MyStory

Digimon, short for “Digital Monster”, is a popular Japanese media franchise that consists of anime, manga, toys, video games, card games and other merchandise.

In the late 1990s, the original Digimon began as a virtual pet toy, similar to the Tamagotchi. The premise of owning a digital “pet”, without the usual hassles, proved to be a huge draw for both children and adults. Besides that, the competitive battle function that the toy offered further increased its appeal to the competitive Singaporean. In between trading questionable tips for better training and battling, Singaporeans were also caught up with the craze for the latest models of Digimon – much like our constant appetite for new hand phones. The sudden unprecedented popularity of the then-novelty, read - fad, made Digimon a ubiquitous sight among shops in Singapore. Even reputable chains like 7-Eleven, were quick to jump on the Digimon bandwagon as Singaporeans sought to make winners out of their digital pets.

Soon, Digimon’s popularity faded as quickly as its rapid production of new models. But, much to the dismay of parents, the Digimon revival was sparked in 2000 with the introduction of the Digimon Adventure anime series on local television. In line with the new developments in the anime and in real life, a new model of the toy, Digimon Pendulum, was created to cater for a new generation of children.

Article migrated from original My Story Portal 2007.
Author. Mantou28