Keiji Inafune wasn't kidding when he said he would consider a Mighty No. 9 show. An animated series based on the upcoming game is indeed in the works, Inafune announced at Anime Expo. Details below:
"Half human, half robot, all Mighty"
The story focuses on BECK, a weak transforming combat robot, who was made to fight in a combat robot league as a part of the MIGHTY NUMBERS, the strongest robots in the world. When Beck is the only robot spared from a virus that forces his teammates to destroy mankind, he has to find a way to overcome his own inadequacies so that he can stop them.
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Digital Frontier, an animation company based in Tokyo, Japan, would like to announce that they are developing "Mighty No.9: The Animated TV Series" for the worldwide market. The series is based on a forthcoming video game by legendary game designer, Keiji Inafune. This teaser was introduced to the public on July 5th at the 2014 Anime Expo in Los Angeles.
Hit the jump below for additional details, questions and answers.
Shibuya, Tokyo, July 5 2014 – Keiji Inafune, the creator of Mega Man, announced today at the 2014 Anime Expo in Los Angeles that an animated TV Series is in development based on his studio’s forthcoming crowdfunded video game Mighty No. 9. The series will be an action-packed comedy aimed at kids 6-11. Digital Frontier, an animation company in Japan, is developing and producing the series for a worldwide release. After witnessing the massive support internationally for the Kickstarter campaign, Digital Frontier reached out to Inafune to develop the animated TV series. (Note: Digital Frontier will not be using any of the funding from the campaign for the production of the animated series) Digital Frontier is actively seeking partners internationally including but not exclusive to merchandising, broadcasting and production. The studio has been recently pitching the series and is currently in talks with interested parties with announcements coming soon.
In September 2013, Keiji Inafune announced the Kickstarter campaign to fund the development of the Mighty No. 9 video game. The campaign reached over a $1 million USD in the first 24 hours, and by its end totaled about $4 million USD. Inafune rose to acclaim as a game designer after developing the well received Mega Man series, with over 50 titles and more than 30 million units sold worldwide across most major consoles and handhelds. He went on to oversee several other hit games, including Street Fighter IV, Resident Evil 2, Dead Rising, and many other beloved hits that all went on to become million sellers internationally. In 2010, he started his own game studio titled comcept Inc. based out of Osaka and Tokyo, Japan.
Digital Frontier has a distinguished history of making high quality, full CG content for film, TV and games. Founded in 1994, Digital Frontier is one of the biggest animation houses in Japan equipped with over 350 award-winning artists on hand not only domestically but also in sister studios based out of Malaysia and Taiwan. The studio has built a large portfolio of international hits such as Appleseed (2004), Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina (2007) Summer Wars (2010), and Wolf Children (2012) as well as a strong catalog of CG animation for game related content, including Metal Gear Solid 4 (2008), White Knight Chronicles (2008), Tekken: Blood Vengeance (2011), Resident Evil: Damnation (2012), and Metal Gear Rising (2013).
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FAQ for Mighty No. 9: The Animated TV Series
Q: Will the funding raised from the Mighty No. 9 video game Kickstarter campaign be used for this project?
A: No. The funding raised on the Kickstarter page for the Mighty No. 9 game is ONLY for the development of the video game. Digital Frontier is seeking investment separately for this animated TV series.
Q: I’m not press or corporate but I’m a big fan of Mighty No. 9 and would like to contact Digital Frontier. Is that OK?
A: Hey fans and Mighty Beckers! We hope you enjoyed our teaser. Everyone in the team is a huge fan of Mighty No. 9 and as such, we would love to communicate with fans at sometime in the future, but unfortunately we are unable to respond to fan emails at this time. Please stay tuned for more information on the TV series at a later date.
Q: When will the series be released?
A: We are currently aiming for a Q2 2016 release.
Q: What is the genre and target audience for the show?
A: The series will be an action packed comedy aimed at kids 6 – 11
Q: What markets is the series aiming for?
A: We are targeting a worldwide release but we currently do not have plans for a simultaneous release. Specific territory release dates will be forthcoming.
Q: Who is writing the series? Who is directing?
A: We are currently in talks with interested parties regarding the showrunner and director.
Q: Who are the primary investors for this project?
A: We are actively seeking partners in support of this new series launch across a range of industries including broadcast and licensing worldwide. If interested in investment / partnership opportunities, please contact Digital Frontier at mightyno9@dfx.co.jp .
Q: Who will be producing the animation for this series?
A: Digital Frontier will be managing the animation production for this series. However we
are actively seeking interested parties regarding collaboration opportunities.
Q: Have voice actors been announced for the series? Will the voice of Beck in the teaser be the same for the series?
A: No voice actors have been announced as of yet. We are currently in discussion with interested parties.
Q: Will the narrator featured in the teaser be in the series?
A: Only if he thinks Beck will actually be a worthy hero.
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Comcept also announced further crowd funding for bonus content via PayPal. Here's the announcement video for the campaign, which stresses funds will not be used toward existing content:
The first stretch goal, full English voice acting, clocks in at $100,000. You'll find more info over at the official site and the latest Kickstarter update.
Bad CG for kids, I don't feel it but I will watch.
ReplyDeleteAnimation is quality, just hope it's not over the tooooop kiddy.
ReplyDeleteOh boy....I hate everything in this trailer...
ReplyDeleteSo Beck is a little clumsy 7 years old boy who act like an unfunny Pixar character
I prefer the badass Rockman/Rockman X general attitude and the manga/anime style
hope the game will not be like this....
Big fat NO!!! period!!
ReplyDeleteEh, not the age group I was expecting it to be targeting. But the way Inafune treated Classic, relative to X suggests he never did think this artstyle can be taken seriously...
ReplyDeleteNot asking for extreme gritty grimdark. I just want something all ages, like say, Ben 10...
Oh well
I was hoping for something like the MegaMan 8 cutscene style...
DeleteHope...fading...
ReplyDeleteWow. Just, oh my God...
ReplyDeleteI didn't think this was actually going to be a thing. I was proven wrong, and to be honest, I am glad! I actually liked that little trailer and I look forward to seeing more.
Sorry this doesn't go with the current consensus. :B
Man, pixary CG Keiji, really, and action "comedy" at that? Why don't you just kick your legacy in the nutts.
ReplyDeleteActually thinking more on this (even tho I can't dig this trailer), I'm happy MN.9 is showing differences from Rockman. The more originality apart from each other they have, the better to me personally.
Also going against the general consensus. Looks very silly and doesn't seem to be meant to be taken seriously, which means it sounds perfect for me. Personally I'm looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteWoah cool!!! Why can't this show come out first instead of Sonic Boom. I will totally watch this when it comes out.
ReplyDeleteI find it crazy that Mighty No. 9 is getting a tv series like this before Mega Man (or X even).
ReplyDeleteI actually think I'd like the show more if it was more traditionally animated, such as the style seen in that banner. I'm getting a similar vibe like from that new Pac-Man show, which I don't watch. I'd hate to not have a desire to watch Mega Man's cousin. Judging from the age bracket, 6-11, I don't think there's going to be many dark tones. I'll reserve more judgment for when more is released.
ReplyDeleteI can see parents having an issue with the Mighty No. 5 character's qualities (the minigun) but other than that, hey, okay, more fun for that particular age group.
ReplyDeleteI can ultimately get behind it, even though I won't be watching.
Uh... no thanks.
ReplyDeleteSend message to them about your opinions and they might change anything before 2016 release. There is still plenty time ahead.
ReplyDeleteWell, this isn't the age group I was hoping for.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, I guess this show fits for kids. I'm hoping the game is not the same as this; overly kiddy and such.
Remember people. This is very early promo trailer. Beck doesn't even have a voice because they haven't found one for the game yet.
ReplyDeleteI really don't like the Pixar style. I hope it's not final.
ReplyDeletei like the fact that the trailer showed up how beck looked like when using his other weaponry. and IIRC, beck was supposely to be a loser type at first....so seeing him being clumsy feels right to me. but i wish the animation was made to look like the game......
ReplyDelete...
ReplyDeleteThe game isn't even out yet, is it? This seems premature.
Although, I gotta say, if this is something Inafune is capable of pushing out all on his own, Capcom has REALLY been holding Megaman back. Because this kind of turnaround is amazing.
And, by the way .... MM has had plenty of TV fame. Whether or not it's too anyone's liking is besides the point; it's happened. No.9 hasn't really beaten the MM franchise to the punch in that respect. It's just that this seems a lot more faithful to the source material than most MM efforts have been.
I think a lot of people (except for a few) are forgetting that Mega Man and Beck aren't the same character so they're projecting a little bit. Not only are they different but we know nothing about Beck's personality. Maybe he will be kind of a goof ball in the game. I mean... Sonic kind of had a goofy side to him too but people still preceived him as a "cool" character. I'm sure this approach won't hurt his image for the game.
ReplyDeleteI kind of like this version of Beck. He's clumsy, innocent, and bumbling, and I think that does well to set him apart from the more competent and determined Megaman.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I like about him as well. Unlike rock who's strong sense of justice turned him into megaman. Beck is timid, inexperienced, and has never seem real combat. The folks at concept said that beck was essentially a benchwarmer. So this trailer accurately portrayed Beck. This also makes beck more interesting because we get to see him develope into the heroic mighty no. 9 that we play as.
DeleteIt's easy gor some of us to forget that Beck is not rock. That they are completely different characters.
Not sure if want... :/
ReplyDeleteIt's an ad trailer ... not know why you say you do not like the look when we know that will not look anything like what we just saw at the end. And especially when the in 2016 the broadcast on TV. So I really want to see it ^^
ReplyDeleteI'm not feeling this to be honest, I can understand trying to cater for kids but let's face it how many of the backers that helped make Mighty No.9 a reality are in that age bracket? That & making Beck an inexperienced "comic relief" character only really cements the fact that Mega Man is cooler to me... I know they're different characters but parallels are going to be drawn regardless, I'd have to say I'm in the group that would have preferred an anime 2D style with that certain "style" that Mega Man has, I'd laugh if they get Ruth Shiraishi (Mega Man's MM8 voice actor) back to voice Beck in the TV series ;)
ReplyDeleteI feel like in part because of that very reason it makes total sense for this to be aimed at kids. Most of the backers and people currently interested in Mighty No. 9 older, but those people are already interested in Mighty No. 9 (hell if they're backers they've probably already BOUGHT the game). This is reaching out to a new and very important demographic, kids. It's not being funded by the Kickstarter, so it isn't really obligated to be aimed at backers.
DeleteAnd it's certainly a type of game that has the potential to appeal to kids. I mean the reason why a whole lot of people backed Mighty no. 9 is because Megaman was a huge part of their childhood. I would think there would also be some interest in making Mighty no. 9 a part of the next generation's childhood. Plus it's not like there's anything particularly adult about the Might no. 9 game, or for that matter, any Megaman game ever made anyway.
I don't think I really like this. With the way Comcept is bringing all of these things out at once, I'm honestly hoping this doesn't turn out like how Rare's Viva Pinata! did.
ReplyDeleteThat game was overhyped to death, literally, and also came out with an animated cartoon. They treated it like it was going to be the next best thing, until everything went dead and stayed dead.
Looks somewhat promising. Just steer clear of the Pacman: Ghostly Adventures level of writing and we'll be in the clear.
ReplyDeleteHey, at least we get to see Dr. White and Dr. Sanda. During the Kickstarter campaign, we've only gotten concept art of them and Dr. Blackwell, as well as a post explaining that their designs are not yet set.
ReplyDeleteYou all bitch way too much. Don't like it? Don't watch it when it comes out. Simple.
ReplyDeleteI sure as hell won't watch it, but I can voice my opinion wherever I want, mister.
Delete...I'm ok with this development. 2016 seems so far away, seeing as how the game itself won't be out until 2015 at earliest.
ReplyDelete... what the screaming funk is this flipping piece of schlock?!
ReplyDeleteI'm cool with this. The kickstarter campaign didn't do much to attract kids. Most of us were kids when we first played Mega Man games, so it makes sense to have something to hook them. I just hope the plot's at least watchable.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that there were quite a few younger kids backing the Kickstarter actually. Not sure if that's actually true.
DeleteIf this is what it takes for Mighty No.9 to gain more traction and ensure a continued franchise, so be it.
ReplyDeleteThere were two things I thought when watching this trailer:
ReplyDelete1: Astro Boy mixed with Mega Man.
2: Why did Capcom never make a Megaman cartoon like this?
The animation looks nice, but I don't really know if it will be a good series or not. I'm still trying to accept this newcomer into my love for Mega Man.
I think its pretty cute and it make sense considering the target audience (then again I enjoy cute + funny + action too). He was called the "weak" combat robot and this trailer depicts that initial idea. I guess a lot of people are expecting cool and mature or something O_O
ReplyDeleteI wished they would stick to the classic anime animation instead of this wannabe pixar stuff
ReplyDeleteI really wanna see the Animated Series. It's already December 2016. And it was said they be having it release in 2016.
ReplyDeleteSo I wanna really, really, REALLY know with all my heart, will Mighty Number 9 be airing on TV Soon? Is it gonna be on a station or Netflix? I wanna know, cause there are many of us that are dying to know the results we yet to find.
So please, let there be an answer, & one we really hope is a 'YES' that there is a series to appear on TV. If anyone has connections, help in finding out when Mighty Number 9 Animated Series will be released on it's actual date.
I think I know what I like for X-Mas, for Mighty Number 9 Animated Series to reveal it's self for all to see.
ReplyDeleteLets cross our fingers & hope on a star, that we will finally see some evidence stating the TV Show will be seen on television either before 2017 comes, or in the beginning month into 2017.
Lets all hope something will tell us the news we wanna hear, & let it be good news...