Zoologist Reviews Species Concept and Classification in Popular Media

It's nice to see someone talking about the justification for Digimon evolution, because it's actually very simple, but so many people don't seem to get it. I'm assuming because they're comparing it to Pokemon. Yes, that dinosaur can metamorphose into a lion. That wouldn't make sense normally, but Digimon AREN'T normal biological creatures. They're artificial, digital constructs. Their data (akin to DNA) can entirely reprogram itself based on outside stimulus, unlike biological DNA. That dinosaur becomes a fridge with a minigun because it's a computer program that ate the computer program for a fridge and a minigun.

I think pokemon could replace the term "evolution" with metamorphosis, but digimon is on the clear as its "digievolutions" are more like the server's accelerated simulation of natural selection reaching the same optimal numbers.

I feel like "Elder Dragon" started out in-universe as a classification for 6-limbed reptilian monsters, but over time became more associated with monsters who possess borderline supernatural abilities. Considering how the Western Dragon body plan is less biologically realistic than the Wyverns that are more common in Monster Hunter, it makes sense that they would tend to possess additional "unnatural" qualities. Among hunters Elder Dragon has basically become shorthand for "unusual and extremely dangerous".

The pokemon one does have an answer actually, but not many people know about it because it was in Japanese only material from decades ago. Around the time of Gen2 they had research notes from Oak where he talked about how his classification system was flawed, he was originally classifying different "species" only based on appearance and didn't know how to tell their gender, this is why the Nidorans are separated. He also muses that Taurus and Milktank are also the same species but with sexual dimorphism. Within this Oak then says that he can't fix his misclassifications now (very unscientific of him) because it would screw up the dex numbers. So it's very likely that full lines are intended to be different growth stages of a single species but the games just categorize them separately like Monster Hunter does.

Minor correction on edible vs non-edible monsters: You can eat some Large monsters, but you have to give their parts (like tails) to the Canteen or your Handler, who will prep the meat and give you Well-Done Steaks. My guess is unlike herbivore meat that can easily be processed via carving, Large Monster meat needs more processing.

"You can't milk a bull" Well... You techhhhhnically can.....?

that was actually a good summery of digimon they don't make sense and they won't ever make sense cause they're not "flesh and blood" animals they're computer data

22:38, there was animals in the pokemon world but it was retconned, it was mostly a gen 1-2 thing where they treated pokemon like newly discovered species rather than the average fauna of the pokemon world, it basically stopped being cannon since takeshi shudo (main pokemon anime writer until gen 2) left the anime

In regards to pokemon, it seems like the "evolution" they undergo is actually a metamorphosis and rapid adaptation. There are evolved forms that simply went extinct due to the conditions they were suited for not being present anymore like some of the Hisuian forms, modern Stantler cannot evolve into Wyrdeer even if they meet the evolution pre-requisites since they lost that ability. It's worth noting that it's also implied in many cases that unevolved forms of certain pokemon can live out their entire lives in that form if they never have the need to evolve - they're kind of like axolotls in that they can be neotenous their entire lives. There is also "normal" evolution in pokemon, with pokemon changing their type and evolutionary pathways depending on the region they live in, and there being prehistoric pokemon that are ancestors to modern forms.

Really cool to see someone try to take a more naturalistic viewpoint of Digimon considering how unnatural they are. If there ever is a follow up to this video I'd really hope to see you come back to Digimon to discuss some of the other aspects that incorporate themselves into the canon over time, such as the various Digimon subspecies, or even the story of Program X and how it mirrors an extinction event/genetic bottleneck.

I reaaaaaly likedd this video. Monster hunter is consistent with his clasification as you said, as a hunter, you just need to know certain things. Bird wyvern? okey, it can be trapped, they move fast, and use generally the same type of attacks. By using this classification, you can overall guess how the mosnter attack, which is really important, for example brute wyverns, ive realise usually have specialized tools, uragaan chin, deviljho mouth, brachydios arms, duramboros tail club... based on this you know, at least one body part of them is overused in their attacks. Deviants are basically overly stressed specimens that adapt rapidly due to something, in some cases failed hunts from humans, and are in lore extremely rare to encounter, apexes (MHRise) are affected by the stress of the wind serpent ibushi that moves them out of place, hardcore variants are very similar to deviants but instead they are basically older specimenss that are way better with their abilities Monsterverse is weird, its like, because the titans dont fit into the animal kingdom easily, they cant clasify them fairly, thus they make it simple and use code names. Pokemon its always about the evolution line, but it is weird how not even their categories fit, some pokemon have the same category been different species, and many change their category when evolve. Digimon is hell, which i love about it. Many knoledge of their lore, helps to understand it. Digimon have always existed in theory, it was the computer ygdrassil that tapped into the dimension via internet... which in the digimon franchise, the internet is basically an interdimensional place, we didnt created, we just found it. In the digital world, time is accelerated, an ygdrassil used this to experiment wwith evolution, in a few years, the digimon world develops for millions of years... this is why its so cluncky, the information humans send using the internet can reach the diggital world, and thats why human have shapped their live and evolution, even life styles. In short, ddigimon works as a simulation, in which yggdrassil analyses how evolution develops, this is why when a digimon dies, it can de-evolve, and it becomes another oportunity for different outcomes. Digimon physical appereance isnt even real, its just a videogame skin, their true self is their digicore, its their genes and even memories. Lastly, many digital worlds exist at the same time and all of them, are kinda connected, digimon can evolve into new forms, modes, etc. and when this happens, ygdrassil makes sso every digimon can achieve that form if they are related iin some way, this is way they can evolve into such different things. For example, the first metalgreymon that evolved into wargreymon, unlocked that evolution in every other universe or "server". This is the reason why, for example, many digimon can evolve into royal knights while not being them, they wont have the same power, but they can reach this evolution.

Digimon data evolution concept is unique in terms how they transform by absorbing data, not being restricted even by an abstract concepts. Essentially the digital world in Digimon franchise is a so-called "Noosphere" - the space where everything ever concieved exists.

The problem with the Monsterverse is that while it has many writers that are talented , they are also somehow lazy on detail and worldbuilding,also has many interventions from the studio so it can't even star to be consistent .

Your tangent on Pokemon egg groups reminded me of the fact the Pokemon Feraligatr and Krookodile can't breed, despite being based on related animals they are not in the same egg group.

Yesss Monster Hunter supremacy

I think you missed something in MH world, the head ecologist outright calls "elder dragon" a pile that creatures can get tossed on when they don't fit elsewhere.

If I recall correctly, the flavor text for kirin explains that while at first glance they look like herbivores, their bodies being covered in scales and their having feet with claws is what makes them an elder dragon.

Canonically you only do each hunt once, so there's indeed a single one of every deviant, even across their entire quest lines

"The Goddamn lightning horse" I felt that

Digimon "family" is also called "field" and, based on the nature report style descriptions for the Pendulum Z, is supposed to refer to their habitat; so the same Digimon can be in more than one because they live in more than one place.