Bandai Digital Monster

The Digital Monster is a digital pet released in 1997 by Bandai. This pet was a masculine counterpart to the Tamagotchi, which was deemed more appropriate for girls. It spawned the Digimon franchise. It was similar to earlier virtual pets with the distinctions of being a fighting pet that could connect with others like it. The original Digital Monster model that was released in 1997 sold 14 million units worldwide, including 13 million in Japan and 1 million overseas, up until March 2004. By 2005, more than 24 million Digital Monster units had been sold. In 2017, a 20th anniversary edition was released in Japan which allows the owner to choose from any of the eggs from the first 5 versions of the original toy, as well as several new ones unlocked through various methods. This edition was released worldwide in 2019, the anniversary of the franchise outside of its home country.