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The MegaMan Battle Network series is one of Capcom's Mega Man series and debuted in 2001 on the Game Boy Advance. It is the fourth spinoff series in the franchise. In Japan, as of the release of Rockman EXE Transmission in 2003, the series has been known as Rockman EXE; prior to this it was called Battle Network Rockman EXE. There are six main Battle Network games as well as several side-story or gaiden games.
The sixth game was released in North America on June 13, 2006.
This spinoff combines elements of the classic Mega Man stories with the high-tech world of computers, and thus CamelCase is predominantly used. As such, this is the only series in which "MegaMan" is correctly spelled without the space.
In this and other articles about Battle Network in Wikipedia, English names are used, and the original Japanese names are used where noted.
Series history
The series is set in the year 200X, (sometimes written as 20XX) in an alternate version of the original Mega Man universe in which computers, rather than robots, were the subject of the most research. Like the original, there were two main projects and only one was funded, but unlike the original, the work of Dr. Tadashi Hikari (the series' version of Dr. Light - the name makes reference to both "Light" and "Right" being correct names for Mega Man's creator in the original series) in the field of networking and AI programs had been funded over Dr. Wily's research in robotics. The result of Dr. Hikari's research was the PET (PErsonal Terminal), a small computer which is used similarly to a cellular phone or PDA and which contains a customizable artificial intelligence complete with emotions, known as a NetNavi (short for Network Navigator). A NetNavi is responsible for helping the operator search, use, and surf the internet as well as protect the PET and itself from viruses. Within years the Internet evolves to the point where it literally becomes possible to send an AI into it and physically move around as if it were another world, and technically, it is. There is some danger, however: viruses evolve alongside Navis and the Internet to become intelligent on some level. Navis presumably have advanced data to prevent tampering with their code directly: Viruses cannot harm them by corrupting their data, unlike viruses of our age, who cannot do anything but this. However, because the Internet has evolved to the point of taking on a manifestation, so, too, can virtual weapons be used. If a Navi or a Virus takes too much damage from viral weapons, it's programming will lose integrity, disperse, and be deleted shortly afterwards. Navis, however, have weapons of their own: Each Navi has antiviral weapons that are built directly into its programming that provide basic defense, and can, in addition to this, be sent weapon programs from the PET via the use of battlechips.
Some years later, the series focuses on Tadashi's grandson, Lan Hikari (Netto Hikari in the Japanese version), both original and English names being a play on computer terminology ("Net" is a pun on "net" [as in "inter"net", while Lan is a punk LAN), and his extraordinary navi, MegaMan.EXE (Rockman.EXE). They somehow get involved in foiling the schemes of a net-crime organization called the WWW ("World Three"), headed by Wily.
In another tribute to the original series, most (but not all) of the Navis in the series are named after characters from the original series (although in Battle Network all NetNavis are supposed to carry the "EXE" file extension, to differentiate them from their original counterparts). As the games progressed, however, certain characters from the X series (most notably Zero, Iris and Colonel) have also appeared as NetNavis, prompting some fans to believe that, similar to the original series, the Battle Network series will eventually transition to an 'X' stage. Whether or not this is true has yet to be announced. Completely original NetNavis have also been made for the series, with some exclusive to the anime series. In every game since the first (with the exception of Battle Network 3), NetNavis used by Mr. Famous were created by fans of the series, being winners of design contests from Capcom Japan.
Interestingly, MegaMan.EXE in many cases replaced his original counterpart: for example, for the 15th anniversary of Mega Man, MegaMan.EXE (and not the original Mega Man) appears on the box cover of every game released that year.
This is technically culturally correct. The original Mega Man was a robot. Circa 1987, this was conceived as the next stepping stone in the evolution of technology. However, the introduction of the Internet, an advancement which was never predicted by anyone, has made society rethink its technological destiny. Therefore, MegaMan, being one of the epitomes of human achievement, was reenvisioned as a digital program that battles extremely advanced computer viruses, a much more realistic threat today than malicious, rampaging robots. As a sort of internal representation of this, in the games, both Dr. Hikari and Dr. Wily worked for Scilab, with Hikari researching the Internet and Wily researching robotics. Only Hikari's research was funded, and Wily's work in robotics was abandoned.
Gameplay
The Battle Network games are hybrid RPGs. Out of battle, gameplay is typical RPG fare. In battle, however, it is a unique hybrid of traditional action-RPG gameplay and a collectible card game. This battle system is the most unique part of the Battle Network games, featuring a 6x3 grid, with each character initially controlling half of the playing field. However, this can be modified by Battle Chips and in Battle Network 5, the layout of surrounding tiles in Liberation Missions.
Like the original games, MegaMan has the use of his weapon, the MegaBuster, but in this series, additional weapons can be downloaded to MegaMan for one-time use through small disks held by Lan known as Battle Chips. A secondary objective is thus the collection of Battle Chips, and the organization of Battle Chips in such a manner as to augment MegaMan's powers to its maximum level. Some Battle Chips can also be combined in such a way to form a Program Advance, a sort of combo attack, while others are used to call other NetNavis for assistance. With the success of the collectible genre with series such as Pokémon, Battle Network games (beginning with BN3) were released in two similar versions, and had Giga Class Battle Chips, Style Changes or Soul Unisons, and side stories that were exclusive to one version of the game.
The fourth and fifth games in the series are also compatible with the e-Reader (in Japan; the e-Reader was discontinued in America). By swiping special cards, MegaMan can be given extra powers. Battle Network 4 can also be used with the Battle Chip Gate (released only in Japan), another Game Boy accessory (made specifically for Battle Network), in which battle chips for the PET Advanced (a virtual pet-like toy with a Battle Network motif, based on the PETs found in Battle Network 4, and later the Progress PET, which is based on the PET in Battle Network 5) can be used on MegaMan. The Japanese release is also compatible with Rockman.EXE 4.5 Real Operation, a similar game in which the Game Boy Advance acts as the PET itself and Navis other than MegaMan can be used. Some of these Navis can be opened only by using the e-reader.
Furthermore, Battle Network 4 can be connected to Mega Man Zero 3 to obtain the Z-Saber, the sword used by Zero in the Mega Man Zero series, as a BattleChip for MegaMan.EXE, as well as for Zero to face Battle Network viruses in Zero 3.
The fourth and fifth installments of a series also feature cameos (effectively, a fictional crossover) by Django and Otenko of Konami's Boktai series, in which Django and Otenko are part of a sidequest that allows MegaMan to get the GunDelSol (a BattleChip based on Django's main weapon) as well as the PileDriver Program Advance. In the fifth installment, Django and Otenko NaviChips are also available. MegaMan is also a secret character in Capcom's Onimusha Blade Warriors series, and in Battle Network 5 two BattleChips are based on Duel Masters, a reference to the double billing of movie adaptations of their respective anime series.
Battle Network 5 also introduces Liberation Missions, a mode that combines traditional NetBattling with turn-based strategy games. In Liberation Missions, MegaMan and a team of Navis enter a part of the Internet controlled by Dark Chip Syndicate Nebula in order to free it from their control.
Rockman.EXE 5DS Twin Leaders (Double Team in the United States and Europe) has been released in Japan on the Nintendo DS system in Japan. It is virtually the same as the fifth installment on Game Boy Advance, except with an extra screen. Most player-influenced elements of the game are managed on the touch screen, and the base menu is made to look like Net's PET from the Anime. Also, the Soul Unison function introduced in the fourth game is used more prominently. However, players can only obtain souls depending on which game version they have chosen.
Unlike the past Battle Network games, Rockman.EXE 5 Twin Leaders can connect to past games for chips and other extras. Depending on which game has been loaded into the Game Boy Advance slot, numerous secrets can be revealed. Such unlockable features include Sol Cross Rockman (SCR), which can be obtained through Boktai 1, 2, and 3 (Boktai 1, and 2 in the American and European versions, although it is assumed that Boktai 3 will be released in those territories, and will be compatible with the U.S. version as well) and Forte Cross Rockman (Bass Cross MegaMan) (F/BCR). The attacks of Forte Cross Rockman vary depending on the game's save file.
Capcom has recently released Rockman.EXE 6 for the Game Boy Advance on November 22, 2005. Like the past three installments, EXE 6 was released in two versions: "Cyber Beast Faltzer" and "Cyber Beast Greiga". According to recent information, Lan and his family move to a new location, called "Central Town" and little will be seen of his old friends, such as Mayl, Dex, and Yai. He will however be meeting new friends, the most prominent of which is Iris. The Cross System has been introduced in this installment, with many notable similarities with Style Change and Soul Unison, such as the Link Navi's attributes and no time limit. Beast Out is another addition to the gameplay, and MegaMan takes on the appearance and abilities of one of the two Cyber Beasts.
Plots
Megaman Battle Network
As the game opens, players learn of a terrorist group calling itself World Three (usually referred to as WWW in the games unlike the anime). Various WWW agents are up to no good around Lan's town and attempt to make ovens explode, buses explode and suffocate people. It is up to Lan and his powerful NetNavi MegaMan to save the day.
Megaman Battle Network 2
Following the defeat of WWW and the supposed death of Wily, Lan and Megaman go back to their "normal" lives. However, a new threat emerges in the tradition of WWW. Calling itself Gospel, the Net Mafia, the organization generally seemed to simply cause havoc, hijacking airplanes, gassing various characters, and attempting to bomb a dam.
Megaman Battle Network 3 (White and Blue)
Battle Network 3 takes place not long after BN2. A NetNavi tournament called the N1 Grand Prix is taking place. Half the game involves qualifying to the tournament. Between qualification rounds, Lan and Megaman must thwart the plots of Neo WWW. Wily is alive, and has several new NetOps working for him. Eventually, it is revealed that Wily's plan is to revive the 'Net Beast' Alpha (Called Proto in the Japanese versions of the game).
MegaMan Battle Network 4 (Red Sun and Blue Moon)
An asteroid is traveling through space, headed for Earth. The scientists at NAXA (ANSA in the Japanese versions of the game. Both NAXA and ANSA are obvious plays on the word NASA) attempt to discover a way to divert it.
MegaMan Battle Network 5 Team Protoman/Colonel/Double Team (Twin Leaders)
The following Navis referred to in this summary are Navis featured in Team Colonel and Team ProtoMan, with the Colonel navi appearing first, followed by the Protoman Navi. The same principle is applied for the navi's operaters.
One day, Lan's father, Dr. Hikari, invite Lan and his friends to Scilab, the centre of the scientific community, to show them a new project he's working on. Unfortunatly, members of Nebula and Dr. Regal, who survived his fall from the top of the NAXA building at the end of MegaMan Battle Network 4, enter Scilab and kidnap Dr. Hikari and all of Lan's friends' PETs. Lan was in his father's cubicle and avoids detection. While the various officials at Scilab are incapacitated, Nebula takes over many places on the Net.
Contest Navis
Beginning with Rockman.EXE 2, a contest was held to design a navi to be in the game. The number of navis chosen expanded to three in EXE3.
- Gateman - EXE2
- Kingman, Mistman, and Bowlman - EXE3
Bowlman and Mistman were each in a separate game, Mistman is a Genie themed navi that could only be hurt by attacking his lamp. He was in White Version. Bowlman is a Bowling-themed navi that attacks with a large bowling pin shaped cannon. He was in Black Version (Changed to Blue in America). They were the #2 Ranked navi before Serenade.
- Laserman, Videoman, and Kendoman - EXE4
Videoman is quite possibly the most used Contest Navi of the entire series. His appearances are as follows: EXE4, 4.5, the Advance PET toy (In battle chip form), Rockman.exe Axess, Stream, and Beast.
- Cosmoman, Swallowman(Larkman in America), and Footman(Gridman in America) - EXE5
- Circusman, Judgeman, and Elementman - EXE6
Other media
Anime
The games lent itself to an anime adaptation, also titled Rockman.EXE. The English language version is known as MegaMan NT Warrior, and has edits resulting from Americanization. The anime is very loosely based on the games (in particular, the third Battle Network game), with few story events in common. The series has spawned three sequels, Axess, Stream, and a third - Beast - has just finished airing, which began on October 1st in Japan. Stream is loosely based on the fourth and fifth Battle Network games, with heavy Battle Network 3 influences. Beast has shown fairly heavy influences from the 6th Battle Network game(s). Beast ended in March 2006 with 25 episodes.
Beast isn't done though. Beast is continuing to air under the name Rockman.exe Beast+. The anime is now nine minutes long. It airs alongside the Ape Escape anime. Beast+ has shown the characters Zero.EXE and the Professor, both from MegaMan Network Transmission. It is unknown how long Beast+ will run.
Board game
In 2004 Capcom released ロックマン エグゼ カタン スタンダード (2004) — “Rockman.EXE Catan Standard” — a licensed version of Settlers of Catan.Manga
Nine volumes of the English language MegaMan NT Warrior have been published by VIZ Media as of 2006. A tenth volume is planned for a US release in Fall 2006.Trivia
- MegaMan Network Transmission for the GameCube and MegaMan Battle Chip Challenge for the Game Boy Advance are the only Battle Network sidestory games to be released in English.
- Bass appears in every game at the end. To get to him there may be some trials or missions you have to go through. Bass may not be the final boss of the game to some people but is very powerful.
- Other sidestory games include Rockman EXE Phantom of Network, Rockman EXE N1 Grand Prix, Rockman EXE Wonderswan, and Rockman EXE 4.5 Real Operation.
- An additional title for the Battle Network series has been released for the Nintendo DS, MegaMan Battle Network 5: Double Team DS, which is a combination of both previous versions of Battle Network 5.
- The team that worked on the Battle Network series was the same team that did the Legends games (Capcom Production Studio 2).
- It must be said that, despite popular belief, Lan's father in the game, Dr. Hikari, is NOT the equivalent to Dr. Light from the original series (despite his similar involvement with the series to the good doctor's), though his grandfather (shown briefly at the end of the third game) bears a striking reseblance to the good doctor. Interestingly enough, "Hikari" in Japanese means "light." This of course is an inside joke, but it can be argued that Battle Network is an alternative universe to the Megaman series.
- So far, there has been only three Mega Man X character crossovers in the series: Zero, who appeared in MegaMan Network Transmission as one of the characters, and Colonel (from Mega Man X4) in MegaMan Battle Network 5: Team Colonel. However, in Rockman EXE 6 Dennoujuu (Cyber Beast) Faltzer and Greiga (NA release this summer), there is a character named Iris that relates to the Iris of Mega Man X4. This may indicate a transition between a 'classic' and 'X' version of the Battle Network series, much like how the Original Mega Man series gave way to the Mega Man X series. It is also said that MegaMan Battle Network 6 is said to be the final game in the series, and this theory is greatly reinforced by the message at the end of Battle Network 6's Japanese version: "End Battle Network". In a recent interview Keiji Inafune says that Battle Network 6 is the last of the Battle Network series. Although they have another one going right now, it has been shown to be unrelated to the original storyline. The cast has yet to be fully revealed.
- It is also of note that the game bears many similarities to the 80s Disney movie Tron.
- Capcom recently showed that they are working on yet another series believed to take place after the Mega Man Battle Network series. The name of this series tenatively called "Shin Rockman DS", which will be released on the Nintendo DS.
External links
- Rockman EXE series - official Capcom site for the Rockman EXE series (Japanese).
- MegaMan NT Warrior - official US site for MegaMan NT Warrior
- Rockman.EXE Battle Chip Stadium
- Rockman.EXE Link Pet EX
Computer and video role-playing games | MegaMan Battle Network
"MegaMan Battle Network series"