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Chapter 1, digimon seekers

Digimon Seekers: Chapter 1-7: Loogamon’s Data

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‘ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you’ve been enjoying this project, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.

Eiji barges into Ryusenji’s lab in a huff. “Professor! Professor Ryusenji”

The professor looks up from his work nonchalantly. People suddenly barging into his lab was no novelty. “Good morning, Eiji.” It was already afternoon, but the professor often loses all sense of time when he’s at work.

“Good morning” Eiji responds with a quick bow, remembering his manners. “What’s with this Digimon?!? It’s not moving.” Eiji rushes to the professor’s side to show him the small blue pixelated wolf on his Digimon Linker. Loogamon naps soundly.

Ryusenji pulls Eiji’s arm close and examines the sleeping Digimon. A smile forms on the professor’s face. “He’s just having a little nap. You’re doing a great job Eiji, he’s a healthy happy boy. I can’t wait to see what he evolves into. If you can get him to his ultimate form, we’ll give you a nice… incentive.”

“An incentive? Like more money?”

Ryusenji nods his head. “You’ll get a very generous payout. I’m curious to see the type of Digimon Loogamon turns into. You guys will probably look super cool together!” The professor can’t hide his excitement as he starts theorizing about all the possibilities.

“I’ll do my best” Eiji replies. He was beginning to warm up to the eccentric old man. “Oh. Did you see yesterday’s training report? I sent it to your email.”

“Oh?!” the professor responds as he opens up his email client. “I get hundreds of emails a day. I hardly ever open them. I don’t have the time to look through every single…here it is in your own little folder. I keep all your emails separate so they don’t get lost”

Eiji hugs himself and gives the professor a warm smile. “That makes me feel important”

“You’re a very important business partner of mine, Eiji”

The professor sounded sincere, and Eiji was slowly learning to trust him. Eiji felt strange having someone so important put so much worth onto him, but he was determined to make him proud. Here in this lab, Eiji wasn’t just another Code Cracker punk, he was a partner of the world renowned scientist, Professor Ryusenji. This made Eiji feel good.

Ryusenji plays that video from Eiji’s report.

Loogamon, child, dark beast, virus type

Loogamon sits in front of four bowls of food, but eats from one of them. Three Tyrannomon wait patiently across from the small wolf as it devours the food. Ryusenji’s face inches towards the monitor as he observes the behavior.

“Loogamon is already stronger than three Tyrannomon.” Eiji explains to an unmoving professor.

“Interesting…” Ryusenji’s eyes remain glued to the screen. “Loogamon seems to have become the alpha. See how the Tyrannomon are behaving? It’s like they respect him as their leader. This is truly fascinating. Putting them in the same cage has created this…dynamic…”His voice trails as he continues his observations. His face is full of excitement.

“That must be why they don’t bother him, even when he eats their food. He even tried eating this guy,” Eiji says, pointing to one of the Tyrannomon.

“Oh?! That’s interesting”

“Loogamon eats so much food though.” Eiji begins to complain.

“That’s normal.”

Eiji pulls up another report. “Here’s the data for a benchmark I conducted. Loogamon is showing an above-average growth score”

“Interesting.” the professor strokes his chin as he reads over the data.

“Oh!” Eiji blurts out suddenly. He points to the jeweled mask on its forehead “What’s this thing on Loogamon’s forehead?” Eiji pauses the video and zooms in so that the face plate is fully visible. “That jewel even glows sometimes.”

Ryusenji moves closely so that his forehead is almost touching the screen “I am not sure, but that’s very perceptive of you Eiji.” The professor then turns to Eiji “How do you like Loogamon? Have you been using it for anything exciting?”

“I’ve been having trouble evaluating its performance as an AI tool”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not that the command tools don’t work, it’s more like Loogamon won’t do what I tell it. It won’t work or walk either. It is a very stubborn dog”

“So you don’t think you can raise it?” Ryusenji asks

Eiji panics. “No! I mean yes. I didn’t mean it like that. Raising it is my job and I take all my jobs seriously. I was just pointing out how…different it is from other Digimon I’ve raised.”

Ryusnji smiles back at the frantic Eiji “Try summoning Loogamon’s hologram.”

Eiji scrolls through his Digimon Linker before choosing the command. Loogamon appears in the room, sound asleep. It is about the size of an adult husky with soft-looking grey-blue fur. As it wakes, he blinks indifferent red eyes at the two men looking down at it. It wakes slowly, throwing slow indifferent blinks at the two men who now crowd him. It lets out a loud yawn.

“Fascinating!” Rysenji suddenly shouts as he continues looking over the data “Look at these numbers!” The professor points excitedly at the evaluation report on the screen.

Eiji attempts to understand the information. “DS value…? I’m not sure what that means,” Eiji admits reluctantly.

“It’s an indicator I designed to calculate the compatibility between a Digimon and its partner. In other words, you and Loogamon are extremely compatible!” Rysenji doesn’t hide his excitement.

“Seriously?!” Eiji looks down at Loogamon who has since gone back to napping on the floor.

“I knew I chose the right person for the job,” the professor claps.

“So…Does that mean that Loogamon can evolve right away?”

“I can’t say for sure”

“Why not?”

“The DS value doesn’t measure potential, only the user’s compatibility with a Digimon.”

“So it is possible to train,” Eiji whispers to himself. He had only ever used Tyrannomon, and a few other Digimon common in the code cracker circles. The more common the Digimon, the easier it was to train. Loogamon was unique, and would require more work to train.

“Where have you been getting your Digimon up until now? GriMM?”

“Yeah. Since it’s illegal in Japan, I have to get them from other countries. There are no borders in the Digital World.”

Ryusenji almost chuckles, “Do you know who you’re quoting?”

Eiji shakes his head no. It was a meme everyone repeated. “Do you?”

Ryusenji shrugs his shoulder as an involuntary smile escapes him. “What do you do again Eiji,” the professor asks, changing the subject.

“I’m a Code Cracker”

“Then you are familiar with the famous code cracking team?”

Illustration illustration: PLEX

Chapter 1, digimon seekers

Digimon Seekers Chapter 1-6: Eiji Becomes a Breader

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I’ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you’ve been enjoying this project, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.

Eiji heads home with his new Digimon Linker and his new companion. His glances regularly fall onto his new accessory. He admires the sleek design. Watches as the face glimmers under the street lamp. Occasionally he wakes it up to read over all its menus and is greeted by a sleeping Loogamon. Around him, crowds or people move around him and a train passes in the distance.

His stomach growls and wakes him from his trance. He goes to the restaurant near the station and orders a meat bowl. The aroma is intoxicating and Eiji almost drowns in a pool of his own drool as he waits for a meal that only existed in his dreams until recently. He savors every bite and wonders when Loogamon’s last meal was.

Eiji takes a crowded train to his small apartment. The apartment is small and empty except for a few mats and a small alter. Small led candles flicker weakly as he stops in front of an old family pictures and one of a dog he used to have. “Hey, I’m home. Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma. I’m home.”

Eiji makes his way to his loft where he can finally examine the Digimon Linker without distractions. “I’ve never seen a Digimon like this before…Loogomon huh?” Eiji examines the blue dog sleeping on the watch.

Character design/illustration illustrator: malo

“I want you to train the Digimon” Ryusenji had told him. Eiji begins scrolling through GriMM for advice on raising Loogomon. Digimon training jobs are extremely common on GriMM. Eiji needed to learn to be a competent Digimon breeder and trainer. He needed all the help he could get.

“I am interested in seeing how you raise Loogomon. It is important for my research“

Eiji goes sighs as the the conversation replays in his head.”If Ryusenji expects so much from me, I have no choice but to give it my all” Eiji promises to no one. As the the days events begin to sink in, Eiji can’t help but feel excited. But there was also

He had never been so excited in his life. But Eiji had no experience raising a Digimon, especially one so unique.

Eiji Looks over at the monochrome LCD screen that rests on his desk. A dotted Tyrannomon fills the display. It was Digimon Dock like the one he wore on his wrist, but an outdated model he built himself. The schematics can be found easily online. Eiji built it with readily available used parts he found online. Eiji owned a few Digimon Docks, but none of them were as good as the one he wore on his wrist.

The professor had mentioned something about the memory being corrupt in the Delivery Dock Eiji used to capture Betamon. “I’m going to need some parts,” Eiji says examining the parts scattered on his desk. But he already has a Digimon linker and doesn’t feel any urgency.

Eiji lays back in his bed and stares at the Loogomon. He smiles as he stares at the dog-like Digimon who seems to stare back. Loogomon felt like a good luck charm. One that he was determined to take good care of. But this meant that he would have to wear the Linker all the time. While the thought slightly bothered Eiji, he couldn’t help but feel excited. But there was also some apprehension. He had never done anything this important before.

Eiji spends the next few days learning how to use his new Digimon Linker properly, and watching Loogamon grow quickly. He spends lot of time on GriMM’s breeder forums, asking questions and going through older threads. Eiji picked up a few basic concepts, but Loogamon was uncharted territory.

This might be tougher than I thought. He thinks to himself as the anxiety of failing the professor begins to settle. He begins thinking of what he saw in D4 and all of the professors accomplishments. Digital World is real, Digimon are real, Loogamon is real, and I am just some high school drop out code cracker. But Eiji wasn’t just some Code Cracker, he was Cracker Fang. There was a small part of Eiji that was terrified of failure, but an even bigger part of him that was excited for the challenge.

“I’ll get you to Ultimate Loogamon,” he says to the Digimon Linker. Suddenly, notification flashes over the screen. Someone replied to his question on GriMM.

Fang! Gratz on becoming a breeder! If you want to raise a Digimon past its child stage, I recommend keeping it with other Digimon. If you have more than one, they will play together and learn from each other

“I see,” Eiji says as he rushes to his desk, and searches for his old Digimon Dock. He brushes off the dock it’s been collecting and links the devices. “Loogamon, meet the family,” he says as he begins the transfer. In his excitement, he failed to read the rest of the message.

Be careful though. Some Digimon become obsessed with their rank in their pack. It’s important to train them a bit before introducing them to the new Digimon. 

Chapter 1, digimon seekers

Digimon Seekers Chapter 1-5: Thunder is sound of the Police

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I’ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you’ve been enjoying this project, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.

There are two major ways to obtain Digimon. The first is by capturing them with a special AI tool. The other is by hatching them from eggs known as Digitama.

Digimon aren’t like the animals we are familiar with. Digimon have no gender, and don’t reproduce. When a Digimon dies, it leaves behind data. Think of this data like a Digimon’s soul. This data moves through the Digital World and becomes a new Digimon somewhere else. It’s sort of like reincarnation, but there is still a lot we don’t know about Digimon ecology.

It’s night. The dark sky is full of stars, and there is a stillness that echoes over the ruins. A closer inspection of the sky reveals that the sky isn’t full of stars but the flowing data between the interconnecting networks that exist above the firewall.

Below this sky sit ruins covered by mounds of garbage. Between it sits a putrid rotting sea of rusted sludge. It breaks against a shore filled with sand of a similar color. Bubbles form on the surface and pop, releasing a vile odor into the air.

How did this land become so rotted? A theory suggests that data from the real world accumulates here and poisons the land. Without natural defenses against this foreign data, the land is left to decay.

Ill intentioned men roam within this rotted canvas, but so do the police who exist to stop them.

A schematic of the area appears on the virtual monitor. Below it, the words “The Last Coast” blink in a simple font. Whoever named it had an odd sense of humor. In recent years, it’s become a hotspot for poachers. Digitama sometimes wash up on these bloody shores, and they can sold for a decent amount of digicoin on GriMM.

The police radio crackles “We have a suspicious Digimon in sight!”

A red dot appears on the virtual map. It’s an unidentified Digimon.

“Tamahime here. Continue the search with caution”

“Understood. Looks like…an Espimon, child, cyborg, virus type”

Tamahime watches the screen as the video from the search team starts to come in. “Got it, so it’s like a Tin toy?”

The Digimon looks like a retro robot toy. It has a large domed head like a snowman with long metal robotic arms. It propels through the air on the rockets it has for legs.

“Four bodies total” the voice reports

“We’ve got code crackers. These bots are toast.” Code crackers loved using Digimon, and Cyborg-type Digimon are the easiest to control. These Digimon were sent here with the commands to search the area for Digitama. If this were a real server, the Digimon would be looking for secrets or personal information. Here, the code crackers are looking for scraps.

“How many Digitama did you get?” One of the Espimon asks.

“Only one so far” the other responds.

The culprits don’t know their chat room has been hacked. The police listen in on the conversation. The voices are young. They must be kids in high school. To them, it’s probably just a game. A way to practice. The first step to becoming real code crackers.

“What are you going to do deputy leader?”

Satsuki Tamahime analyzes the virtual map as the team waits for her orders. Police can’t pick and choose which criminals to go after. “Arrest them”

Ten green dots move quickly surrounding the unsuspecting Espimon.

“Jam their coms. Commandramon squads move in. Cut off their escape”

Many voices reply in unison, “Understood!”

The Espimon continue their search. Their code crackers wouldn’t be aware of the ambush either. They most likely don’t even know where their Digimon are. The only thing the code crackers see are crude pixel images on simple LCD screens. But the police have more advanced tech than the rudimentary Digimon Docks the code crackers use. Satsuki can see everything through the eyes of her Digimon.

“How dare you?! How dare you code crackers come here?” Her warning rings. The Commandramon stand up, and the Espimons find themselves surrounded.

Commandramon (child, cyborg, virus type) are standard issue for the DigiPolice. They look like dragon men. They wear helmets and body armor with the word “Police” written on them. Each Commandramon carries an assault rifle. Commandramon’s skin emits an electronic camouflage that lets them blend into their surroundings. This allows them to approach undetected. All that was left to do was to make the arrests.

“Who is that?” asks one of the panicked code crackers.

“It’s the DigiPolice. Run!”

It is too late. Satsuki continues, “Stop resisting. There is no escape. We already have your schools and names. There is no escape”

“Arrested? On what charge? We’ve done nothing wrong” one of the voices responds.

“You are in violation of the Unauthorized Computer Access Prevention Act, the Basic Network Act, and the Digital Vandalizm Prevention Act, and for the Poaching of Digitama!” Sastuki says bluntly.

“The Japanese police don’t have jurisdiction in the Digital World”

Satsuki sighs. Her Digimon, who had been hiding underwater, surfaces.

Squeeeeeeee!!! The sirens blare. The red patrol lights start to rotate. The Epsimon tremble at the sight.

Satsuki continues “you are all Japanese citizens and as long as you are committing crimes, you are going to be in trouble with the Japanese police”

The Espimon press a red button on their belly and vanish in an instant. Vanishing magic? No. It’s their AI defense protocol. Optical camouflage.

The Commandramon fire at the space where the Espimon were, but the bullets find no target. They slip past the police unnoticed.

‘Mekanorimon” As soon as Satsuki gives the order, two large robots appear behind her.

Mekanorimon stand larger than the fleeing Espimon and the Commandrom they served with. These are the DigiPolice’s special purpose vehicles. Each Makanorimon has a Commandramon piloting it.

A twinkling beam erupts from one of the Meknorimon, grazing one of the Espimon. It erupts into a flurry of sparks as its camouflage dissolves. The Espimon falls onto the beach. The remaining three Espimon continue to flee, unaware that they are now visible.

“Don’t let them get away. Fire!”

“The weapons are still charging. We won’t be able to catch all of them” the Mekanorimon unit responds.

Petite Impulse

Suddenly, a bolt of lighting crashes into the rusty coast between. The bolt of lightning catches the police off guard.

“The Espimon?” a confused voice reacts from the radio.

One of the Espimon is left blackened, melted under the lightning’s heat. Bolts of lightning come down for the remaining two.

“What’s going on?” A new marker appears on the screen. It sits there, motionless.

A yellow Digimon stands over the deactivated Espimon. “Is that..Pulsemon?”

Character design/illustration illustrator: malo

The Commandramon squad points their guns.

A voice comes in over the police radio “Looks like you just got beat by the hacker Judge!” says a familiar voice.

“Orders?”

“Judge!”

Pulsemon glances at Satsuki’s Digimon and blows her a kiss before turning into a bolt of lightning and disappearing into the sea of networks.

“God Dammit!” Satsuki bangs her fists on the table.

“Squad leader?” The Commandramon wait for orders. Satsuki shakes in anger.

“We’ve got the Espimon and Digitama. We’ll leave the rest to the police.”

“And the Pulsemon?”

“Leave it. You can’t catch him anyways. Pack it up. There’s no overtime.”

“Yes Ma’am….Huh?” The radio goes silent for a moment. “The Digitama. They’re gone!”

Chapter 1, digimon seekers

Digimon Seekers Chapter 1-4: The Job Offer

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I’ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you enjoy this project, please leave me a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!

“Digimon are alive!” The words linger in dead air.

Eiji breaks the silence with an involuntary chuckle “It be cool if Digimon were alive. Lots of people have Digimon. Some folks keep them as pets and others collect them. Digimon are pretty useful tools.” Eiji thinks of his Tyrannomon. Tyrannomon are popular with code crackers because they were common and easily caught. Most Digimon exists as code traded, bought, and sold between people on GriMM.

“Hmm,” Ryusenjji responds, somewhat lost in thought.

“So, when will Digimon Land be ready? Where are you going to build it?”

Ryusenji snaps out of his thought as a look of disappointment fills his face. He begins to shake his head “We had to stop development on Digimon Land…Permanently”

“Seriously?”

“The park presented many challenges, some of which were…. impossible to overcome. There’s a reason why the digital world has to be kept a secret. People aren’t ready.”

Eiji thinks about the plane crash. He can still hear the screams and the terrible sound of the plane slicing through the air as it fell

“There are bad people out there Eiji. People who will misuse Digimon. Digimon Crimes started small. A game server would crash or a website would get overloaded, but they were brushed off as pranks. Soon, the news started trickling in about identity theft and random acts of terrorism. You saw what happened to that plane. There are already people committing Digimon crime at a concerning scale, but the world leaders and international organizations are covering it up!”

Ryusenji takes a moment to compose himself. His hands shake from the anger but slowly still. “Can you imagine what would happen if a criminal used one of the park’s mascots for an act of cyber-terrorism? Can you imagine the scandal? Publicizing the Digital world means publicizing Digimon Crimes, and the world just isn’t ready. Imagine the panic that would cause.”

Eiji nods his head as he listens.

“I can hear the news outlets fear-mongering headlines,” the professor continues. “Digimon are coming for your freedom, more on this at 11,” Ryunsenji looks flustered as his rant grows angry. “It is shortsighted to assume all Digimon are evil…People just aren’t ready to understand.” The professor’s words trail off, turning into an incoherent rant.

“Professor?” Eiji asks, attempting to bring him back.

The professor wakes from his trance and remembers where he is. “There is another world beyond the network where Digimon are alive. The real world and the digital world both coexist. Do you want to see it?”

“Yes of course” Eiji replies with a hint of skepticism clinging to his words. He’d only known the digital world through the black and white screen of the palm-sized device he made from salvaged parts.

“Do you know why what I am telling you is top secret?”

“Because its real?”

Ryusenji smiles as he nods, “Yes. That was real footage from the digital world.”

Eiji looks at the Modoki Betamon on the screen. It’s alive! He thinks of the Tyrannomon he’s been using. They’re alive too. They’re all alive.

“That is why I have devoted my life to studying Digimon. To D4.” The transfer of Modoki Betamon is complete. The professor unhooks Eiji’s handmade device and looks over it once more.

Eiji moves forward with his arm extended “Thank yo..”

SNAP

Ryusenji tosses Eiji’s Digimon dock to a nearby bin.

Eiji moves quickly and catches the dock before crashing into the trash can and stumbling to the floor. Eiji spent a lot of time building it. Even though it was made from mostly junked parts, it cost him a lot of money. “What are you doing?” His face still recovering from the sting.

“There was an error in the memory”

“Seriously?!” Eiji couldn’t believe it. The memory had never been an issue.

Ryusenji was a Digimon Collector, and like most collectors, he was precocious about his collection. “My research requires Digimon data to be perfect, or else its worthless. That Modoko Betamon data was nearly destroyed.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to throw it away. It may be worthless to you, but this stuff is expensive. I don’t have the funding of a huge corporation or access to expensive equipment” Eiji snaps as he looks over his device for signs of damage.

Ryusenji ignores Eiji’s outburst. He seems preoccupied on a new thought.

“…Hello?” Eiji waves, trying to regain his attention. The man may be a genius, but he had no right.

“Sorry about that,” the professor replies suddenly. “You just gave me an idea. Let me see you left arm”

“My..arm?” Eiji studies the professor suspiciously. Ryusenji stands over him, flashing an eager smile. Eiji offers his arm up cautiously. Rysenji attaches something to Eiji’s wrist.

Eiji looks down and finds a stylish smart watch wrapped around his wrist. The sight of the gift makes him tear up. It’s been a while since he’s gotten a present. He fights back the tears. He wants to be professional.

“It’s Abadin Electronics’ latest Digimon Dock. Make sure you take care of it Eiji”

Eiji studies his gift. AE products were top of the line and highly sought after by Code Cracker. Eiji could only dream of owning AE parts, but here he stands with the latest model strapped to his wrist.

Character design/illustration illustrator: malo

“Now this is just a prototype I’ve been working on so there might be some bugs.”

Eiji manages to rip his gaze from the watch. “This is amazing professor, thank you!”

The watch starts cycles through the startup process. “It has a biometric vital sonsor. Only you will be able to use it,” the professor explains.

“Just for me?!?!” Eiji can’t hide his excitement.

The professor nods “It can record your pulse, blood pressure, and other medical data. Most importantly, it supports Digimon hololization. Digimon hololization is only allowed in at the DDL and a few other facilities, but this…is a special exception”

Eiji is too excited to hear the explanation. He continues to turn over the watch to appreciate it from every angle.

“But here’s the thing” the professor begins. Eiji’s heart sinks. Of course there’s a catch. He knew better than to think there wouldn’t be a catch, but he also wasn’t ready to depart with his new watch. “I want to see what the famous Cracker Fang can do with it the next time I ask him for a favor”

“You got it chief!”

“That was fast. Good. I like that about you.” Ryusenji takes Eiji’s arm and presses the switch on the side of the Digimon Linker. The screen begins to glow a faint green. A mysterious flame flickers across the screen before vanishing into black. Words scroll past the watch reading: Loogamon, child, dark beast, virus type

Eiji looks at the strange Digimon occupying his screen. A small blue…

“It’s a..Dog?” Eiji asks stary-eyed.

Eiji passes through the security gate alone. The professor’s words echo in his head. Digimon are alive. The digital world is real.

Eiji passes the reception desk.

“Oh, good evening!” This time Hatsune speaks to him first.

Eiji turns away from his watch “Do I return the pass here?”

“Yes please. Put it here. Thank you very much.” She says, pointing at a small basket in front of her.

As Eiji returns the bass, he notices Hatsune eyeing his watch curiously. “The professor gave it to me. It’s a Digimon Dock.”

Eiji shows off his watch. Hatsune scurries around the desk. She grabs his hand to get a closer look and whispers “Isn’t that the newest model? I thought those were top secret?”

Eiji is surprised by how well-informed Hatsune is. “It’s just a prototype. The professor asked me to test it for him.”

“Wow, that’s impressive.” Hatsune says, reexamining Eiji. “The professor must really trust you.”

“You think so?”

“Absolutly” Hatsune lowers her voice “The professor is so…strange. He wouldn’t give this to just anyone.”

“He is peculiar isn’t he?” Eiji blurts out. Eiji is surprised by Hatsune’s sudden change in attitude. She is a lot nicer towards him now. “I’ll see you later?”

“Sure Nagasumi.”

“You can call me Eiji”

“Likewise…eh..you can call me Hatsune or whatever. Oh, this is your admission record. I noticed you left your occupation blank. If you don’t mind, what should I put down?”

“My occupation?” Eiji thinks for a bit before declaring proudly “I’m a Code Cracker!”

Chapter 1, digimon seekers

Digimon Seekers Chapter 1-3: Digimon are Alive

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I’ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you enjoy this project, please make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!

Eiji finds himself in a domed room, staring at a massive hologram of networks swimming around his head. He stood surrounded by game servers, social networks, and cat photos, all presented to him in almost tangible clumps of code and data. The professor smiles as Eiji is left speechless by the impressive display.

Before them, a hologram produces a map of a strange yet familiar looking world. While not the best rendering, it was beautiful nonetheless. It was a world separated by distinct biomes. A world with islands and continents. Mountains and oceans.

“Welcome to the Digital World,” a warm mechanical voice begins. “A world that exists outside the sea of networks. A world inhabited by digital monsters known as Digimon.” Suddenly a new hologram begins to materialize before Eiji. At first glance, the monster looks like a frog or rather a tadpole on the verge of becoming a frog. The creature is green with black stripes that make it resemble a watermelon. A dorsal fin runs down its back. A single sharp claw stems from its arms and legs, and its tail rests lazily behind it. Sharp exaggerated fangs spill out of its mouth and its red eyes stare down at Eiji.

Below the Digimon, words apear reading “Betamon, child, amphibian, virus type.

“Digimon are living AI” the recording continues.

Living AI? Eiji thinks, Is that really possible?

“Digimon can resemble living, mythical and theological beings. They can take the form of mammals, plants, insects, machines, and even gods” The hologram cycles through visual representations to aid its explanation. “Digimon can evolve. Throughout its life, a Digimon will exist in one of five stages. Baby, child, adult, perfect, and ultimate form.”

“Digimon are our way of interacting with the digital world,” Professor Ryusenji chimes in over the recording. “This new world suddenly appeared on our network, and it has since helped prop up humanity. Digimon have played an important part in revolutionizing society. The application of Digimon as AI tools has lead to remarkable discoveries in different fields like software development, cryptographic security, and even medicine.” the professor is unable to hide his passion. 

“However” he says in a sudden change in tone. “There is a lot we don’t know about Digimon or the Digital World. Most people don’t even know it exists”

The dome begins to vibrate as an electric buzz begins to fill the room. The images in front of them disappear.

“Even if they did” the professor continues “they wouldn’t understand. Most people aren’t ready to understand.”

The dome continues to shift around them. Suddenly, the pair find themselves inside the cabin of a passenger plane. The flight is full. The engine roars as it carries the plane over clumps of clouds.

“There are two sides to this new world. While Digimon have been instrumental in important scientific advancements, there are people who will misuse them as weapons…” the professor’s voice trails off.

The scene starts to play around them. One passenger films the cabin with his smartphone. In the seats next to him, his wife and daughter sleep soundly.

BOOOOH!!!!

The serenity of the cabin is suddenly interrupted by a deafening roar. Eiji is startled by the sudden outburst. The cabin erupts into chaos with a sudden flood of noise followed by an ominous silence.

ROOAAARRRRRR

The scene starts to go dark as the camera begins to shake violently. An alarm starts to sound as the oxygen masks come down. Panicked screams mix with the confusion and….

Eiji averts his eyes. He can’t watch anymore. Tears start to fall from his shut eyes as the scene continues to play around him. The airplane begins to lose altitude. It crashes through clouds and falls out of the sky.

Character design/illustration illustrator: malo

Eiji follows the professor to his lab. He tries to shake off the sadness of what he saw and get serious.

Inside, it looks like an ordinary university laboratory with tables filled with parts and unfinished gadgets. On the wall are shelves crammed with tools, materials, and cardboard boxes. One of the walls is made of glass, revealing an empty hallway. The two are alone except for the occasional whirling of machines.

Ryunsenji inspects the palm-sized gadget Eiji brought with him. A Digital Dock. “Wonderful,” the professor says as he inspects the device. He is visibly impressed by Eiji’s work.

Ryuesenji connects Eiji’s dock to the lab’s equipment. The Digimon Eiji captured appears in a hologram. It is a familiar tailed frog-like creature.

“A Modoki Betamon, just as I requested. Look at how beautiful and gentle it looks” Ryunsenji smiles widely as he continues to study the creature.

Eiji scoffs at the remark “It took four Tyrannomon to capture it!” Eiji sets his belongings on one of the tables.

Ryuensenji continues to study the Betamon “wow, sounds rough,” he says flatly.

Eiji remembers the fight. The cornered Betamon fighting back furiously, the shockwave emitted from the creature’s dorsal fin, and the Tyrranamon lost in the process.

“This Betamon is different from the others,” Eiji begins his appeal.

“How do you mean?” Ryusneji seems miffed. He looks at the Betamon “Oh. You don’t know the difference between Betamon and Modoki Betamon?”

Eiji shakes his head in embarrassment. He didn’t like disappointing his clients. “Umm, is it the color?”

“That’s it!” the professor exclaims “so you do know the difference. I’ll make sure you get a bit of a bonus with your reward”

“Thank you so much!” Eiji’s mouth begins to water at the thought of meat for dinner. It’s been a while since he could afford meat, or any food really.

The professor seemed satisfied. He begins to transfer the Modoki Betamon data into the strange device.

Ryusenji turns to Eiji and asks “I’ve been meaning to ask. What did you think of our little experience from earlier?”

“Earlier…” Eiji shakes himself from his meat bowl dream “Oh you mean the video in D4? It was amazing!”

“That was a promotional video for our planned Digimon Land. The idea was to sell Digimon as characters to the general public to help educate them on the Digital World.”

Eiji’s imagination begins to race with ideas for the Digimon AI “I especially liked the bit about Digimon being AI creatures. If I were a kid, I’d be hooked!”

Ryunsenji shakes his head as he turns his attention to Eiji. “You don’t understand,” his hand lands on Eiji’s shoulder “Digimon are alive.”

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, digimon seekers

Digimon Seekers: Chapter 1-2: Abadin Electronics

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I’ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you enjoy this project, please leave me a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!

Tokyo University of Electrical and Computer Engineering is a world leader in research and innovation. The school started as a government-funded program in an effort to promote the advancement of science and technology for the benefit of society. Despite being a newer institution, the universe has earned prestige through its advanced research in the field.

The campus is also home to the world-renowned Abadin Electronics Corp (AE). AE leads the industry in electronic terminals, network equipment, and fabless semiconductors. The site is also where you find the Abadin Electronics Lab (DDL), a world-famous research and development lab.

Character design/illustration illustrator: malo

Eiji walks into the DDL to find a bare room with only a reception desk and a small metal bench sitting across it. There are no visible logos or markings to suggest the building was connected to AE except for a large display mounted on the wall. The display loops peaceful videos of nature to serene music, occasionally ending in one of Abadin Electronic’s promotional videos.

“Abadin Electronics Corp, discovering the impossible” the video trails off. The line makes Eiji smirk as he continues to make his way toward the front desk. The cute girl behind the desk watches Eiji suspiciously. She is shorter than Eiji, with thick short hair tucked at the collar. She is dressed plainly in her receptionist’s uniform.

Before Eiji could say a word, the girl says and says, “This is a research facility, if you are looking for the school, it’s out those doors and to the left.” It was a speech she’s made too often.

Eiji is dressed in his usual casual attire and looks out of place amongst the well-dressed professionals that occasionally walk around him. He can’t help but feel out of place. He smiles warmly. “Hi there. I have an appointment. Do you want me to sign in?”

The receptionist studies Eiji for a moment before handing him a tablet. A camera stares down at Eiji as he picks up the tablet and begins to fill out the form. The receptionist looks confused and slightly annoyed by the information as it appears on her screen. “Your name is Fang?” she asks incredulously.

“It’s an alias. I use it for work”

” Are you in streamer?”

“No”

Fang is Eiji’s code name. Most code crackers use them on the job. It was to keep anonymity in a field that wasn’t always on the legal side.

“Please use your real name,” the receptionist replies flatly.

Eiji updates his information on the tablet before setting it down. “Is that all you need from me…” Eiji reads over her nameplate “Hatsune?”

Hatsune turns to her computer and begins typing away. “Don’t be so casual.”

“Sure thing…Hatsune”

Hatsune’s temples give an involuntary twitch “If you are here on company business I need your company’s name”

“I don’t have a company yet.” Hatsune doesn’t seem to appreciate the response. Instead she continues to look annoyed as she waits for an answer. “I’m sort of a freelancer. I’m here to see…oh what’s his department” Eiji’s voice trails off as he pulls out his phone and begins scrolling through his messages “I’ll just wait for him over here..” his voice trails as he walks towards the bench.

Eiji clicks on the contact: Tomonori Ryusenji, professor. “I’m here” the message reads.

Eiji takes a seat. A few people wait with him. He begins to scroll through his phone as the serene lobby music plays around him.

“Fang!” a voice calls from behind the security gate.

Eiji turns to see Professor Ryunsenji waving at him. The professor was a chiseled man with graying hair. He must be in his sixties, but he looks younger. Everyone in the lobby is surprised by the professor’s sudden appearance.

“Hello Professor” Eiji says as he walks over to greet him.

Professor Ryunsenji is one of the founders of Abadin Electronics. He owns more than 20% of the company shares and is worth around $100 billion, making the professor one of the world’s richest people. Professor Ryunsenji’s work has been instrumental in making Aberdin Electronics a world-class company since its inception some 20 years ago.

“It’s nice to finally meet you Fang, but it feels like we’ve known each other well enough already” The professor shakes Eiji’s hand. The two had been talking over the phone for a while now, but this is the first time meeting in person.

Eiji fires back an untrusting smile “Eiji Nagasumi. It’s a pleasure.”

“Well Fang. ER. Eiji let’s get going. Sorry for all the trouble” He stops “Were you able to get your guest pass?” the professor looks over to Eiji. Before Eiji has a chance to answer, the professor continues, “I’ll get you one” as he walks over to the desk.

Hatsune is confused by the request. She looks over Eiji, then back at the professor before working on the guest pass.

“Oh and I’m going to D4, Eiji here is my guest”

“Excuse me, sir?”

“The board gave their approval this morning”

“Oh right, understood,” Hatsune taps away at the terminal.

Pass in hand, the two make their way towards the gate. The guards look at Eiji and nod as they walk through the metal detector. Eiji feels like a real professional as the pass hangs comfortably over his neck. They pass by employees and researchers who warmly greet the pair. Eiji does his best to keep up as he returns smiles and greetings. Eiji couldn’t help but enjoy the attention. It made him feel important.

“Why do they call you Professor instead of President or Chairman?”

“Because Professor describes me best.” Ryunsenji enjoyed research more than he enjoyed running a company. He had already left management to his formal subordinates so he could focus on his projects. “Before we go to the office, there is something I would like you to see. Follow me.”

Eiji agrees as he becomes filled with curiosity. They take an elevator to the next floor and cross another guarded gate. A large metal plate on top of the gate “D4”. It is a strange-looking building that seems to exist on its own.

“This is our secret department. It is where we keep our most important work” The Professor explains.

After a rigorous search, Eiji is forced to leave his phone and personal belongings at the gate. Eiji enters the room nervously and asks “What is it?”

The Professor smiles “It’s an experience”

digimon seekers

So I got a Vital Bracelet BE

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Bandai has come out with the web novel Digimon Seekers to sell their latest fitness toy, the Vital Bracelet BE. I’ve written my first impressions of the project in a previous post and am currently revising the story to fix some of the awkward translations. Because of how invested I am in this series now, I broke down and bought one for myself. I’d like to say that I got the watch to have hands-on experience to help me with my writing, but honestly, the advertising probably got me first. 

The Vital Bracelet is a fitness tracker that lets you carry your favorite Digimon wherever you go. You train your Digimon by being active and completing exercises. If you want to buy a Vital Bracelet, I think the best place to start is with the Vital Bracelet VV. It sells for a decent price and comes with one of the newer dims. The only difference between the VV and BE version is that the VV is themed after the Ghost Game anime. The BE is functionally the same but has no Dim included. The BE come are available in black and white. I believe the idea was to have the BE available for those who needed the upgrade but already had Dims to play with.  

「Strong! Strong! Strong!」
Aurola

I got the Vital Bracelet Be because I wanted it sooner. I went with the Angoramon Jellymon dims because they were cheap. Keep in mind these older dims won’t have as good stats as those from the BE dims, but they are nice for collecting. I am rocking Jellymon at the moment because she reminds me of Splatoon.  

Out of the box you get the Vital Bracelet BE, a micros usb cable, and instructions manual. The manual is in Japanese only, but someone translated the instructions online. The watch looks like a Fitbit, but the straps do feel a bit flimsy. I found the fit to be perfect despite my thick arms. There are longer straps available if you need them, but I can’t speak about the quality of those. You can also find replacements on eBay.

As a fitness tracker, it’s good enough. Keep in mind that it isn’t as accurate as a Fitbit. I assume you aren’t buying this for fitness tracking but rather for the game included. I will be wearing this in addition to my smartwatch because I need the tracking, but I understand I will be looking like a crazy person. There are methods of carrying the device without having to use it as a watch, but I wanted to test it as intended for a bit.   

I haven’t had the watch long enough to try out the app yet, but I do intend to do so as soon as possible. I understand the Digimon I have at the moment won’t be competitive, and it’s fine. I’ve only had the watch for a day, and I like it. I will return with an update once I’ve had it a bit longer. If you like Digimon vpets and want a fitness tracker without all the extra features, it might be worth looking into.  

Chapter 1, digimon seekers

Digimon Seekers Chapter 1-1: The Beggining

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Since the release of the Digimon Seekers web novel, I have taken it upon myself to rework the English translation to fix some of its awkwardness. At this point, it’s clear that Bandai only throws the original story into Google Translate and doesn’t bother to hit spell check. While I will do my best to keep the core story elements the same, I’ll be making changes that I hope make the story read better. My version will always go up the Monday after the official release. 

Always make sure you support the original. If you enjoy this project, please make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!

Hungry snarls echo off the tunnel walls. Heavy hurried steps crash onto loose gravel. Thick black claws dig deep into the earth as they reach through the darkness. An old light flickers. Its dirty yellow light washes over a large dinosaur. For that moment, its red scales shine and the light catches the glint of hungry blue eyes. The creature snarls as another light reveals its figure. The creature looks like Tyrannosauruses Rex, but not like the ones you’d see in a museum. Thick black stripes decorate its body and a row of pale emerald scales run down its back. Behind it, two identical beasts follow.

A subway car zooms past the trio, illuminating them for moments before leaving them to continue their pursuit in spotted darkness. The Tyrannomon are on a mission.

Tyrannomon, mature, dinosaur type, data species

A tiny shadow scurries ahead of them. With each passing moment, the Tyrannomon inch closer to their prey. The scent grows stronger with each talon full of gravel. Their fangs blare as foamed drool drips down prehistoric jaws. Their prey is trapped.

ROAAARRRRR

The first Tyrannomon lets out as he lunges, but a passing train brings it to a halt. Gravel and dirt shoot from under it. The panging of pebbles against the metal is heard briefly before the screeching of the wheels drowns it out. Dust and dirt kick around the lead Tyrannomon as the remaining two come to a stop behind it. They pace impatiently for the few seconds it takes for the train to pass them. They waste no time continuing their chase. This was their turf, there was no getting away.

The Tyrannomon move deeper into the tunnels. Darkness settles around them heavily. There are no lights to shine a path, but they don’t need them. Instinct guides them through the shadows. 

SPLASH

Talons sink into a cold thick liquid. The sensation slows them, but the Tyrannomon do not stop. They wad furiously through the sewage. The putrid rotting scent of the canal begins to mask the scent of their prey. They stop, taking a long sniff at the air in search of the eluding scent. Suddenly, the sound of gusting air appears in the darkness. Before the Tyrannomon can react, a tornado forms around their leader. The water around it kicks up into an angry whirlpool before sending the Tyrannomon flying. It lands on its back, its stomach left vulnerable as the waves from its landing settle around it. It struggles to return to its feet. 

FUSHA

A shockwave of energy pierces into Tyrannomon’s stomach, leaving behind a deep hole. The Tyrannomon lays there motionless as its bright blue eyes grow pale and lifeless.

Character design/illustration illustrator: malo

Eiji moves through the lobby of a fast-food burger joint to grab a seat by the window. He carries with him a small Coke he got free with a coupon. He looks out the window and watches the people walking below him. Behind him, a digital 3D pop-up advertises the restaurant’s newest burger. “Don’t forget to supersize it!” The mascot commands as it enjoys the last bite of its burger. The advertisement trails off and is replaced with a generic Pandora station, as it fills the lobby with soft music. 

Eiji pulls out his phone from his jacket. “Let’s see if there’s any work,” he says to himself. Aside from a few people sitting in the booths away from him, there was no one around to hear him.

Eiji logs into his GriMM account and begins scrolling through the threads. 

GriMM is the world’s most popular social network. Most people use GriMM for its normal social network features like chatting, streaming, and message boards. GriMM’s most distinctive feature is its support for the proprietary cryptocurrency Digicoin (DC). But like anything that exists on the net, there are parts of GriMM that are quite illegal. 

For freelancers like Eiji, having a GriMM account is mandatory. GriMM is where freelancers find job postings, sales, and other tools of the trade. Eiji scrolls through the job listings as he mutters to himself.

He scrolls over an image of a BlackAgumon “One -Hundred Million DC for the capture?” It was a lot more money than he made on his usual hunts. The bounty excites as he thinks about all the meat he’ll get to eat. He swishes the coke in his other hand as his stomach grumbles. 

But Eiji’s heart begins to sink as he begins to read over the comment section. Instead of helpful tips, it was full of trolls and people asking for money. GriMM is a dumpster fire, but a necessary one. 

Eiji stares out the window as he debates taking the assignment. “Maybe this is some sort of urban legend. An Agumon isn’t worth a million. And if it were black, it wouldn’t be an Agumo..” A faint beeping interrupts his trance.

“My Tyrannomon!” Eiji shouts involuntarily. A group of high school students sitting at the other end of the restaurant turn to stare at Eiji. Eiji doesn’t notice as he fiddles with the palm-sized LCD screen in his hand.

Eiji puts down his phone to focus on the small toy-like device in his hand. A deformed pixel version of Tyrannomon fills the screen. There is an “X” on its eyes, and its vitals are gone. 

“Gah! I’m so stupid!” Eiji growls. He’d become too distracted, and it was going to cost him. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” He grumbles.   

The two remaining Tyrannomon look up from the LCD screen at Eiji, then at each other in confusion. Eiji starts pressing the keys on the screen, replacing the downed Tyrannomon and entering new commands.

“Capture the target or no food for you!” Eiji growls at the Tyrannomon. If the Tyrannomon doesn’t capture the target, he won’t get to eat either. Such is the life of a freelancer.

The high schoolers shift in their seats as they steal awkward glances at Eiji. They find it strange to see him so worked up over a game. But this isn’t a game for Eiji. Eji is a Code Cracker, and this is his job. 

Eiji continues furiously entering commands into the small device. 

Tool Settings….Capture! Reassign target to Modoki Betamon

“You’ll pay for underestimating Cracker Fang,” Eiji says, referring to himself as his alias. Eiji clicks the Execute button. The Tyrannomon disappears from the screen. Eiji takes a sip from the half-empty paper cup. Moments later, a chime sounds. Eiji looks down at the LCD screen and smiles. The Tyrannomon have captured their prey. Eiji picks up his phone and continues to scroll through GriMM as he finishes his drink.

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Digimon Seekers: First Impressions

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Bandai has been releasing their weekly installments of Digimon Seekers, and it’s fine for what it is. There is still much room for growth, but I will sit here being hopeful.

Digimon Seekers is the companion story for their Vital Bracelet fitness tracker game. The Vital bracelet is a basic fitness tracker that lets you train and level up your favorite character from one of Bandai’s popular IPs. I will be focusing on Digimon, but you can also have characters from shows like My Hero Academia or Ultra Man. 

The Digimon Vital bracelets have a vast selection you can choose from to level and take on adventures with you. You train your Digimon by staying active. Your Digimon earns XP based on the steps you take or exercises you complete. It isn’t a particularly advanced tracker like you would get with a Fitbit, but it has the added benefit of having a cute little character to motivate you to stay active. Once your Digimon is leveled up, you can transfer it to the official companion app where you can battle other players, join tournaments, or participate in special events. If you are thinking of getting a Vital Bracelet, the Vital Bracelet BE is the latest edition and the best place to start.

UPDATE: Didn’t think this was going to blow up so I wanted to amend my statement. I chose to link the VV bracelet because it comes with a dim. If you are a fan of the Ghost Game anime, this is the newest generation of the watch on the show. This version still runs BE memories, but it may be too loud for some. The Vital Be is available in Black and White as seen on top. These won’t come with BE memory chips (where the Digimon are stored). You can get some of the older dims for cheap or get them imported from a retailer that you trust. I saw a few on Amazon, but they were kind of expensive. Older chips aren’t as strong, but they’re nice if you’re starting a collection.

To sell more of this toy, Bandai has Digimon Seekers to give the toy some meaningful lore to go with it. As of writing this post, the first eight chapters of this web novel are available on the official website with a new one coming out every Sunday. So far, the story is okay. There are some syntax errors and some poor translation, but it is fine for what it is. It is written for a younger audience, so expect the language and imagery to be on the simpler side. The story does a solid job of introducing the conflicting factions, building the world, and showing off its cute mascots. There isn’t enough for a proper critique, but it is a promising start. 

I am excited about this project, and I hope it gets the traction it needs to grow into something worth reading. It is too early to tell for sure, but I can be hopeful. I love the idea of different mediums collaborating to make a unique experience. Fans will be able to get the lore from the novel and videos, carry their Digimon while they go about their day, and even connect with people from around the world who also love the hobby. I am always fascinated by the idea of people from different walks of life communicating through a single hobby. 

I love Digimon, so there is a clear bias. I will follow it until it isn’t worth it, but until then, I am all in. So far, I love the neo-Tokyo aesthetic and the tone the story is starting to take. Make sure you go check it out if you want some more Digimon in your life. Don’t forget to watch the trailers, and listen to the audiobook if you understand Japanese. 

Edit 2: I have since started revising the published chapters. The story will be the same, I just fixed some of the issues I had with the translation to make it sound nicer. Go check it out and let me know what you think!

Images taken from the official Bandai website. I don’t own them.

video game reviews

Digimon Con 2023 Recap

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I recently just got back into the Digimon fandom and even have started collecting the card games because they look so cool. Digimon con just happened, and while most of the announcements and releases target the Japanese audience, there are some cool announcements for those outside Japan to look forward to. There were a few interesting interviews with voice actors and artists that are worth looking into if you are a fan of the anime, but I will be focusing more on the trading card and game news. I will provide links to the videos and pictures where available.

Digimon World: New Order

With Digimon World: New Order releasing on February 22, 2023, we got news about new features coming with this port. We got a bit of the initial gameplay, nothing too exciting, but it did provide insight into the type of game this will be for those of us that never got to play the original. The new port comes with a new “beginner” difficulty setting aimed at newcomers. There is also 1.4x speed to make travel over the world quicker. I always appreciate these types of quality-of-life changes because, for those of us that are too busy for gaming, this allows us to enjoy the game without being bogged down by its mechanics. 

New Order’s gameplay places its focus on how you raise your Digimon. They showed different ways to raise your Digimon. You have to feed, train, talk to, and even discipline your Digimon to help it grow. Like any pet management game, it is looking like a very relaxing experience with a solid story behind it. The way you treat your Digimon, how you talk to them, train them or even discipline them affects their Digivolution path. It might be necessary to have a guide handy to make sure that you get the Digimon you want. As long as I get a Wizardmon, I will be okay.

I announced my excitement for this game previously and still plan on playing this game on Launch. Watching the bits of gameplay has only made me more impatient for the 22nd to come around.

Digimon TCG News

What I was most excited about for Digimon Con was news about the Digimon TCG. While I am disappointed that there was no announcement for an online client, there are a fair amount of promos to be had.

The first screening of the Digimon Illustration Competition 2023 was announced, and there are some cool-looking designs to look forward to. From this group, one design from each Digimon will be selected to be made into promo cards. 

2 / 16

Which ones are your favorite?

3rd Anniversary Set Announcement

The 3rd Anniversary set has been revealed for Japan. This collection showcases 9 golden promo cards that come in a nice holder with some very cool art. As of writing this, pre-orders are only available for the Japanese market. Those of you fans outside of Japan will either have to pay the premium and get your hands on the Japanese edition or gamble on a global release.

Get Magnamon

The “Get Magnamon” campaign was announced in Japan for March and April 2023 where players of the TCG will be able to compete in Tamer Battles and Tamer Exchange events for a chance to win a new alt version of the BT8 Magnamon. I love the classic style of this card and pray that we get a US release of this promo.

Digimon Card Game Championship 2022 Finals

The Digimon TCG Championship Finals are around the corner, and the promo cards for participating in the event and the prize cards have been announced. These cards look very nice, and I envy those players who were able to make it this far. The Finals will be on February 24 – 26, 2023 at the Los Angeles Conversion Center. Those who qualify will move on to the World Championship finals on March 11, 12, 18, and 19.

Digimon Fan Meetup 2th Anniversary Echibition

But that isn’t all. The convention will also be home to the Digimon Fan Meetup pop-up event. This museum will exhibit over 140 art pieces from the Digimon IP. It is free to everyone but get there quickly because they are giving away some cool promos. Those who attend will get their hands on a special guidebook that is sure to have some cool art and a pack of the alt cards of last year’s winners of the Digimon Illustration contest. Get there quickly because these promos are only available while supplies last.

Digital Monster 25th Anniversary Project

The biggest focus for the convention seemed to be on the Digimon Vital Bracelets. They announced the Digital Monster 25th anniversary project which seems to be a comic, some live-action shorts, and products centered around the Vital Bracelet game. This came with the announcement of the new Digimon Loogamon and an introduction to his story. This is an attempt to expand on the experience for those who play the game which I hear is fun but lacking. If the story is good enough, I can see it selling more of the toy. I wish this game would come out for the smartwatch. I don’t want to have to wear two watches to have access to this game. 

 More news of the story is set to be announced closer to its release but at the moment we know that it will be a darker Digimon story where 3 factions fight for dominance. There are the Crackers who work in the shadows, the Digipolice that fight Digimon crime, and the Hackers who work somewhere in the middle. Art for the project has been released, but I am not sure how invested I will be in something that I won’t have access to.

Loobamon’s Vitabracelett has been announced, but preorders are only open for Japan at the moment. This Digimon is cute, and I can’t wait for the card versions.

There are a few other announcements specific to the Digivice games that are cool for any collector:

The Digimon Con Kenji Watanabe Editions

Winners of the Digmion Evolution Results

Voting has begun for the upcoming Bird/Angel Bememory for those fans of the game.

Closing

I thought the event was interesting as a fan of Digimon. Since I am only a fan of the game and the TCG, I found the announcements to be a bit underwhelming. I enjoyed the live performances and even some of the more silly content like the card matches, but I was hoping for news on an online client. I want to be able to play the card game online like I can with Pokemon or even MTG, since locals isn’t really accessible for me. I guess I will keep waiting.

If you play the Vital Bracelet game, there was a lot of cool sounding information for you. I wish they could port this game to smart watches. I would love to play this game, but I don’t see the point of having two watches. Either way, I enjoyed it enough to do this again next year. There was a lot to go over but I tried to condense it to the most important.

**All images and video were taken from the stream or Bandai site. I don’t own these images**