The Lost Commercial for Rockman EXE 3 Black

Just when you though you've seen every Mega Man television commercial under the sun, YouTuber user hikachi8 uncovered this little gem: a commercial for Rockman EXE 3 Black. Check it out below.

Yep; that's none other than the renowned Masakazu Eguchi in his "Mr. Famous" getup. Eguchi would traditionally dress as the Mr. Famous character for promotional events and tournaments back in the day. More recently, he's was occasionally spotted wearing the 'ol lab coat during the production of Mega Man Legends 3. I wonder what he's been up to these days?

Anywho, do give me a holler if you happen to come across any other "undocumented" commercials. I'm always on the lookout, but a little help would definitely be appreciated.

Thanks, hikachi8!

Neo Devroom Event #2: Ruin Roundup

Following the success of the weapon design contest, the Neo Devroom is back with another community-wide event. This time, your task is to conceptualize a ruin for our favorite Digger to explore. What sort of twists and turns, traps and surprises will Mega Man face? It's entirely up to you.

The general rules are as follows:

"Here it is, folks, the second of GetMeOffTheMoon's Neo Devroom Events! The name of the game is ruin conceptualization--Mega Man's been through tons of ruins with all sorts of unique motifs behind them, so we're on the lookout for rough concepts that could provide the foundation for a brilliantly engaging ruin.

Now we're not looking for maps or intricate layouts here. We're looking to get a general feel for what these ruins are going to be like. Images are optional, but they can serve as a huge asset to your designs.  To add some depth to the event, we're also requiring a minimum of one environmental hazard to compliment your ruin description.  Of course, if you can describe your ruin very well using text only, you're more than welcome to go for it."

Of course, what's an event without cool prizes? The first-place winner will receive a framed Mega Man Legends 3 poster, autographed by Keiji Inafune. Other prizes for subsequent placing winners include a spiffy Mega Man Volnutt t-shirt, and a custom-made hardcover Japanese-bound unlined notebook featuring a painting of Mega Man exploring your ruin.

The contest doesn't officially begin until tomorrow, June 1st, but it couldn't hurt to get a head start. Full contest rules can be found here, and you can also join in the discussion on Capcom Unity.

Fan Aims to Create 25th Anniversary Short Film

Details are slim at the moment, but it appears one fan is dead set on creating a CGI Mega Man short film in celebration of the Blue Bomber's upcoming 25th anniversary...

The above 3D models come from the film's production, which should wrap in time for the big 2-5 celebration. So far so good, if you ask me. Looking forward to the final product!

You'll find daily updates and additional images at the Psmegaman25 Tumblr.

Thanks for the tip, Mike!

Mega Man Zero Prologue Drama Track Gets Animated

For you Mega Man Zero aficionados out there, here's an impressive animated recreation of the drama track “Prologue” from the album Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero by YouTube user Ultimate Maverick X.

Prologue takes place moments before Zero's awakening in Mega Man Zero 1. Voiced by Rie Tanaka, Ciel recounts the trials and tribulations faced by the Resistance as they track down the legendary Reploid's resiting place.

I don't know about you, but I'm totally interested in seeing more animated drama tracks. A job well done!

Thanks for the tip, Mac!

Mega Man X2 Dashes to European Virtual Console This Week

Surprise! Mega Man X2 is coming to the European Wii Virtual Console this Thursday, May 31st. We've been waiting for this one to drop since late 2011, and it looks like Europe's got first dibs ahead of Japan and North American. Official press release below:

"Defend against a band of Maverick Reploid rebels known as X-Hunters with the help of Dr Light’s new upgrades. Seek out the capsules to equip X with a Double Charge Shot, Body Armour and more. X can also ride in vehicles like the Mobile Attack Armour and Mobile Attack Cycle. What’s more, X can use the abilities of defeated Mavericks to turn the enemies’ weapons against them."

As per usual, the Super Nintendo classic will run you 800 Wii Points.

Nintendo of America has yet to announce this week's Nintendo Download; with any luck we could see X2 hit our shores Thursday, too! 

Source: Official Nintendo Magazine UK

Check Out D-Arts Zero Type 2 in Action

Bandai's Zero Type 2 D-Arts figure is now available in Japan, and those who picked it up earlier today are already starting to show off their posing prowess. The denizens of 2ch whipped up some pretty cool scenes of Zero in action, which are totally worth seeing. Not only do they demonstrate its great poseability, they make interesting use of the figure’s accessories, as well as other figures.

More pics after the break!

Ruby-Spears Mega Man Goes 8-bit

In homage to the glorious opening sequence of Ruby Spears' Mega Man cartoon, ColoniaContraAtaca took it upon themselves to recreate the opening entirely in 8-bit, pixel by pixel. It's pretty rad, to say the least:

For an enhanced viewing experience, you should play the above and the original opening simultaneously. You get to compare it frame by frame and listen to that terribly catchy song all at the same time! Super fighting robot... MEGA MAN!

Source: ColoniaContraAtaca (thanks, Marco!)

Your Baby Has Been Megafied

One very creative Etsy user wants to bestow babies everywhere the power to fight for everlasting peace. Behold, the custom-knit baby Mega Man suit:

"This listing is for a custom knit baby Mega Man suit. It includes a knit helmet, arm bands, long booties, and a diaper cover/soaker," writes knitter Amy O. "I can make this in virtually any color combination you would like."

The suit will run you $83 US on Etsy, available in sizes for kiddos up to 12 months old. The whole package is knit to order, so wait times will vary from person to person.

As video game themed baby wear goes, this is pretty darn cute. And hey, who doesn't want their own little Blue Bomber crawling around saving the day? If you're a Mega Man fan with an infant or toddler of your own, you're pretty much entitled to get this!

Source: Knitwitknits

Some Tiny 25th Anniversary Chatter

We're on pins and needles just waiting for some Mega Man 25th anniversary news to hit. Pins, needles and spikes. However, to make the waiting game a bit more bearable, I've got a few tidbits of interest I'd thought I'd share. You know, to keep your appetites whet.

The first two tidbits come from my own little pool of sources. Let's call it the grapevine. Word has it we're going to hear (at the very least) Capcom USA's solidified 25th anniversary plans from anywhere between late July to mid-August. What kind of plans? I'm just as much in the dark as you are, I'm afraid.  What I do know is there's a number of things being worked on that will spill over into 2013, including some community-driven activities.

Secondly, I've no word on commemorative games. That's something everyone and their mother wants to see, but I've heard nothing on that front. That's not necessarily a bad thing... not in the least. It means Capcom are playing those cards close to their chest.

That's all from the grapevine at the moment. Now for something a bit more official: you're last tidbit of interest comes from Capcom USA's own Brelston.

Following the unveiling of Street Fighter's godly 25th anniversary package earlier today, Brelston took to Twitter to assure the masses that things are moving forward with Mega's own 25th:

"@Brelston Regarding Mega Man 25, that info is also coming, but later, as that's not until December. SF is the focus right now - tournament in July!"

"@Brelston We've already begun discussing the NA plans for Mega Man 25. There are things in motion. No deets yet, but I am in the room and helping :) "


All in all, Capcom are not neglecting the anniversary -- they're in the midst of putting things together. There's always the possibility plans could change along the way, so don't flip out if the summer comes and goes with nothing to show.

All in good time, my friends. Let's just hope these plans will be worth the wait.

E.X. Troopers Has No Relation to Mega Man Legends 3, Says Capcom

This past week, a conspiracy theory's been brewin' about E.X Troopers, the cel-shaded Lost Planet spin-off for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 3. Purportedly, E.X. Troopers is a regurgitated Mega Man Legends 3 built around the latter's assets; gameplay mechanics, graphical style and character design. This video sums up the theory nicely.

Naturally, the discerning masses took to Ask Capcom to get to the bottom of this. It wasn't long before Seth Killian popped in to sort things out:

"For what it's worth, I can tell you I played an early version of this game (which was styled in the same way, and with what looks to be similar gameplay) in Japan well before the Legends project ran into trouble.  It is definitely not a reskinned Legends.  I have not played EX Troopers for quite a while, but once more details emerge about the gameplay, I think it will become clearer that this is the case. 

At the time I played it, the projects did not share members. Since the MML3 team is now on other projects, it's conceivable some are working on this title, but that would be the extent of the overlap so far as I know."

And there you have it. I admit the two still look a bit alike, but I think that's largely due in part to the presence of Capcom's MT Framework engine. If you recall, MT Framework was developed alongside the original Lost Planet with a then-hypothetical Legends 3 in mind. Flash forward to 2010 and sure enough, Legends 3 was reportedly powered by the very same engine.

From the looks of it, E.X Troopers seems to be powered by MT Framework (or something very similar). And honestly, that's pretty much all the two games share. The blonde haired kid? Meh, it is what it is.


Source: Ask Capcom

D-Arts Zero Type 2 Hits Japan Next Weekend

Tamashii Web has announced the long awaited D-Art Zero Type 2 figure is on course for a release Saturday, May 26.

As we reported before, the figure comes with an assortment of parts and accessories: two facial expressions, a swappable Z-buster arm, three Z-saber slash effects and a couple different hands. The figure is based on Zero's updated look, clad in shoulder pads and gold trimming across the armor. Supposedly, his gorgeous mane of blonde hair received a new mold, poised to eliminate the fragility issues of Type 1's locks. Looks snazzy, if you ask me.

Zero Type 2 will retail for 3,675 (roughly $48 US), and can be imported from online retailers like Amiami and HLJ. If you're the patient type, you can wait it out a bit longer for Bluefin to release the figure in the States next month.

With Type 2 off the burner and out the door, we can look ahead to D-Arts Vile's upcoming summer release. Stay tuned!

Archie's Mega Man #17 Cover and Solicitation Revealed

Yes folks, our favorite long lost brother is set to make his grand debut in issue #17 of Archie's Mega Man. It's finally Proto Man time.

(W) Ian Flynn (A) Gary Martin & Various (CA) Chad Thomas & Various.

MEGA MAN # 17 ‘Proto-Type,’ Part 1. The story of Mega Man’s long lost brother, Blues (a.k.a. Proto Man), starts here! What was it that drove a wedge between the first self-aware robot and the benevolent Dr. Light? Then, in ‘Construction Derby,’ Guts Man gets some not-so-friendly competition in the form of Concrete Man!

We're a ways away before this one lands in our mailboxes and newsstands, unfortunately. In the meantime, I suppose we'll just have to look forward to the inevitable preview pages! Color me excited.

Source: Midtown Comics (via The Mega Man Network)

Tune in to Capcom Unity’s Mega Man 5 Livestream, Win Rockman 5

Today at at 2pm PT, Capcom Unity is holding their monthly 25th anniversary countdown livestream with Mega Man 5. Brelston will be playing the game this time around, and you're all invited to join in on the fun at Capcom Unity's Twitch TV channel.

Of course, prizes are involved. If you happen to live in North America, you're eligible to a copy boxed copy of Rockman 5 or a boxed copy of Rockman 5 WITH a plush Proto Buster. To win, you'll have to make note each time Brelston dies and how.

For further details, check out Brelston's post over on Capcom Unity.

Familiar Mega Man X Enemies Return in Project X Zone

The latest batch of Project X Zone screens from the game's official site brings a few new Mega Man X-related items of interest to the table. From the looks of it, our fighters will face off against a pair of popular enemies from the series: an army of Metall D2's and an Armor Soldier. Check it out:

 

The Armor Soldier (right) is straight out of X1, piloting its trademark Ride Armor. The Metall D2's (left) made their debut in X4, populating most if not all of the game's stages at one point or another. Interestingly, their inclusion in PXZ marks another throwback to Mega Man X4.

And speaking of X4, Namco Bandai has all but confirmed the presence of fan favorite stage....

There's a Wee Bit of Mega Man in This Week's Community Episode

Indisputable fact: NBC's Community is great. If the past three season's haven't made that apparent enough, this week's episode is poised to do so. Titled “Digital Estate Planning,” the episode throws the gang into a nostalgic video game adventure...

The above clip is a little taste of what's to come tomorrow night. But how does this even remotely relate to Mega Man? Observe Jeff Winger's jump. Yup; that's a pretty striking similarity to Mega Man's classic jumping sprite. Very cool, wouldn't you say?

I think Winger's jogging animation is a bit reminiscent of Mega Man's, too, but I can't be certain. Well, I guess I'll have to tune in to get a better look! The three-part season finale kicks off tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Source: Capcom Unity

Mega Man X Command Mission E3 Demo Re-Uploaded

By popular demand, here's a re-up of the leaked Mega Man X Command Mission E3 demo from a couple years ago. It might not be the most significant prototype we've come across, but it's still pretty neat. Grab it here! For more information about the demo's contents, hop on over to the Cutting Room Floor.

If you guys need additional mirrors, let us know. We'll work something out.

Thanks to MidniteW for supplying the re-up!

Mega Man Marathon Kicks Off

Watching someone else play Mega Man games may not exactly be as fun as playing them yourself, but the experience can be just as if not more rewarding when it's for a good cause.

Starting this Thursday, the Triple Speed Runners, Bonus Stage Marathons, the Ocean City Trinity AND Team Brocket are holding a 72-hour Mega Man marathon for Child's Play charity. Dubbed "Mega Man Versus" The marathon will cover 24 games from the series. What's more, the group will be competeing with each other to see who can complete a game first.

The fun begins May 17th at 6pm EST. For more information on how to donate, visit the marathon's official site here.

Thanks for the heads up, Ocean City Trinity!

Thailand Gets Exclusive 'The Legends of Rockman' Book

Mega Man fans in Thailand can get their hands on a new book by the Thai Gaming Network. The Legends of Rockman is a thick, 368-page compendium detailing the entire history of the classic series. Every game, every character. No stone is left unturned.

From what I've gathered, it's a bit like UDON Entertainment's Robot Master Field Guide with a streak of Pix'N Love flare. Not only does it encompass character and game summaries, but you'll find pages upon pages of information pertaining to the series' development. Furthermore, the games are presented in canonical order. For example, we go from Rockman 4 to Rockman World 3 before touching on Rockman 5. Of course, what's a guidebook without artwork? Each entry is adorned with official artwork and screenshots coupled with statistics and commentary by the authors.

You can check out some photos of the book's contents here and here. Doubtful it will ever make the jump to our side of the pond, but if you're interested, you can import a copy from Thai Book World.

I'm definitely interested in learning more about the book. If you happen to own it or can translate some Thai sources, let me know!

Thanks for the tip, Emily.

Rockman at Capcom's Odaiba Retail Store

Can't make the trip to Capcom's official retail store in Odaiba? Well, N2.EXE of Rockman blog Rock-Mega-Man went for you and snapped a few pictures of the store's Rockman offerings.

Is it everything you imagined and more? Find out after the jump!

Mega Man Zero Collection Shows Up in 'Bakuman'

Sharp eyes have spotted Toru Nakayama's Mega Man Zero Collection box art appearing in a chapter of Bakuman; a manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata of Death Note fame. 

It's a rather unusual cameo... random, even, but an interesting one nonetheless. Check it out after the jump!

Fan Game Puts You in the Shoes of TMoTB's Tuttle

There are a lot of Mega Man fan games currently in production, but this one is just so charming, so downright cool I just had to share it with you all. Behold! "Tuttle's Legendary Travels."

You know who Tuttle is, right? He's a snazzily dress minor character from The Misadventures of Tron Bonne. Bit of a strange man, but Legendary Travels hopes to shine some light behind his character:

"Tuttle's Legendary Travels is an epic adventure spanning five original islands set in the world of Mega Man Legends. When Tuttle overhears the plans of air pirates about to depart on a mission that promises great adventure and treasure, he takes off in pursuit to seek the adventure and treasure for himself"

"Legendary Travels" is a large-scale project from fAB and Blyka of the Mega Man Legends Station. The project has been in development for a few months now, and the team are preparing to launch a Devroom-style community in which YOU can help make the game. The finished product will be a 3D platformer on par with the Mega Man Legends titles in terms of quality and scale.

Pretty exciting, no? For more information, please check out the game's development blog and FAQ.

Thanks for the tip, Dashe!

NeoWiz Restructuring, Rockman Online Development Affected

According to a report from the Digital Times, Rockman Online developer NeoWiz is currently undergoing a massive restructure -- reducing its PC game workforce from 300 to a mere 50 employees. The company intends to refocus its efforts from PC gaming to mobile games.

Rockman Online's development (if it was apparent enough) is in limbo. The article says NeoWiz is eying its affiliate company GAMEON Studio to handle production in light of the restructure. However, there's also the possibility Capcom could pull the Rockman Online project altogether. The outcome rests on negotiations, it seems.

So, yeah; it's not looking too good. Mind you, nothing is certain right now but I'd definitely brace for the worst. Even if the game was never meant to leave Korea, I'd hate to see a third game cancelled. Sheesh.

As soon as more information becomes available, we'll let you know.

Credit: The Mega Man Network

Custom Pop! Vinyl Mega Man Is All Kinds of Cute

From the "do want" files, it's Tim Gilardi and his amazing custom Pop! Vinyl Mega Man figure...

I want this on my desk. Now.

via Timmaytimmtim

Let Mega Man and Proto Man Protect Your Zenny

Another month is upon us and that can only mean one thing: new Mega Man product listings from GE Animation! Sadly, this month's lot isn't all that spectacular. Nor is it much of a lot. Still, this may be of some interest to a few of you.

According to the latest listing at AAA Distribution, GE Animation are rolling out two Mega Man-themed wallets featuring Mega Man and Proto Man, respectively. The Mega Man wallet's a bit plain, but 'ol Proto is looking very sharp with that sprite backdrop. I don't know about you, but the choice here seems pretty easy.

Each wallet is expected to arrive in stores on July 30th. Refer to AAA's guidelines on how to go about getting your retailer to stock up on these and other Mega Man products.

Hey, It's Free Comic Book Day! (Updated)

For those not in the know, today is Free Comic Book Day. On this day, comic book retailers nationwide provide customers with a small selection of comic books which can be obtained absolutely free of charge.

This year, Mega Man joins the fray with a free special edition of Archie's Mega Man #1. What makes it so special you ask? If it wasn't apparent enough, the issue touts brand new cover art and, according to a solicitation, some "bonus features" and a preview of The New Crusaders. 

Yeah, it's a reprint of the first issue; but bear in mind this is an excellent venue for the comic to gain more exposure. That's always a plus, right? And c'mon, it's free!

You can check out the full selection of comics offered today here. Call your local comic shop ahead of time just in case! UPDATE: This is kinda neat. According to a few readers, some comic shops are giving away leftover copies of FCB comics today, May 6th. If you missed out on your free copy of Mega Man #1, you might want to look into that.

Credit: The Mega Man Network

100,000 Strong Milestone Has No Bearing on Legends 3 Revival, Says Capcom

There was some Mega Man Legends 3 chatter on this week's Capcom Unity podcast. Unfortunately, it's not exactly sort of talk we were hoping for.

About halfway through the show (50:47), Greg, Seth and Brett publicly acknowledged 100,000 Strong For Mega Man Legends 3's recent milestone. In short, the staff offered high praise to the group's efforts; it's ability to converge and unite under a single cause. Unfortunately, the surpassing of 100,000 fans has no bearing on the game's revival. It's not going to be able to reverse the situation.. for now, at least.

Capcom then went on to reiterate their commitment to get the franchise back on track. According to Brett, those talks actually began no less than a couple weeks after he joined the company, shortly after Legends 3 was cancelled.

The rest of the discussion is more or less focused on much of the same stuff we've heard previously: things don't happen instantaneously, the company's aware of the passion of the fans, etc. And really, that's pretty much all there is too it. Actually, it was reassuring to hear we aren't the only ones on the edge. Capcom US staff is just eager to see what's next for the Blue Bomber as we are.

So stay tuned, my friends. We just gotta keep sticking this one out.

Thanks to all who sent this!

Do You Believe in Zero? Buy This Shirt

Just in time for warm summer days, Capcom is readying another Mega Man t-shirt. Over at Capcom Unity, DJay announced the Capcom Store is rolling out an exclusive "Mega Man Zero City Defender t-shirt." It's quite nifty.

The shirt isn't due out until May 22nd, but pre-orders are currently being accepted at $19.95. Secure yours here.

Thanks for the tip, RonJon.

Now That's a Lot of Servbots

Die hard Rockman fan CapKobun recently showed off his impressive collection of Servbot memorabilia for all to see. It's practically an army! And look at that: it's our one-armed friend smack dab in the middle! It seems he's finally found a good home.

Keen-eyed collectors will no doubt spot a few rarities like those promo plushies and cookie jars. There's even a few things in there I don't recognize at all!

How does your Servbot collection compare?

Source: CapKobun (thanks, Tom!)

Sneak Peek at Mega Man #13

Dying to get your hands on the latest issue of Archie's Mega Man? Well, Destructoid's got a little something to keep your appetites whet. Tony Ponce just posted a nice preview of issue #13, which kicks off the brand-new and eagerly anticipated "Spritus Ex Machina" arc.

The new arc is a completely originally story featuring a blend of new and old faces. Dr. Cossack, Rush and Pharaoh Man make their grand debut, and then there's the mysterious Dr. Lalinde; a supposed love interest for ol' Dr. Light. Just look at the swagger up there. His game is on!

Oh, and let's not forget those Super Adventure Rockman references. If our solicitation information is anything to go by, issue #13 will re-introduce readers to the forbidden LanFront Ruins where Dr. Wily hopes to discover an elusive power. I wonder what that could be? Whatever it is, Wily intends to use it to give him a little edge.

The issue should be arriving soon-ish but until then, check out Destructoid's selection of preview pages.