Hitoshi Ariga Sheds Light on Mega Man’s Split From Comic BomBom

For years, a story has circulated among Japanese fans that Mega Man’s disappearance from Comic BomBom was tied to then-editor-in-chief Shinpachiro Ikeda wanting to move away from the series. But according to Hitoshi Ariga, what happened behind the scenes was a lot more complicated than that.

In a new retrospective, Ariga says the split appears to have come down less to one person and more to growing friction and poor communication between the magazine and Capcom, which came to a head during the development of Mega Man & Bass. 

Osaka Museum Archive Preserves Rare Rockman Commercials

The Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, has officially confirmed the preservation of several Capcom television commercials as part of its "Mannensha Collection"—including rare spots for Rockman 1 and Rockman 2. These commercials were publicly screened for the first time on June 8th.

These commercials are part of a broader archival effort to digitize the work of Mannensha, a prominent advertising agency active during the 1980s and 1990s. Among the preserved film negatives and video materials are spots for Bionic Commando, Sweet Home, and notably, Rockman 1—a version that predates the game’s release by nearly a month. Interestingly, it appears to be shorter than the Rockman 1 commercial that’s been circulating on YouTube for years, suggesting it may be an earlier or alternate cut. 

According to the museum, these commercials have been digitized and can be viewed without a reservation in their Archives Information Room. Visitors can access them on-site using provided tablets. Viewing original physical materials is also possible by appointment.

While the content itself hasn’t been made available online, the fact that these commercials are preserved in a public archive is a noteworthy for fans and game historians alike. It’s fortunate that these materials were deemed valuable enough to be preserved before their aging analog formats deteriorated.

For more information or to plan a visit, check out the museum’s archive page here!