Tai Kamiya

"That's home. Planet Earth. But I'm not sure that's where I am right now."

- Tai Kamiya

Taichi "Tai" Kamiya (Japanese name: Taichi Yagami) is the main protagonist of Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure tri, and older brother of Kari Kamiya. His partner digimon is Agumon. He is also a recurring protagonist on Digimon Adventure 02.

Tai has gone to become arguably one of the most iconic characters in the Digimon franchise and has thus gone to appear in other Digimon media such as the Wonderswan color games Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer and Digimon Tamers: Digimon Medley. More famously, Tai appeared in Drigimon Xros Wars.

He is voiced by Joshua Seth who also voiced Hige, Joe Shimamura and returned to reprise his role in Digimon Adventure tri..

Personality
Tai is courageous, compassionate, wise, and jolly. He knows basic hand-to-hand combat, which he occasionally used against Matt as they often feuded over having different leadership ideals. He is also best friends with Sora, Izzy and sometimes Matt. He's a protective brother to Kari.

He is also shown to be reckless, often putting himself and others into danger. This could probably best be seen in the episode Ikkakumon's Harpoon Torpedo where he tries to convince everyone to climb Infinity Mountain and calls Matt a chicken for trying to play it safe.

Background
On 1995, Tai lives with his father Susumu Kamiya, mother Yuuko Kamiya, little sister Kari Kamiya, and pet cat Miko in Highton View Terrace. He and Kari receive a Digi-Egg, which eventually hatches into Botamon. Botamon digivolves quickly to Koromon, becoming their first experience with Digimon. Both Tai and Kari become friends with Koromon before he digivolves to a large Agumon and takes Kari on a ride, while Tai desperately follows. Agumon digivolves to Greymon to protect them from Parrotmon at Highton View Terrace, though he is beaten. Using Kari's whistle, Tai manages to revive Greymon long enough for both him and Parrotmon to destroy each other.

It make Tai being chosen as one of the DigiDestined with along his younger sister.

Digimon Adventure
When attending summer camp, it begins to snow. Tai, along with Yamato "Matt" Ishida, Sora Takenouchi, Koushiro "Izzy" Izumi, Mimi Tachikawa, Joe Kido, and Takeru "T.K." Takaishi, find devices hurtling out of the sky, which they would later find to be called Digivices. All seven are then swept into the Digital World.

Tai awakens to find Koromon sitting on him. Not remembering his previous encounter with a Koromon, he freaks out but eventually comes to trust Koromon, and the two become friends and partners. After meeting up with Izzy, Tai goes up a tree to get their bearings but finds that he doesn't know where they are. Joining his fellow campers, each of whom have their own partners, they are attacked by Kuwagamon and their Digimon digivolve to Rookie, his Koromon to Agumon. Their efforts, however, result in them being thrown off a cliff, though Gomamon saves them. And so it begins... When Shellmon attacks as they rest at a beach, only Agumon's attacks work as he was the only one to eat, though he doesn't fare well. In order to help, Tai decides to provide a distraction and is caught while doing so. The rush of anger and protectiveness that Agumon feels spurs his Digivolution into the Champion form Greymon, who defeats Shellmon.

Tai continues to lead the group on their journey, getting into fights but generally blazing the trail. After the group gets separated by Devimon, Tai and Agumon manage to befriend Frigimon, who takes them to another island, where they find Matt and Gabumon. Tai gets into an argument with Matt about their next option; Matt wants to search for the others while Tai wants to head straight to Infinity Mountain. Their words come to blows, only broken up by Mojyamon.

Tai and Matt return to Primary Village in time to protect T.K., Matt's little brother, from Leomon. They subsequently defeat Devimon and are told by Gennai to head to the Server Continent. Along the way, they find the Tags to their Crests but are attacked by Etemon on the Continent itself. The DigiDestined manage to escape into a tunnel, where Tai finds his Crest of Courage. This discovery brings him arrogance, however, as well as the ambition to get Agumon to digivolve into Ultimate. His reckless measures get him into trouble by first overfeeding Agumon and then walking deliberately into trouble, knowing that danger is what causes their partners to digivolve. His actions cause Agumon to dark digivolve to SkullGreymon, who causes disaster by rampaging around and taking out Garurumon, Birdramon, and Kabuterimon before regressing into an exhausted Koromon.

As a result, both of them lose their confidence until Piximon arrives and forces them to face their doubts. Tai is reminded of the time when he tried to learn how to ride a bike and realizes that despite all the hardship, all of the pain, he needs to come back after suffering defeat.

Returning to his cocky attitude, it is only bolstered when Izzy announces that they are in the Digital World, possibly leaving their bodies behind. Due to this, Tai throws caution to the wind and acts as reckless as he did before, believing that he can't really be harmed. Right before he walks through an electrified fence, Izzy snaps him out of it, telling him that dying in the Digital World still means real death and causing Tai to suddenly start becoming fearful. His hesitation costs him; Etemon attacks and prevents him from rescuing Sora and Biyomon, held captive by Datamon.

When the DigiDestined mount another assault on Etemon's base to rescue Sora, however, Tai learns to get over his fears, to walk forward anyway in the face of danger to save his friend, and in doing so truly learns what Courage is about. He successfully manages to save Sora and when faced with Etemon fused with his Dark Network, Tai walks forward with Greymon at his side to fight. His unflinching courage causes his Crest to shine and lets Greymon digivolve to MetalGreymon. MetalGreymon defeats Etemon, but Etemon's massive energy causes a dimensional rift to open, into which Tai and MetalGreymon are sucked.

The warp leads back to the Real World. Tai returns home and relaxes for a bit while taking care of Kari, but he realizes that not only has little time passed but also that his friends haven't returned. Digimon then begin appear, though only he, Agumon, and his sister can see them. He receives a message from Izzy, who warns him not to come back to the Digital World, but Tai knows that he must go back to fix the balance. When Tai sees an Ogremon, Koromon digivolves into Agumon and a dimensional warp opens. Agumon knows he must return, and Tai, torn between his sister and his duty, tells Kari that he must go despite Kari's pleas. He willingly enters the rift back to the Digital World.

Upon his re-entry, Tai finds the group in severe disarray. Time moves much quicker, and months have passed in the Digital World though only hours have in the Real World. The entire team has broken up, mainly to look for him, and are moving their separate ways. Tai first locates T.K., who has been left alone by the rest of the group, and manages to convince him to reconcile with his partner, Patamon, rather than be manipulated by DemiDevimon. With T.K. and their partners, Tai leads them to a diner, where they find Matt and Joe, rescuing them from Digitamamon. He joins Joe in looking and finds Mimi, managing to convince her to leave her princess life with the Otamamon and Gekomon.

By now, Myotismon has emerged as the next great threat, and he is in search of the eighth DigiDestined child. The DigiDestined pursue him to the Real World through Myotismon's special gate. Though Myotismon uses a spell, Izzy manages to use his knowledge of Digimon as well as of the ten cards Gennai gives them to figure out which of the nine slots eight of the cards should go. At the last moment, Tai chooses the correct card by sheer luck, and they return to the Real World. Throughout this time, Tai manages to hide Agumon from his family, though when Gatomon, at first an enemy, reveals that she is Kari's partner, and that Kari is the eighth DigiDestined they've been searching for, Tai is shocked. When Gatomon is captured and Myotismon stages an all out attack to round up all the children to force Gatomon to identify her partner, he and Greymon whisk Kari to safety, though he is unable to save his parents. Entrusting Kari to Matt, Tai attempts to rescue the trapped citizens but only manages to make it in time to regroup with the DigiDestined for a final assault on Myotismon.

Though Myotismon is first defeated due to Wizardmon's sacrifice, he instead digivolves to VenomMyotismon. The DigiDestined believe that the key to defeating VenomMyotismon is to have Angemon and Angewomon shoot Tai and Matt with arrows of hope and light. Both of them agree, and Agumon and Gabumon warp digivolve into WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon, Mega Digimon who, with help, manage to defeat VenomMyotismon. Thinking that it is finally over, the DigiDestined are shocked to see the Digital World appear in the sky. Though they are finally home, the DigiDestined decide to go back to protect both worlds they love. All eight of them open another warp and go back to the Digital World to restore the balance while tearfully saying farewell to their families.

The Dark Masters emerge as the major enemy, and it is revealed that they were the ones who warped and rebuilt the Digital World into Spiral Mountain. Tai believes that they are strong, but each of the Dark Masters prove themselves even stronger, with their leader, Piedmon, effortlessly defeating WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon. As Piximon whisks them to safety, he tells them that they must become strong, right before he sacrifices himself to buy them time to flee. Tai takes this to mean that they must become physically strong, and he orders the group to defeat a Shellmon as Rookies when they needed to be Champions before.

In his quest for strength, he loses sight of his friends, and when Whamon sacrifices himself to allow WarGreymon to defeat the Dark Master MetalSeadramon, Tai doesn't allow himself to mourn, preferring instead to move forward. His actions strain Matt's trust in him. Matt's doubts allow Cherrymon to successfully play on his fears and turn Matt against him. It culminates in Tai and Matt getting into a fistfight as their Digimon clash in the skies. Their battle ultimately causes a rift in the friends. Matt leaves to reevaluate his place in the group, while Mimi can't deal with the drama and the fighting and strikes off on her own, while Joe goes with her to make sure she is safe. The group are attacked by Puppetmon and his RedVeggiemon army, but they manage to drive him off.

While split, Kari falls ill, and Tai frantically searches for a cure for his sister. Leaving Kari in Sora and T.K.'s care, he heads to a city with Izzy, not knowing that it is the Dark Master Machinedramon's domain. When they are thwarted time and time again by Machinedramon, Tai grows ever more impatient and finally snaps at Izzy. He then calms down and recounts a time when he forced a sick Kari to play outside with him, worsening her sickness and causing his mother to reprimand him. Realizing that panic would not help, Tai instead focuses on doing right.

After defeating Machinedramon and about to face Piedmon, Tai, with all of his personal growth in his adventures, acts with true knowledge of a leader. Looking at the big picture, he refuses to let Agumon digivolve to WarGreymon to fight Piedmon's bodyguard LadyDevimon, instead allowing MegaKabuterimon and Angewomon take care of her while stating that Agumon needs to save his strength for Piedmon. He also sends Sora and T.K. to look for Matt, knowing that the presence of all the DigiDestined would be needed for the final battle.

Tai and WarGreymon manage to hold the line against Piedmon until Matt returns, and the two reconcile, with Matt's Crest of Friendship healing WarGreymon's wounds. Unfortunately, Piedmon proves to be too strong and captures him, Matt, and their partners by turning them into keychains. MagnaAngemon, Patamon's Ultimate form, saves them, and they manage to defeat Piedmon, only for Apocalymon to appear. Apocalymon turns out to be a formidable foe, destroying their Crests and managing to turn them into free-floating data. With encouragement from their partners, however, Tai remembers the incredible odds they overcame and the strength within them, and he finds that the power of Courage lies within him.

It gives him the strength to return to normal and lead the charge against Apocalymon, who they manage to defeat after finding their conviction. Unfortunately, the solar eclipse marks the rebirth of the Digital World. In the English version, it is thought that the gate would never reopen, stranding the DigiDestined in the Digital World. The Japanese version posits that the Digital World may see them as foreign elements as it tries to recover and attempt to delete them. Either way, the DigiDestined must leave their partners. Tai and Agumon reminisce at the spot where they fought Seadramon, joking and ribbing at each other. At that point, Tai, along with the other DigiDestined, say goodbye to their partners as they take a trolley back home.

Digimon: The Movie
Sometime after these adventures, an email Tai was sending to Sora to apologize for a gift becomes blocked because of a mysterious Digimon on the Internet. Izzy comes over to Tai's house to help. They contact Gennai, who sends Agumon and Tentomon into the Internet to battle the rapidly digivolving Digimon. Despite the fact that communications are disrupted and that most DigiDestined are busy, Tai manages to contact Matt and T.K. They send Patamon and Gabumon to help against the Digimon, who has digivolved into Infermon and defeated Greymon and Kabuterimon while they attempted to digivolve into MetalGreymon and MegaKabuterimon.

During these events, Infermon infects the Pentagon's missile systems and launches two nuclear missiles, commanding them to strike Colorado and Tai's house in an attempt to kill him. Tentomon and Patamon are knocked out of the battle, and Agumon and Gabumon warp digivolve into WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon, but they are slowed by the many emails kids from around the world send in encouragement. In frustration, Tai smacks the computer screen and causes the connection to crash. After rebooting, Tai finds a near comatose WarGreymon, with Infermon nowhere to be seen. With more encouragement, however, they set out toward Infermon, who has now digivolved into Diaboromon and is multiplying to mask his original body. The emails from around the world still slow WarGreymon, and Tai, feeling for his partner's broken state, somehow manages to transport himself into the Internet along with Matt. Between their power and the strength of the world's children, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon DNA digivolve into Omnimon, and, with the aid of the very same emails which slowed his Digimon, manage to defeat Diaboromon in time to stop the nuclear missile from detonating. Tai and Izzy nearly collapse from exhaustion as Sora, who finally gets Tai's apology email, forgives him.

At some point after passing the mantle to the younger DigiDestined, Tai is captured by Wendigomon along with the other older DigiDestined and trapped in another dimension. Tai regresses in age during his captivity but is released with Wendigomon's defeat.

Digimon Adventure 02
After these events, Gennai calls Tai and the rest of the DigiDestined to the Digital World in order to give up his Crest power to fully revitalize the Digital World with a protective barrier. As a result, Agumon loses the ability to become MetalGreymon and WarGreymon.

While in middle school, Tai senses that Agumon is in trouble. He mysteriously manages enters the Digital World and tries to aid his partner. Along with Patamon and Gatomon, he finds a cave that has a Digi-Egg with the Crest of Courage on it. Though he fails at lifting it up, his attempt causes three points of light to rise and fly off. They are the three Digivices that Davis Motomiya, Cody Hida, and Yolei Inoue receive. After the battle with Monochromon, Tai also gives Davis his goggles, since Davis broke his square goggles in the battle.

Tai, along with the other older DigiDestined, act as mentors to the younger generation, but they're not above giving a helping hand to their younger generation. When Agumon is enslaved by the Digimon Emperor, who by this point has been revealed as Ken Ichijouji, Tai joins the younger DigiDestined in their efforts to free him. Thanks to Wormmon, Agumon is freed and has a reunion with Tai, only for Agumon to be stolen away once more through the agency of the Dark Spiral. The Captive Digimon After Tai and Matt get into their customary fist-fight, which knocks Tai to his senses, he joins the group as they find the Digi-Egg of Friendship. Despite the fact that the Digimon Emperor now uses MetalGreymon against them, Tai tells the younger DigiDestined to remove the Evil Spiral. Davis doesn't understand how he could see his partner be hurt, but Tai and Matt teach Davis the important lesson that sometimes he has to hurt a friend in order to help them, as they are doing with MetalGreymon.

All of the DigiDestined meet for the anniversary of Myotismon's defeat. There, they hear the prophecy that Wizardmon's ghost leaves. The younger DigiDestined decide to remain in the Digital World in order to find Ken's base. Tai, Matt, Izzy, and Matt's dad Hiroaki Ishida go on a camping trip to cover the time they spend away while joining Izzy in his role as the group's mission control.

As Christmas approaches, Tai and the rest of the DigiDestined go to one of Matt's concerts but are interrupted by a full scale invasion on the Real World. The DigiDestined are then empowered by the Harmonious One Azulongmon so that their Digimon can once again reach their highest forms. Tai, T.K., Agumon, and Patamon go to France where they meet fellow DigiDestined Catherine and her Floramon partner; together they take care of Mamemon, BigMamemon, MetalMamemon, and Giromon as well as the Control Spire and are rewarded with a kiss from Catherine.

As the Dark Spore children are harvested by Yukio Oikawa, Tai and the rest of the older DigiDestined in Japan return to the summer camp where they first began their journey, remaining Dark Spore children and families in tow. When the lights of the world's DigiDestined begin to shine, a portal opens up, and Tai and the rest take the wave back to the Digital World and the final battle site, where they stand witness as MaloMyotismon is defeated once and for all.

Digimon Adventure 02: The Movie
By this point, Tai seems to assume the role of leader for all the DigiDestined. Izzy, however, has more of an understanding of what's going on. Thus, when Tai hears the news of how Diaboromon survived, he and Matt go into the Internet to fight it. Their Digimon DNA digivolve into Omnimon, and they beat him with the help of T.K., Angemon, Kari, and Angewomon. After their victory on the Internet, the war in the real world begins as a huge number of Kuramon break out of the internet and merge into Armageddemon. Thanks to Angewomon, Omnimon blasts his way out of the Internet, yet his attack misses the creature by mere inches. Tai and Matt fall off their Digimon's shoulders. When they get up, they can't believe what a monster they are going be fighting. Omnimon is ready and attacks, but even he is not powerful enough and is defeated.

Tai loses hope as he stares at his defeated Digimon, who is the strongest Digimon they have. He and Matt stand motionless after a powerful blast from their opponent. It is only after Sora shakes them out of it that Tai starts to try and give his confidence and hope to Imperialdramon Fighter Mode, the second most powerful Digimon after Omnimon. Imperialdramon, however, is defeated even more quickly. Through everyone's hopes, however, the Omni Blade bestows upon Imperialdramon his Paladin Mode, who defeats Armageddemon. This action releases a Kuramon swarm, and Tai is one of many who use their Digivices to return the Kuramon back to the net.

Reunion
After three years since the battle against MaloMyotismon, in the morning, Tai is woken by his sister, Kari, for practice at Tsukishima General High School with his soccer club. Tai makes it in time for practice and is still energetic after his teammates plead for mercy. Kari brings him something he forgot, extracting payment in the form of sweets from him at the same time, and the sight of a cute girl reinvigorates his team. Tai greets them but is called out by his teacher, Daigo Nishijima, for not bringing his career planning form and is told to meet him at lunch. Tai has to decline because he has a soccer match on the same day. At Nishijima's office, Tai and his teacher discuss his future plans. After Nishijima interprets "Tai's friends who live away" as friends who live overseas, he suggests that he study languages. The amount of distortions increase, eventually summoning a Kuwagamon at the port. Tai later invites Izzy to his soccer match, who declines due to his parents' wedding anniversary. They lament the difficulty of getting everyone together in one place, and Izzy decides to text Mimi, who accepts but asks them to cover her airfare from New York; the prices make Tai balk. Tai is noticeably despondent. As he leaves, Tai texts Sora asking if she's going to Matt's concert and tells her about his game, backing off at the last minute from asking her to come. He also sees Meiko Mochizuki moving to the same building he lives in.

At Daibacho Ground, Tai's team is prepping for a game when Kuwagamon makes a pass over the field. Tai immediately gives chase as the news begins to report the sighting, which causes T.K. to begin canceling his plans while Matt realizes he can't reach Tai. Kuwagamon leaves a trail of destruction in its wake, and when it catches sight of Tai, begins to attack him. Tai flees, drawing it away from while on his bike, but Kuwagamon eventually catches up by the riverside. At the last moment, Agumon emerges and protects him. The two have a heartfelt reunion that is interrupted by Kuwagamon, so Agumon digivolves to Greymon and begins to fight in earnest. The fight takes the two to what appears to be the Digital World before ending up in Haneda Airport. The battle leaves Tai behind until he gets a call from Kari about the location. He begins to tell her to head there but stops upon remembering the destruction the fight caused. He is then called to by Nishijima, who is wearing a black suit as opposed to his previous almost causal wear, just as Kari is also approached by suited men. Nishijima drives Tai to the airport while providing him with a monitor to watch the ongoing battle, where Greymon is beginning to lose. At the lowest moment, the other DigiDestined appear, all with their partners--save for Mimi, who just landed in Narita Airport, and Joe, who is wandering the streets while depressed. As Greymon degenerates, two more Kuwagamon appear, so the DigiDestined split up into pairs to prevent escape.

Determination
Mimi organizes a large trip to Ooedo-Onsen Monogatari to welcome Meiko to the team as well as try to help Tai and Matt patch things up. Meiko almost arrives late due to her indecision in what to wear to make a good impression, gaining no help from Meicoomon, while Mimi has to retrieve Tai and Kari herself. While Mimi distracts the men in the dressing room, Sora, Meiko, and Kari rush in to rescue the two. Kari slips and is saved by a mostly naked T.K., and Sora and Meiko find their partners, though not before coming across Tai and Matt. With their trip a success in that Meiko is welcomed into the group, though Tai and Matt remain at odds, they return to their homes. Tai then arrives with Leomon, who informs them of the terror the infection has unleashed on the Digital World. When Tai comes across Matt, however, Matt confronts him about their previous battle with Alphamon where Omnimon's fusion failed. Matt deduces that the fusion was disrupted by Tai's inner doubts and presses him about it, only for Tai to run off without an answer.

Everyone wonders what has happened to Ken to make him take the persona of the Digimon Emperor again. As the fully reunited DigiDestined discuss their next plan. Meicoomon tears Leomon apart to the DigiDestined's horror, though Himekawa has a smirk unseen by the others. The DigiDestined try to deal with what they just witnessed.

Confession
The group eventually splits to let Izzy work. Matt reconfirms Mimi and Joe Kido's Digimon achieving Mega through the prophecy sent to them, which should prevent their reliance on Omnimon and draw some burden away from Tai. This revelation stuns Tai. Meiko returns to school and is reunited with the others who have called an emergency meeting. Agumon ask Tai to go outside, playing his favorite video games. Tai ask Agumon why he act weird and Agumon confesses to Tai about the upcoming reboot.

The others fight off the infection just long enough to force them all back into the distortion as the reboot occurs. All of the DigiDestined break down into tears at the loss. DigiDestined cannot help but remember their partners even as they return to their daily lives. Everyone decides that they're sick of waiting. With the resolve to move forward, they resolve to make their way into the Digital World. As the others tell Nishijima and Himekawa their plan. Using the power of their Crests as well as Ken's D-3 and D-Terminal, they are able to force a portal to the Digital World, through which they enter. In the Digital World, the DigiDestined admit something feels off. They're interrupted by Alphamon and Hackmon, clearing Mega-level Digimon, fighting. They escape and then hear a familiar whistle. They follow the sound to see their partners playing around in their In-Training forms. Koromon and other Digimon do not remember them, but the DigiDestined decide to befriend them from scratch.

Quotes

 * "How dare you say that, Matt?! We're all friends here!" (to Matt)
 * [angered]"You take that back, or I'll..."
 * "Ah, go to your party."
 * "So What? I'm in Junior high school and I take classes in Junior high school."
 * "Dear Sora, I'm sorry about what happened. I haven't felt this bad since the time I accidentally threw up in your hat and didn't tell you about it before you put it on. I know our relationship has been a little stormy lately. You say you love thunder showers, so what's a few raindrops between friends? Love, Tai."
 * "I wasn't going to send that letter!"
 * "Hey, back off!"
 * "What did you say?"
 * "Hey Matt, who are all those weird people?"
 * "Well, you didn't have to read it so well."
 * "Who're you calling a jerk, jerk?!"
 * "Oh, a cooking joke?"
 * "I felt something! I guess it was your love shining through!" (to Sora)
 * "Even if what you said is true, you shouldn't believe a word from that loser DemiDevimon!" (to Sora)
 * "Matt, help me out! I don't know what to do when she starts blubbering!"
 * "Your feelings have been a mystery to me since we were kids. You never needed anybody's help, and you were always ready to give out advice. You had all the answers. But then, the truth is, I always thought that was one of the best things about you.

Trivia

 * Tai is 11 years old in Digimon Adventure, 14 years old in Digimon Adventure 02 and 17 years old in Digimon Adventure tri.
 * In the English dub of Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure 02 and Digimon Adventure tri., Tai is voiced by Joshua Seth while in Digimon Adventure 02: The Movie, Tai is voiced by Jason Spisak.