Attribute

Attribute (属性 Zokusei, suffixed with 種 Shu ) refers to the type of computer file a Digimon represents. In Virtual Pets such as Digimon Pendulum, Digimon Pendulum Progress, and Digimon Pendulum X, attribute is also called Type. There are six different possible attributes: 
Attribute	Kanji/Kana 	Romanization 	Symbol
Vaccine 	ワクチン 	Wakuchin 	Va
Data 	データ 	Dēta 	Da
Virus 	ウィルス 	Wirusu 	Vi
Free 	フリー 	Furī 	
Variable 	バリアブル or ヴァリアブル 	Bariaburu or Variaburu	Ba
Unknown 	不明 	Fumei 	不明
The Digimon are generally separated into three different attributes "Data", "Vaccine" and "Virus", depending on the influence that they cause in the Environment. Digimon with the same name and different attributes sometimes look different and in some cases have different attacks or types as well. There are also "Free" and "Variable" attributes that are related to the Digimon known as "Ancient Species". Digimon with the Variable attribute, which at least so far means Hybrid, change attribute to match that of their opponent. Vaccine digimon are supposed to be more powerful against Virus digimon, Virus digimon are supposed to be more powerful against Data digimon, and Data digimon are supposed to be more powerful against Vaccine digimon. 
In a more general sense, they can also represent personality types, mainly the three main attributes of Vaccine, Data, and Virus:
*Vaccine: They are created to prevent the destruction of important Data by Virus Digimon. They have a strong attack instinct against Virus Species, so they act combating the Virus Species and thus protecting the surrounding environment and its own territory. As a rule, Vaccine Digimon are usually good, put a high emphasis on justice and morals, and fight against evil. 
*Data: They are like the e-mails that are sent using computers. They do not belong to either "Vaccines" or "Virus", but they need "Vaccines" to protect themselves from "Virus". They just exist according to the already established environment and don't do much to change it. Data Digimon can be good or evil, but generally value peace above all.
*Virus: They are Digimon that devour data, recognized as evil Digimon that destroy data from computers. Virus species seek to modify the surrounding environment according to their wishes. As a result, anomalies end up appearing in the system. Virus Digimon desire power, and can often become greedy, selfish, wild, or evil in pursuit of it. 
Digimon of the same attribute will generally get along well with each other. However, all of the above is not set in stone and there have been heroic Virus Digimon, as well as villainous Vaccine Digimon. The Attribute system started out as a sort of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" determinator in the virtual pets. This is still, in essence, in use in most mediums (especially the Card Game), though less strongly stressed.
Vaccine is dominant over Virus. Virus is dominant over Data. Data is dominant over Vaccine. Variable is 'tied' with all other Attributes, a rather unique factor in R/P/S variants. Unknown is dominant over all other Attributes. 
The Kemonogami in Digimon Survive are instead separated into Moral, Harmony, Wrathful and Free, which are equivalent to Vaccine, Data, Virus and Free in every way.
Category:Terminology
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