Mega Man, also known as Rockman in Japan, is the titular protagonist of the Mega Man series. Also known as Mega or Rock in his original form, he serves as one of the mascots for Capcom (the other mascots are Ryu and Morrigan). The pixel art for Mega Man was created by the designer of the original game in the series, Akira Kitamura (credited under the pseudonym "A.K"), and later turned into a refined illustration by Keiji Inafune. Since then, he has become one of the company's primary original characters and continues to be one of the video game industry's most recognizable icons. Having appeared on many gaming systems since the Nintendo Entertainment System, Mega Man has had a wide gaming audience, and his games continue to evolve with the ever-changing hardware demands of modern gaming systems. Mega Man's fictional universe can be divided into seven categories, each featuring different variations and incarnations of the same robotic boy hero. Although "Mega Man," or "Rockman," is usually the name used to describe only the original Mega Man from the classic series, it can also be used less specifically to describe the Mega Man series of fictional works, or the group of adherently named main characters within.
Several spin-off series have emerged over the past few years, each one continuing the Mega Man mythos in some unique way, including but not limited to Mega Man X, Mega Man Legends, and Mega Man Battle Network. A resulting animated series was also produced originally in the United States as well as a number of toys, comics, and collectibles available both in and outside of Japan.
Mega Man's role in the original story is to battle the mad scientist Dr. Wily and his ever-growing army of robots, and stop them from taking over the planet by using their own special abilities against them. Utilizing his special Mega Buster arm cannon, and his ability to copy a defeated robot's special weapon, Mega Man must travel the world and traverse harsh environments in order to bring Wily's menace to an end. With the help of his creator Dr. Thomas Light and his assorted robotic companions, Mega Man's eventual goal is to one day achieve "everlasting peace".
Conception and design[]
Although originally the names "Battle Kid", "Mighty Kid", "Knuckle Kid", "Rainbow Warrior Miracle Kid" and "The Battle Rainbow Rockman" were proposed, Capcom eventually settled on "Rockman" as Mega Man's Japanese moniker. The word "Rock" in Rockman is a reference to the music genre rock and roll, and is meant to work in tandem with his "sister" robot, Roll. Such music-themed naming conventions are present in a number of Keiji Inafune's other character designs, such as Blues. In addition, the original Mega Man titles intentionally incorporated a "Rock, Paper, Scissors" game play mechanic into defeating certain enemies. In parts of the English speaking world, some people call Mega Man "The Blue Bomber" because of his blue armor and high fighting capabilities.
History[]
Origins[]
Mega Man, or Rockman, came into existence due to the following timeline of events. In the fictional and futuristic year of the 200X master designer Dr. Thomas Light (Dr. Right in Japan) worked to create a humanoid robot. This robot would demonstrate an advanced artificial intelligence program that would allow it to make decisions based on vague commands and directions. He called the robot project "Robot Master", because the resulting robot would be able to supervise the work of other, less intelligent machines.
Before Dr. Light ever constructed what would eventually become Mega Man, he first designed the Robot Master known as "Proto Man" ("Blues" in Japan) which similar to his name was designed as a prototype of his future creations. However, before testing of his AI, or his complete system was finished, the robot escaped and was thought to have been destroyed.
Because of the disappearance of Proto Man, Light decided to create another robot. Fearing that the disappearance of Proto Man was due to the fact that he didn't have a peer, he created two other robots at around the same time to work as a pair. These robots were called "Rock" (Mega in the Powered Up remake) and "Roll". Rock was created as Dr. Light's lab assistant. His purpose was a general-purpose tool user. Simply by studying how a tool was used, he could mimic its use using a Variable Tool System, thus making him the ideal lab assistant. His "sister" (though not actually a sister, but a robot partner), Roll, was designed for housekeeping.
With the success of these two test-type robots, Light designed and built six production-type robots, mainly to be used in the construction and maintenance of public works. These robots were Cut Man, a timber felling robot; Guts Man, a construction and excavation robot; Ice Man, a robot designed for exploration in extreme freezing temperatures; Bomb Man, a land reclamation robot; Fire Man, designed for waste management; and Elec Man, designed to oversee and control atomic energy power plants. (Mega Man Powered Up introduced two more Robot Masters: Time Man and Oil Man.) Each of these robots had full use of the Robot Master's intelligence and reasoning potential. However, little did Dr. Light know that all of these robots including the missing Proto Man would later serve as the key to unlocking Rock's destiny.
Mega Man[]
Dr. Albert W. Wily, an old colleague of Dr. Light's, grew jealous when his projects were always overshadowed by his self-proclaimed rival. He constructed a robot factory in the Pacific and began to plot to conquer the world.
Wily stumbled upon Proto Man one day, who was dying when his energy system was malfunctioning. He repaired him, and while analyzing him he discovered that he had found a way to reprogram Light's robots. He decided that he could use these new robots to exact revenge. Soon, Dr. Wily arrived at Dr. Light's laboratory, taking and reprogramming his industrial robots so they became misled and forced under his rule. With his new followers, Wily seized control of the city and demanded recognition. This string of events, set in motion, what would later become the purpose for Mega Man's existence.
Realizing that it would be very difficult for the armies to stop Wily without harming the city, Dr. Light knew something had to be done. Due to his programmed sense of right and wrong, Rock volunteered to be converted from his current state as a lab assistant into a fighting robot. Thus, from that day forth, he became known as "Rockman" (Mega Man in the US).
From that day forward Mega Man volunteered himself for action against crime and serving to support and protect mankind's existence and coexistence with robots within society.
Mega Man fights and destroys each of the Robot Masters before journeying to Wily's fortress to defeat him once and for all. Mega Man eventually wins the battle, but Wily bows down and begs for forgiveness, which Mega Man grants. Mega Man then walks home to meet Dr. Light and his "sister", Roll.
Mega Man 2[]
After the events of the first Mega Man game, Dr. Wily returned with a new fortress and eight of his own Robot Masters to take over the world.
Mega Man defeats all eight Robot Masters and Dr. Wily himself. After Wily begs for mercy, Mega Man spares him and returns home... again.
Mega Man 3[]
Some time later, Dr. Wily returned. Claiming to have changed, he worked with Dr. Light to create a peacekeeping robot called Gamma. However, the new Robot Masters Wily built to aid Gamma's construction malfunctioned and ran off with the energy crystals that Dr. Light needed. Mega Man goes after them, meeting his brother, Proto Man (under the alias Break Man in this game, until the ending) along the way. Mega Man soon retrieves the crystals, but returns to discover that Dr. Wily has stolen Gamma and plans on using it to take over the world.
Mega Man defeats Gamma and foils Wily's plan again, and the mad doctor is seemingly killed at the end. (Wily's UFO can be seen flying in the ending, revealing he had survived.)
Mega Man 4[]
One day, Dr. Light received a message from a scientist named Dr. Cossack, challenging Light and Mega Man to a contest to see whose robots were better. Dr. Cossack's Robot Masters started causing chaos and Mega Man went out to stop them.
After defeating the Robot Masters, Mega Man goes to Dr. Cossack's Citadel to confront him. Upon defeating the scientist's final machine, however, he discovers that not all is as it seems...
In truth, Cossack was being forced into his criminal acts because his daughter, Kalinka, had been kidnapped by Wily (who was very much alive). Luckily, Proto Man rescues her, allowing Mega Man to head for Wily's new fortress and defeat him once more.
Mega Man 5[]
Mega Man discovers, to his shock, that Proto Man has kidnapped Dr. Light and a new group of Robot Masters under his command were attacking the city. As usual, Mega Man heads out to save the day and get to the bottom of his brother's strange behavior.
After defeating the Robot Masters and navigating a treacherous castle in Proto Man's image, Mega Man confronts Proto Man. At first, his opponent gets the better of him, as Mega Man is reluctant to hurt his ally, but the real Proto Man shows up and reveals the fake as Dark Man, who Mega Man defeats with ease.
After defeating Dark Man, Dr. Wily appears and reveals himself as the creator of Dark Man. Saying that he is holding Dr. Light captive at his castle, Wily challenges Mega Man to come after him.
Yet again, Mega Man goes to Wily's castle and defeats him once more.
Mega Man 6[]
Dr. Light hears news of an event called the 1st Annual Robot Tournament, sponsored by the billionaire Mr. X, where designers would bring their robots to do battle. He sent Mega Man to make sure the contest went well and nothing went wrong.
Everything seems fine as the contest begins, but when the top eight robots enter the arena for the final event, Mr. X appears and reveals he had reprogrammed the eight robots to use them to take over the world.
Mega Man goes to stop Mr. X and his army of robots, defeating the stolen Robot Masters and battling Mr. X atop his castle. As it turns out, Mr. X is only an alter ego for Mega Man's archnemesis, Dr. Wily. Thus, Mega Man battles Wily and puts a stop to his plans once again. This time, he finally apprehends the mad doctor, sending Wily to prison.
Mega Man 7[]
Unfortunately, Dr. Wily had planned for even this outcome. Six months after Wily's defeat and imprisonment, it is revealed he had four Robot Masters hidden away. These robots are activated remotely and break Wily out of prison.
Mega Man arrives upon the scene and encounters Bass, a humanoid robot, and Treble, his robotic wolf. Mega Man and Bass get into a short battle, apparently impressing the latter with his skill. Bass claims he is trying to stop Wily as well and comments that Mega Man might not need his help before leaving.
After defeating four of the Robot Masters, Mega Man finds out Wily is attacking the robot museum and has stolen a copy of Guts Man. He attempts to intercept the villain, but is delayed when Wily deploys a clown-like robot to battle him.
Mega Man finds Bass again, injured in a fight. Mega Man takes him back to Dr. Light for repairs. However, when Mega Man returns to the lab, he finds the lab has been damaged by Bass, who has also stolen blueprints for the Super Rush Adapter intended for Mega Man and Rush. Dr. Wily appears on the screen and reveals that Bass and Treble are his creations.
Mega Man then heads to Wily's castle to stop his latest plan. Along the way, he fights Bass, using a similar weapon to the Super Rush Adapter with Treble.
Mega Man then confronts Wily and defeats him again. As always, Wily begs for forgiveness, but Mega Man points his Mega Buster at him, saying he does not trust Wily and plans on killing him. Dr. Wily, scared out of his wits, reminds Mega Man that robots cannot harm humans, to which he replies that he is "more than just a robot."
Before Mega Man can pull the trigger, Bass and Treble appear and rescue Wily. Mega Man then leaves Wily's fortress as it goes up into flames, clearly conflicted about what happened.
Mega Man 8[]
During a city battle against Bass, Mega Man is called away to investigate an island uncharted by any maps. After defeating a hermit crab-like robot, he finds Dr. Wily, who reveals that the island was his base before absconding with an orb of strange purple energy. Although unable to stop Wily's escape, Mega Man finds a badly damaged robot in a crater and takes it back to Dr. Light's lab. While the robot is brought in for repairs, Dr. Light informs Mega Man that Dr. Wily is at it again, with four brand-new Robot Masters attacking locations all over the globe.
As Mega Man defeats each of the Robot Masters, he finds capsules of the strange energy Dr. Wily took from the island. When he returns to the lab, he gives the samples to Dr. Light for study, but the robot he found earlier breaks free and heads out to the desert. Mega Man goes after him and briefly fights him, but realizes that his opponent is holding back. Before he can consider it further, the robot flees and Proto Man appears, telling him that Wily's new headquarters is up ahead.
Mega Man goes to the "Wily Tower," but is captured by a massive robot. He is then saved by the strange robot he battled earlier, who introduces himself as Duo and explains his mission to destroy all "Evil Energy" in the universe. Duo informs Mega Man that the other robot contained Evil Energy within it, which Wily was using to make his robots more powerful. He also told the hero that Wily Tower was protected by a forcefield linked to four more Robot Masters hidden around the world. As Duo left to secure the rest of the Evil Energy around the world, Mega Man set out to defeat the other four Robot Masters and foil Wily's latest plan.
In the end, Mega Man defeated the remaining Robot Masters and infiltrated Wily's fortress. Along the way, Bass challenges him to a duel, having used Evil Energy to increase his power, but Mega Man emerges triumphant once more. When he fights his way to Dr. Wily, he is caught in an energy trap, but is saved by the actions of Duo and Proto Man. Mega Man tells his brother to help Duo recover while he takes on Wily's newest machine.
As usual, Mega Man destroys the latest incarnation of the Wily Machine, leaving Wily on the ground begging for forgiveness. As Mega Man berates Wily for trying the same old ruse after so many failures, he is taken over by the Evil Energy in Wily's machine as the tower collapsed around them. However, Duo saved Mega Man and destroyed the evil energy within him. He leaves before Mega Man wakes up, but Proto Man informs him of Duo's final message to the Blue Bomber: "Thank you".
Mega Man & Bass[]
A new robot named King, claiming to be the strongest robot in the world, began to recruit other robots to form a new Robot Army. Mega Man went to stop King, aided-to his surprise-by Bass, who took offense to King's claims of being the strongest robot.
After defeating the eight new Robot Masters and King himself, it is revealed that King was created by Dr. Wily, who Mega Man and Bass defeat once more.
Mega Man 9[]
Several years later, new robots were causing havoc around the world, all created by Dr. Light. Mega Man quickly volunteered to clear Light's name and was sent out to investigate the source of the problem.
Soon, the police came to arrest Dr. Light. Meanwhile, Mega Man went after the Robot Masters and, after he defeated a few of them, discovered that they were scheduled to be decommissioned and sent to the junkyard because they had reached the expiration date assigned to them by the government. Once the final Robot Master had been taken down, Mega Man brought back one of the robot's internal memory units to Auto for investigation. As it turned out, Dr. Wily had reprogrammed the robots, who were scheduled for demolition, to rise up against their human masters rather than be destroyed.
Mega Man then went to Dr. Wily's castle and defeated Dr. Wily again. Dr. Wily, as usual, begged Mega Man for forgiveness. Mega Man responded to this by having Rush play clips of all the times Wily had done the same routine (the clips being scenes from previous games). Although Wily seemed contrite and apologetic, he tricked Mega Man into thinking that Dr. Light was, in fact, imprisoned in a jail cell in the next room. Although Proto Man appeared and warned him that it was a trap, Mega Man went to investigate the cell and was electrocuted by the fake Light robot and Wily's lab self-destructed. Proto Man saved Mega Man, but Wily escaped yet again.
Mega Man 10[]
Mega Man is enjoying his day until Roll falls ill with Roboenza. At first, he believes that Wily is behind the epidemic, but Wily claims that he had found the cure, only to have it stolen by eight out-of-control Robot Masters. After defeating them all, Mega Man learns that Dr. Wily actually was behind the Roboenza epidemic all along. He succumbs to Roboenza himself, but Roll gives him her saved medicine to give him the strength to defeat Wily.
After Mega Man defeats Wily, the doctor becomes sick. Mega Man asks Wily if he has been infected with the Roboenza and Wily answers that he is a human, not a robot. Despite this opportunity to finally end Wily's evil schemes once and for all, Mega Man's heroic nature wins out and he takes Wily to a hospital. The mad scientist immediately broke out after recovering, but left behind enough of the cure to restore all of the robots infected with Roboenza. This would imply that Dr. Wily does in fact have some kindness in him.
Mega Man 11[]
Appearances[]
Mega Man Classic[]
His most notable appearances have been within his own self-titled games, beginning with Rockman for the Nintendo Famicom in 1987. This, and all future Mega Man games released in North America and Europe, would bear the title "Mega Man" due to Capcom USA's senior vice president, Joseph Morici, deciding to change the name.
Nearly all of the classic series Mega Man titles have been two-dimensional side-scrollers involving horizontal movement through various levels. This mechanic persists even on titles developed for high performance platforms, such as the Sony PSP release of Mega Man Powered Up, which features 3D graphics, yet movement to both the background and foreground is restricted. The main series on both the NES and Nintendo Game Boy would follow this formulaic approach in the design of every game developed on those systems, and set the standard for all platformer Mega Man games to come. Mega Man himself has evolved very little cosmetically since his initial release, but has often been given new techniques in each game. The Mega Buster, for instance, which was introduced in Mega Man 4, allowed him to charge up a shot. The slide was introduced in Mega Man 3. It was these which were used in order to help him exceed any new challenges added by the programmers.
Capcom, regarding Mega Man as a versatile character, has placed him in several different gaming situations outside of his usual series. He has since been seen as a sports star in the Super Nintendo game Mega Man's Soccer, a race car driver in Mega Man: Battle & Chase, and a board game piece in Wily and Right's RockBoard: That's Paradise. A limited release arcade fighting game series containing Mega Man: The Power Battle and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters pitted Mega Man against several boss characters from his original series.
Though Capcom owns the rights to all Mega Man games and has been responsible for the development of all of his console titles, it has in the past licensed the Mega Man character to other companies for PC releases. Mega Man and Mega Man III (with no relation to the NES games of the same name) were developed by the US-based Hi-Tech Expressions, the Mega Man game published on the Game Gear by Sega, and Rockman Strategy was developed and released exclusively in China by AcerTWP. Neither title has since been regarded by Capcom as an official Mega Man series game.
Other games[]
Mega Man has made appearances in several game projects outside of his original series. He appears as a playable character in the Marvel vs. Capcom fighting game series alongside other prominent characters such as Ryu, Strider Hiryu, and Captain Commando. He has also been featured in the 3D shooter Cannon Spike and the card game simulator SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash, and its sequels Card Fighters 2: Expand Edition and Card Fighters DS. Mega Man is a playable character and newcomer in Nintendo's game, Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U.
Non-playable cameo appearances by Mega Man occur most often in other Capcom licensed games, and he is often seen as a background character. Such appearances include Capcom World 2, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Super Gem Fighter: Mini Mix, Mighty Final Fight, Power Stone 2, Mega Man Legends 2 and The Misadventures of Tron Bonne.
Mega Man also appears on a poster in the Days of Future Past stage in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 along with other cast members that were in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, with all but Mega Man with the label of either "Apprehended" or "Slain", which is also homage to the Marvel Comics Uncanny X-Men storyline "Days of Future Past". He also appears in Nova's ending as part of the new Mega Nova Corps along with Proto Man, Beat, Roll and Zero as well as Thor's ending which was redone to include him along with Ryu and Darkstalkers Morrigan Aensland. His other appearance in the game is that of a card in the free DLC mode, "Heroes and Heralds", as an "S Rank" card who's primary ability is halving the time used to charge attacks for characters with his secondary ability increasing the chance to gain rare cards of characters belonging to Capcom.