Kemonogami (ケモノガミ?), also known as Beast God, is the name of a type of lifeform in Digimon Survive.
Kazumasa Habu stated that in the story background of Digimon Survive and some other Digimon media, Digimon were not born as a result of humans creating computers, and instead always existed, living alongside humans, though in another dimension, becoming visible to humans once they created computers and digital technology. They may have been manifested through magic or sorcery, through the ancient art of Onmyōdō, subjugating them as shikigami, yōkai, or demons, but was then accomplished digitally, making them Digital Monsters.[1] This means the main plot of Survive takes place before said creatures (Kemonogami) became Digimon as a result of said technology.
Kemonogami are split into Moral, Wrathful, Harmony, and Free. These are similar to Attributes of other media, and are instead named Vaccine, Virus, Data. Free shares the same name. Fanglongmon (and Ruin Mode) has one exclusive to itself, however the game does not state what it is. Like Free, it is neutral to everything else.
A year after the events of the truthful route, due to the two worlds merging together once again — the digital components of the now merged world (the digital elements coming from the human world) cause Kemonogami to become Digimon. Though not stated in the Harmonious or wrathful routes, the worlds merge together in those routes as well meaning it is likely they become Digimon there too. A year after the events moral route, unlike the other three routes, the worlds did not merge. The children's journey had allowed more humans to believe in the world again though, and with the human world being more digital than it was when they were merged together thousands of years ago Akiharu "Haru" Minase theorizes that it would one day become influenced by said digital technology and figures that would cause the Kemonogami to become digital beings. He then comes up with the name "Digital Monster" (Digimon for short) and also comes up with the name "Digital World" as a name for the alternate world once it becomes fully effected by digital technology and hopes both terms become popular.
Death is permanent for Kemomongami. Exceptions are Renamon and Master in the Moral route where they became eggs. Renamon due to his remains fusing with Miyuki Minase's tears and Master for unexplained reasons. When a human dies, their Kemonogami dies too. An exception is the Four Sovereign Monsters for unexplained reasons (possibly because they technically live on as ghosts).
In the English release, Kemonogami are stated to evolve rather than digivolve. This is possibly because they are not Digimon but rather Kemonogami, and as such the term digivolution wouldn't fit.
Story
Digimon Survive
The Kemonogami are a type of lifeform that exist in an alternate World to the Humans. Originally, the two worlds were combined with Kemonogami and Humans being the same entity with them sharing the same soul. Haruchika Minase even states that the combined form of Kemonogami and Humans actually had Kemonogami as their true form, not humans, and that upon the two worlds being split the Kemonogami half of the soul went to the alternate world and the human part went to the human world. He also states that should the two worlds fuse together again the Kemonogami and Humans would eventually become one again with the Kemonogami forms being the true form again.
In some places, Humans came to worship and/or fear them and as such would provide them with children as sacrifices in the hopes it would keep them safe.
In one small village, the locals created a shrine dedicated to worshipping the Kemonogami though eventually barred anyone from going near it due to many people going missing near it. Some referred to this as being "spirited away".
Some Humans would also find their way to the Kemonogami World in other ways, such as Takuma Momozuka and his friends ending up there after walking through a tunnel on their historical studies extracurricular activities camp. Female members of the Minase clan, such as Yukiha Minase and Miyuki Minase are able to open gates to the alternate world/human world (depending on location) which allows travel between the two.
A year after the events of the truthful route, due to the two worlds merging together once again — the digital components of the now merged world (the digital elements coming from the human world) cause Kemonogami to become Digimon. Though not stated in the Harmonious or wrathful routes, the worlds merge together in those routes as well meaning it is likely they become Digimon there too. A year after the events moral route, unlike the other three routes, the worlds did not merge. The children's journey had allowed more humans to believe in the world again though, and with the human world being more digital than it was when they were merged together thousands of years ago Akiharu "Haru" Minase theorises that it would one day become influenced by said digital technology and figures that would cause the Kemonogami to become digital beings. He then comes up with the name "Digital Monster" (Digimon for short) and also comes up with the name "Digital World" as a name for the alternate world once it becomes fully effected by digital technology and hopes both terms become popular.
Notes and references
Digimon Survive | |
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Main characters | Takuma Momozuka | Aoi Shibuya | Minoru Hinata | Ryo Tominaga | Saki Kimishima | Shuuji Kayama | Kaito Shinonome | Miu Shinonome | Akiharu "Haru" Minase | Miyuki Minase |
Kemonogami | Agumon | Labramon | Falcomon | Kunemon | Floramon | Lopmon | Dracmon | Syakomon | Garurumon | Renamon |
Other characters | Yukiha Minase | Byakko Boy, Genbu Boy, Seiryu Boy, Suzaku Boy, and the Four Sovereign Monsters | Other characters |
Antagonists | Haruchika Minase and Master | Kenzoku | Piedmon | Arukenimon |
See also: | Digimon | Kemonogami |