List of characters in the Mega Man series

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This is a list of characters from the Mega Man series. In Japan, the Mega Man series is known as Rockman. This refers to rock music, and is one of many musical puns in the series.(it really refers to the robots original name Rock) Possible confusion over the name (i.e. believing it meant stone), or avoiding confusion with the former Marvel comics superhero Rockman, is the main reasons cited for the name change upon international release; many character name changes followed suit.

Contents

[edit] Main characters

[edit] Mega Man

Mega Man (ロックマン Rokkuman?, Rockman) is the hero of the games, created by Dr. Light, with assistance from Dr. Wily. Originally created as a lab assistant named "Rock", he was modified for battle after Dr. Wily reprogrammed the original Robot Masters. Due to his Variable Weapons System, he can copy the weapon of any Robot Master he defeats in combat and use it as his own.

[edit] Dr. Light

Doctor Thomas Light, known in Japan as Dr. Right (Dr.ライト?), is depicted as an aged scientist, who is a peerless roboticist and winner of the Nobel Prize. He is the creator of protagonist Mega Man and several other robots. While a pacifist, he reluctantly recognizes that the use of force can be a necessity. He plays a supporting role, often developing and distributing new gear. In the Mega Man X series, Dr. Light resumes his supporting role through enhancement capsules that contain upgrades to X's systems together with messages relayed by silver/blue, slightly translucent holographic projections.

[edit] Dr. Wily

Introduced in the first Mega Man game, scientist Doctor Albert W. Wily (Dr.ワイリー Dokutā Wairī?) was originally Dr. Light's partner, and helped him create a series of humanoid robots to help mankind, such as the boy robot Rock and the construction robot Guts Man, though the world ignored his contribution. Out of jealousy for Light, he reprogrammed the robots, with the exception of Rock, to assist him in taking over the world. He was however defeated by Rock, who voluntarily upgraded to the combat robot "Mega Man". Wily returned as the antagonist in subsequent titles of the main series[1] with a different scheme each time,[2] only to be defeated and surrender to Mega Man at the end.[3]

Wily has also been instrumental in the backgrounds of other characters in the series. He repaired the prototype for Mega Man, "Proto Man", and in Mega Man 7 used what he learned during the process to create his answer to Light's work, Bass. After Bass proved to be unreliable, Wily refined his design, creating the robot Zero.[4] Zero would appear in the Mega Man X and Mega Man Zero games as a hero working alongside Light's last creation, "X". Though Wily died prior to the X series, his legacy continued through a virus initially carried by Zero and transferred to Sigma, creating the X series antagonist "Sigma Virus", along with all the Mavericks.[5]

Dr. Wily ranked sixth on IGN's top 10 list of video game characters who should die along with his nemesis, Dr. Light. IGN editor Colin Moriarty stated that while their rivalry may have been fascinating for over 20 years, they need to go so the core series may advance.[6]

[edit] Proto Man

Proto Man (ブルース Burūsu?, Blues) is the early prototype of Mega Man that made his first appearance in Mega Man 3, under the name of Break Man, to help train Mega Man by fighting him. Beyond their armor and personality, Proto Man and Mega Man are supposedly identical. At the end of Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, it is revealed by Dr. Light that Proto Man's body has a fatal defect in his energy system, and as a result, is in great pain and has a more limited lifespan.

As Proto Man's design is similar to Mega Man's, he has similar capabilities, with his primary weapon being an arm cannon. His arm cannon is much more powerful than Mega Man's and it can produce a variety of shots, including the "Big-Bang Blast", a large concentration of Proto Man's remaining energy put into a blast so powerful that it can damage his body. He has also been shown to have the same weapon-copying powers as Mega Man, with his body changing color in a similar fashion depending on the weapon acquired. He carries his unique Proto Shield, which can deflect projectile attacks.

The only main series games in which Proto Man is playable are Mega Man 9 (through a downloadable content license) and the PlayStation Portable remake of Mega Man 1 (Mega Man Powered Up). Unlike Mega Man in those games, he can slide and charge his arm cannon. He can also block attacks with his shield, but only while jumping, and shares the ability to absorb weapons from defeated Robot Masters. However, he suffers double damage and is knocked back twice as far on contact compared to his brother. Also, Proto Man may only shoot two pellets at a time, whereas Mega Man can shoot three. Proto Man will also be playable in the upcoming Mega Man 10.

In early release info for Mega Man 3, the lack of distinction between the "l" and "r" sounds in Japanese pronunciation caused Americans to misinterpret Proto Man's original name as "Bruce".

[edit] Bass

Bass (フォルテ Forute?, Forte) is a robot designed by Dr. Wily. He was constructed based on research conducted on Mega Man with the intention of matching his power. Wily makes mention of discovering the energy that powers Bass, Bassnium, the most powerful form of energy on Earth, entirely by mistake. Despite being created by Wily, Bass frequently rebels against his creator when he feels Wily is standing between him and defeating Mega Man. His desire to defeat Mega Man and be acknowledged as the world's strongest robot borders on fanaticism. Though he wants to defeat Mega Man, Bass often works together with him against a common enemy, though usually for his own purposes.

Bass's weapon is the powerful Bass Buster, which originally functioned similarly to the Mega Buster, albeit with slightly different shots. As of Mega Man & Bass, however, the Bass Buster has lost its ability to charge its shots in favor of a drastically increased rate of fire and ability to fire upwards and diagonally. Unlike the Mega Buster, the bullets do not travel through solid surfaces unless an upgrade is acquired and equipped. Like Mega Man and Proto Man, Bass can also copy the weapons of Robot Masters, his body changing colors to reflect the weapon currently equipped. He can also combine with Treble, allowing Bass to take flight and shoot more powerful projectiles from his buster.

Save for a cameo showing a schematic of Bass, Bass is absent in Mega Man 9. His absence wasn't explained. Although, according to the booklet that came with the Rockman 9 Arranged Album, Bass was undergoing some adjustments, and was being upgraded by Dr. Wily.[7]

In Megaman 2: The Power Fighters, Zero makes a cameo appearance, and Wily says that it is a creation that will surpass even Bass itself. Bass says that he will destroy this creation, and that no other robot is more powerful than he is. It's not explained what happened to Bass before the events of the Mega Man X.

[edit] Supporting characters

[edit] Auto

Auto (Rightot in Japan) was created by Dr. Light as a lab assistant, due to Rock being unable to fulfill that role after his adoption of the superhero identity "Mega Man". He is introduced in Mega Man 7, where he provides Mega Man with upgrades and parts. In Mega Man 8, Auto assists Mega Man in the Rush Jet scenes, using a rocket launcher as well as a propeller in his head that allows him to fly. He also appears in Mega Man & Bass, creating upgrades for the player in exchange for 'bolts' dropped by defeated enemies. He also made a cameo appearance in CD versions of Mega Man X3, where if you pay attention to Volt Catfish's FMV intro, you can see Auto sitting in the background watching TV.

[edit] Beat

Beat is a robotic bird that has appeared continuously in many Mega Man games. He was created by Dr. Cossack to provide additional support to Mega Man during the events of Mega Man 5. Beat homes in on enemies, providing damage by physical contact. He would perform the same function in Mega Man 6, however he would not attack bosses as he did in the previous game. In Mega Man 7 and Mega Man 9, he rescues Mega Man from pits and in Mega Man 8, assists Mega Man during the Rush Jet scenes. He also provides Mega Man with an energy barrier in Mega Man & Bass. He assisted Duo and Proto Man as temporary invincibility powerups in Power Battle.

[edit] Bio-Devil

The Bio Devil is a mechaniloid first created by Dr. Wily. Other versions appear in the various series of the Mega Man metaseries. All of the Bio-devils consist of a ball-shaped body with over-proportionate hands and feet. At the center of the body is a single, mechanical eye. This eye is what keeps the bio-devil together and is also its one and only weakness. Each utilizes its malleable body substance and brute strength to lash out at intruders. Each version has a different name, including the Yellow Devil, Green Devil, Black Devil, Rainbow Devil, and Lava Devil.

[edit] Sniper Joe

Sniper Joe is a mechaniloid used as infantry by Dr. Wily. It physically resembles a green Proto Man with a single red eye instead of sunglasses. It has no real intelligence, and simply blocks forward attacks with his shield, then shoots three shots from its arm cannon.

[edit] Dr. Cossack

Dr. Mikhail Sergeyevich Cossack was a Russian colleague of Dr. Light. He appeared in Mega Man 4 as the game's main adversary; however, it turns out he was being blackmailed, as Wily had kidnapped his daughter Kalinka. When Kalinka was rescued by Proto Man and the truth was revealed, Dr. Cossack turned on Wily and joined Mega Man's side. He is the inventor of Beat and the Super Mega Buster, as well as numerous industrial and military robots. He also appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man 5 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

Dr. Cossack is likely named after Peace Prize-winner and the last president of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, although Gorbachev is not of cossack descent.

[edit] Duo

Duo is a robot made on an alien planet, designed to eradicate "Evil Energy". Duo was formally introduced in Mega Man 8, chasing the adult stage of evil energy in its final form. After crashing to Earth, he is repaired by Dr. Light, and soon becomes an ally of Mega Man. After finally defeating the evil energy on Earth, he thanks Mega Man and leaves Earth to resume his search. He later appears in Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, which was actually released before Mega Man 8, Mega Man Battle & Chase, and Rockman Strategy.

The bulk of Duo's offensive abilities are attributed to his powerful left arm, with a fist nearly as large as his own torso, and his large spiked body. He attacks primarily by punching, though he is capable of using projectile weapons, the most powerful of which is a blast in the shape of his own hand. He also appears to have the same weapon copying abilities displayed by Mega Man, Proto Man, and Bass. As with them, his body changes color in accordance with the weapon he has equipped. Also, having been created for the purpose of destroying evil energy, he seems to have the unique ability to purge said energy from an infected victim's body, as demonstrated when saving Mega Man.

[edit] Eddie

Eddie, also known as Flip Top was created by Dr. Light as a "walking suitcase", usually sent to help Mega Man by providing recovery items during the game. He is also able to fire bombs out of his head while assisting Mega Man in the Rush Jet sections of Mega Man 8. Eddie first appeared in Mega Man 4.

Being that Eddie is a walking head, he might be a reference to Iron Maiden's mascot Eddie the Head.

[edit] Kalinka

Kalinka Cossack is Dr. Cossack's daughter, who was kidnapped by Dr. Wily in order to force her father into declaring war against Mega Man on Wily's behalf. She was however rescued by Proto Man right before Mega Man managed to defeat Cossack in his citadel. Kalinka is not present in any other games in the series, but appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man 4 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

Kalinka is named after the famous Russian song of the same name.

[edit] King

King is a robot appearing in Megaman and Bass that appeared to have free will and had decided to create a robot empire and wipe out humanity (similar to Sigma in the later Mega Man X series). In the game, Mega Man and Bass had to fight him and many robots that had "joined" him (two recurring from Mega Man 8). When either one finally defeats King, it's revealed that he had actually been programmed to form a rebellion along with the other robots (and thus didn't actually have free will) by Dr. Wily, at which point the player must then defeat Wily. While King is assumed dead, during the ending it is revealed that he survived and is now a wanderer, much like Proto Man. He then apologized for his actions that he had caused and wishes to meet up with Mega Man peacefully.

[edit] Sunstar

Sunstar is the ancient robot Dr. Wily based his "Stardroid" designs on in Mega Man V (Gameboy). He was apparently built by an ancient alien civilization in the Solar System that is long gone by the time Wily discovers him. These details suggest that Sunstar's creators are different from Duo's creators. Wily reverse engineers him to create the Star Droids both as very powerful new weapons and to disguise the true nature of the attack on Earth (at first they are assumed to simply be alien robots). When Mega Man finds Wily, he decides to activate Sunstar itself and orders it to destroy Mega Man. Instead, Sunstar reveals its independent nature by deciding to attack Wily, and then it decides that organic beings in general should be wiped out for creating so many weapons and attacks Mega Man for defending them. Sunstar is possibly the most powerful of the robots in the series (save for Duo) as his shots disintegrate entire floors during the final battle and he was able to knock out Wily's UFO with a single shot. Upon defeating Sunstar, Mega Man attempts to convince him that not all humans are bad, and while Sunstar seems to agree, he reveals that Mega Man has damaged his energy core and when he explodes it'll take out the entire space fortress, and so Mega Man is forced to escape without him.

[edit] Mega Man Killers

The Mega Man Killers are a series of robots appearing in the Game Boy series. The Mega Man Killers are robots created by Dr. Wily to destroy Mega Man, who in turn defeats each of them and foils Wily's latest plot. All four reappear as bosses in Game Boy version of Mega Man V.

  • Quint is the Mega Man Killer of Mega Man II. His weapon is a jackhammer/pogo stick amalgamation called "Sakugarne" which can attack his foes by collecting rocks and boulders from the ground. Some sources imply that Quint is actually a remodeled Mega Man, created by Dr. Wily when he traveled forward in time using the Time Skimmer.[8] However, an earlier Japanese source states that he is an entirely new robot created during Wily's stay in the future.[9]
  • Punk is the Mega Man Killer of Mega Man III. He is armed with the "Screw Crusher", a weapon that flings blades at Mega Man, but he can also hurl himself after transforming to strike with his embedded blades.
  • Ballade is the Mega Man Killer of Mega Man IV. His weapon is the "Ballade Cracker", which can lay immobile timed mines or fire smaller explosives from the tops of his arms. Ballade, after being defeated, seems to turn against Dr. Wily, and self-destructs to destroy a wall obstructing Mega Man, thus allowing Mega Man to escape back to Earth safely from his space fortress.

[edit] Met

The Met (short for the Metall, Metool, Mettenna, and Mettaur variants of the name) is another flagship enemy of the series. Appearing in nearly every game, the average Met is a tiny construction robot wearing a disproportionately-sized hard hat with a "plus" sign marked on it. Mets usually wait below their helmet before attacking, as it is impervious to nearly all of Mega Man's weapons. They appear in the various series of the Mega Man metaseries, with many different variations and forms. In the original Mega Man, another common enemy character named the Picket Man, has a head similar to the Metool, but with a full body. The Mets are a staple to the Mega Man series as the Goombas are to Super Mario Bros.

[edit] Reggae

Reggae is a robotic bird who is the pet of Dr. Wily. He is featured in an anime featured only in Japan. He was featured in Wily & Right no RockBoard: That's Paradise (or RockBoard for short) and Rockman & Forte: Challenger From the Future as a weapon for Bass. Its only known cameo outside of Japan is in Mega Man 7, in which if you type in an incorrect password at the pass word screen, it shows an image of Reggae.[10]

[edit] Robot Masters

Robot Masters are a special kind of robot, mainly under the control of Dr. Wily, that possess a very advanced level of artificial intelligence. The system is jointly credited to Dr. Light and Dr. Wily, and most Robot Masters possess a unique identification code, consisting of a two-letter "series code" followed by one of N, No, or #, then a three-digit "serial number". They are generally humanoid in appearance, and they are often are designed with specific purposes and human-like personalities and quirks.

Series Number Japanese Name Short Description Weapon
DRN-003 Cut Man[11] Cut Man (カットマン) Cut Man was originally designed for land reclamation work; particularly deforestation.[12] His battle abilities center around his advanced jumping abilities and the pair of boomerang-like shears on his head.[13] As revealed in Mega Man: Powered Up, he is easily fooled, and can turn his scissors into a more shuriken-like weapon. Cut Man also made a prominent cameo in the Captain N: The Game Master episode "Mega Trouble for Megaland", he appears in the Mega Man cartoon, and he has a cameo appearance in the Sega Saturn version of Mega Man 8. Rolling Cutter[14] (ローリングカッター)
DRN-004 Guts Man[11] Guts Man (ガッツマン) Guts Man was also designed for land reclamation work, but was created specifically for construction of public works. By far the strongest of any robot, Gutsman is able to lift objects of up to 80 tons over his head and hurl them at his foe with startling accuracy. In Mega Man: Powered Up, he's a little dim-witted, but always well-meaning robot. He appears in the cartoon series. Super Arm [14] (スーパーアーム)
DRN-005 Ice Man[11] Ice Man (アイスマン) Originally designed for the exploration and mapping of regions far below the temperature that humans can withstand, Ice Man also supervises transportation of supplies to various research teams on the continent. Afterwards, he got the job of transporting materials in frozen food warehouses. He has the ability to shoot waves of super-chilled air from his mouth which is laced with liquid nitrogen, that then crystallizes into a projectile. Mega Man: Powered Up reveals Ice Man to possibly have a bipolar disorder. Ice Man resembles a hooded Inuit. Ice Slasher [14] (アイススラッシャー)
DRN-006 Bomb Man[11] Bomb Man (ボンバーマン Bomber Man) Bomb Man was also designed for land reclamation work. He and Guts Man were originally intended to work as a pair, with Guts Man functioning as a foreman. He can make various forms of explosives, most of which are deadly. Bomb Man is an orange robot with a black spherical body and red mohawk head. Hyper Bomb [14] (ハイパーボム)
DRN-007 Fire Man[11] Fire Man (ファイアーマン) Fire Man was designed for waste management work; in particular, incineration. He can withstand temperatures in excess of 8000 °C. Fire Man attacks by surrounding himself in a circle of flame and shooting balls of fire with impressive destructive properties. Fire Man is a red and grey robot with a torch-like head. Fire Storm [14] (ファイヤーストーム)
DRN-008 Elec Man[11] Elec Man (エレキマン) Elec Man was designed to oversee and control atomic energy power plants. At the time of his creation, Elec Man was often hailed as Dr. Light's greatest creation and boasts superhuman calculation speed and razor-sharp judgement, as well as a physical agility that would not be matched for some time. He is very conceited and egotistical, but is otherwise very responsible and competent. His mode of attack centers around him throwing electrically charged wires and later, compressed balls of electric energy. Elec Man is a black and yellow robot with a yellow mask around his eyes. Thunder Beam [14] (サンダービーム)

[edit] Roll

Roll (ロール Rōru?) is a female robot designed for housekeeping instead of fighting. She is the younger female counterpart of Mega Man (formerly known as Rock, a play on the term rock and roll), and plays a supporting role in the games. Roll first appears very briefly during the ending of the very first game of the series. Her name was never mentioned until Mega Man 3, marking her return, where her entry in Dr. Light's robot list is shown during the ending. It is likely that Mega Girl, in the Captain N: The Game Master cartoon, is Roll.

She is usually depicted in a red outfit with blonde hair. While she was not designed for fighting, she is a combatant in the fighting games, Marvel vs. Capcom and Marvel vs. Capcom 2. She fights similarly to Mega Man and has an external "Roll Buster." She also appears in the similar Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars, where she uses her Powered Up model. She is also a playable character in Mega Man Powered Up, where she uses a broom as a default weapon with her skill, the Roll Swing, which she uses to swing a close range weapon that deals a large amount of damage. Roll can be played in several unlockable outfits, each with its own variation of the broom weapon. The version of Roll in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom appears to be based on the Mega Man Powered Up version.

[edit] Rush

Rush is a robotic dog belonging to Mega Man. He is introduced in Mega Man 3, and has appeared in many games since. Created by Dr. Light and Dr. Wily to be an all around support unit, Rush has the ability to transform into various forms. Rush Marine transforms Rush into a small, one-seated submarine, and Rush Jet transforms his legs into jet engines that let him take flight. Rush also has the Rush Coil, which is a spring that pops out of his back and helps Mega Man reach higher platforms that he normally can't access. Other games have him transform into a motorcycle and a drill car, and in the 4th & 5th gameboy games as a spaceship. In later games, the Rush Adaptor allows Rush to attach himself to Mega Man, allowing him to float, shoot more powerful blasts, and launch his arms as projectiles.

[edit] Tango

Tango is a robotic cat and one of Mega Man's allies. Tango can change itself into a buzzsaw and dive into enemies, until all in-area enemies are defeated or his energy is expended. Tango only appears in Mega Man V for the Game Boy and Rockman & Forte: Challenger From the Future for the WonderSwan.

[edit] Treble

Treble (ゴスペル Gosuperu?, Gospel) is Bass' equivalent to Mega Man's dog, Rush. Like Rush, Treble can assume a jet-like form (as seen in Mega Man 8) and fly. After Bass stole designs for the Rush Adapter during the events of Mega Man 7, Treble has been able to transform into an armored suit for Bass, the "Treble Boost". This gives Bass limited flight capability and increased firepower. In Mega Man & Bass, the Treble Boost also grants Bass invulnerability while its energy lasts.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge instruction manual, p. 6. Capcom. Retrieved on 2008-09-18
  2. ^ Mega Man IV instruction manual. Capcom. Retrieved on 2008-09-18
  3. ^ Capcom. Mega Man 8. (Capcom). Level/area: Mega Man 8 ending. (1996-12-17) "Wily: S... sorry! I was wrong! Please forgive me! / Mega Man: That's the same old apology Wily! Over and over again..."
  4. ^ Capcom. Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters. (Capcom). Arcade game. (1996)
  5. ^ Capcom staff (5 September 2008). Inafune-san Answers Your Questions!. Capcom. Retrieved on 2008-09-17
  6. ^ "Wednesday 10: Video Game Characters That Should Die". IGN. 2009-02-18. http://wii.ign.com/articles/955/955082p1.html. Retrieved 2009-08-07. 
  7. ^ Protodude's Rockman Corner Retrieved on 2009-02-03
  8. ^ [1]. Mega Man and Bass: Quint's CD entry Retrieved on 2009-02-21
  9. ^ [2]. Rockman and Forte: Quint's CD entry Retrieved on 2009-02-21
  10. ^ Mega Man PC Website: Dr. Cossack's Lab
  11. ^ a b c d e f Paugh, Miranda L.. "Mega Man Homepage, Mega Man (1) Data Base, Robot Masters". http://www.mmhp.net/GameHints/MM1-Data.html#Masters. Retrieved 2008-09-27. 
  12. ^ S6.com
  13. ^ Mega Man HQ Gaming Info - Mega Man (1)
  14. ^ a b c d e f Paugh, Miranda L.. "Mega Man Homepage, Mega Man (1) Data Base, Weapons". http://www.mmhp.net/GameHints/MM1-Data.html#Weapons. Retrieved 2008-09-27. 
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