If Pokemon never got released outside of Japan, would Digimon get recognized by American and Japanese alike?

[The Gamer Sunflower]

Let's say that Pokemon got a higher backlash regarding the banned Porygon Episode, Nintendo and Game Freak decides not to release it in America and other countries excluding Japan, Would Digimon get Recognized by The West and other Countries?
Who would be Digimon mascot? would it butterfly away Digimon and other Anime?
The Answer is up to you who are both fans of Pokemon and Digimon.

 

[Hugh Third of Five]

Digimon started as part of a trend of Virtual Pets. GigaPets and Tamagotchis were others. Both of those had their American debuts in 1997. Pokemon didn't get debut in the United States until 1998, the same year the first season of the Digimon anime was greenlit. I think the Digimon Anime would still be produced, but I don't know if it would cross the Pacific. If it did, I'm guessing it would be more successful than in OTL, because people wouldn't respond to the commercials by thinking it was plagiarism.

 

[The Gamer Sunflower]

Digimon started as part of a trend of Virtual Pets. GigaPets and Tamagotchis were others. Both of those had their American debuts in 1997. Pokemon didn't get debut in the United States until 1998, the same year the first season of the Digimon anime was greenlit. I think the Digimon Anime would still be produced, but I don't know if it would cross the Pacific. If it did, I'm guessing it would be more successful than in OTL, because people wouldn't respond to the commercials by thinking it was plagiarism.

Of course... but Agumon would be more mascot of Digimon Franchise, and WonderSwan would sell out okay-ish in Japan then it got released in The America, right?