The difference between Pokemon and Digimon is that Pokemon is a long running franchise based around the card game and video games, whereas Digimon is a long running franchise based around the cartoon TV show. Other than that, there really isn't any major difference. Both franchises have card games and TV shows, but Pokemon has more of an emphasis on video games as it also has such things as movies and merchandise (such as toys). Digimon's only other form of media besides the TV series was an arcade game released in 2003.
Only about 87% of the world is aware of Pokemon
Only about 10% of the world is aware of Digimon (Source)
Since approximately 11.4% of the world's population doesn't know about either franchise, we can use this percentage to determine how many people are actually familiar with Pokemon. We can safely assume that only around 87% of the entire world knows about Pokemon, as it's a very well-known franchise that has been around since 1987. It's also made some recent appearances in TV shows and movies in the past few years, so it must be getting more attention than previously.
Digimon is a new franchise to some people
Digimon is a relatively new franchise, so it's safe to assume that many people in the world have not heard of it yet. This number can be greatly expanded, however, as this is an early-mover advantage: These are the people who do know about it, and don't know about Pokemon. In other words, Digimon has the ability to reach further into the unknown audience. For example, if the TV show was introduced after Pokemon (which would keep this from mattering), all that would happen is that Pokemon could go with 87% rather than 100%, but Digimon would still win because of its newer status.
Pokemon's video games and TV show have higher meaning
Pokemon has the advantage of having a card game, video games, movies, and merchandise. These are things that are all important to gamers in general, as well as people that would be interested in Digimon (such as kids). Pokemon's merchandise is also larger than Digimon's, so it has a leg up on Digimon regarding potential sales.
Digimon is working on more projects and could gain more awareness over time
Digimon may not be as well-known now as Pokemon, but it can still grow by introducing new projects (such as the upcoming animated film) and gaining exposure via TV shows like American Dragon: Jake Long. It could also gain more exposure through Pokemon's TCG, which is expanding from Japan. Also, the fact that Digimon is based on a cartoon will help it spread more. On the positive side, Digimon has an early-mover advantage because it only began in 1999: It has time to grow and develop into something more than what its original form was.
Pokemon has merchandise and movies that Hoenn can't match
On the other hand, Digimon does have merchandise and movies that Pokemon does not have, such as the upcoming video game and movie. This makes it an inherent disadvantage for Pokemon: Its products are much less profitable than theirs are.
0 Comments