Rockman X Command Mission‘s concept art section is slightly expanded in R20+5, with the images spread across 2 extra pages. That means room for a few more pieces, plus the ones that were already there are now generally a bit larger and more spread out. Unfortunately, what was added was for the most part already available elsewhere. I’d really like to see some more art of Rafflesian, and X and Zero’s specials. But they did add one piece that I don’t think was ever published before, and it sheds some light on something I’d been wondering since the game first came out: What the is the flippin’ deal with Chief R’s bird?
Information Mechaniloid
O-M-8
Nickname: Hacchan
An inter-facility monitoring and information handling parrot-type mechaniloid.
Image captions for center image (top to bottom):
Here is the Main Camera
Monitor
The portions with blue lights all over its body are actually cameras, while the head section is really just a dummy.
PARROT TYPE MECHANILOID
“O-M” is a pun off the Japanese word for parrot (“oumu”) while Hacchan is from the Japanese word for eight, “hachi” and the Japanese cutesy suffix, “chan“. I suppose the 8 goes along with Nana, whose name if you didn’t already know means “seven” in Japanese.
I’m glad I can finally put a name (or actually, two names) to the parrot robot. It just seemed out of place that he was one of the few survivors among your supporters in Giga City and was even shown in the ending keeping Nana company, yet he had no known name or origin. Feels good to cross one more item off my list of lingering questions about the game.
I never wondered much about that parrot until now. Lots of cameras, huh?
So there IS a story behind the parrot! I must admit this has been bugging me too, especially how he drops by in the ending without any explanation whatsoever.
Thanks for bringing this up!