Digivolution

Digivolution is a fictional term used in the Digimon anime series. It is a process used by Digimon, monsters that inhabit a parallel universe called the Digital World that spawned from Earth's communication networks. Through Digivolution, a Digimon can develop into a more powerful being. The original Japanese version of the anime simply uses the term "shinka" (進化) for this process, which translates literally to "evolution."

Concept
Digimon reside in the Earth's various electronic networks as well as in the Digital World. As they are essentially computer data they can download additional data to themselves, which makes them stronger. If they download enough data Digivolution is triggered. During Digivolution the Digimon's appearance and attributes change, and it becomes significantly stronger than it was before. The resultant form of the Digimon almost always has a different name than the previous. However, the Digimon's consciousness remains unchanged. If a Digimon does not absorb enough data needed to maintain the form, it will not be able to retain that form for long and revert to a lower level in a matter of time. Digivolution is divided into multiple levels, made up of an egg-form (Digi-Egg or Digitama デジタマ) and six main evolutionary steps.

Main Digivolutionary Stages (English adaptation terms with Japanese terms in brackets):
 * Fresh/Baby (幼年期 I)
 * In-Training (幼年期 II)
 * Rookie (成長期)
 * Champion (成熟期)
 * Ultimate (完全体)
 * Mega (究極体)

If left to its own devices, Digimon will naturally age and, over time, digivolve to higher levels using data from the environment. Digivolving from the initial Fresh stage usually progresses, but each subsequent level takes progressively more time. Because of this, only a sparse number of Digimon naturally reach their final forms. Anger and/or the necessity to survive in a great battle can often spur digivolution. When Digimon are deleted (killed) they either regress completely into DigiEggs or break apart into innumerable bits of errant data that can be easily acquisitioned or "Loaded" by other Digimon.

However, when a Digimon forms a bond with a human, a Digimon may digivolve much more quickly. Using a Digivice, humans can allow a Digimon to instantaneously digivolve to a higher level by sharing their energy. This takes a large amount of energy and cannot happen if the Digimon is weak, injured, or hungry. Digimon who digivolve using a digivice will revert, or "De-digivolve", to a lower form after a certain amount of time or if sufficiently injured in a battle. Usually, a partner Digimon's default stage is Rookie/Child; Gatomon being a notable exception, as she naturally digivolved to Champion/Adult before meeting her partner human. However, sufficient injury or energy loss can cause a Digimon to revert an even lower form after digivolving.

On top of the regular stages, special forms exist that can only obtained through special methods:

Special Stages Whether this is a translation error is unknown, as the term "Ultra" has rarely come up in English Digimon merchandise, if ever at all.
 * Armor (アーマー体), an ancient form of digivolution which only a handful of Digimon are capable of. To gain this form, the Digimon needs to absorb the energy from one of the special Digi-Eggs (デジメンタル).  If a Digimon has multiple Digi-Eggs, its digivolved forms become progressively more powerful.  An Armor Digimon's power is similar to that of a Champion/Adult's.  Two golden Digi-Eggs (of Miracles and Fate) exist, possessing power closer to that of an Ultimate/Perfect.
 * Hybrid-H (ハイブリッド体-H); the H standing for "Human". Shown only in Digimon Frontier, this is a form that transforms a human into a human-like Digimon, whose power rivals that of a Champion/Adult's.  To attain this, one require the H-Spirit of an ancient Digimon.
 * Hybrid-B (ハイブリッド体-B); the B standing for "Beast". Shown only in Digimon Frontier, this is a form that transforms a human into a more bestial-looking Digimon, whose power rivals that of a Ultimate/Perfect's.  To attain this, one require the B-Spirit of an ancient Digimon.
 * Hybrid-A; the A standing for "Advanced", also known as Fusion Form (融合形態). Shown only in Digimon Frontier, this is a powerful form, achieved using both an H-Spirit and B-Spirit.
 * Hybrid-Z; the Z standing for "Zeta", also known as Transcend Form (超越形態). Shown only in Digimon Frontier, this form uses five H-Spirits and five B-Spirits, combining to give a human an incredibly advanced and powerful form. It is closer in power to a Mega/Ultimate.
 * Hybrid-U (究極体); The U stands for "Ultamate". Shown only in Digimon Frontier, this form's power is unrivaled.  Only one known Digimon of this form exists, Susanoomon.  He is formed when all spirits are unified.
 * Biomerged Mega: Shown only in Digimon Tamers. It happens when a digimon and its partner fuse to become the digimon's mega form.
 * Burst Mode: Shown so far only in Digimon Data Squad, Burst is "the power that exceeds Mega (Ultimate)", though it may just be similar to a mode change where digimon of a certain level transform to attain greater power such as Imperialdramon. A Burst Digimon retains a similarity to their original form, but has new attacks and a clear increase in power.
 * Super Ultimate (超究極体), a level even higher than Mega. Shown in manga V-Tamer and some NDS games, yet to appear in the anime series. Only a few Digimon are at this level, and sometimes they are just classified as Mega for convenience. However, in Digimon World DS, Daemon's Super Ultimate is referred to as an Ultra Level.

In all Digimon anime, a Digimon will usually shout out its type of Digivolution immediately before Digivolving and then shout out its new name immediately after. Examples include: "Agumon Digivolve to . . . Greymon (Agumon shinka! Greymon)!" and "Imperialdramon Mode Change to . . . Fighter Mode (Imperialdramon Mode Change! Fighter Mode)!"

Though Digivolution is named after the theory of evolution, it is more similar to metamorphosis, though there is also an element of aging involved (as seen in the Japanese stage terms).

Effects of Digivolution
When a Digimon reaches its next level, its appearance may resemble its previous form or it can have no relationship to it at all. Usually, the resultant Digimon is larger than the previous form, though there are several exceptions (e.g., MetalGreymon to WarGreymon or Togemon to Lillymon).

Each new form brings more strength, power, speed, agility, and new attacks.

Digivolve
Digivolve (進化), This is one of a Digimon's special abilities. As they gain data, skills or effect of a Digivice they will be transported into a Digivolution zone where they slowly Digivolve into champions. They may gain armour and/or clothes and when Digimon Digivolve they will become a lot stronger than all of the rookies. Digimon can only stay in their Champion Digivolution until their energy or data drops to zero.

In Digimon Tamers it is more difficult to trigger Digivolution in partner Digimon. In this universe, the ultimate source of Digivolution for every Digimon is Calumon, an In-Training Digimon created by the Digital World's gods, the Digimon Sovereigns, to put the power of Digivolution in a space small enough so that it couldn't be detected by the malicious computer program D-Reaper. A Digimon’s Tamer must swipe a Digivolution card into their D-Power Digivice as an activator for Calumon to give them Digivolution energy. (Though Calumon is sentient his energy is sent to Digimon automatically. He does trigger Digivolution for the Tamers on his own on several occasions, however.) To Digivolve to the Ultimate level, a partner Digimon is sent the energy of a Blue Card via the D-Power, as well as being given some of Calumon’s energy.

In Digimon Data Squad a human partner evokes a D.N.A. (Digimon Natural Ability, originally "Digisoul") within themselves. A D.N.A. is a manifestation of a human partner's emotions that they can send to their Digimon to prompt evolution. Some non-partnered Digimon feed off the negative thoughts of people to evolve in this series. The call is "D.N.A., Charge!".

In each series it is possible for a swarm of Fresh or In-Training Digimon to combine into one Digimon of a higher level. As this method of evolution produces a Digimon with one consciousness it cannot be considered a type of DNA Digivolution.

Super Evolve / Matrix Evolution / Perfect Evolution /Warp Digivolution (2)
Super Evolve (超進化) is the Japanese term for when a Digimon evolves from their Champion/Adult stage to their Ultimate/Perfect form. However, in the English dub of the first two seasons, this process was not given a unique term and was simply called Digivolution. In Digimon Adventure, the power of a Crest was required.

In the Japanese version of Digimon Tamers, both the Champion-to-Ultimate and Rookie-to-Mega progression are proceeded with the words Matrix Evolution. However, only with the latter is the phrase exclaimed by the human partner. In the English adaptation, only evolution to Ultimate/Perfect is referred to as Matrix Digivolution; the latter referred to as Biomerging, which is described further on in this article. Champion-to-Ultimate Matrix Digivolution is triggered through the aforementioned examples of Calumon and the Blue Cards.

In Digimon Data Squad, Perfect Evolution is a method used by the members of DATS to evoke a stronger version of the D.N.A. and evolve their Digimon partner to its Ultimate/Perfect form. It can be used to evolve a Champion/Adult stage, or used on a Rookie/Child and have it digivolve straight to Ultimate/Perfect. The term Warp Digivolve is used in the English Dub for the evolution from Rookie to Ultimate. The call is "D.N.A., Full Charge!". There is no prefix used here either e.g. GeoGreymon Shinka... RizeGreymon!

Mega Digivolution
Mega Digivolution (究極進化) is used only by Paildramon in Digimon Adventure 02 and Angewomon in Digimon: The Movie, although it is probable that MetalGreymon and WereGarurumon could have used this too.

Like Tamers, this series has the Digimon Sovereigns, though only Azulongmon appears here. Azulongmon shared the energy of a DigiCore with the Adventure 02 partner Digimon, a ball of powerful energy that catalyzes Digivolution in a similar way to what Calumon does in Tamers. Combining the power of their Digivices with that of Azulongmon, the other Digimon who were at the In-Training stage at the time evolved to Rookies, but the Ultimate level Paildramon, who was fighting a losing battle against Mummymon and a Triceramon at the time, was given the ability to Mega Digivolve, digivolving him to Imperialdramon.

Special Types of Digivolutions
These methods of Digivolution branch out from the normal types.

Dark (or Corrupt) Digivolution
Dark (or Corrupt) Digivolution (暗黒) is a corrupt form of regular Digivolution, usually resulting in an evil virus-type. A Digimon Dark Digivolves when its partner coerces it to Digivolve forcefully or with a mind clouded with anger. A Dark Digivolved Digimon is evil and perceives nothing but its urges to destroy, making it very dangerous. In Digimon Adventure Taichi "Tai" Kamiya pressured his partner Greymon to Digivolve to its Ultimate/Perfect stage, resulting in SkullGreymon (as opposed to MetalGreymon, his true Ultimate). Greymon Dark Digivolved to SkullGreymon again and then into a virus version of MetalGreymon in Adventure 02 as a result of the Digimon Emperor's Dark Spiral. In Tamers, Takato Matsuki, enraged by the death of Leomon, willed WarGrowlmon to become Megidramon, a Digimon so viciously powerful it almost destroyed the entire Digital World, unleashing the power of the Digital Hazard symbol on its chest. . In Digimon Data Squad, Marcus' rage towards Thomas' defection caused ShineGreymon to transform into ShineGreymon Ruin Mode.

Armor Digivolution
Armor Digivolution (アーマー進化) is the fusion of a Digimon with a Digi-Egg. (Known as "Digimentals" in Japanese, this type of Digi-Egg is used exclusively for Armor Digivolution.) It is featured in Digimon Adventure 02. It is an ancient form of Digivolution that developed when the Digital World was young and it was almost impossible to evolve even to the Champion level without assistance. It was later used in Digimon Adventure 02, when the Dark Digivice and the presence of Control Spires prevented Digimon from Digivolving to the Champion level. There are Nine Digi-Eggs: Courage, Friendship, Love, Hope, Knowledge, Reliability, Sincerity, Light and Kindness. These correspond to the traits that each DigiDestined child holds. There are also two golden Digi-Eggs, of Miracles and Destiny/Fate.

A DigiDestined activates Armor Digivolution by shouting, "Digi-Armor Energize (Digimental Up! in Japanese)!". In the English dub, a golden Digi-Egg was activated by shouting "Golden Armor Energize!"

DNA Digivolution
DNA Digivolution (ジョグレス進化)) is a method of Digivolution used in Adventure 02 and before that it was first discovered in the 2nd Digimon Movie introducing Omnimon. With DNA Digivolution, two Digimon combine into one Digimon of a higher level. The new Digimon will have both seperate consciousnesses united into a single one. When a DNA Digivolved Digimon speaks its voice consists of the original Digimons' voices uttered simultaneously.  It was also stated that a Digimon formed through DNA Digivolution is considerably stronger than normal Ultimates or Megas, as the combined power of the two is joined by extra data (however, the only reliable evidence of this is Omnimon. The three Ultimate DNA Digimon never showed a degree of power beyond the other partner Ultimates). There are also two famous cases of DNA Digivolution in the Wonderswan games.

Digimon known to use DNA Digivolving in the series are:
 * WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon to Omnimon
 * ExVeemon and Stingmon to Paildramon
 * Aquilamon and Gatomon to Silphymon
 * Ankylomon and Angemon to Shakkoumon

Digimon known to use DNA Digivolving in Digimon Adventure V-Tamer 01 are:
 * Devimon and Ogremon to SkullSatamon
 * Kuwagamon and Kokatorimon to Megadramon
 * Megadramon and Cherrymon to Ghoulmon
 * WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon to Omnimon

Digimon known to use DNA Digivolving in the Wonderswan Games are:
 * Machinedramon and Kimeramon to Millenniummon in Digimon Adventure: Anode/Cathode Tamer
 * Monodramon and ZeedMillenniummon to a digi-egg in Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer

The Japanese term for DNA Digivolution, Jogress Evolution, is a portmanteau of the words "joint" and "progress."

Warp Digivolution (1) / Ultimate Evolution / Double Warp Digivolution
Warp Digivolution (ワープ進化) is a digivolution process where a Digimon can reach a higher level directly bypassing any intermittent phases. Notable digimon who have used this (although only implicitly in some cases) are Agumon, Gabumon, Leomon, Angemon (in Digimon Movie 3), Keramon (who implicitly warp digivolved to Infermon in Digimon Movie 2) and Impmon.

In Digimon Tamers Impmon gains the ability to Warp Digivolve to Beelzemon, though it is never actually called Warp Digivolution in the series.

In Data Squad, it is called Ultimate Evolution; with enough D.N.A., a Digimon can evolve straight from Rookie/Child to Mega/Ultimate, much like Warp Digivolution from the first two seasons. However, during evolution, the Digimon simply uses the term shinka without any prefix. The call is "D.N.A., Charge! Overdrive!". In the English dub, this is called "Double Warp Digivolution", and while this is functionally identical to standard Warp Digivolution there is one subtle difference; during Warp Digivolution the intermittent phases of the Digimon are shown (e.g. Greymon and Metalgreymon are shown in the animation sequence when Agumon Warp Digivolves to Wargreymon), but during Double Warp Digivolution all intermittent phases are skipped and not shown at all (e.g. Geogreymon and Rizegreymon are not shown in the sequence when Agumon Double Warp Digivolves to Shinegreymon).

Mode Change
A Mode Change (モード・チェンジ) occurs when a Digimon becomes a different version of its current species. The new mode is usually more powerful than the previous.

Digimon known to Mode Change are:
 * Imperialdramon to Fighter Mode and then Paladin Mode
 * Gallantmon to Crimson Mode
 * Beelzemon to Blast Mode
 * Lucemon to Chaos Mode, then Shadow Lord Mode and Larva (unique in that he changes level as well as mode).
 * Belphemon Sleep Mode to Rage Mode
 * ShineGreymon, MirageGaogamon, Rosemon, Ravemon, and BanchoLeomon all to Burst Mode
 * ShineGreymon to ShineGreymon Ruin Mode

Warp DNA Digivolution
Warp DNA Digivolution was used in the English version of the second Adventure 02 movie, Return of Diaboromon. Agumon and Gabumon Digivolved together directly into Omnimon. It is also assumed that Veemon and Wormmon could also perform this same action and warp DNA Digivolve to Imperialdramon. (In Digimon: The Movie they combined to form Omnimon as their respective Megas, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon.)

Biomerge Digivolution
Biomerge Digivolution, or simply just Biomerge (マトリックス・エボリューション) is used only in Digimon Tamers. It works like Warp Digivolution, but the partner Digimon merges with its human Tamer to evolve. Unlike DNA Digivolution, the resultant Mega level Digimon has two consciousnesses. The Digimon and Tamer remain separate and are able to feel each other's thoughts and feelings. The human Tamer lays within his or her partner, surrounded by a bubble of light, lending his or her strength. The main problem with Biomerging is that while it is quite simple in the Digital World it is very hard in the Real World. This is becuase in the Digital World both humans and Digimon are data, in the Real World the humans are flesh and blood, but the Digimon are still data. This problem was overcome when Dobermon sacrificed himself, but it is not explained exactly how that allows them to Biomerge.

While Biomerge Digivolution is supposed to activate only when both Digimon and Tamer have one overriding goal they want to fight together to achieve, in the D-Reaper arc of Digimon Tamers once Dobermon sacrificed himself to allow the Tamers to Biomerge the Tamers somehow automatically activate Biomerge when they need to fight, like in episode 51 Takato was going back to Shinjuku to fight the D-Reaper and he Biomerged with Guilmon.

A Tamer activates Biomerging by commanding, "Biomerge Activate!" in the English dub. In the Japanese version, the term Matrix Evolution was in fact counted only for the Biomerging.

Tamers and Digimon known to use Biomerging in the anime are:
 * Takato Matsuki and Guilmon to Gallantmon
 * Henry Wong and Terriermon to MegaGargomon
 * Rika Nonaka and Renamon to Sakuyamon
 * Ryo Akiyama and Cyberdramon to Justimon

Shining Digivolution
Shining Digivolution is considered to be Calumon's attack. In Tamers, when Calumon released all of his Digivolution energy he caused every Digimon in the Digital World (except the Tamers' Digimon) to Digivolve to Mega. It was called the "Light of Digivolution" in Digimon World DS.

Pseudo-Evolution
Pseudo-Evolution (ぎじ進化) is what Kurata terms the process he uses to evolve Gizumon into Gizumon-AT and then Gizumon-XT, with the use of an artificial D.N.A. There is no official term for the process in the English version.

Bio Hybrid Digivolution
Bio Hybrid Digivolution (ハイパー・バイオ・エボリューション), is used in Digimon Data Squad. It enables Kouki, Nanami and Ivan to become their first Digimon forms, based on three Armor Digimon. However, the resulting forms are far more powerful than regular Armor types. This type of digivolution caused by injecting digimon scattered data in Gizumon into human body, so the data can merge into human's D.N.A. and when the D.N.A. is released the digimon form can take over human body and merge the powers (human and digimon). When the Bio evolution is completed, the digimon data reverts back into a Digi-Egg and leaves the human body. (And s/he cannot evolve into digimon again unless re-injected.) The call is "Bio Hybrid D.N.A. Charge".

The Bio-Hybrids first forms are:
 * Kouki to BioThunderbirdmon
 * Nanami to BioQuetzalmon
 * Ivan to BioStegomon

Hyper Bio Extra Evolution
Hyper Bio Extra Evolution (ハイパー・バイオ・エクストラ・エボリューション) is used in Data Squad. Hyper Bio Extra evolution caused by Akihiro Kurata re-inject more powerful digimon data into Kouki, Ivan, and Nanami using data gathered from Gizumon AT and Gizumon XT. This power is very dangerous because if the human body cannot contain the digimon data, they also are killed. However, these three overcome this situation and receive mega/ultimate power from digimon. The call is "Bio Hybrid D.N.A. Full Charge".

The Bio-Hybrids new forms are:
 * Nanami to BioRotosmon
 * Ivan to BioSupinomon
 * Kouki to BioDarkdramon

Burst Evolution
Burst Evolution (バースト・エボリューション) is used in Data Squad and in Next. In Data Squad, it is a Mode Change, it enables a Mega/Ultimate Digimon to reach its Burst Mode; an even more-powerful form. The call is "Charge! D.N.A. Burst Mode!". ShineGreymon, MirageGaogamon, Rosemon, Ravemon, and BanchoLeomon have all managed to get to Burst Mode. In the series finale, Agumon achieved a form resembling Burst Mode, with energy surrounding his body, but it was never confirmed to be a Burst Mode level. In Next, it is simply a way to digivolve from Ultimate/Perfect to Mega/Ultimate in the absence of a Digivice; however, it quickly consumes the tamer's life-force, and is dangerous to use. It is invoked by calling out "Burst Charge!".

Blast Digivolution
This digivolution is in the game Digimon World 3. When a digimon gets its digivolution gauge full by taking damage from the enemy or using an item with the same function, the Digimon will digivolve into whatever level depending on its stats (ex. Guilmon to WarGrowlmon, Agumon to SkullGreymon).

Spirit Evolution
These Digivolutions only appear in Digimon Frontier. They refer exclusively to when a DigiDestined child morphs into a Digimon. (The DigiDestined of this series can do this because they are each 'partnered' with the spirit of one of the ten deceased Legendary Warrior Digimon.)

Digimon can Digivolve with spirits as well, but this is not classified as Spirit Evolution.

Spirit Evolution
Spirit Evolution (スピリット・エボリューション) categorizes the use of a spirit of an ancient legendary Digimon to Digivolve. Spirit Evolution results in a Human Hybrid, a humanoid Digimon, or a Beast Hybrid, which produces a Digimon more similar to an animal but not necessarily devoid of humanoid features. The Digidestined must release a ring of their own Fractal Code (called Digicode in the Japanese version), hold the Digivice and scan it. The Japanese version of Frontier refers to both types of evolution as Spirit Evolution, while in the English version, the call is "Execute! Spirit Evolution!" for Human Spirits and "Execute! Beast Spirit Evolution!" for Beast Spirits.

Slide Evolution
Slide Evolution (スライド・エボリューション) is not actually an evolution. Like Mode Change, it is a way for a human or Digimon to switch back and forth between Human or Beast forms.

Outside of the Frontier universe, some normal Digimon can perform a type of Slide Evolution. In Digimon Data Squad a Drimogemon, a Champion/Adult, morphed into a Digmon, a Digimon that was an Armor type in Adventure 02 but is reclassified as a Champion in Data Squad.

Fusion Evolution
Fusion Evolution (ダブル・スピリット・エボリューション) is the merging of a Human and Beast spirit of the same element to form a Digimon that has twice the power than what a single Human or Beast spirit can carry. Only two of the DigiDestined, Takuya Kanbara (keeper of the spirits of Fire) and Koji Minamoto (keeper of the spirits of Light), use Fusion Evolution in Frontier. The appearance of a Fusion Evolved Digimon can vary, but in the case of Aldamon (Takuya's Fusion) and Beowulfmon (Koji's) they are literally a mixture of features of their respective Human and Beast counterparts. In the English dub, Takuya's call is "Execute, Now! Fusion Evolution!" and Koji's is just "Execute! Fusion Evolution!".

Unified Spirit Evolution
Unified Spirit Evolution (ハイパー・スピリット・エボリューション) is an evolution where in the person evolving uses five of the ten Legendary Warrior spirits to evolve. Takuya and Koji are the only children to evolve in this way. Takuya uses the spirits of Fire, Wind, Ice, Earth, and Wood to become EmperorGreymon, and Koji takes the Light, Thunder, Darkness, Water, and Steel spirits to transform into MagnaGarurumon. The spirits of the other children are returned to them when EmperorGreymon and MagnaGarurumon revert to Takuya and Koji. In the English dub, their call is "Unity Execute! Unified Spirit Evolution!".

Ancient Spirit Evolution
Ancient Spirit Evolution (エンシェント・スピリット・エボリューション) is the most powerful evolution in Digimon Frontier. All of the Legendary Warrior spirits combine at once to form Susanoomon, the most powerful Digimon obtained through a spirit. Susanoomon appears twice in Frontier; first Takuya and Koji evolve into him and then in the final battle of the series all the DigiDestined (except Koichi Kimura) combine to form him. . In the English dub, The first call is "Ancient Spirits Unite!", while the second one is "Execute! Ancient Spirit Evolution!".