D-Ark
- For the toy of the same name, see D-Ark Toy.
| D-Ark | |
|---|---|
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| Kanji/Kana | ディーアーク |
| Dub Name | D-Power |
The D-Ark (ディーアーク Dīāku; Dub: D-Power)—usually referred to on-screen as just the Digivice (デジヴァイス Dejivaisu), and occasionally called the Ark (アーク Āku)—is a model of Digivice that is used by the Tamers in Digimon Tamers.
Overview[edit]
Design[edit]
The D-Ark is a relatively bulky, hand-sized device. It is controlled with four buttons. A clip hangs from its top on a strap. Its main feature is a slot on its right-hand side, for cards and other objects to be swiped ("Slashed") through it. There is also a port for a cable along its top, that allows it to be connected to computers. This port is usually completely covered by a door that opens with the press of a button.[1]
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Functions[edit]
- Reading data from items that are Card Slashed through the card slot, to produce different effects:[N 1]
- Cards from the Digital Monster Card Game: Gives temporary enhancements to the user's partner Digimon based on the Slashed card, including triggering a Child Digimon's temporary evolution into an Adult Digimon[2]
- A Blue Card: Various effects, usually triggering a Child or Adult Digimon's temporary Matrix Evolution into a Perfect Digimon[3]
- A Red Card: Enables partner Digimon to remain temporarily evolved while inside the D-Reaper[4]
- Other objects: Under special circumstances, can be used as input to create a partner Digimon[2]
- Performing Matrix Evolution to fuse the Tamer and partner Digimon together into an Ultimate Digimon (certain Tamers only)[5]
- Projecting a display that shows a live feed of what the Tamer's partner Digimon is seeing[3]
- Displaying a Digimon Analyzer profile of any Digimon whom the partner Digimon is currently seeing[6]
- Displaying a compass that points the user toward where their partner Digimon is[2]
- Alerting its user to the presence of an aggressive Digimon[7]
- Projecting an energy whip, to use to physically tame and restrain an aggressive partner Digimon (only observed from Akiyama Ryo's D-Ark) [8]
- Projecting a beam of light that can heal the partner Digimon's wounds[9]
- Displaying a clock[citation needed]
 Matsuda Takato's D-Ark asking for input to create a partner Digimon. |
 Matsuda Takato's D-Ark displaying a compass pointing to Guilmon. |
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 Makino Ruki's D-Ark projecting Goburimon's Digimon Analyzer profile. |
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Owners[edit]
| Owner | Color | Episode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matsuda Takato | Red ring/buttons Silver body Red strap |
"Guilmon is Born! The Digimon that I Created" | Also borrowed by Akiyama Ryo in Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer. Destroyed in "The Kindhearted Hero Leomon Dies!" . |
| Gold ring/buttons Silver body Red strap |
"Final Fight! Dukemon vs. Beelzebumon" | ||
| Makino Ruki | Blue ring/buttons Silver body Blue strap |
"The Meaning of Partner - Renamon Evolves!" | Ruki's obtaining of the Digivice is depicted in flashback. |
| Lee Jianliang | Green ring/buttons Silver body Green strap |
"A Tamer's Task! Defeat Gorimon!" | Jianliang's obtaining of the Digivice is depicted in flashback. |
| Katou Juri | Yellow ring/buttons Silver body Yellow strap |
"Digimon Total Sortie! Advancing while Facing the Wind" | |
| Akiyama Ryo | Silver ring/buttons Dark blue body Black strap |
"Friend or Foe!? The Legendary Tamer Akiyama Ryo" | Obtained off-screen at some point prior to this episode. Prior to that, borrowed Matsuda Takato's D-Ark in Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer. |
| Shiota Hirokazu | Brown ring/buttons Silver body Brown strap |
"Friendship with Guardromon! 'I'll fight too!', Tamer Hirokazu" | |
| Lee Shaochung | Pink ring/buttons Silver body Pink strap |
"'Where's Terriermon!' Shaochung goes to the Digital World" | |
| Kitagawa Kenta | Light Purple ring/buttons Silver body Light Purple strap |
"The Return to the Real World!" | |
| Ai and Makoto | Purple ring/buttons Silver body Purple strap |
"The Crimson Knight Dukemon - Save Your Beloved Ones!" |
Appearances[edit]
Anime[edit]
Digimon Tamers[edit]
The concept and design of the "Ark" can be traced back to the work of the Wild Bunch in the 1980s. Lee Jiang-yu had envisioned the Arks as devices that children would use to communicate with Digimon and access information from the Network, and later observes that just like Digimon had begun to rapidly evolve by themselves, some force had made D-Arks a reality as well.[10] Mizuno Gorou implies that the devices were named "Ark" by analogy with both chests/boxes and the mythical Noah's Ark, which (as he observes)[11] is made literal when the concept is partly retooled into the Ark vehicle.[12]
When Matsuda Takato slashes a Blue Card that suddenly appears in his Digital Monster Card Game collection through his Card Fighter Ex, that device transforms into his first D-Ark. Later that evening, the D-Ark prompts him to "input data", so he runs his notepad full of drawings of his own Digimon design, Guilmon, through it.[2] When he does this, the DigiGnomes use the drawing as a template to create the Digitama for a real Guilmon out of dust packets.[11] Once the Digitama hatches, the D-Ark displays a compass that leads Takato to where Guilmon is realizing in Shinjuku.[2]
As seen in flashbacks, Makino Ruki and Lee Jianliang's D-Arks are also the result of slashing Blue Cards through card readers: in Ruki's case, another Card Fighter Ex,[13] and in Jianliang's case, a card reader peripheral for his computer.[14] For later recipients of D-Arks—Katou Juri,[9] Shiota Hirokazu,[15] Lee Shaochung,[16] Kitagawa Kenta,[17] and Ai and Makoto[4]—their D-Arks suddenly materialise in front of them, or on their person, at critical moments when their partnership with their Digimon is formed.
When she first meets Leomon, Juri borrows Takato's D-Ark and tries to use it to Slash cards to help Leomon fight Kumbhiramon. This has no effect at all.[18]
Matsuda Takato's first D-Ark shatters and disappears when he Dark Evolves Guilmon into Megidramon.[19] After he and Guilmon (as Dukemon) defeat Beelzebumon in their showdown, a new, golden D-Ark materializes in front of him.[20]
During the battles against the D-Reaper in Tokyo, Mizuno borrows Jianliang's D-Ark, to copy its program to a computer and use it to realize Grani. To give Grani the last bit of help that it needs to realize, he Card Slashes a Blue Card through the D-Ark while it is plugged into a computer.[1]
Digimon Xros Wars: The Young Hunters Who Leapt Through Time[edit]
When the Old Clock Shop Man brings them into DigiQuartz, Makino Ruki still has her original D-Ark,[21] and Matsuda Takato still has his second D-Ark.[22]
Prose Fiction[edit]
Digimon Tamers 1984[edit]
During the Wild Bunch's Digimon project in the 1980s, Daisy takes on the side project of designing an interface between the real world and the Network, in order to communicate with the Digimon. She names the project the "Ark," and takes some inspiration from Alan Kay's Dynabook concept for children's computing, seeing the innocence of children as suited to exploring the network.
By the summer of 1985, she is attempting to quickly finish the Ark project with Lee Jiang-yu's assistance so that she can return to her own research and doctorate, but the project is held back by their continued lack of a breakthrough concept to enable communication between the worlds.
Years after the disbanding of the Digimon project, upon seeing a child playing with a virtual pet based on the Digimon data, Daisy reflects that they may be a step toward her Ark becoming a reality.[23]
Video Games[edit]
Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer[edit]
After saving him from Impmon, Matsuda Takato loans his original D-Ark to Akiyama Ryo.
The D-Ark has three functions, which become available after the Destroyed Crevasse dungeon has been cleared and Takato has loaned the device to Ryo.
- Scan 「スキャン」: Use the D-Ark in battle to attempt to convert an enemy Digimon into scan data, for later usage; requires points that are recharged by defeating enemies
- Card Slash 「カードスラッシュ」: Use cards, i.e. items
- Map 「マップ」: Display a map of the current dungeon
Digimon New Century[edit]
This Digivice, alongside the D-3, Digivice, D-Scanner, Digivice Burst (incorrectly stated to be the Digivice iC), and Digimon Xros Loader, are displayed on a desk in the real world.
Virtual Pets[edit]
D-Ark Toy[edit]
The D-Ark is the basis of the D-Ark LCD quest toy line, released in the Japanese market. Four models were produced in 2001, and an enhanced re-release, the D-Ark Ver.15th, was released in 2017 to commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of Digimon Tamers.
D-Power Digivice Toy (NA)[edit]
The D-Power Digivice LCD game that was produced for US and Canadian markets is totally different from the Japanese D-Arks. Unlike any other LCD game produced in any market, the D-Power came bundled with a serial cable and a CD-ROM for use on personal computers, to allow the D-Power to connect to the computer and access a now-defunct online multiplayer game on the Maxverse service and fight other players' Digimon using the Digimon from one's own D-Power.
D-Power Digivice Toy (EU/AS)[edit]
A third distinct line of LCD games was produced for Asian and European markets. Unlike the North American one, this D-Power line does not have any computer connectivity.
TCG[edit]
| Hyper Colosseum |
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| Battle Spirits | |||||
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Image Gallery[edit]
Artwork[edit]
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| Digimon Tamers (control art) |
Digimon Tamers (Takato's first) |
Digimon Tamers (Ruki's) |
Digimon Tamers (Jianliang's) |
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| Digimon Tamers (Ryo's) |
Digimon Tamers (Juri's) |
Digimon Tamers (Shaochung's) |
Digimon Tamers (Kenta's) |
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| Digimon Tamers (Hirokazu's) |
Digimon Tamers (Ai and Makoto's) |
Digimon Tamers (Takato's second) |
Video Games[edit]
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| Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer |
