Top 20 Greatest Digimon

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the coolest, most popular, or just plain iconic digital partners. To keep our digivices in check, we’re only considering Digimon that have appeared in the anime.

There’s two very big reasons to be afraid of Machinedramon, and they’re sitting on its back. That’s right, if the slick, metal exterior doesn’t intimidate you, the hulking twin cannons definitely will. The blasters aren’t just for decoration, either, taking down many who oppose him. Then again, what else would you expect when fighting one of the Dark Masters? Machinedramon didn’t conquer the digital world on menace alone - it’s got the firepower to back it up. At this point, it’s best to just stay clear altogether. Once Machinedramon’s laid its eyes on you, it’s already too late.

Looking for a suitable partner? Here’s a tip: wherever there’s chocolate, Gammamon won’t be far behind. But, what he lacks in maturity he makes up for with sheer charm. Well, that, and his unprecedented versatility in combat. Gammamon’s got digivolutions for days. You want a battle-ready flier? A fiery brawler? How about a walking railgun? There’s even an evil one hellbent on destroying the world. Gammamon’s every kind of partner rolled into one, adorable package. Actually, scratch that. Gammamon’s no mere partner; he’s Hiro’s little brother. And, as far as younger siblings go, you won’t find any quite as lovable as Gammamon.

Evil henchmen don’t usually make for very good friends. But, Wizardmon will still steal your heart, no spells required. While he initially served in Myotismon’s ghastly army, it was only to help keep Gatmon and Kari out of the bloodsucker’s clutches. Later, when push came to shove, he even put his own life on the line to defend those he cares about. Wizardmon’s heart-wrenching sacrifice cements him as an unforgettable part of an already unforgettable storyline. Especially since his death triggers Gatomon’s evolution to Ultimate. Angewomon gets the honor of smacking around Myotismon, but this is Wizardmon’s victory, through and through.

It takes more than water and sunlight to raise a Mega level Digimon. But, Rosemon is worth the green thumb. She’s easily one of the franchise’s most popular figures, and one look at all her buds and petals will tell you why. Rosemon’s thorny lash really knows how to whip people into shape, that’s just a fact. Best of all, there’s plenty of her to go around. Over the years, Rosemon’s served as the canon Mega form for not just one, but two separate Digidestined. That says it all right there. No matter the season, Rosemon is always in full bloom.

This guy is a walking endorsement for online security. Diaboromon started out as a lowly spam virus, and then digivolved into a general annoyance, and then a serious problem, and then a threat to all of Japan. And that was just in an afternoon. Diaboromon’s takeover of the world wide web got so serious, it forced the Digidestined to enter the fray and bring out the big guns. In the case of Omnimon’s Supreme Cannon, literally. Even though Diaboromon’s hostile plan went nuclear, the fact that he triggered the franchise’s first ever DNA digivolution is still a badge of honor.

Proud, courageous, and powerful, Leomon is the type of friendly face that’s hard to forget. After all, he’s a walking lion with a sword. How cool is that? Leomon lives up to his design by fighting for what’s right, even if it means throwing himself in the line of fire. In fact, he’s died protecting the Digidestined on more than a few occasions. It’s to the point that, nowadays, Leomon’s got a notorious reputation for heroic sacrifices. If that doesn’t prove his loyalty, nothing will. Plus, Digimon don’t really die, they’re just reborn. Sometimes, as shiny, new Mega’s, too. Trust us; you can’t go wrong rooting for Leomon.

Remember; when in doubt, “momentai.” Terriermon’s catchphrase is all about taking it easy, which is a necessary reminder when you’re facing corrupted Digimon, godly Devas, or the actual end of the world. That’s not to say Terriermon is all sunshine and bunny blasts, though. As Henry learned firsthand, this Digimon packs a lot of personality into its short frame. But, at a certain point, Terriermon’s insatiable sass becomes a part of its charm. No matter if you’re using its ears for shade or facing an unstoppable foe, there’s no need to digi-modify Terriermon. It’s perfect just the way it is.

Digimon frontier took an all-new direction for the series when it introduced the concept of humans transforming into Digimon. Both Takuya and Koji are able to become skilled Digimon such as Agunimon and Lobomon, but when they combine themselves and twenty spirits, they reach all new heights. Based on the Japanese Sea God “Susanoo”, this Digimon truly lives up to his name. He’s packing the ZERO-ARMS: Orochi and is said to be one of the fiercest Digimon to date, even taking down the unstoppable Lucemon. Though this series wasn’t as well received, it touts some of the best designs in the franchise – and Susanoomon is no exception.

When they say Veemon’s thick-headed, they aren’t joking. He’s overager, bursting with attitude, and likes to act first and think later. But, more than that, his hard head also serves a very practical use in battles - namely, when he uses it for his devastating Vee Headbutt attack. Hey, you can’t say Veemon doesn’t fight with his head. All in all, Veemon’s the kind of enthusiastic knucklehead you can’t help but cheer for. Considering he’s partnered with the easily excitable Davis, we shouldn’t even be surprised. If anyone’s worthy of standing beside 02’s resident gogglehead, it’s definitely Veemon.

Rika’s rookie level Digimon based on the Kitsune of Japanese Folklore, has gained significant popularity with the Digimon fan base. She is seemingly intelligent and capable for just a rookie-level Digimon and, as such, excels in battle against the others in Tokyo. Although Rika and Renamon’s relationship is originally that of utility, the two soon bond and later Bio-merge to become “Sakuyamon”. Still, Renamon’s strength not only lies on her abilities in battle, but more so on her kindness, even showing compassion for the mischievous Impmon.

One of the Thirteen Royal Knight Mega Digimon. This mysterious “precious one” faces off against the team in Digimon Adventure Tri. His motives and intentions were uncertain, but one thing was for sure - This Digimon is powerful. Another Alphamon debuted as the protagonist of the TV Movie, Digimon X-Evolution. Transforming from the weak Dorumon into the “The Royal Knight of Myth”.

An unusual Cat Digimon who is able to maintain her champion form. When Gatomon first appears, she’s a part of Myotismon’s evil legion, set on taking over the human world. It’s only until meeting Kari, her destined partner that she’s able to regain her memories and stand aside the other hero Digimon. As a means of redemption, Gatomon digivolves into her ultimate form, “Angewomon” and defeats her former leader alongside Angemon. Gatomon continues to stand beside the Digi Destined in Season 2, reaching other forms such as Nefertimon and Silphymon.

Now you may be wondering why this little feller is amongst all these other Digimon titans. But his power has to be seen to be believed. Shoutmon possesses the unique ability to fuse with other Digimon, making his possibilities endless. Creating forms such as the unparalleled Shoutmon X7F “Superior mode”, this tough little cookie can face even the strongest of foes. He even has a cool digivolution to boot. His cockiness and fighting spirit serve only to accomplish his ultimate goal - To become the King of all Digimon.

There are few Digimon as lovable as Guilmon. His silliness, loving nature and playful attitude are seen from the get-go. That’s why it’s such a surprise when the Goofy Guilmon bio-merges with his partner Takato to become the knight Digimon – Gallantmon. After accidentally forcing him into becoming Megidramon, Takato then embraces his friendship with Guilmon to help him achieve this form. Gallantmon touts incredible speed and strength, putting away foes with the “Lightning Joust”. But Gallantmon doesn’t stop there, achieving additional powers such as docking Grani and the ascended “Crimson mode”.

Using an ancient prophecy, some angel’s arrows, and a massive leap of faith, Matt and Gabumon finally reached their pinnacle. It goes by the name MetalGarurumon. Along with WarGreymon, this marked the first time any of the Digidestined had reached the Mega level, and it did not disappoint. Introduced via a jaw-dropping warp digivolution sequence, MetalGarurumon’s slick design and overwhelming might made it a quick fan favorite. Well, to everyone besides VenmonMyotismon, that is. Did we mention MetalGarurumon can freeze enemies solid? And shoot missiles from its chest? The power of friendship has never looked so cool.

The team of the obnoxious leader Davis and former Digimon Emperor, Ken seemed unlikely. But when push came to shove, the two were able to work together by DNA digivolving ExVeemon and Stingmon into the ultimate known as Paildramon. Let’s admit, this guy looked a little goofy, but when they took it to the next level and became Imperialdramon, we were sold. Starting out as the Dragon-mode and then becoming the Bi-Pedal fighter mode, he was able to take on the likes of MaloMyotismon and BlackWarGreymon. But at the end of the day, nothing is cooler than Imperialdramon’s Paladin mode.

From little seeds do great trees grow or in this case, flying hamsters can turn into angels. When the Digi-destined first entered the digital world, the threat of Devimon and his black gears lingers over them. One by one, they were able to Digivolve their partners to the champion level to take down these challenges, but Patamon seemed to be a late bloomer. When it finally came down to it, Patamon and TK’s determination helped him become Angemon, one of the most powerful Champion Digimon. With his hand of fate, Angemon has proved that he was more than capable of fighting.

Agumon’s true Mega needs no introduction. Its debut during the original “Adventure” remains one of Digimon’s most iconic moments for good reason; WarGreymon is just that legendary. That’s saying something when you realize how many different kinds of Greymon there have been over the years. For example, BlackWarGreymon is easily one of the series’ best villains, (xref) if only because it gave us the unforgettable duel of WarGreymon. On the other hand, Marcus’ Agumon abandoned the armor and went full-on dragon, delivering the instantly-memorable ShineGreymon (xref 2). But, among all the retreads and iterations, there’s something about WarGreymon’s classic Terra Force that never gets old.

All Impmon ever wanted was respect. When he ran away from his tamer’s home, he came to the conclusion that Digimon don’t need humans and instead pursues ultimate strength. Opportunity knocked when Caturamon offered him the ability to Digivolve in exchange for the Tamers’ lives – a deal he quickly took up on, and became the ever-bad-ass “Beelzemon”. Beelzemon shook the series’ foundations by killing the beloved Leomon. However, after seeing the error of his ways, he forms an alliance with the Tamers in their mission to defeat the D-Reaper. With his newfound selfless attitude and ability to reach the “Blast mode”, Beelzemon could perhaps be the coolest Digimon of all.

Back in the day, the debate of who was better: Agumon or Gabumon was tireless. But when the Digimon movie first debuted, that dispute was over. Combining their mega Digivolutions, Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon to defeat Diaboromon, Omnimon was born. Wielding the Grey Sword in one hand and the Garuru Cannon in the other, this Digimon is able to go toe-to-toe with some of the best. Though the two often butt heads, Matt and Tai’s teamwork is undeniably effective. Putting their differences aside once more, Omnimon made his glorious return in Digimon Adventure Tri, where he proved that he hasn’t lost a step. And we’d be remiss not to mention his awesome appearance at the beginning of the Adventure reboot.

Whos’ your all-time favorite Digimon? Let us know in the comments below!