8 Reasons Digimon Was A Better Show Than Pokemon

Suck it, Ash Ketchum.

'Digimon' has always been stuck under the shadow of its more popular counterpart, 'Pokemon'. Coming out two years after the juggernaut franchise, the 'Digimon' anime only lasted for four seasons before taking a three-year long break, returning for a fifth season, and then taking another three-year long break before getting a sixth. 'Pokemon', meanwhile, has been going strong since 1997 and continues to churn out movies and games in addition to new episodes, while 'Digimon' is little more than an afterthought in 2014. A mere footnote in the minds of most people who grew up in the 90s, 'Digimon' is usually seen as a copycat or imposter to the much more lucrative 'Pokemon' franchise. The similar name and premise invited many comparisons between the two shows. Some warranted, others less so. However, now that the first seasons of both shows are available to view on NetFlix, it's become clear when revisiting each show that while 'Pokemon' is the better franchise, 'Digimon' was the better show. And so, this list will outline the main points which prove the superiority of the 'Digimon' anime when compared to the 'Pokemon' television show. Before you read this, please note that I am a fan of both shows. I'm merely trying to shine a spotlight on the less beloved of the two franchises. Also, I have not seen the later seasons of either show so most of my points will be referring to only the first season of both. Since I cannot discuss in great detail what goes on in the later seasons, I can only make broad generalizations about what I've read about it on the Internet. So, while some may argue that 'Pokemon' got better as time went on, I would argue that it only took 'Digimon' 54 episodes to get it right the first time and to tell a better story. Anyways, on with the list. Obviously, some light SPOILERS will be sprinkled throughout.
Contributor
Contributor

Ken is the writer/director of 'School Teen Drama': http://vimeo.com/139489. An avid watcher of movies and television, he currently writes a personal blog on his Facebook called 'Prose And Cons' that details his opinions on everything. In list form. He also infrequently hosts a video podcast on his YouTube Channel, SilverAndFriends. HA HA… Why not?