Pokémon’s Only True Rival Anime Finally Debuts Exciting New Manga

Pokémon has spent decades as the king of monster-collecting franchises, but its longtime challenger just made a fresh move. Digimon Eggs, a brand-new manga from Ayumu Minato, launches today, October 2, in Shueisha’s Saikyo Jump magazine, and English readers can follow along the same day on MANGA Plus.

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集英社が発行する人気の漫画雑誌「最強ジャンプ11月号10月3日発売」にて
新連載『デジモンエッグズ』の掲載が決定！
みなと歩先生が描くデジモンたちの新たな冒険が今、始まる！
＼#デジモンエッグズ#最強ジャンプ#デジモン#Digimon pic.twitter.com/AlnmPMqDFL

— デジモンウェブ公式 (@digimonweb_net) July 3, 2026

The story follows a boy who turns Digimon into his science project, only to meet a mysterious Digimon along the way. It’s a small, hands-on idea, and it might be exactly what the franchise needs right now as it approaches its 30th anniversary.

Pokémon‘s Biggest Rival Launches the Digimon Eggs Manga Today

Digimon Eggs begins its monthly run in the November issue of Saikyō Jump, which went on sale October 2. Overseas, Shueisha‘s MANGA Plus is carrying the English version as a simulpub, so international fans don’t have to wait. Simplified Chinese and Korean versions are also arriving on Digimon Web, though those are limited to readers in the target regions.

The rivalry between the two franchises isn’t recent, and it dates back decades. Both series feature young protagonists who befriend unique creatures that grow, change shapes, and battle rivals. In terms of timelines, Pokémon debuted in Japan in 1996 and hit the West in 1998–1999, while Bandai released Digimon as a virtual pet in 1997 and brought its anime/games globally right on Pokémon‘s heels in 1999. Because Digimon arrived immediately after Pokémon captured global culture, media and casual audiences lumped them together as direct competitors.

Coming back to Eggs, Minato says the first chapter features only brand-new Digimon, with Suzumon, a Japanese-style Digimon built around a bell, leading the way. He calls that a first for Digimon content, and the reason is simple: he wanted a story that welcomes people who have never touched the franchise. From chapter two onward, familiar Digimon start showing up, so veteran fans get their reward too. Suzumon was born from the manga’s own story: Minato asked for it, and Bandai and Plex shaped the design. The bell rings when it moves, and Minato sees it as a protective charm for children.

Minato isn’t hiding his hopes, either. He wants kids who meet Digimon through this manga to feel what he felt growing up: the wish that Digimon were real (via Digimon Web). That’s a lovely goal for a series that begins with something as small as an egg.

How a Contest Entry Led Ayumu Minato to Write a Full Digimon Series

Minato’s road to this point is a good story on its own. He had always loved making up stories and dreamed of drawing manga, but he kept starting storyboards and giving up. Then he heard a Digimon manga contest would run at Digimon Con in 2023, and he decided it was now or never. His entry, Digital Monster CHILDREN: CODE, earned an honorable mention at the 2023 Digimon Comic Award. Drawing it was exhausting, he says, but it reminded him how much he loves Digimon.

From there, he began serializing Digimon Paradox in Digimon Comic in 2024. When the offer came to try a new Digimon manga in Saikyō Jump, he first wrote a one-shot, Digimon Believers, which ran in the magazine’s December 2025 issue. After that, he kept refining his ideas until Digimon Eggs was ready for a full serial.

His own Digimon origin goes back to Mamoru Hosoda’s work. Minato points to the first Digimon Adventure film and episode 21 of the TV anime as his starting points. What hooked him was how real everyday life felt when a strange creature wandered into it. He wants Digimon Eggs to carry that same sincerity, and he’s calling it a serious Digimon manga. He admits the pressure is real, but wants to meet it head-on.

As for the rivalry, Pokémon got a head start. Its first games reached Japan on February 27, 1996. Digimon followed on June 26, 1997, as a virtual pet from Bandai and WiZ meant to be a boys’ counterpart to Tamagotchi. Nearly thirty years later, a new manga is showing what that little pet can still grow into.

Have you read the first chapter? What are your thoughts on Digimon Eggs? We’d love to know your opinions in the comments below.