Digimon's creature designs are both legendary and legendarily weird -- especially the evolutions that can turn normal-looking creatures into something totally wild in the blink of an eye. One of Digimon Adventure 2020's highlights has been seeing many of these designs once again, often with new, modern flourishes. However, these only scratch the surface of the strangeness that can be found in the world of Digimon. Here are six of the least chill Digimon evolutions in history.
Gargomon
Gargomon is a rabbit with machine guns for hands. That statement alone should capture just how strange this evolution is, but it only gets odder when you realize that it evolves from the famously adorable Terriermon. While Gargomon does retain the green and white color scheme and long ears of its previous form, during the evolution, it replaces its arms with two massive guns, each with several barrels. In the center of each weapon is a metal claw that, while a decent hand substitute, does look really terrifying.
However, the strangest part of this evolution is the fact that Gargomon is sporting a pair of rolled-up blue jeans and a leather ammunition belt, giving it the full '80s action hero look. It is these jeans that take this design from weird to fantastic. They take Gargomon from a cyborg rabbit to a very dedicated cosplayer of Barret from Final Fantasy VII.
Angewomon
Angewomon is one of Digimon's most famous and popular characters, and it isn't hard to see why as the Digimon features a unique and memorable design. However, if you take a step back for a moment, you can see how odd Angewomon truly is. Angewomon is an imposing blonde woman who wears a metal, feathered mask and a revealing white catsuit with mismatched legs. She accessorizes this with a long purple scarf covered in runes, as well as several leather straps wrapped around her body. The whole look is finished with eight massive white wings that allow her to dominate the space around her.
A unique fusion of traditional Biblical angels and magical girls, it is certainly striking and strange, especially when you realize Angewomon descends from the cat-like Gatomon.
Ophanimon
Much like Angewomon, Ophanimon is inspired by the Bible and descends from Gatomon. However, unlike Angewomon, Ophanimon looks like the world's most over-the-top knight. Dominated by eight golden wings that look like details from a 1950s car, Ophanimon wears bright green and grey armor. However, rather than your regular suit of armor, this set leaves Ophanimon's stomach totally uncovered, save for a massive collar and giant shoulder pads. It also has dangerous-looking spikes on the gloves. Weirdly, a white dress can be seen poking out from the bottom of the armor and, on her feet, Ophanimon wears a pair of highly impractical green pumps.
Ophanimon clearly has zero chill but also shows the brilliance of Digimon. By having several different evolution options, the character designers can flex their creativity and come up with some super strange and totally unforgettable designs.
Garbagemon
Many of Digimon's most surprising designs are gigantic later evolutions. However, this doesn't mean that there are not some weird smaller creatures. Garbagemon is, as the name suggests, a monster that loves garbage. This Digimon is a tiny pink imp that looks oddly like a corrupted Minion. It has sharp teeth and drippy skin along with a discarded banana peel for hair. This is all topped off with tiny pink spines down its back, adding a dinosaur twist to the trash. These details help make Garbagemon stand out and add a layer of originality to the concept.
In essence, though, Garbagemon really looks like the evil version of a 1960s cartoon character, the type that would warn children about playing with household chemicals. Going all-in on the garbage theme with the drippy skin and the peel hair makes it unforgettable, at least, despite its small stature and low position in the Digimon hierarchy.
Ponchomon
On the surface, the idea of the plant-like Palmon evolving into a cactus-inspired monster isn't that strange. In fact, it seems like a logical evolution of the concept. However, Ponchomon isn't a mere cactus; this evolution of Togemon adds way more style (and way more horror) to the plant-like monster.
Ponchomon is a fusion of a ghost and cactus and, obviously, wears a stylish poncho. However, the bottom of this outfit is shredded, giving Ponchomon a classic ghostly look as it floats around. On top of this, it also wears a massive sombrero, fitting its desert theme. This whole look is rounded off with mummy-like wrapped arms, showing that this cactus is ready for a down and dirty street fight. But what pushes this design over the edge is its rows of horrifying sharp teeth, meaning that this ghostly cactus will be giving you some very funky nightmares.
VenomMyotismon
The evil VenomMyotismon really is a sight to behold, being the evolved form of the already scary Myotismon. This towering creature looks like what would happen if Dr. Frankenstein decided to work his magic on a load of random Digimon parts. Its gigantic top half looks like a red demon, complete with withering, bat-like wings while the bottom half is covered in fur and has large animal-like feet, giving it a very bestial look. What makes VenomMyotismon even more impressive is how its proportions are distinctly non-human, with its massive arms and huge hands a contrast to its normal-sized torso and head.
The longer you look at VenomMyotismon, the more details you spot in its design, including the fact that it has teeth on its knees, a smaller pair of insect-like wings on its back and a tail that resembles a cross between a spine and tendril. VenomMyotismon is a stunning, strange and awe-inspiring design that has no equal in any other franchise.
