World of Darkness

The World of Darkness (暗黒の世界 Ankoku no Sekai, 闇の世界 Yami no Sekai) is a world distinct from both the Real World and the Digital World, primarily featured in Digimon Adventure 02. It contains Dagomon's Ocean (ダゴモンの海 Dagomon no Umi), also known as the Dark Ocean (暗黒の海 Ankoku no Umi), whose inhabitants worship Dagomon as their god. Its coastal landscape includes a desolate settlement, caves, and a lighthouse.

Yagami Hikari and Ichijouji Ken are particularly susceptible to its influence. Both are drawn into it during Digimon Adventure 02, and Ken's connection to the world allows him to open a gate leading there with his D-3.

Appearances

Anime

Digimon Adventure

Ishida Yamato and Takenouchi Sora become trapped in dark caves as they struggle with feelings of isolation and despair. They escape after receiving reassurance from their friends and partner Digimon. These caves may be connected to the World of Darkness, although their relationship to Dagomon's Ocean is not explicitly established.

Digimon Adventure 02

At some point between the events of Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02, Ichijouji Ken receives an email encouraging him to return to the Digital World, but instead reaches the World of Darkness. When he submerges his Digivice in the Dark Ocean, it transforms into a black D-3, marking a step toward his eventual transformation into the Digimon Kaiser. Yagami Hikari begins seeing images of an unfamiliar coastline while in the Real World and is eventually transported to the World of Darkness. Inside a cave, she encounters creatures resembling Hangyomon without their diving equipment, bearing Evil Spirals. Rather than controlling them, the spirals appear to drain their energy. The creatures claim that the god they worship placed the spirals on them, and Hikari attempts to remove them. However, an Airdramon controlled by an Evil Ring attacks the cave before she can help them.

Takaishi Takeru, Patamon, and Tailmon reach the World of Darkness to help Hikari. Tailmon evolves into Angewomon, defeats Airdramon, and destroys a Dark Tower concealed inside a lighthouse. The Hangyomon-like creatures then reveal their true forms as beings of darkness and seize Hikari, declaring that she should reproduce with them. Angewomon fires a warning shot, prompting them to retreat into the ocean and return to their god. After Hikari and her friends leave, the silhouetted form of Dagomon, the god worshiped by the creatures, rises from the sea. The creatures and their intentions toward Hikari allude to the Deep Ones of H. P. Lovecraft's fiction.

Later, while searching for Tailmon's missing Holy Ring, Hikari, Inoue Miyako, and their partner Digimon become separated from the others and encounter Ken. Hikari and Ken recognize the influence of the World of Darkness and their shared susceptibility to it, while Miyako initially struggles to understand what they are experiencing. As Hikari begins to succumb to the darkness, Miyako refuses to abandon her and helps her regain her resolve. Their growing mutual understanding enables Aquilamon and Tailmon to Jogress Evolve into Silphymon, which defeats Blossomon.

During the battle against Demon, the Chosen Children realize that returning him to the Digital World would not stop him, as he can open gates to the Real World himself. Hikari and Takeru instead suggest banishing him to the World of Darkness. With the support of the other children, Ken confronts the darkness within himself and uses his D-3's connection to that world to redirect Demon's gate to the Dark Ocean. Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode, Silphymon, and Shakkoumon force Demon through the gate with their combined attacks. Before it closes, Demon threatens the children for imprisoning him there.

Digimon Adventure tri.

In "Coexistence", Himekawa Maki reaches Dagomon's Ocean while searching for Bakumon, whose memories of their partnership were erased by the Reboot. She holds the approaching inhabitants at bay with her handgun, but continues calling for her partner and wanders into the water, where she is dragged beneath the surface.

Digimon Adventure -Beyond-

Yagami Hikari shelters Mochizuki Meiko in a protected room before being approached by darkness, which causes her visible distress. Tailmon intervenes, striking the encroaching darkness to protect her partner.

In Kakudou Hiroyuki's accompanying story Digimon Adventure 13+, published on his personal blog rather than through an official release, Izumi Koushirou theorizes that the black castle attacked by Imperialdramon: Dragon Mode is the source of the Black Digimon, Dark Towers, and Black Gears. Imperialdramon destroys the castle, revealing Demon within the resulting smoke. Demon draws energy from the Dark Ocean, and the Chosen Children subsequently seek to sever this connection.

Miscellaneous

Super Evolution Stage "Digimon Adventure tri. ~Adventure of August 1~"

Etemon claims to have returned from the Dark Ocean after spending what he experienced as one hundred years imprisoned there. He confronts Yagami Taichi and Agumon inside a digital area resembling the campgrounds from the Chosen Children's first adventure.

Etemon later reveals that his imprisonment enabled him to acquire the ability to evolve into King Etemon. The digital area in which the confrontation takes place is ultimately revealed to have been created by the Chosen Children's desire to return to their childhood, rather than by Etemon himself.

Drama CDs

To Our Future!

After the events of Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning, Ohwada Lui experiences an encounter with the Dark Ocean while visiting Odaiba. He confronts a younger version of himself and apparitions resembling the Chosen Children and their partner Digimon, which accuse him of responsibility for Ukkomon's actions and insist that he cannot escape his past.

An apparition of Ukkomon offers to disappear to atone for its actions, but Lui refuses to abandon it. Ken and Wormmon then appear and encourage him to accept responsibility while continuing to move forward. Lui accepts the younger version of himself as the embodiment of his guilt, which will remain with him.

The scene ends with Lui back in Odaiba, where Motomiya Daisuke finds him staring into space. This framing leaves the physical nature of his encounter ambiguous.