8 Reasons Digimon Was A Better Show Than Pokemon

7. Divolution Wasn't Permanent

On 'Pokemon', a big deal was made about evolving Pokemon in the episode, "Electric Shock Showdown". In that episode, Ash thought about using a Thunder Stone to force Pikachu to evolve into Raichu so that he would be powerful enough to take on Lt. Surge's Raichu and earn a Thunder Badge. However, Pikachu adamantly refused to let Ash do this. Because in the world of 'Pokemon', evolution is permanent. While it adds an interesting wrinkle to the proceedings, this plot device also has its drawbacks. By keeping Pikachu as he is, it severely limits his character's growth, both literally and figuratively. As the perpetual underdog, it begs the question of why Ash doesn't use more stronger Pokemon when Pikachu isn't enough to best another trainer. Maybe if they had implemented the use of levelling up like they do in the games, it would make sense for Ash to keep Pikachu from evolving. But they didn't. Which means that they had to make up less believable scenarios about the bond Ash and Pikachu share and their mutual determination to be the best in order to explain how Pikachu is eventually able to overpower much stronger Pokemon. It's fairly hokey and lacking in logic, especially when Ash blatantly chooses to disregard basic rules like using certain types of Pokemon to exploit weaknesses. Digimon, on the other hand, don't have this problem. Instead, they're able to devolve back into their original forms whenever they run out of energy so digivolving doesn't result in the permanent loss of a character. This adds its own unique wrinkle to fighting battles. If the Digimon aren't well-fed, they can't digivolve into their more powerful forms. But if they're over-fed, they'll digivolve into an uncontrollable form that will demolish anything in its path. So there's still an element of strategy to consider. and it's done in a logical way. Not only does it provide an explanation for why Digimon can't stay in their most powerful forms all the time, but it also allows each Digimon to provide various uses depending on the form they're in. For example, Gomamon can command fish to form a raft that The DigiDestined can float on but Zudomon, his Ultimate form, can't. But by having access to both forms so long as he's not hungry, Gomamon becomes invaluable for more than just his most powerful form. It's a riveting aspect of the show that's used to great effect on more than one occasion.