eh. Raremon?
Raremon!!!!
In the original Digimon virtual pets, you would traditionally begin with a small “Baby I” digimon, which would soon after evolve into a “Baby II” digimon. From there, it would typically branch into one of two Child-level digimon, which is the usual default stage of most partner digimon and the most recognizable mascots of the franchise. The way virtual pets work is that, depending on the way you care for your digimon, you could influence the outcome of its evolution. The next stage, the Adult-level, is where the original line of virtual pets had the widest span of possibilities. You could influence the resulting evolution depending on factors such as how much training you do with your digimon, how much food you give it, and how often you disturb its sleep. If you fail to meet the requirements for any other evolution, typically through too many care mistakes due to overfeeding, underfeeding, or not letting your digimon get sufficient sleep, your digimon will commonly evolve into what’s known as a “failure evolution” for its Adult stage.
Failure evolutions, as the term implies, tend to be relatively weak and unsightly. They’re typically associated with sludge or garbage, and were a recurring trend of all of the virtual pets in the early years of Digimon. Raremon is one such example. Most failure evolutions tend to be rather small and goofy, but Raremon notably averts this trend, appearing as a massive rotting monstrosity. Raremon essentially represents the attempt of a dying, poorly-treated digimon to extend its own life through mechanization, but in the process it destabilized its form and corrupted its data. Its mental faculties have been rendered nonexistent and it continues to decay indefinitely, but thanks to the machines incorporated into its body, it is unable to actually die.
Needless to say, this is an absolutely marvelous concept for a Digimon. Raremon is simultaneously horrifying and pathetic; a perfect balance of repulsive and pitiable. Its design reflects this superb balance quite well, with a ghastly visage of viscous, rotten slime permeated by wires and metal cords. Its asymmetrical eyes bulge out of metal-plated orifices, and its gaping maw is lined with horrible talon-like teeth. What appears to be a ribcage can be seen peeking from its side, and its back is lined with markings reminiscent of a circuitboard. All of these elements would be quite good individually, but together they make for a truly stunning entity. Appropriate for such a wretched being, its primary method of attack is the expulsion of rancid breath and acid from its mouth, though few beings can tolerate the foul stench it emanates long enough to fight it in the first place.
Raremon is almost entirely antithetical to what is traditionally considered marketable. It’s not cute, badass, or even silly. It’s just a putrid affront to nature that absolutely should not exist. This is the beauty of Raremon: it commits to its concept perfectly and whole-heartedly, making no sacrifice for the sake of toning itself down in the name of commercial appeal. And for a long time – more than 20 years – it would remain the only digimon to really capture such a excellent aesthetic. As of 2021 though, we’ve finally been blessed with a direct evolution that directly carries on Raremon’s theme: Rare Raremon. And with that, it feels like this fetid fiend is finally getting some of the respect it rightfully deserves.
Cute/10