Mega Man Star Force (anime)
Encyclopedia
Mega Man Star Force, known as in the original Japanese language
version, is an anime
and manga
series based on the video game
of the same name.
The anime first premiered in Japan
on October 7, 2006, two months before the game's Japanese release, and concluded March 29, 2008. The manga was serialized in CoroCoro Comic
in September 2006. The anime was licensed by Viz Media
and first premiered in English on the online streaming video service Toonami Jetstream
on July 23, 2007. On August 25, the series made its only television premiere on Cartoon Network
with a 2-hour special.
Mega Man Star Force follows the adventures of Geo Stelar and his extraterrestrial partner Omega-Xis, a duo capable of merging together through "Electromagnetic Wave Change" to become Mega Man. Together, they combat various EM wave beings that threaten to conquer or destroy the Earth, especially the invading FM Planet's forces.
The series has a strong theme of strength through bonds. The first series borrows many elements from astrology
and space, whereas the second series focuses more on folklore
(such as the Loch Ness Monster
).
, the Shooting Star Rockman anime filled the timeslot previously held by Rockman EXE Beast+
, the series' predecessor. Each of its episodes are approximately ten minutes in length as the program also shared the thirty-minute segment Oha Coliseum with the Saru Getchu
anime series.
On April 17, 2007, VIZ Media
announced that they acquired the rights for an English anime release titled Mega Man Star Force. The press release mentioned that 13 episodes were to be released at lengths of 20 minutes each (each containing approximately 2 Japanese episodes worth of content). During the E3 2007 video-game convention, IGN
revealed in their hands-on impressions of the Star Force video game that the English anime would premiere on Toonami Jetstream
on July 23, 2007. The show made its television debut on Cartoon Network
on August 25 edited as a 2-hour faux
-movie presentation composed of Japanese episodes 1 thru 9 and heavily slimmed-down versions of episodes 12, 15, and 16. The series would never air in normal episodic
format on television, and subsequent episode airings online revealed that the unusual edits are exclusive to its television appearance.
The series is no longer being shown on Toonami Jetstream as the service is currently defunct.
According to the September 2007 issue of CoroCoro Comic, the anime would conclude in Japan on October 27, 2007 and, following the trend of its predecessor
, continue with a new series called Shooting Star Rockman Tribe, premiering on November 3, 2007. The second anime follows the events of the second video game
(which was also released in November). According to an interview with Fuyuka Ōura
(Geo's seiyū
in the Japanese version) at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show
, Tribe has a deeper and "cooler" storyline than before, and the new character Solo
is a prominent character in the plot.
As of October 6, 2007, the time-slot previously held by Saru Getchu was replaced with the Zero Duel Masters
anime. On March 29, 2008, Tribe concluded with 21 episodes, and its time-slot was replaced with Pengin no Mondai. There are currently no known plans for another Mega Man anime in Japan, marking the first time a Mega Man anime has not been on the air in Japan since the six month hiatus
between Rockman EXE
and Rockman EXE Axess
in 2003.
Although the entire Rockman EXE series was distributed in Japan on DVD
, there is no word on Star Force receiving the same treatment in Japan or in the United States. However, Manga Entertainment
released a Region 2
box set in the UK
on November 3, 2008. The box set contains all 13 episodes of the English dub that aired on Toonami Jetstream.
Mega Man Star Forces animation is overseen by XEBEC
, with musical arrangements by Naoki Maeda. Character designs (which have in some cases deviated from Capcom
's original concepts) are handled by Mitsuru Ishihara and Shingo Adachi (who is also one of the series' art directors, some of the others being Masayuki Nomoto, Akira Takahashi, and Yasuo Shimizu). The art directors usually work independently of each other on any given episode. Shogakukan
manages computer-generated imagery
.
The title sequence
s of each series are sung by Misato Fukuen
as Sonia Sky. In the original series, the theme is entitled and in Tribe, the theme is entitled . Several characters appearing in the original series opening are colored incorrectly.
A background identical to that used for Cross Fusion sequences of MegaMan NT Warrior is employed in the anime's Electromagnetic Wave Change scenes. Easter egg
s referencing other series within the Mega Man franchise are also inserted into the program on occasion. Examples include a broadcast of a girl wearing Roll Caskett's clothes from Mega Man Legends
, as well as a boy in Shepard's class wearing Lan Hikari's clothes from Mega Man Battle Network
sans the headband.
With the premiere of the English version, it was revealed that two Japanese version episodes are combined to create one English version episode to fill a 30-minute time slot. Furthermore, in order to fill more time, a few minutes of footage from various episodes are added at the start of episodes, usually narrated by a particular member of the cast, acting as a recap of previous episodes and slight foreshadow
of upcoming events.
One noticeable oddity, however, exists in English episode 13. Instead of combining Japanese episodes 25 and 26, the next two episodes in order, Viz opted to fill 26's time with ten minutes of recycled footage with narration by Geo Stelar. This was presumably done because the series ends on an odd number of episodes, with the only other alternative to ending the series with enough footage being to skip an episode entirely. However, this strategy would prove fruitless as the dub was discontinued before reaching that point.
Unlike the English version of the series' predecessor Rockman EXE, the dub for Shooting Star Rockman features a considerably more accurate translation with far less cut footage and censorship. While many names and terms were changed, they mostly coincided with changes first made by Capcom of America
for the English versions of the video games
. However, there are a number of translation inconsistencies. Some examples include (but are not limited to) the character of Misora Hibiki, who is referred to as Sonia Strumm in the English games but as Sonia Sky in the English anime. There are also instances where the original Japanese name is used instead of the localized version used in the games, such as an instance where Mega Man shouts "Rock Buster" instead of "Mega Buster." Furthermore, appearances of Japanese text (such as on signs or hard subtitles for setting information) are left untranslated and unedited.
The animation for the introduction sequence is also left completely unchanged. However, all of the original background music is completely removed—including the introduction song "Heart Wave"—and original scores performed by Thorsten Laewe
are put in place of the Japanese version's soundtrack. Nevertheless all the original Japanese sound effects are left intact.
around the planet's atmosphere, thereby powering the invisible EM Wave World. The human population carries portable devices called Transers to interface with the EM Wave World and other electronic devices. Problems caused by criminals and EM Wave Viruses manipulating the EM Wave World are commonly dealt with by the Satella Police.
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A proud warrior of the FM Planet, Omega-Xis, betrays his kind and escapes to Earth where he makes contact with Geo Stelar. Like his fellow extraterrestrial
s called FM-ians, Omega-Xis is capable of initiating a process known as "Electromagnetic Wave Change," which transforms ordinary humans of the same frequency as themselves into "EM Wave Humans," allowing them to freely operate in the EM Wave World. With these new powers, Geo becomes known as Mega Man, a hero of Echo Ridge. However, Omega-Xis holds the key to accessing the weapon Andromeda, capable of destroying planets. As such, many FM-ians pursue Omega-Xis with the intent of retrieving the key in their goal to destroy the Earth. Meanwhile, Omega-Xis also knows the secret to the disappearance of Geo's father in a catastrophic space accident months ago.
The first half of the series focuses on the FM-ians hunting Omega-Xis for the Andromeda Key. Eventually, they succeed, but by using Star Force, Mega Man is able to sustain Andromeda and destroy the key. In the latter half of the series, the FM-ians band together, taking the guise of their original human counterparts, and seek a way to energize a new Andromeda Key. Eventually, Gemini Spark takes the reins of the operation and succeeds in reviving Andromeda, but the FM-ian king Cepheus descends onto Earth to put a stop to all of the chaos. Geo also has an encounter with his father Kelvin who reveals that he has become an EM wave being and is still exploring space, and that Geo's place is on Earth, fighting for justice as Mega Man.
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The second series follows the events of the second game
focusing on the lost continent of Mu
. The ancient civilization vanished ages ago, and a few of its remnants still exist as myths and legends called UMAs (Unidentified Mystery Animals similar to FM-ians that also have the ability to fuse with humans). The UMAs begin merging with humans in order to search for the treasures of Mu, the powerful OOPArts, which will give them the power to revive Mu. After Geo and Omega-Xis encounter several unusual enemies, they meet a professor named Doctor Vega who sends them on a quest to find the OOPArts and stop the UMAs. Using the OOPArts, Mega Man is able to take new forms, primarily the sword-wielding Thunder Zerker form. Near the end, Geo discovers that Doctor Vega and her accomplice Hollow are manipulating Geo to use the OOPArts for the revival of Mu and the devastating force known as Le Mu. But Mega Man combines the three OOPArts together, forming Tribe King, and uses this new power to stop Le Mu and seal Mu once more. The series premiered November 3, immediately after the original series' conclusion, and concluded March 29, 2008.
The Shooting Star Rockman manga began running in CoroCoro Comic
in November 2006.
The manga differs vastly from the video-game and anime iterations of the franchise, although the premise is set up similarly. Geo is grieving the disappearance of his father and questioning the unusual partnership he has gained with the AM-ian Omega-Xis. By combining their powers, they are able to transform into the EM Wave Human named Mega Man and battle crime. Geo soon learns of the Wave Coliseum, a tournament that awards the champion a power known as Star Force. Geo believes this power will allow him to travel to space and find his father, so he enters the tournament. However, complications occur when one of the competitors, Gemini Spark, steals the Star Force in order to revive Andromeda, the king of the FM-ians. This story arc concludes with Mega Man discovering that Andromeda and his father Kelvin had fused as a single EM Wave Human. Defeating Andromeda, Kelvin is freed and returns to Earth to live with his family and new FM-ian friends.
From chapter 17 and on the story shifts to focus on characters and concepts from the second video-game. However, Geo and Omega-Xis are completely absent. Instead, the three Tribe-On transformations from the second video-game—Thunder Zerker, Fire Saurian, and Green Ninja—are personified as entities of their own. In the past, their tribe was ravaged by a warrior named Rogue. Having grown up, Zerker has taken on the task of invading the continent Mu and hunting down Rogue for revenge. But in order to reach Rogue, Zerker must first traverse an eight story tower and battle Rogue's underlings every step of the way, including Saurian and Ninja who are under the influence of Mu.
Another manga was also serialized in CoroCoro Comic by Kawano Takumi called , a light-hearted story that appears to focus on two separate Mega Men.
In order to promote the third installment
of the video-game series, Ryo Takamisaki
(author of the MegaMan NT Warrior
manga) produced a new manga series to run in CoroCoro Comic as of November 2008. Entitled simply , this manga does not reference the previous works by Itagaki and more closely follows the concepts and premises defined by the video-game franchise. The manga introduces A. C. Eos and his Wizard Acid, as well as battles with a Noise-corrupted Spade Magnes and Jack Corvus.
As of the January 2009 issue of CoroCoro Comic, the manga has concluded after only two chapters for unknown reasons, indicated by an owari
on the final page. As two chapters is not enough to fill a single tankōbon, it's doubtful Takamisaki's version will receive a separate release unless it is picked back up for serialization in the future.
Manga by Kawano Takumi
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
version, is an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series based on the video game
Mega Man Star Force
Mega Man Star Force, known in Japan as , is a Mega Man action role-playing video game published and developed by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console...
of the same name.
The anime first premiered in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on October 7, 2006, two months before the game's Japanese release, and concluded March 29, 2008. The manga was serialized in CoroCoro Comic
CoroCoro Comic
is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan, starting on May 15, 1977. Its main target is elementary school aged boys, younger than the readers of shōnen manga...
in September 2006. The anime was licensed by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
and first premiered in English on the online streaming video service Toonami Jetstream
Toonami Jetstream
Toonami Jetstream was an ad-supported online broadband service and a remake of Toonami's previous video streaming service Toonami Reactor provided by Cartoon Network and Viz Media....
on July 23, 2007. On August 25, the series made its only television premiere on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
with a 2-hour special.
Mega Man Star Force follows the adventures of Geo Stelar and his extraterrestrial partner Omega-Xis, a duo capable of merging together through "Electromagnetic Wave Change" to become Mega Man. Together, they combat various EM wave beings that threaten to conquer or destroy the Earth, especially the invading FM Planet's forces.
The series has a strong theme of strength through bonds. The first series borrows many elements from astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
and space, whereas the second series focuses more on folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
(such as the Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
).
History
Airing October 7, 2006 on TV TokyoTV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
, the Shooting Star Rockman anime filled the timeslot previously held by Rockman EXE Beast+
MegaMan NT Warrior
Mega Man NT Warrior or Mega Man Battle Network, known in Japan as , is an anime and manga series based on the Mega Man Battle Network video game series...
, the series' predecessor. Each of its episodes are approximately ten minutes in length as the program also shared the thirty-minute segment Oha Coliseum with the Saru Getchu
Ape Escape (TV series)
is a computer-generated imagery-based animated television series, based on Sony's best-selling video game franchise of the same name ....
anime series.
On April 17, 2007, VIZ Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
announced that they acquired the rights for an English anime release titled Mega Man Star Force. The press release mentioned that 13 episodes were to be released at lengths of 20 minutes each (each containing approximately 2 Japanese episodes worth of content). During the E3 2007 video-game convention, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
revealed in their hands-on impressions of the Star Force video game that the English anime would premiere on Toonami Jetstream
Toonami Jetstream
Toonami Jetstream was an ad-supported online broadband service and a remake of Toonami's previous video streaming service Toonami Reactor provided by Cartoon Network and Viz Media....
on July 23, 2007. The show made its television debut on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
on August 25 edited as a 2-hour faux
Fake
Fake means not real.Fake may also refer to:In music:* Fake , a Swedish synthpop band active in the 1980s*Fake?, a Japanese rock band* Fake , 2010 song by Ai featuring Namie Amuro...
-movie presentation composed of Japanese episodes 1 thru 9 and heavily slimmed-down versions of episodes 12, 15, and 16. The series would never air in normal episodic
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
format on television, and subsequent episode airings online revealed that the unusual edits are exclusive to its television appearance.
The series is no longer being shown on Toonami Jetstream as the service is currently defunct.
According to the September 2007 issue of CoroCoro Comic, the anime would conclude in Japan on October 27, 2007 and, following the trend of its predecessor
MegaMan NT Warrior
Mega Man NT Warrior or Mega Man Battle Network, known in Japan as , is an anime and manga series based on the Mega Man Battle Network video game series...
, continue with a new series called Shooting Star Rockman Tribe, premiering on November 3, 2007. The second anime follows the events of the second video game
Mega Man Star Force 2
Mega Man Star Force 2, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is the sequel to Mega Man Star Force. The game was first confirmed on April 12, 2007 in an issue of CoroCoro Comic...
(which was also released in November). According to an interview with Fuyuka Ōura
Fuyuka Oura
is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Haikyo. Her hometown is Sapporo, Hokkaidō.-TV anime:*Aishiteruze Baby - Mai Motoki*Animal Yokocho - Takeru, Kotaro Matsuzaki*Bakugan Series - Serena Sheen *Basquash! - Thousand...
(Geo's seiyū
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
in the Japanese version) at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
, Tribe has a deeper and "cooler" storyline than before, and the new character Solo
Mega Man Star Force 2
Mega Man Star Force 2, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is the sequel to Mega Man Star Force. The game was first confirmed on April 12, 2007 in an issue of CoroCoro Comic...
is a prominent character in the plot.
As of October 6, 2007, the time-slot previously held by Saru Getchu was replaced with the Zero Duel Masters
Duel Masters
is a franchise based on a manga, anime and a trading card game. There is also a video game.-Trading Card Game:The card game originated in Japan, marketed by Takara Tomy. It was produced in English by Wizards of the Coast, who purchased the rights to the name Duel Masters from , which ran a...
anime. On March 29, 2008, Tribe concluded with 21 episodes, and its time-slot was replaced with Pengin no Mondai. There are currently no known plans for another Mega Man anime in Japan, marking the first time a Mega Man anime has not been on the air in Japan since the six month hiatus
Hiatus (television)
In television scheduling, a hiatus refers to a break of at least several weeks in the normal schedule of a broadcast programming. It can occur during a season of a television program, or can be between television seasons .- Planned hiatus :Many times television stations will implement a hiatus...
between Rockman EXE
MegaMan NT Warrior
Mega Man NT Warrior or Mega Man Battle Network, known in Japan as , is an anime and manga series based on the Mega Man Battle Network video game series...
and Rockman EXE Axess
MegaMan NT Warrior
Mega Man NT Warrior or Mega Man Battle Network, known in Japan as , is an anime and manga series based on the Mega Man Battle Network video game series...
in 2003.
Although the entire Rockman EXE series was distributed in Japan on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, there is no word on Star Force receiving the same treatment in Japan or in the United States. However, Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
released a Region 2
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
box set in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on November 3, 2008. The box set contains all 13 episodes of the English dub that aired on Toonami Jetstream.
Production
XEBEC
is a subsidiary of the anime studio Production I.G that specialises in the production of television anime. They have worked on many popular series such as Love Hina and Martian Successor Nadesico...
, with musical arrangements by Naoki Maeda. Character designs (which have in some cases deviated from Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's original concepts) are handled by Mitsuru Ishihara and Shingo Adachi (who is also one of the series' art directors, some of the others being Masayuki Nomoto, Akira Takahashi, and Yasuo Shimizu). The art directors usually work independently of each other on any given episode. Shogakukan
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
manages computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
.
The title sequence
Title sequence
A Title Sequence is the method by which cinematic films or television programs present their title, key production and cast members, or both, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound...
s of each series are sung by Misato Fukuen
Misato Fukuen
is a voice actress born on January 10, 1982. She is affiliated with Sigma Seven.-Outline, career, and person:* Formed a vocal group called TAMAGO in 2004 with fellow seiyū Mai Kadowaki....
as Sonia Sky. In the original series, the theme is entitled and in Tribe, the theme is entitled . Several characters appearing in the original series opening are colored incorrectly.
A background identical to that used for Cross Fusion sequences of MegaMan NT Warrior is employed in the anime's Electromagnetic Wave Change scenes. Easter egg
Easter egg (media)
Image:Carl Oswald Rostosky - Zwei Kaninchen und ein Igel 1861.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Example of Easter egg hidden within imagerect 467 383 539 434 desc none...
s referencing other series within the Mega Man franchise are also inserted into the program on occasion. Examples include a broadcast of a girl wearing Roll Caskett's clothes from Mega Man Legends
Mega Man Legends series
Mega Man Legends, known as in Japan, is the third series in the Mega Man franchise. The DASH acronym in the Japanese title stands for Digouter's Adventure Story in Halcyon Days...
, as well as a boy in Shepard's class wearing Lan Hikari's clothes from Mega Man Battle Network
Mega Man Battle Network series
The Mega Man Battle Network series is one of Capcom's Mega Man series and debuted in 2001 on the Game Boy Advance. It is a spin-off series based on the original Mega Man. 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...
sans the headband.
With the premiere of the English version, it was revealed that two Japanese version episodes are combined to create one English version episode to fill a 30-minute time slot. Furthermore, in order to fill more time, a few minutes of footage from various episodes are added at the start of episodes, usually narrated by a particular member of the cast, acting as a recap of previous episodes and slight foreshadow
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing or adumbrating is a literary device in which an author indistinctly suggests certain plot developments that might come later in the story.-Repetitive designation and Chekhov's gun:...
of upcoming events.
One noticeable oddity, however, exists in English episode 13. Instead of combining Japanese episodes 25 and 26, the next two episodes in order, Viz opted to fill 26's time with ten minutes of recycled footage with narration by Geo Stelar. This was presumably done because the series ends on an odd number of episodes, with the only other alternative to ending the series with enough footage being to skip an episode entirely. However, this strategy would prove fruitless as the dub was discontinued before reaching that point.
Unlike the English version of the series' predecessor Rockman EXE, the dub for Shooting Star Rockman features a considerably more accurate translation with far less cut footage and censorship. While many names and terms were changed, they mostly coincided with changes first made by Capcom of America
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
for the English versions of the video games
Mega Man Star Force
Mega Man Star Force, known in Japan as , is a Mega Man action role-playing video game published and developed by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console...
. However, there are a number of translation inconsistencies. Some examples include (but are not limited to) the character of Misora Hibiki, who is referred to as Sonia Strumm in the English games but as Sonia Sky in the English anime. There are also instances where the original Japanese name is used instead of the localized version used in the games, such as an instance where Mega Man shouts "Rock Buster" instead of "Mega Buster." Furthermore, appearances of Japanese text (such as on signs or hard subtitles for setting information) are left untranslated and unedited.
The animation for the introduction sequence is also left completely unchanged. However, all of the original background music is completely removed—including the introduction song "Heart Wave"—and original scores performed by Thorsten Laewe
Thorsten Laewe
Thorsten Laewe is a film, tv and videogame composer and music producer and also known for his work as a mix engineer.Thorsten Laewe's work as a composer has appeared in many films, video games and television shows such as Edison Force, Zatch Bell, The Matrix: Path of Neo...
are put in place of the Japanese version's soundtrack. Nevertheless all the original Japanese sound effects are left intact.
Cast
The series has a wide array of personalities outside of Geo Stelar and his FM-ian partner, Omega-Xis, including classmates Luna Platz, Bud Bison, Zack Temple, and Pat Sprigs; pop-singing heroine Sonia Strumm; Aaron Boreal and Tom Dubius of the AMAKEN Laboratories; and various members of the planet FM.Plot
The year is 220X. Technology has advanced rapidly since the age of the internet, leading to the creation of new and more efficient modes of transportation, as well as the construction of futuristic cities, all linked together by three satellites orbiting the Earth—Pegasus, Leo, and Dragon. The satellites accomplish this by maintaining a network of EM wavesElectromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space...
around the planet's atmosphere, thereby powering the invisible EM Wave World. The human population carries portable devices called Transers to interface with the EM Wave World and other electronic devices. Problems caused by criminals and EM Wave Viruses manipulating the EM Wave World are commonly dealt with by the Satella Police.
Original series
A proud warrior of the FM Planet, Omega-Xis, betrays his kind and escapes to Earth where he makes contact with Geo Stelar. Like his fellow extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
s called FM-ians, Omega-Xis is capable of initiating a process known as "Electromagnetic Wave Change," which transforms ordinary humans of the same frequency as themselves into "EM Wave Humans," allowing them to freely operate in the EM Wave World. With these new powers, Geo becomes known as Mega Man, a hero of Echo Ridge. However, Omega-Xis holds the key to accessing the weapon Andromeda, capable of destroying planets. As such, many FM-ians pursue Omega-Xis with the intent of retrieving the key in their goal to destroy the Earth. Meanwhile, Omega-Xis also knows the secret to the disappearance of Geo's father in a catastrophic space accident months ago.
The first half of the series focuses on the FM-ians hunting Omega-Xis for the Andromeda Key. Eventually, they succeed, but by using Star Force, Mega Man is able to sustain Andromeda and destroy the key. In the latter half of the series, the FM-ians band together, taking the guise of their original human counterparts, and seek a way to energize a new Andromeda Key. Eventually, Gemini Spark takes the reins of the operation and succeeds in reviving Andromeda, but the FM-ian king Cepheus descends onto Earth to put a stop to all of the chaos. Geo also has an encounter with his father Kelvin who reveals that he has become an EM wave being and is still exploring space, and that Geo's place is on Earth, fighting for justice as Mega Man.
Tribe
The second series follows the events of the second game
Mega Man Star Force 2
Mega Man Star Force 2, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is the sequel to Mega Man Star Force. The game was first confirmed on April 12, 2007 in an issue of CoroCoro Comic...
focusing on the lost continent of Mu
Mu (lost continent)
Mu is the name of a hypothetical continent that allegedly existed in one of Earth's oceans, but disappeared at the dawn of human history.The concept and the name were proposed by 19th century traveler and writer Augustus Le Plongeon, who claimed that several ancient civilizations, such as those of...
. The ancient civilization vanished ages ago, and a few of its remnants still exist as myths and legends called UMAs (Unidentified Mystery Animals similar to FM-ians that also have the ability to fuse with humans). The UMAs begin merging with humans in order to search for the treasures of Mu, the powerful OOPArts, which will give them the power to revive Mu. After Geo and Omega-Xis encounter several unusual enemies, they meet a professor named Doctor Vega who sends them on a quest to find the OOPArts and stop the UMAs. Using the OOPArts, Mega Man is able to take new forms, primarily the sword-wielding Thunder Zerker form. Near the end, Geo discovers that Doctor Vega and her accomplice Hollow are manipulating Geo to use the OOPArts for the revival of Mu and the devastating force known as Le Mu. But Mega Man combines the three OOPArts together, forming Tribe King, and uses this new power to stop Le Mu and seal Mu once more. The series premiered November 3, immediately after the original series' conclusion, and concluded March 29, 2008.
Manga
CoroCoro Comic
is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan, starting on May 15, 1977. Its main target is elementary school aged boys, younger than the readers of shōnen manga...
in November 2006.
The manga differs vastly from the video-game and anime iterations of the franchise, although the premise is set up similarly. Geo is grieving the disappearance of his father and questioning the unusual partnership he has gained with the AM-ian Omega-Xis. By combining their powers, they are able to transform into the EM Wave Human named Mega Man and battle crime. Geo soon learns of the Wave Coliseum, a tournament that awards the champion a power known as Star Force. Geo believes this power will allow him to travel to space and find his father, so he enters the tournament. However, complications occur when one of the competitors, Gemini Spark, steals the Star Force in order to revive Andromeda, the king of the FM-ians. This story arc concludes with Mega Man discovering that Andromeda and his father Kelvin had fused as a single EM Wave Human. Defeating Andromeda, Kelvin is freed and returns to Earth to live with his family and new FM-ian friends.
From chapter 17 and on the story shifts to focus on characters and concepts from the second video-game. However, Geo and Omega-Xis are completely absent. Instead, the three Tribe-On transformations from the second video-game—Thunder Zerker, Fire Saurian, and Green Ninja—are personified as entities of their own. In the past, their tribe was ravaged by a warrior named Rogue. Having grown up, Zerker has taken on the task of invading the continent Mu and hunting down Rogue for revenge. But in order to reach Rogue, Zerker must first traverse an eight story tower and battle Rogue's underlings every step of the way, including Saurian and Ninja who are under the influence of Mu.
Another manga was also serialized in CoroCoro Comic by Kawano Takumi called , a light-hearted story that appears to focus on two separate Mega Men.
In order to promote the third installment
Mega Man Star Force 3
Mega Man Star Force 3, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was released in Japan on November 13, 2008 and in United States on June 30, 2009. The game was released with two versions: and...
of the video-game series, Ryo Takamisaki
Ryo Takamisaki
is a Japanese manga artist whose drawing style features a frequent use of screentone.Takamisaki grew up in Ibaraki, Japan watching combat sports and participating in motor sports...
(author of the MegaMan NT Warrior
MegaMan NT Warrior
Mega Man NT Warrior or Mega Man Battle Network, known in Japan as , is an anime and manga series based on the Mega Man Battle Network video game series...
manga) produced a new manga series to run in CoroCoro Comic as of November 2008. Entitled simply , this manga does not reference the previous works by Itagaki and more closely follows the concepts and premises defined by the video-game franchise. The manga introduces A. C. Eos and his Wizard Acid, as well as battles with a Noise-corrupted Spade Magnes and Jack Corvus.
As of the January 2009 issue of CoroCoro Comic, the manga has concluded after only two chapters for unknown reasons, indicated by an owari
Owari
Owari may refer to:* Owari Province* Owari Domain* Owari, more commonly spelled oware, a game* Owari Mandarin orange, a form of citrus fruit...
on the final page. As two chapters is not enough to fill a single tankōbon, it's doubtful Takamisaki's version will receive a separate release unless it is picked back up for serialization in the future.
Releases
Manga by Masaya ItagakiManga by Kawano Takumi
External links
- Capcom's Shooting Star Rockman game series splash page
- Shogakukan's Shooting Star Rockman anime page
- Shogakukan's Shooting Star Rockman Tribe anime page
- TV Tokyo's Shooting Star Rockman anime page
- TV Tokyo's Shooting Star Rockman Tribe anime page
- XEBEC's Shooting Star Rockman anime page
- XEBEC's Shooting Star Rockman Tribe anime page