Fight, Lockman! For Everlasting Peace!

Bicycles are widely used in Japan as a mainstream form of transportation. People of all ages and social standings rely on cycling to get around, so you can imagine how important it is to keep your bike locked up when not in use. Choosing a bike lock that's fit for your needs is no easy task, what with so many to choose from. Fortunately, one mom-and-pop business has summoned the likeness of Rockman to help them come out on top.

Meet Lockman. He's here to sell you bicycle locks at affordable prices!  The mascot of a local hardware store in Japan, Lockman makes for an appropriate poster child because of a convenient pun on Rockman's name.  In the Japanese language, it's difficult to recognize the difference between L and R, because the sounds fall into the ra/ri/ru/re/ro liquid category.  Therefore both L and R are pronounced as a single phoneme. So 'Rockman' often sounds like 'Lockman'. It's quite punny.

Lockman here has become something of a miniature imageboard meme over the last couple days -- well on his way to cult status. It's only a matter of time before the fan art starts pouring in! A "Mr. Lockman" crossover is inevitable.

Source: Omaketeki

The Mega Maniest Car On Earth

Just how far is someone willing to go to express their affinity for Mega Man? We've seen tattoos, fanart, and even cake... but nothing comes quite as close as this. Spotted by the folks at Motorworld Hype, the untapped realm of Mega Man-themed car modifications has finally been realized:

What can I say? Mega Man fans are a passionate bunch. There's nothing wrong with allowing your Blue Bomber affinity to spread to other parts of your life. The attention to detail here is all kinds of wonderful -- maybe even a little too wonderful. It's not a stretch to say this Mega-mobile is a perfect meta-commentary on distractive driving. 

Unfortunately, that's the only image we got on this lovely labor of love. Whoever owns this piece -- if you're reading this -- we'd love to see more! 

Source: Motorworld Hype

Mega Man #11 Cover And Solicitation

New solicitation and cover art for Archie’s Mega Man #11 is available, and from the looks of it, our blue boy will have his hands full. With events largely inspired by Mega Man 2, the penultimate issue of the "Return of Dr. Wily"  story arc heats up as Mega Man fights back against the likes of Quick Man, Metal Man, and the rest of the MM2 gang. It's sure to be a doozy:


MEGA MAN #11 -- Written by Ian Flynn, art by Ben Bates and various, cover by Ben Bates.

"Dr. Wily Returns," Part 3. Mega Man has been in the fight of his life against Dr. Wily's eight new Robot Masters! Fearsome as they are, Quick Man has always been there to mock Mega Man and slow him down. Now, at long last, it's the showdown you've been waiting for! And you won't believe who shows up to help Mega Man at the eleventh hour!  32 pages, $2.99. 


I gotta say, I'm really digging that cover art. Bates has done an admirable job of mimicking Inafune's trademark style. The color could use some work, but I'm sure things will loosen up a bit when this releases next yet. One more issue to go before we enter an all-new arc! The sooner we jump into Mega Man 3, the sooner we get to see Proto Man/Break Man's Archie debut!

In related Archie news, solicitation and cover art for the second tradepaper back volume is up. The 112-page book collects issue #5-8. According to Amazon, we can expect it to ship out on March, 20, 2012. Full details, images and more available at Comics Continuum.

Rockman X Hits Android Phones In Japan

Capcom Japan has just announced a new mobile port of the original Rockman X for Android phones. The game is a 1:1 reproduction of the Super Famicom classic with all-new touch-based controls. Few pictures of the port exist at the moment, so make do with this pair for now:

Distribution of the game is currently limited to docomo-branded phones via Capcom Party. As with most mobile Rockman games, X1 requires a 315 Yen ($3.80) monthly fee.

To be perfectly honest, I shudder at the thought of playing X1 with touch-based controls. It's one of those games that pretty much requires force-feedback. Unless gameplay was tweaked to compensate touch-screen input (à la the iOS Mega Man 2 port), I highly doubt this will be an enjoyable port. Throwing your controller in frustration is one thing, but throwing your phone is much worse!

Source: Android Wire

Great Adventure On The Five Islands Episode 1-5

Another week, another episode. Mega Man Volnutt continues his quest to thwart the Bonne family, who's up to no good, as per usual. The chase won't be an easy one: Reaverbots and Bonne forces lurk around every corner!

Need to play catch-up? Previous episodes can be found at Get Me Off the Moon's official YouTube channel here. Check back every week for new content!

An In-Depth Look At Kotobukiya's Localized Zero Kit

Released in Japan back in October, Kotobukiya's localized Mega Man Zero model kit is headed stateside next month. In case your on the fence about this one, this extensive video review from Pixel Dan of the Pop Culture Network may help you make your decision.

Overall, the consensus is pretty darn good! If you're a fan of Kotobukiya's previous Mega Man kits, you can't go wrong with the red crusader. Pre-orders are up and running from a number of online retailers such as ToyWiz, Entertainment Earth, and elsewhere. Availability will increase as we approach December, so do keep an eye out.

It's worth mentioning the Japanese version is readily available right now, but the purpose of the localized version is to provide a budget-friendly, import-fee-less method of obtaining the kit within North America. This version is essentially the same as the former, save for the inclusion of translated portions of text and "Mega Man" branding.

Source: The Pop Culture Network

Rumor: Mega Man Playable In Street Fighter X Tekken

The enigmatic Lupinko is at it again. The man who accurately leaked the entire vanilla Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 and Mortal Kombat 9 rosters (among other fighting titles), has recently hinted Mega Man (and Pac-Man) will be a playable guest character in the upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken.

Coming from Lupinko's Twitter...

"Everybody will love the yellow dude's style, but blue boy will cause lots of lols or lots of rage, wait and see! Excelsior!"

Street Fighter X Tekken is no stranger to guest characters, what with Cole (inFamous) Toro and Kuro (Sony cats) fleshing out the roster. Mega Man and Pac-Man, Capcom/Namco's respective mascots, seem like a fitting addition to an already diverse cast.

Compensation for Mega Man's MVC3 no-show? Hopefully. Lupinko has been spot on for the most part, so there's definitely some credence. And don't forget that ending bit from the game's announcement trailer. Suffice to say, that does support the rumor.

Better ready those grains of salt just in case.

Source: @Lupinko (Thanks, Clown Prince of Crime!)

Auction: Inflatable Mega Man Bop-Bag

2011 has been nothing short of frustrating for our blue bomber. The year will go down in the books for singlehandedly shattering the faith of an entire fanbase; a year defined by broken promises and shattered expectations. Yes, we've all been feeling a bit disgruntled lately. But in lieu of bottling up that frustration, here's a great product to safely express those aggressive impulses: an inflatable Mega Man bop-bag.

From the depths of Ebay comes one of Jazware's more obscure Mega Man items -- a simple bop-bag produced in 2005, adorned in Mega Man X's likeness. While certainly not the biggest bop bag around (measuring in at 42'' when inflated), it'll get the job done. However, Mega Man collectors may want to go easy on it, because it's quite a rarity.

2005 was a time when retailers began to show fleeting interest in Jazware's Mega Man products, save for the popular Retro Roto figures. More often than not, the likes of Toys R Us and Wal-Mart simply refused to stock anything with Mega Man and Jazware's in the same sentence. As a consequence, many items fell into obscurity such as our lovely bop-bag. Fortunately, it looks like someone managed to nab one!

So the choice is yours: inflate it and bop the scrap out of it? Or collect it and admire it on the shelf? Full item details here.

Mega Man TV App Comes To Nokia

For those who wish to stream animated Mega Man content on-the-go, you’re in luck. That is, if you're a Nokia subscriber.  The Anime Network and ZooVision have partnered to produced "Mega Man TV", a mobile app designed specifically to stream full-length Mega Man content on your Nokia device of choice.

For a mere $4.99, you'll have on-the-go access to the Mega Man original video animation “Upon a Star" in its entirety. What's more, the app comes with some special mobile Mega Man wallpapers and themes. The app itself takes up no more than 0.59 MB, with storage space predominantly reserved for optional content. WiFi and/or 3G connection is required.

Anime Network also currently holds the distribution rights to the Ruby-Spears Mega Man cartoon, and while there's little indication the show will make the jump to Mega Man TV, it's a possibility. Because really; how convenient would it be to have a single outlet just for streaming Mega Man television shows? That's pretty awesome.

Grab your Nokia device of choice and download the app here.

Giant Servbots Relieved of Greeting Duty From Capcom HQ

Since 2009, a colorful display of adorable oversized Servbot replicas greeted visitors to Capcom's Tokyo headquarters. Sometimes, they even pose with celebrities. However, those days have come to an end. The bots have been seemingly replaced by equally adorable, oversized Monster Hunter Felynes.

  

Left: 2009 | Right: 2011

Now, now... I wouldn't look at this as some sort of conspiracy against Rockman DASH (because that's just ridiculous). People generally like to rearrange things from time to time, you know? Helps living spaces stay fresh and lively! Fortunately, Rockman himself remains diligently in position. That statue (only two in existence) has been a prominent display at Capcom Japan HQ for well over a decade. It's become something of a corporate symbol.

Perhaps there is no contest in declaring that the Felynes are Capcom's most popular characters in recent years, what with their marketability spurning countless toys, merchandise, and even video games. The Servbots found themselves in a similar position in the late 90's/early 2000's -- often appearing on everything from PUDDING to Band-Aids. But those days are behind us. Their marketability has diminished within the last few years, sad to say. Fortunately, Servbots continue to cameo in numerous Capcom games, keeping them in the limelight.

But I digress. The Servbots have likely relocated somewhere else within HQ. Before '09, they frequently popped up at Capcom's Osaka offices and even Plaza Capcom as decorations. And before that? Tokyo Game Shows, promotional photo ops and Rockman's 20th b-day bash. These displays have a legacy; very little doubt in my mind Capcom would simply throw them away.

Source: EC-Current

Closer Look At Ultimate MVC3's "Mega Man X"

As you've no doubt heard by now, Mega Man X has been relegated to an alternate costume for Zero in Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. The news has caused a bit of controversy throughout the community, leaving many fans with a sense of bewilderment. It's unfortunate, but that's how Capcom chose to proceed. Sigh.

Tonight, we have a closer look at Zero wearing the skin of his comrade. Krisan Thyme and Global-Trance, the duo who hacked into the original MVC3, have unearthed victory pose portraits from early copies of Ultimate. Lo and behold, "Xero" was among the assets, pictured right. Click here for the Hi-res version.

Compared to Zero's victory portrait, you can see that it is clearly a skin. Same face; different skin tone and eyes. Unsurprising, all of the DLC costumes -- including Mega Man X -- are on the disc just waiting to be unlocked. No official word yet on the costume's release date or pricing, but that news is likely forthcoming. And for the record, no additional DLC characters have been found on disk. Make of that what you will.

More ripped Ultimate assets, including victory portraits of Tron, Zero, and Frank West in MMX outfit, available at Global-Trance's webspace here.

Source: Shoryuken

Mega Man Perfect Harmony Demo Now Available

For those not in the know, Mega Man Perfect Harmony is an ambitious fan-made project by Rud of the Rocks Clan. The game not only mashes up the best elements of 8-bit era gameplay (with a few twists), but also includes four-player cooperative multiplayer. Now that the playable demo is out, I simply had to pass this along to you.

Perfect Harmony fills in that multiplayer hole Capcom has yet to rectify. Gameplay is incredibly authentic, dense, and just plain fun. Best of all? It works. By all means, don't take my word for it. Try it out yourself! You can download the playable demo at the Rocks Clan. There you'll also find full instructions on installation. 

As per usual, just about everything you see could change before the game's release. But so far, the game's pretty solid as is. We'll keep you posted when the full game hits!