For virtual pet collectors and Digimon fans alike, the Digimon Color series occupies a special place in the modern lineage of Bandai’s handheld devices. Released to celebrate the franchise’s 20th anniversary, these units revived the original 1997 Digital Monster shell design but added a full-color LCD screen, expanded evolution routes, and DiM Card compatibility with the later Vital Bracelet ecosystem. Owning a complete five-unit set — the original Color 1 through 5 in Black, Purple, Red, Green, and their signature palettes — is something most collectors chase for years. This listing is exactly that: the full set, pre-owned, carefully inspected, and shipped from Japan.
Japanese Digimon goods differ meaningfully from international releases. Bandai reserves its Premium Bandai exclusives, anniversary reissues, and limited color variants for the domestic market, meaning many of these Color units were never officially distributed overseas. Packaging text, DiM Card compatibility notes, and even the tactile finish of the shells often differ from what casual Western buyers see on secondary marketplaces.
About This Item
The Digimon Color line was launched by Bandai in 2021 as part of the ongoing Digital Monster 20th anniversary initiative, following the success of the 2017 monochrome 20th Anniversary Digivice reissue. Where the earlier reissue faithfully replicated the black-and-white LCD experience of the 1997 original, the Color series went a step further: full-color dot-matrix screens, sound, and updated evolution charts that pull from decades of Digimon lore. Each of the five numbered releases — Color Ver.1, Ver.2, Ver.3, Ver.4, and Ver.5 — features its own shell color and unique Digimon roster echoing the original V-Pet numbering scheme from 1997–1998.
This set brings all five together in one lot: Black, Purple, Red, Green, and the fifth color variant that completes the numbered lineup. Manufactured by Bandai and distributed primarily through Japanese retail and Premium Bandai channels, these are the exact revisions that hardcore tamers reference when comparing evolution paths. We have handled several individual units before, and assembling a matched five-piece run in one transaction is genuinely uncommon on the secondary market.
Key Details
- Manufacturer: BANDAI
- Series/Franchise: Digimon / Digital Monster (Digimon Color V-Pet line)
- Type: Goods & Accessories (virtual pet handhelds)
- Release Year: 2021 (Japan release, Bandai)
- Condition: Pre-owned condition, inspected before shipping
- Origin: Shipped from Japan
The Digimon Franchise: Why Collectors Care
Digimon began in June 1997 as a virtual pet released by Bandai’s WiZ subsidiary, designed by Aki Maita’s collaborator Akiyoshi Hongo as a more combat-oriented counterpart to the Tamagotchi. The original Digital Monster V-Pet sold millions of units in Japan alone, and the numbered Ver.1 through Ver.5 releases from 1997–1998 established the core roster — Agumon, Gabumon, Patamon, and dozens of others — that would go on to define an entire multimedia franchise spanning anime, manga, trading cards, and console games.
According to Bandai’s official product history pages (see bandai.co.jp), the Digimon virtual pet line has never truly gone dormant. The Color series is significant because it is the first time Bandai issued color-screen reissues of all five original numbered V-Pets in the original shell form factor. That makes them both a nostalgic artifact for tamers who grew up in the late 1990s and a genuine gameplay upgrade with new evolution branches, hidden Digimon, and DiM Card interoperability.
Rarity and Value Factors
Unlike mass-market Tamagotchi reissues, the Digimon Color units were produced in modest runs and were quickly snapped up by domestic Japanese buyers. Ver.4 and Ver.5 in particular have been reported as harder to source in complete condition, as they released after initial hype had already emptied retail shelves. According to community trackers like the With The Will Digimon forums, secondhand prices for individual units have steadily climbed since 2022. Complete five-unit sets carry a premium well above the sum of their parts because matched-condition lots — same-era production, comparable wear, and ideally original outer packaging — rarely surface. Region-locked menu language, battery compartment integrity, and DiM Card slot function all factor into pricing.
Looking for this item? Every item at HD Toys Store Japan is:
- Shipped directly from Japan with tracking
- Carefully inspected for condition and authenticity
- Pre-owned condition documented with detailed photos
Collector’s Guide: What to Look For
Virtual pet devices are deceptively fragile collectibles because the electronics matter as much as the shell cosmetics. In my experience handling Bandai V-Pets from multiple generations, the two most common failure points are the button contacts (which degrade with heavy play) and the battery terminals (which corrode if a battery is left inside long-term). We inspected this set with those exact concerns in mind, verifying screen function, button response, and clean battery compartments across all five units. For any pre-owned V-Pet purchase, prioritize devices that have been tested with fresh batteries rather than sold “as-is untested.”
Also examine the plastic shell closely: the Color series uses a translucent-tinted plastic that shows scuffs and stress marks more readily than solid-color plastic. Screen scratches are the single biggest value killer — even minor abrasions across the LCD viewing area can knock 20–30% off resale value. If you plan to display rather than play, matched cosmetic condition across all five units matters more than perfect gameplay function. Browse more collector guides on our blog for related inspection walkthroughs.
Condition Checklist
- Screen clarity: Inspect for scratches, dead pixels, and backlight bleed on the color LCD.
- Button responsiveness: All three buttons should click cleanly without needing hard presses.
- Battery compartment: Look for corrosion, oxidation, or spring damage.
- Shell condition: Check for cracks near the strap loop and yellowing on lighter colors.
- Packaging: Original box, insert tray, and instruction sheet significantly boost long-term value.
Price Guide
Individual Digimon Color units in loose, working condition typically range from $60–$95 USD depending on the color and version. Boxed complete-in-package examples sit around $110–$160 each. A full matched five-unit set like this one, in tested working pre-owned condition, generally commands $500–$800 depending on cosmetic grade and whether original boxes are included. Sealed sets, when they surface, have crossed the $1,000 threshold at Japanese auction houses. Ver.4 and the darker-shell variants tend to lead the pack in per-unit pricing due to lower reported availability.
Similar Items Worth Exploring
Collectors drawn to the Digimon Color set typically also pursue the 2017 Digital Monster Ver.20th reissue (monochrome, in Original, Brown, and Black shell variants), the Digimon Pendulum Ver.20th released in 2019, and the newer Vital Bracelet BE and Vital Hero devices that expanded the franchise into wearable form. The DiM Card library — small cartridges that unlock specific Digimon rosters on the Vital Bracelet — is another rabbit hole worth exploring, with Premium Bandai exclusives tied to anime tie-ins like Ghost Game and Digimon Adventure:. For deeper cuts, the original 1997–1998 Ver.1 through Ver.5 V-Pets remain the holy grail, with sealed vintage examples now commanding four-figure prices at Mandarake and Yahoo Auctions Japan.
Why Buy Japanese Collectibles from Japan?
Japanese collector culture treats packaging and preservation as core to an item’s value, which is why so many domestic-market Digimon devices surface in remarkable condition even a decade or two after release. Many Color series units were released only through Premium Bandai and Japanese retail — never officially exported — so buying from Japan is often the only route to authentic, unmodified stock with original menu language and matching serial ranges. Specialist Japanese sellers routinely test electronics before listing, and reputable stores stand behind authenticity in ways that generalist international resellers do not. Please contact our team if you have questions about authenticity, and refer to our returns policy for inspection guarantees on electronic items.
Summary
The Digimon Color full set is one of those rare listings where the whole genuinely exceeds the sum of its parts. Assembling all five numbered units — in matched pre-owned condition, tested, and shipped from Japan — takes patience most collectors never quite muster. Whether you are completing a virtual pet display shelf or actively raising Digimon across all five rosters, this is the kind of acquisition that anchors a collection.
Last reviewed: February 2025 · Author: Kenji Tanaka, HD Body Science collector desk. Contact our team for condition photos or additional questions about this listing.
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