This is a list of characters from the Mega Man series. In Japan, the Mega Man series is known as Rockman.[1]
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Doctor Thomas Light, known in Japan as Doctor Thomas Right (トーマス・ライト Tōmasu Raito), is depicted as an aged scientist, who is a peerless roboticist. 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, set 100 years after the original 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 of the deceased scientist.
His counterpart in the MegaMan Battle Network series is Dr. Tadashi Hikari (hikari being the Japanese word for light, tadashi being the Japanese word for right), the founder of network research in parallel to Light's involvement with robotics.
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[2] with a different scheme each time,[3] only to be defeated and surrender to Mega Man at the end.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6]
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.[7] However, several Mega Man series (X, Zero, ZX) take place long after the death of both doctors.
While Dr. Light's Mega Man Battle Network (a series set in an alternate timeline where network technology flourished instead of robotics) counterpart is an entirely different character, Dr. Wily's counterpart, Lord Wily, is biologically identical to that of the original series. This Wily actually turns good by the end of the series, while the prime Wily continues to cause catastrophic events long after his death through the Maverick Virus.
Proto Man, known as Blues (ブルース Burūsu) in Japan, 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 main series games in which Proto Man is playable in Mega Man Powered Up (a PSP remake of Mega Man 1), Mega Man 9 (as a downloadable character) and Mega Man 10 (unlocked from the beginning). 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.
Bass (フォルテ Forte, 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. He desires to defeat Mega Man and be acknowledged as the world's strongest robot. Though he wants to defeat Mega Man, Bass has worked together with him against a common enemy, though usually for his own purposes.
Bass's weapon is the powerful Bass Buster, which functioned similarly to the Mega Buster for his introduction in Mega Man 7, 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 his robotic wolf Treble (ゴスペル Gosuperu, Gospel), 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 was not explained, although according to the booklet that came with the Rockman 9 Arranged Album, Bass was undergoing some adjustments.[8] He is playable in Mega Man 10, retaining his dash and rapid-fire, multi-directional arm cannon capabilities (though not his double jump), if additional downloadable content is purchased for the game.[9]
In Mega Man 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 Mega Man X.
The character is named after the musical term bass ( /ˈbeɪs/ not /ˈbæs/). However, in the Mega Man 8 intro, Mega Man mispronounces his name like the fish rather than like the musical term. The name is likely related to the rock 'n' roll theme of Rockman and Roll.
Roll (ロール Rōru) is a female robot designed for housekeeping instead of fighting. She is the younger "sister" of Mega Man (formerly known as Rock, a pun on the term rock and roll), and plays a supporting role in the first game, and plays a major role in the following games. She 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 a different moveset that revolves around house cleaning. 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.
Rush (ラッシュ Rasshu) 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 fourth and fifth 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. In a couple of games including "Mega Man 8," Rush can be used to obtain helpful items, such as health.
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, watching TV in the background of the FMV intro for Volt Catfish's stage.
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.
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, Lava Devil, Twin Devil, Ra Devil, and Block Devil.
In the American version these creatures are referred to as "Rock Monsters", a change made due to Nintendo's policies regarding religious figures and names. However, the "devil" names are used in more recent American releases.
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. This resemblance can be credited to the Sniper Joe series being modeled after Proto Man. It has no real intelligence, and simply blocks forward attacks with his shield, then shoots a number of shots from its arm cannon (The exact number of shots depends on the model of the Sniper Joe). It can also jump into the air, during which it lifts up its shield, leaving an opening for Mega Man to attack him. Mega Man can also damage him as he moves his shield out of the way directly before firing. In Mega Man 8 and Mega Man & Bass, the Joe Classic can also throw grenades that explode after a certain period of time. It is stated multiple times that Proto Man considers these abominations, probably since they are based upon him but with limited intelligence.
Dr. Mikhail Sergeyevich Kossack was a Russian colleague of Dr. Light. He appeared in Mega Man 4 as the main antagonist; 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 becomes an ally to Mega Man. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Stardroids are the alien robot masters that were featured in Mega Man V (Game Boy). Their true creator is unknown. Dr. Wily had activated them as part of his plans to dominate the Earth.
The Mega Man Killers are a series of robots appearing in the Game Boy series. The Mega Man Killers are robots created by Doctor Wily to destroy Mega Man, who in turn defeats each one of them and eventually foils Wily's most devious schemes. All of them reappear as bosses in Game Boy version of Mega Man V, and all of them also reappear as bosses in the DLC stages from Mega Man 10. All of them are named after notable music genres.
The Met (short for the Metall, Metool, Mettenna, and Mettaur variants of the name), also known as "Hard Hat" 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.
Reggae is a robotic bird who is the pet of Dr. Wily. He is featured in an drama CD 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. His first cameo outside of Japan is in Mega Man 7, where he appears if an invalid password is entered.[12] He also appears as the shop keeper when playing as Bass in Mega Man 10.
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 designed with specific purposes and human-like personalities and quirks. The list below is of the first six Robot Masters that were built by Dr. Light and reprogrammed by Dr. Wily, as well as two more that were retconned in Mega Man Powered Up so as to be consistent with other Mega Man games.
| Series Number | Japanese Name | Short Description | Weapon |
| DRN-003 Cut Man[13] | Cut Man (カットマン, Kattoman) | Cut Man was originally designed for land reclamation work; particularly deforestation.[14] His battle abilities center around his advanced jumping abilities and the pair of boomerang-like shears on his head.[15] 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 as Dr. Wily's henchman, and he has a cameo appearance in the Sega Saturn version of Mega Man 8 as well as Mega man X8 if certain conditions are met. | Rolling Cutter[16] (ローリングカッター, Rōringu Kattā) |
| DRN-004 Guts Man[13] | Guts Man (ガッツマン, Gattsuman) | 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 as the stereotypical strong-arm, "dumb-as-a-sack-of-hammers" henchman of Dr. Wily. | Super Arm [16] (スーパーアーム, Sūpā Āmu) |
| DRN-005 Ice Man[13] | Ice Man (アイスマン, Aisuman) | 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 dissociative identity disorder, and his personality is like that of a soldier (and his commanding officer). Ice Man resembles a hooded Inuit. | Ice Slasher [16] (アイススラッシャー, Aisu Surasshā) |
| DRN-006 Bomb Man[13] | Bomb Man (ボンバーマン, Bonbaman) | 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. His personality is one of a pyromaniac and it's hinted that he's as unstable as his explosives (his battle cry, "BOMBS!," only furthers this suspicion). Bomb Man is an orange robot with a black spherical body and red mohawk head. | Hyper Bomb [16] (ハイパーボム, Haipā Bomu) |
| DRN-007 Fire Man[13] | Fire Man (ファイアーマン, Faiāman) | Fire Man was designed for waste management work; in particular, incineration. He can withstand temperatures in excess of 8000 °C and can generate an exorbitant amount of heat. Fire Man attacks by surrounding himself in a circle of flame and shooting balls of fire with impressive destructive properties; in Mega Man: Powered Up his weapon is severely limited if the flames atop his head are extinguished. Fire Man possesses a strong Texas accent and a strong sense of justice, often alluding that the "fires of justice burn hot," and, while he exhibits pyromaniacal traits, they are not as pronounced as Bomb Man's. Fire Man is a red and gray robot with a torch-like head. | Fire Storm [16] (ファイヤーストーム, Faiyā Sutūmu) |
| DRN-008 Elec Man[13] | Elec Man (エレキマン, Erekiman) | 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 judgment, 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. He can generate 500,000 volts of electricity through either arm. His mode of attack centers around him throwing the Thunder Beam, a powerful blast of electric energy that travels in three directions at once. Elec Man is a black and red robot with a yellow mask around his eyes. | Thunder Beam [16] (サンダービーム, Sandā Bīmu) |
| DRN-??? Time Man | Time Man (タイムマン, Taimuman) | Time Man is a prototype and Dr. Light's first experiment with time manipulation and travel, however his power source only allowed him to accelerate himself a little bit which made things around him appear to slow down. | Time Slow (タイムスロー, Taimu Surō) |
| DRN-??? Oil Man | Oil Man (オイーマン, Oiruman) | Oil Man was originally a maintenance robot designed to lube and restore rusted parts on his fellow Robot Masters. | Oil Slider (オイルスライダー, Oiru Suraidā) |
Tango (タンゴ Tango, Tango) is a green 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, Rockman & Forte Mirai kara no Chōsensha for the WonderSwan and makes a cameo on Mega Man 10 in the item shop when playing with Proto Man. Like many other characters, Tango's name is musical-themed.
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.[17] 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. The Treble Boost is also present in Mega Man 10, functioning similarly to its previous incarnation, but without the invulnerability. The name Treble continues the music theme of the original Japanese character names.[18]
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