Which Came First: Digimon or Pokemon? Real Answer

Which Came First: Digimon or Pokemon? The Real Answer

Ask any 90s kid which came first, Digimon or Pokemon, and you'll start a fight. Both franchises feature pocket-sized monsters, evolution, and kids as partners — so the "ripoff" accusations have flown in both directions for over 25 years.

Here's the short answer: Pokemon came first as a franchise, but only by about 16 months — and Digimon wasn't copying Pokemon at all. It was copying something else entirely.

Let's settle this properly with the full timeline.

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The Timeline: What Came Out First, Pokemon or Digimon?

Here's every major release date side by side:

Year	Pokemon Also ReadMeet VTuber Hakui Koyori in Digimon Beatbreak Anime!	Digimon
Feb 1996	Pokemon Red & Green (Japan)	—
Nov 1996	—	Tamagotchi launches (Bandai)
Apr 1997	Pokemon anime debuts	—
Jun 1997	—	Digital Monster virtual pet launches
Mar 1999	—	Digimon Adventure anime debuts

So, was Digimon before Pokemon? No. Pokemon Red and Green released in Japan in February 1996, while the first Digimon product — the Digital Monster virtual pet — arrived in June 1997.

If you're asking what year did Digimon come out: 1997 for the virtual pet, 1999 for the anime. That makes Digimon about 29 years old today, roughly a year and a half younger than Pokemon.

Did Digimon Copy Pokemon? Not Really

Here's where the story gets interesting. Digimon​ isn't a Pokemon ripoff — it's a Tamagotchi spin-off.

Bandai's Tamagotchi (1996) was a global phenomenon, but it was seen as a "girls' toy." Bandai created Digital Monster in 1997 as the version for boys: a virtual pet you could battle by connecting two devices together.

Key differences that prove independent DNA:

• Origin: Digimon evolved from Tamagotchi virtual pets; Pokemon began as a Game Boy RPG inspired by creator Satoshi Tajiri's insect collecting.
• Evolution: Digimon "Digivolution" is temporary and reversible; Pokemon evolution is permanent.
• Tone: Digimon Adventure dealt with death, divorce, and darker themes; Pokemon stayed lighter and episodic.
• World: Digimon are literal digital lifeforms in a Digital World born from the internet — a completely different concept.

The similarity that fuels the debate — the "-mon" suffix — actually comes from the same source: "monster" abbreviated in Japanese, a naming convention that predates both franchises.

Did Pokemon copy Digimon? Also no. Pokemon's games were in development from 1990, years before Digimon existed.

Did Pokemon Sue Digimon?

This is one of the most persistent myths in anime fandom, and the answer is no — Nintendo and Bandai never sued each other over Pokemon and Digimon.

No lawsuit ever happened because legally there was nothing to fight over: both companies knew the franchises grew from different roots (Game Boy RPG vs. virtual pet), and "collectible monsters" as a concept isn't ownable. The rivalry existed on playgrounds, not in courtrooms.

Is Pokemon Better Than Digimon? (Or the Other Way Around?)

Honest answer: they're better at different things.

Pokemon wins on:

• Games — the mainline RPGs are consistently polished, and Pokemon remains the highest-grossing media franchise in history across games, cards, and merch.
• Accessibility — anyone can pick up Pokemon at any age.

Digimon wins on:

• Story — Digimon Adventure has continuous plots, real stakes, and character growth that Pokemon's episodic format avoids.
• Monster designs at higher stages — Mega-level Digimon like Omnimon are on another level.
• Mature themes — which is why many fans who "grew out" of Pokemon stayed with Digimon.

If you want to see where Digimon's storytelling shines, check our complete guide on how to watch Digimon in order.

Why Is Digimon Not as Popular as Pokemon?

If Digimon is older than Pokemon's​ anime hype in spirit and arguably deeper in story, why the massive popularity gap? Four reasons:

• The games gap: Pokemon had Nintendo and a genre-defining Game Boy RPG. Digimon's early games were inconsistent in quality and platform.
• Marketing muscle: Nintendo, Game Freak, and The Pokemon Company ran a coordinated global machine. Bandai's approach was fragmented.
• Continuity as a barrier: Digimon's serialized stories are its strength, but casual viewers could drop into any Pokemon episode.
• The anime gap years: Pokemon has aired non-stop since 1997. Digimon had long gaps between series, losing generational momentum.

That said, Digimon never died — new games like Digimon Story: Time Stranger and new anime like Beatbreak prove the franchise is very much alive. Curious how old is Digimon's fandom pipeline today? Our complete Digimon beginner's guide covers the franchise's full journey from 1997 to now.

Conclusion

So, which came first — Digimon or Pokemon? Pokemon (February 1996) beat Digimon (June 1997) by 16 months. But Digimon didn't come out before Pokemon or copy it — it grew out of Tamagotchi, developed its own identity, and carved a legacy Pokemon never touched: serialized storytelling with real emotional weight.

The real winner of the rivalry? Everyone who grew up with both.

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