Monday, October 30, 2023

Player 1 Studios Teasing Black Zero Statue

If you're looking to add another Zero statue to your Mega Man shelf, you might want to keep an eye on Player 1 Studios. The manufacturer recently took to Instagram to tease the development of a Black Zero statue. The above image was posted with the caption, "Aren't classic the best? Coming soon.."

Player 1 Studios are known for their licensed, high-end resin statues and figures based on popular anime and manga. To get a better idea of what to expect from Black Zero, you can sample their previous work here.

Source: Player 1 Studios

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Tops 1.42 Million Units Sold

Three months ago, Capcom announced that Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection (Vol.1+Vol.2)  sold 1.32 million units as of June 30, 2023. In their latest financial report for the second quarter of fiscal year 2023, Capcom has now confirmed that the collection has achieved 1.42 million units in sales as of September 30, 2023.

While it's not too big of a jump from the previous report, it's worth noting that Capcom has only recently started to include the title in discount campaigns. This strategy is expected to lead to a steady and gradual growth in sales, similar to what was observed with Mega Man 11.

As of now, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection still trails behind Mega Man 11 (1.80 million units) and Mega Man 2 (1.51 million units) in terms of sales, but it has rapidly secured the third best-selling selling Mega Man title, surpassing Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 (1.40 million units).

What's more? The Mega Man franchise as a whole jumped from 40 million units to 41 million units sold thanks to Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection's strong sales.

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Rarely-Seen Mega Man 8 Art Unearthed and Preserved



If you're a fan of Hayato Kaji's work, I've got a neat treat for you. I recently obtained an issue of Famimaga from November 1996, which showcased Mega Man 8 as its cover story. Obscured behind a sea of text lies an exclusive piece of original artwork featuring Mega Man and Duo, never republished before.

Regrettably, extracting the image from beneath the text proved challenging. However, with Game Vacanti's assistance, we successfully located a clean version hiding within the issue's pages. We've scanned both the original cover and the clean version for your pleasure. You can view them above or directly download them here.

Additionally, this issue includes an extensive interview with former Capcom staff involved in the game's production. We're actively working on translating the interview and plan to make it available soon. Stay tuned!

Monday, October 16, 2023

Review: Kotobukiya Mega Man X Second Armor Double Charge Shot Ver.

Hot off the heels of the recent bits of Kotobukiya news, the newest kit in Kotobukiya's Mega Man X line has dropped at last! Today, we'll be looking at the Second Armor Charge Shot Ver.

That's right; the Second Armor is back and better than ever! But what makes this release different than the previous Second Armor? Is it worth double-dipping if you have that one? Join me after the break, and we'll go over everything this kit has to offer!

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Official Rockman X DiVE Art Book Coming in December

Listings for a Rockman X DiVE Illustration Collection artbook have been spotted on Amazon Japan and Rakuten, ahead of any official announcement from Capcom Japan. 

The 256-page treasure book is set to offer a rich array of content, including illustrations, character models, setting images, skill icons, and even some previously unreleased artwork that was originally intended for the game but didn't quite make the final cut. Artwork based on collaboration characters that didn't make it into Rockman X DiVE Offline, such as those from Monster Hunter, Street Fighter, Devil May Cry, will also be featured.

But, wait! There's more! To complement all this lovely material, the book will feature brand-new interviews and commentary from members of the development team. And to top it off, it will come wrapped in a cover adorned with fresh artwork by Keisuke Mizuno.

Rockman X DiVE Illustration Collection is expected to release on December 18th, 2023. We'll keep you posted as more details (and images) become available.

Friday, October 6, 2023

Jada Toys Mega Man Figure Delayed to December (Big Bad Toystore)

Just as things were settling in place Jada Toys' new Mega Man toyline, there's unfortunate news from one retailer.

The 6-inch Mega Man figure, initially set to ship in November, is now slated for a December release. This update came via an email sent to customers who pre-ordered the figure from Big Bad Toystore. The exact reasons for this slight delay are unclear. However, the other figures in Wave 1 - Fire Man and Ice Man - currently remain unaffected and are still on track for their original release dates.

BBTS is currently the only retailer reporting this delay, and it's uncertain if others will follow. A representative from Jada Toys was unavailable for comment. We'll provide updates as they come in.

Thanks for the tip, phaelin!

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Kotobukiya to Reveal New Model Kit Info in December Event


After unveiling the final mold and paint job of the Roll.EXE model kit a few days ago, Kotobukiya has a delightful surprise in store for attendees at the 61st edition of the All Japan Model and Hobby Show, happening this weekend at the Tokyo Big Sight Exhibition Center.

Find all the details after the break!

Friday, September 29, 2023

Objection! Mega Man Pays Homage to Ace Attorney in Newest Wallpaper

To mark the winner of Round 4 in the Capcom Town Elections, Capcom has put together a special set of wallpapers featuring the beloved characters connected to different "famous quotes" that were in the running for votes during the round. The question in contention was, "Which of the following is your Capcom’s famous quote?"

As you can see, Mega Man is one of the chosen ones along with a Zombie from the Resident Evil series, Masamune Date from Sengoku Basara series and a Hunter from Monster Hunter series.

The wallpapers were illustrated by Tamio, a member of Capcom's design room who provided illustrations for various Capcom goods in the last few years. 

You can download Mega Man's wallpaper HERE! Please note that the image above is our own edit;  Mega Man's version says "異議あり!" ("Igiari!").

Thursday, September 28, 2023

New Images of Kotobukiya Roll.EXE Model Kit

One year ago today, Kotobukiya showed off a prototype mold for a Roll.EXE model kit. And today, they shared some fresh images of the final product! Check out the header for a sneak peek and swing by Kotobukiya's Plastic Kit Hobby Show page for the full reveal.

No word on the price or release date just yet, but stay tuned. Given past previews posted around this time of year, it's likely Roll.EXE will hit the shelves in early 2024. We'll keep you in the loop!

Source: Kotobukiya Plastic Kit Hobby Show 

Monday, September 25, 2023

Rockman EXE x #Compass Crossover Event Gameplay

The collaboration event between Rockman EXE and real-time strategy game #Compass is in full swing.  If you're curious to witness the excitement firsthand, you need look no further than Famitsu's exclusive playthrough video above.

In this footage, you'll get a glimpse of Rockman's different styles, specially-themed collaboration cards, and the freshly-recorded lines delivered by the original voice actors of Rockman and Netto.

The Rockman EXE collaboration will run until October 15th. The game is available to download from Google Play, the Amazon App Store, and the Apple App Store.

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Rejected Ruby-Spears Mega Man Comic Book Pages Unearthed

Not too long ago, we uncovered an intriguing tidbit about the Ruby-Spears Mega Man cartoon - it nearly had an official comic book adaptation. Back in 1995, Bruce Hamilton Publishing had plans to bring this tie-in to life, but information about it was scarce, leaving us in the dark about what it might have looked like.

Today, I'm excited to reveal that we've gained much more insigh. Perhaps a little too much. I recently connected with a collector who managed to acquire two very interesting samples from this unpublished endeavor. These pages were crafted by the Day brothers, Dan and David, known for their work on several Marvel Comics projects, Dungeons & Dragons, and other titles.

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

"MAXIMUM MASSIMO" Joins the Global Version of Mega Man X DiVE

The global version of Mega Man X DiVE continues to carve its own path, surprising players with a new character not available in the Taiwanese or Japanese versions of the game. In the same vein as S-Class Hunter X and S-Class Hunter Zero, Massimo is getting his own S-rank version.

Find all the details after the break!