digimon Xros Wars the Digital World is said to exist ages ago and just with mankind's recent technological advances, the connection between both worlds became possible. Due to a unknown phenomenon, the Digital World was fragmented into 108 different areas called "Zones". A group of Digimon sacrificed themselves trying to prevent the Digital World from being torn apart and their spirits reside into the Digimemories scattered across the zones.

Each Zone contained a Code Crown that bestowed ownership of its respective zone to its possession and whoever managed to reunite all of them would have the right to reshape the Digital World in their own image. During the first half of the anime series, the teams of Xros Heart and Blue Flare fought against the Bagra Army and each other, fought for the Code Crowns. However, the Bagra Army emerged victorious, collecting all 108 Code Crowns, as its leader, Bagramon, merged all the Code Crowns to reformat the Digital World into a realm divided into seven kingdoms, each ruled by a Digimon Death General under his command.

Digital Monster X-Evolution
Digital Monster X-Evolution (also called Digimon X-Evolution) is a movie that is independent of any anime series. It also presented in the X-Pendulum, being divided into three Terminals named after the Norns and represent the three portions of time:


 * Urd - A volcanic wasteland that represents the past. It is where Dinosaur and Dragon Digimon live.
 * Verdandi - A grassland environment that represents the present. It is where Beast, Bird, and other types of Digimon live.
 * Skuld - A Futuristic urban environment. It is where the Machine and Insect Digimon live.

There was a Digital World that existed prior to the one that appears in Digimon X-Evolution. It was cultivated and populated with Digimon by the intelligent computer Yggdrasil. Digital World grew in size and in the numbers of Digimon to where Yggdrasil could no longer manage the load, and the "Digital Hazard" occurred, an event which was setting in motion the destruction of the Digital World. Yggdrasil responded by initiating "Project Ark," a template for deleting the Digital World's excess data. The first phase of the project was to kill all Digimon except the few that Yggdrasil had chosen to be its servants. These select Digimon were relocated to a new Digital World that Yggdrasil had created. However, a small percentage of the Digimon left in the original Digital World survived Project Ark by developing an "X-Antibody." This antibody gave the Digimon immunity from the Project. The X-Antibody had the additional effect of changing the Digimon's physical attributes and making them stronger. These "X" Digimon then traveled to the new Digital World on their own. When Yggdrasil detected their presence, he sent the Royal Knights--the aforementioned Digimon servants—to destroy them. By the time frame that is the setting of Digimon X-Evolution, the X-Digimon are under frequent attack from the Royal Knights.

Entering the Digital World
Each anime series has a different way for Digimon, humans, and other beings to cross back and forth through the Real and Digital World.

Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02
In Digimon Adventure, transit to the Digital World was possible only via a preexisting gateway. The gateways were unlocked with the use of Digivices, pocket-sized devices that assisted in this task and in helping the Chosen Children's partner Digimon Evolve during battle. Other methods of going to the Digital World were possible but these were only rarely used in the series. The exact mechanics for how the portals open are unknown, but in Digimon Adventure 02 it was shown that they could be sealed so that nothing could cross them.

In the Digimon Adventure movie that was released prior to the start of the series, there was no explanation for how a gateway between Digital World and the Real World opened. All that was shown was that for a brief period Digimon could freely travel across the portal.

Digimon Adventure 02 introduced "Digital Gates," programs built into computers which allow access to the Digital World. The precise origins of the programs are unclear, but they are activated by D-3 Digivices, the version of Digivice that was used in this series. The original Digivice cannot be used to open the Digital Gates, but if a Digital Gate program has already been opened the person wielding the original Digivice can still travel to the Digital World. Digital Gates are capable of appearing on computers randomly.

In the second Digimon adventure movie, Our War Game!, a Digimon named Tsumemon was able to infiltrate into the wires comprising the Internet. In the sequel film to Our War Game!, Revenge of Diablomon, an evolved form of the same Digimon broke apart its data and materialized out of the Internet onto Earth via cellphones.

Digimon Tamers
Humans still required some form of portal to access the Digital World in Digimon Tamers. Unlike previous series, it was not necessary for a Tamer to use their Digivice to access a gateway. They appeared randomly on Earth; in the case of the Tamers featured in the series a portal was found in an abandoned building.

Tamers' random portals cannot transport humans back to Earth from Digital World. For this purpose a computer program named "Ark" was used. It materialized in the Digital World as a vessel which the Tamers boarded to Bio-Emerge in the Real World.

One man, Goro Mizuno (alias "Shibumi"), had his consciousness projected into the Digital World when he entered into a coma after being in a car accident. His body could be seen in the Digital World and he could speak but he was transparent and otherwise immaterial. How he could do this was never explained.

Digimon Frontier
Traveling to and from the Digital World in Frontier is accomplished via the use of Trailmon, Digimon that are literally sentient trains. The railways of this Digital World traverse dimensions as well as landscapes; the Trailmon station located on Earth is situated beneath Tokyo's Shibuya station (an actual location). This station is known only to Digimon and the humans that are summoned there by them. However, the station is integrated into the main systems of the Shibuya, and is accessible through the normal station’s elevator.

Frontier also had a case of a consciousness being projected into the Digital World. In this case the victim was Koichi Kimura, who seemingly died after falling down a flight of stairs. However, Koichi was a DigiDestined and his consciousness fought alongside his comrades. His manifestation in Digital World was substantial, but his actual body could feel nothing. Upon deletion in the Digital World, his consciousness returned to his body where the other DigiDestined were able to witness his revival after an unsuccessful attempt at defibrillation.

Digimon Savers
In Digimon Savers, Digimon travel between worlds using portals called Digital Gates. DATS can also create Digital Gates using a machine, which are used to send the Digitama of the rogue Digimon back to the Digital World. Human transfer to the Digital World is also possible and is called a Digital Dive.

Digimon Xros Wars
In Digimon Xros Wars humans are still required to use portals and the exact details are not known at this time. When the main characters first enter the Digital World in episode one it seems to be through a disruption in the wall between the Digital World and the real world resulting in a portal forming with the help of the Xros Loader digivice.

Places in the Digital World
As stated by Gennai from Digimon Adventure, the reason why the Digital World has both primitive and modern things is due to the data that has been deleted in the Real World. For example, if a person were to delete a construction project and shut it down for good, that data would be sent to the Digital World and the construction project would continue to build there.

File Island
File Island is the place where the Chosen Children of Digimon Adventure first arrived. The island is located a little off the coast of the Server Continent. The names of most of the places on the island are never revealed in the anime, but are based on the game Digimon World which also takes place on File Island.

The various places on File Island are:

Server Continent
Server Continent was the place where most of events in Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02 occurred. Server is one of the main continents of the Digital World. It has two distinct regions, a large desert and a forest.

Folder Continent
Folder is another main continent of the Digital World. This is where the V-Tamer story line takes place. Folder is first mentioned on the Digimon Pendulum.

Digimon Tamers
The areas of the Digital World here are these six planes:


 * Desert Plane: This was the earliest plane in the Digital World and the lowest of them all.
 * Clockwork Plane: A plane of clouds and clockwork.
 * Black and White Plane: A black and white plane with a warped town.
 * Forest Plane: An area of forests, lakes, and rivers.
 * Water Plane: An area consisting of water and underground caves.
 * Sovereign Plane: The highest plane where the Digimon Sovereign live.

Digimon Frontier
In Digimon Frontier, the entire Digital World is ten areas, each with a terminal.


 * Flame Terminal -
 * Flame Town - It is where Takuya, Zoe, JP, and Tommy first arrived.
 * Underground Labyrinth -
 * Forest Terminal -
 * Seraphimon's Castle -
 * Light Terminal -
 * Castle of Light - Ophanimon's palace
 * Akiba Market - This is a marketplace within the Digital World's arctic. Its main spot is a giant furnace that keeps the place warm. This is where Tommy first became Korikakumon. It is referred to in the English version as the Autumn Leaf Fair.
 * Burgermon Village - This is where the Burgermon live.
 * Candlemon Village - This is where Takuya, Zoe, JP, and Tommy had their encounter with the Candlemon.
 * Forest of Televisions - A location in the Digital World where the trees act like televisions in the light of the moons.
 * Fortune Teller Village - A location where Takuya first became BurningGreymon.
 * Goma Island - An island where a bunch of Gomamon live. The presence of the Beast Spirit of Wind is what caused the whirlpools around the island.
 * Gotsumon Village - A mountainside area where the Gotsumon live. This is where Koji first became BladeGarururmon.
 * KaratsukiNumemon Mountain - A large mountain where the KaratsukiNumemon live which is located in the southern part of the Digital World.
 * Mamemon Village -
 * Toy Island - A floating island consisting of toys. It is where Monzaemon, Pandamon, and the ToyAgumon live.
 * Trailmon Races - An unnamed village where there are annual Trailmon Races.
 * Wandering Island - This location was featured in the movie "Island of the Lost Digimon." The human-type Digimon and beast-type Digimon have been feuding here for quite some time.
 * Dark Continent: It is an area in the Eastern Region of the Digital World.
 * Dark Continent Forest - This is where the Legendary Warriors had their first encounter with Duskmon.
 * Dark Gate -
 * Rose Morning Star - An area where the Darkness Terminal and Cherubimon's Castle of Darkness are located.
 * Trailmon Graveyard -

Digimon Data Squad

 * Holy Capital - A city that is on the back of an Eldradimon.
 * Infinity Ice Ridge - A frozen mountain area.
 * Merukimon's Castle - This is where Merukimon lives.
 * Wanderer's Cape - A location near the ocean that contains an upside down mansion.

Digimon World Data Squad

 * Walter Island - This is where Marcus and Agumon fight Tylomon who is sinking the ships in the area. They also find Creepymon.
 * Sneyato Forest - This is where Marcus and Yoshino help Thomas fight Bakemon. Kagura is first seen here.
 * Rage Cavern - The team finds an effect the Dark Area has on their Digimon.
 * Mirage Museum - The connection with the children and the Code Keys are found.
 * Livilus Island - This island is also known as Dragon Digimon nest.
 * Digital Dungeon -
 * Sea Precipple Jerapilus -
 * Doomsday Forest Ruin -
 * DATS Headquarters Entrance - The place where they fight Creepymon for the last time.
 * Ice Labyrinths -
 * Dark Area - The final area of the game.

Digimon Xros Wars
The world of "Digimon Xros Wars" is made up of 108 different Zones. It was revealed that the Digital World was originally one area until it was broken up into 108 different zones. The Zones that have been shown in the show so far are:

When Bagramon reclaimed all of the Code Crowns, he used them to reassemble the Digital World before it was broken down into each Zone.