Gatomon

Gatomon (Tailmon in Japan) is a Vaccine-attribute Holy Beast Digimon at the Champion level. She is best known as Kari Kamiya’s partner in Digimon Adventure. Unlike the other Adventure partners, she stays at Champion as her everyday form, and her Holy Ring and Ultimate form Angewomon made her one of the most iconic Digimon of the late 90s.

Who is Gatomon

Gatomon is a small, white, cat-like Holy Beast Digimon. She wears oversized striped gloves tipped with claws and has a long, striped tail with a gold ring near the end. That ring is the Holy Ring, the mark of a holy Digimon, and it is the reason a creature roughly the size of a house cat can stand beside much larger Champions. Her Japanese name, Tailmon, points straight at that tail. The English localization went with “gato,” Spanish for cat, and the name stuck so well that most Western fans never think of her as anything else.

In the anime, Gatomon is the partner of Kari Kamiya (Hikari Yagami in Japan), the “eighth child” of Digimon Adventure. She does not meet Kari at the start of the series. She arrives as a servant of Myotismon (Vamdemon), the vampire Digimon hunting the eighth child, and her turn from enemy to partner drives one of the most beloved arcs in the franchise. When you search “gatomon digimon,” most of what you find comes back to that arc. It explains her bond with Wizardmon, her history with Myotismon and the moment she first becomes Angewomon.

Gatomon across media at a glance

Gatomon’s basic data barely changes between media. That is rare for a Digimon with this many appearances. Here is how she lines up in the three places most fans meet her.

Medium	Level	Attribute	Notes
Anime (Digimon Adventure, Adventure 02)	Champion	Vaccine	Kari’s partner; default form is Champion
Digimon Story games (Cyber Sleuth, Hacker’s Memory, Time Stranger)	Champion	Vaccine	Raised and digivolved through the Digivolution screen
Digimon Card Game (2020 onward)	Lv.4 (Champion)	Vaccine	Yellow card color, Holy Beast trait

What the Japanese level names mean

The anime and games use Japanese level names that the English versions replaced. Gatomon’s Champion level is “Adult” (Seijukuki) in Japanese. Angewomon’s Ultimate level is “Perfect” (Kanzentai), and Mega is “Ultimate” (Kyukyokutai). That last one trips people up constantly. A Japanese source calling something “Ultimate” is talking about a Mega in English terms. Every level in this profile uses the English names.

Evolution line

Gatomon’s evolution line looks simple, but each medium treats it differently. The anime gives her a fixed story path. The Digimon Story games branch based on your training. The card game ties digivolution to color and level. If you want to see how her line fits beside the other Adventure partners, our Digimon evolution chart puts all the major lines side by side.

Anime evolution line (Digimon Adventure and Adventure 02)

In the original anime, Gatomon’s earlier forms only appear in flashbacks. You see her hatch, wander the Digital World and wait for a partner she cannot find. By the time the DigiDestined meet her, she has been a Champion for a long time.

From	To	Level reached	How it happens in the anime
Digi-Egg	Nyaromon	In-Training	Hatches alone in the Digital World (flashback)
Nyaromon	Salamon (Plotmon)	Rookie	Grows while waiting for her partner (flashback)
Salamon	Gatomon (Tailmon)	Champion	Digivolves before meeting Kari; stays Champion by default
Gatomon	Angewomon	Ultimate	Kari’s Crest of Light activates in “Wizardmon’s Gift”
Gatomon	Nefertimon	Armor	Armor digivolves with the Digi-Egg of Light (Adventure 02)
Gatomon + Aquilamon	Silphymon	Ultimate	DNA digivolution with Yolei’s partner (Adventure 02)

A few details matter here. Nefertimon belongs to Adventure 02’s Armor digivolution system, which ran alongside regular digivolution. Silphymon is a DNA digivolution, so it needs Aquilamon (Hawkmon’s Champion form) and both partners’ bond. Nyaromon keeps the same name in English and Japanese. Salamon is Plotmon in Japan, a reference to the Plott Hound breed.

Digimon Story games evolution line

The Digimon Story series is where Gatomon gets the most flexible line. In Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, Hacker’s Memory and “digimon story time stranger,” you raise Digimon and choose their evolutions on a Digivolution screen. Each target form is gated by requirements like level, stats, ABI and sometimes a specific condition. Those requirements differ between games and versions. So the table below gives the core path that holds across the series, not a single game’s thresholds.

From	To	Level reached	Story-game notes
Nyaromon	Salamon	Rookie	Standard In-Training to Rookie step
Salamon	Gatomon	Champion	Main route into Gatomon
Gatomon	Angewomon	Ultimate	Her signature Ultimate in every Story entry
Gatomon	Salamon	Rookie	De-digivolution is always available on the Digivolution screen

Gatomon also has other Ultimate branches in individual Story games. The exact list changes from game to game, so check the live branch list on Gatomon’s own Digivolution entry rather than trusting a chart from another title. The requirement thresholds are shown right there, and they are the only numbers that count for your save file.

Gatomon in Digimon Story Time Stranger

“digimon story time stranger” launched in October 2025, and Gatomon is part of its roster. The game keeps the Story series’ raising loop: you build stats, unlock skills and pick evolutions from a branching screen. It also adds layers on top, like personality traits that shape how a Digimon grows. If you are new to the system, our guide to how to “evolve agumon digimon story” style walks through the Digivolution screen with Agumon as the example. The same steps apply to Salamon and Gatomon.

For Time Stranger’s base stats, resistances and exact personality options, read Gatomon’s in-game Field Guide entry directly. Those numbers are tied to the current patch. Our “time stranger digimon” list shows where Gatomon and her line sit among the full roster.

How Gatomon’s Vaccine attribute plays in Story games

The attribute triangle is the part of Gatomon’s game data you will feel every battle. In Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth, the attributes form a loop: Vaccine is strong against Virus, Virus is strong against Data and Data is strong against Vaccine. Free sits outside the triangle as a neutral attribute.

Gatomon (Vaccine) vs	Result in Cyber Sleuth’s triangle
Virus	Gatomon deals extra damage
Data	Gatomon takes extra damage
Vaccine	Neutral
Free	Neutral

In practice, Gatomon and Angewomon shine against Virus-heavy dungeons and bosses. Many Dark Area enemies and demon or fallen-angel Digimon are Virus types, and her holy theming fits that role perfectly. Keep a Virus or Free ally on the bench for Data-attribute fights, because Gatomon’s small frame does not enjoy taking super-effective hits.

Digimon Card Game evolution line

In the Digimon Card Game (the version launched in 2020), digivolution is not about story events or stats. You digivolve by paying a cost to place a card on top of a Digimon of a matching color and the correct level. Gatomon is a yellow Lv.4 card, so she typically sits on yellow Lv.3 Rookies and digivolves into yellow Lv.5 Ultimates.

Card level	English level	Gatomon line example
Lv.2	In-Training (Digi-Egg deck)	Nyaromon
Lv.3	Rookie	Salamon
Lv.4	Champion	Gatomon
Lv.5	Ultimate	Angewomon
Lv.6	Mega	Holy yellow Megas (varies by deck)

Yellow in this card game focuses on protecting your security stack, recovering security cards and reducing your opponent’s DP. That fits the Holy Beast and angel theming of Gatomon’s line. Her exact digivolution costs, DP and effects vary between printings, so read the card in hand rather than assuming every Gatomon plays the same.

Signature attacks

Gatomon fights with speed and claws, not size. Her anime attacks are simple and memorable, and they carry over into many games under the same names.

Gatomon (anime)

• Lightning Paw (Neko Punch, “Cat Punch” in Japanese): Gatomon’s main attack. She rushes in and strikes with her clawed glove. It is the move you see her use most in Digimon Adventure and Adventure 02.
• Cat’s Eye (Neko Me): A hypnotic stare that dazes or controls the target. It shows off her trickster side and fits her early villain role under Myotismon.

Angewomon (anime)

• Celestial Arrow (Holy Arrow): Angewomon forms a bow of light and fires a holy arrow. In “Wizardmon’s Gift,” she fires it charged with the power of the other DigiDestined’s crests to strike down Myotismon. It is one of the defining shots of the whole series.

Nefertimon (anime)

• Rosetta Stone: Nefertimon’s signature attack in Adventure 02, which hurls stone tablets at the target.

Silphymon (anime)

• Static Force: Silphymon gathers energy between its hands and launches a blast. It is the finisher you see whenever Kari and Yolei’s partners DNA digivolve.

In the Digimon Story games, Gatomon’s attacks become skills with SP costs, power ratings and attributes. Each game assigns its own numbers, so check the skill list on her status screen in the game you are playing. Lightning Paw and her holy-themed skills generally make her a physical attacker at Champion. The Angewomon line pushes harder into holy and support roles.

Gatomon’s Holy Ring

The Holy Ring is the most important part of Gatomon’s design, and it deserves its own section. Holy Rings mark holy Digimon across the franchise. Patamon’s line, Angemon especially, and other angelic Digimon carry them too. Gatomon’s sits on her tail.

In Digimon Adventure, the ring matters in the plot. Gatomon is without it for part of the Myotismon arc, and the show treats its absence as a real loss of her holy power. Getting it back is part of her shift from Myotismon’s servant to the DigiDestined’s ally. If you watched the dub as a kid, you probably remember characters pointing at her tail and noticing the ring is gone. It is one of the series’ first big clues that she is more than a henchman.

Gatomon’s story in Digimon Adventure

The Myotismon arc is the heart of the Gatomon profile, so here is the short version for anyone revisiting it. You can find the full series context in our Digimon Adventure guide.

Servant of Myotismon

Gatomon hatches alone and spends a long time waiting for a partner who never comes. Eventually Myotismon finds her and takes her in. He treats her harshly. In flashbacks you see him punishing her, and she grows hard and bitter in his service. She cannot remember who she was waiting for, only that she was waiting.

Wizardmon

Gatomon’s one friend in Myotismon’s army is Wizardmon. Before either joined Myotismon, she helped Wizardmon when he was injured and alone. He never forgot it. Wizardmon becomes the person who reminds Gatomon that she is the eighth child’s partner. He tracks down the proof and protects her as she breaks free of Myotismon.

Finding Kari

When Myotismon invades Tokyo hunting the eighth child, Gatomon is part of the search. She realizes Kari is her partner, and the reunion is quietly emotional. Kari already seems to know Gatomon, and the two bond almost instantly. Gatomon chooses Kari over Myotismon at enormous personal risk.

Wizardmon’s Gift and Angewomon

The climax comes in “Wizardmon’s Gift.” Myotismon attacks Kari, and Wizardmon throws himself in the way and takes the blow. His death triggers Kari’s Crest of Light, and Gatomon digivolves to Angewomon for the first time. With the other DigiDestined’s crests powering her Celestial Arrow, she defeats Myotismon. For many fans who grew up with the dub, it is the moment Digimon stopped being a monster cartoon and became something that could hit you emotionally.

Appearances

Gatomon has been a regular in the franchise for over 25 years. The lists below cover appearances confirmed for this profile. Smaller cameos and mobile games are left out where details could not be confirmed.

Anime series

Series	Years	Gatomon’s role
Digimon Adventure	1999 to 2000	Myotismon’s servant, then Kari’s partner
Digimon Adventure 02	2000 to 2001	Kari’s partner; gains Nefertimon and Silphymon
Digimon Adventure tri.	2015 to 2018	Kari’s partner in the six-part film series
Digimon Adventure: (reboot)	2020 to 2021	Kari’s partner in the reimagined series

In Adventure 02, Gatomon is a core member of the new team from the start. She has been through a war already and acts as the experienced fighter among the newer partners. Her Silphymon DNA digivolution with Aquilamon is one of the series’ most popular pairings.

Movies

• Digimon Adventure 02: Hurricane Touchdown / Supreme Evolution (2000): Gatomon appears with the DigiDestined. This film forms a large part of the English “Digimon: The Movie” compilation.
• Digimon Adventure tri. (2015 to 2018): Six films that follow the original team as teenagers, with Gatomon at Kari’s side.
• Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna (2020): The original team’s final story as partners. Gatomon and Angewomon appear as Kari’s team.
• Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning (2023): The Adventure 02 team’s follow-up film, with Gatomon alongside Kari.

Games

Game	Platform	Release	Gatomon’s role
Digimon Adventure	PSP	2013 (Japan)	Kari’s partner in the retelling of the anime
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth	PS Vita, PS4	2015 (Japan), 2016 (West)	Raisable Champion
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker’s Memory	PS Vita, PS4	2017 (Japan), 2018 (West)	Raisable Champion
Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition	Switch, PC	2019	Raisable Champion in both bundled games
Digimon Story Time Stranger	PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC	October 2025	Raisable Champion

Gatomon also turns up in many other games across the franchise’s history, especially those built around the Adventure cast. The table sticks to the titles most players will look her up for today.

Card game

Gatomon has appeared in the Digimon Card Game many times since its 2020 launch. She is printed as a yellow Lv.4 Digimon, and her line is a natural fit for yellow’s security and recovery strategies. Exact set codes, card numbers and effects change between printings. Rather than list numbers that may not match your binder, check the card’s own set code, printed in the corner, before building around a specific Gatomon.

Gatomon’s related forms

Searches for “gatomon black” and other variants are common. Here is how her relatives fit together. The English and Japanese names differ for several of them.

English name	Japanese name	Level	Relationship to Gatomon
Nyaromon	Nyaromon	In-Training	Her In-Training form in the anime
Salamon	Plotmon	Rookie	Her Rookie form in the anime and Story games
Angewomon	Angewomon	Ultimate	Her signature Ultimate
Nefertimon	Nefertimon	Armor	Armor digivolution with the Digi-Egg of Light
Silphymon	Silphymon	Ultimate	DNA digivolution with Aquilamon
BlackGatomon	BlackTailmon	Champion	Dark variant with the Virus attribute
Gatomon X	Tailmon (X-Antibody)	Champion	X-Antibody variant
Magnadramon	Holydramon	Mega	Holy Dragon Mega linked to her line in several games
Ophanimon	Ophanimon	Mega	Seraph Mega linked to her line in several games

BlackGatomon

BlackGatomon (BlackTailmon) is Gatomon’s dark counterpart. She is a Champion with the Virus attribute instead of Vaccine. That flips her place in the attribute triangle: she is strong against Data and weak against Vaccine Digimon, including the original Gatomon. In many games, her line leads toward LadyDevimon, Angewomon’s dark rival. If you want a Gatomon for a Virus-weighted team, she is the version to look for.

Gatomon X

Gatomon X is the X-Antibody form of Gatomon, part of the X-Antibody variants that gave classic Digimon sharper, more aggressive redesigns. It is a separate Digimon from the standard Gatomon, not a costume or alternate skin.

Her Megas

Gatomon’s Mega situation is messier than most partners’. The original Adventure and Adventure 02 anime focus on Angewomon, Nefertimon and Silphymon, and Kari’s partner does not get a recurring Mega in that original run. Games and other media link her line to holy Megas like Magnadramon (Holydramon) and Ophanimon. Which one you reach depends entirely on the game, so check each title’s own branch list.

Trivia

• She is a Champion by default. Every other original Adventure partner spends their normal time at Rookie. Gatomon stays at Champion, the result of growing up alone and digivolving long before she met Kari.
• Her name is a language pun in both regions. Tailmon refers to her long tail and Holy Ring. Gatomon uses “gato,” Spanish for cat.
• Salamon is a dog, not a cat. Her Rookie form’s Japanese name, Plotmon, references the Plott Hound. That makes the jump from a puppy-like Rookie to a cat-like Champion one of the franchise’s oddest visual shifts.
• Her voice actors are fan favorites. In Japan, Yuka Tokumitsu voiced Tailmon in the original series. In the original English dub, Edie Mirman gave Gatomon her dry, sharp-tongued delivery.
• Her first Angewomon is one of the franchise’s most remembered scenes. Wizardmon’s sacrifice and the crests powering Celestial Arrow tie her biggest moment to grief rather than triumph.
• The Holy Ring is shared lore. Gatomon is one of several holy Digimon with a Holy Ring, which links her visually to the Angemon line and Patamon, the partner of Kari’s fellow child T.K.
• She often reads as female. Digimon do not have biological sexes, but the anime portrays Gatomon as female, and Angewomon makes that framing explicit.

FAQ

What is Gatomon’s Japanese name?

Gatomon is called Tailmon in Japan. Her Rookie form Salamon is Plotmon, while Nyaromon and Angewomon keep the same names in both languages.

What level and attribute is Gatomon?

Gatomon is a Champion-level Digimon with the Vaccine attribute in the anime, the Digimon Story games and the Digimon Card Game. Her type is Holy Beast. In the card game she is a yellow Lv.4 card.

What does Gatomon digivolve into?

In the anime, Gatomon digivolves to Angewomon (Ultimate), Armor digivolves to Nefertimon with the Digi-Egg of Light and DNA digivolves with Aquilamon into Silphymon. In the Digimon Story games, Angewomon is her signature Ultimate, and further branches depend on the specific game.

Why is Gatomon a Champion when the other partners are Rookies?

She hatched and grew up alone, waiting for Kari for years. During that time she digivolved to Champion and stayed there. By the time the DigiDestined meet her, Champion is simply her normal form.

Is BlackGatomon the same as Gatomon?

No. BlackGatomon (BlackTailmon) is a separate Champion Digimon with the Virus attribute, while Gatomon is Vaccine. Many games route BlackGatomon toward LadyDevimon instead of Angewomon.

In which episode does Gatomon first become Angewomon?

Gatomon first digivolves to Angewomon in the Digimon Adventure episode “Wizardmon’s Gift.” Wizardmon sacrifices himself to protect Kari, and Kari’s Crest of Light activates.

Is Gatomon in Digimon Story Time Stranger?

Yes. Gatomon is a raisable Champion in Digimon Story Time Stranger, which launched in October 2025. You reach her from Salamon on the Digivolution screen and can push her on to Angewomon once you meet the listed requirements.