This Rockman Ad is Odd

2012/12/13 Thursday | Author: #20

I think it’s become pretty common knowledge that the first Rockman game was a slow-starting moderate sales success, whereas Rockman 2 is the game that really put the series on the map. Rockman was first slated for Japanese release in November of 1987, but as fate would have it the game was delayed until December’s pre-Christmas corridor, and after a while eventually warranted a second, wider re-release in early March of 1988. (And of course, perhaps due to the American box art, units weren’t moving that much faster when released in America either.) You might well say it was a “rocky” road for first Rockman. Ha ha ha, ha. Ha. Ha ha. Hoy.

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Posted in capcom, rockman, translation | 2 Comments

Toru Nakayama’s Women of Rockman

2012/12/08 Saturday | Author: #20

Like the Heroes calendar, Capcom’s 2012 Girls Calendar featured its own Rockman panorama, this one by famed Rockman Zero series artist Toru Nakayama. Taking up the highly contended for New Years/Valentine’s Day position, no less!

Not quite as comprehensive as the boys’ side. This one has representations from more of the different subgroups of Rockman, but includes far fewer faces. Some big names like Alia, Leviathan, Splash, and Kalinka didn’t make it in, while two versions of classic Roll did, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Nakayama’s cheery bubblegum take on the characters makes me smile. Especially one little lady over in the corner there.
Oh Aero, you are not forgotten.

Posted in capcom, DASH, exe, kobuns!, rare art, rockman, X, zero, zx | 11 Comments

Well, it was a nice idea…

2012/12/08 Saturday | Author: #20

Well, this week did not go AT ALL as I had hoped. Busy schedule kept me from doing much translating or scanning, so “25 Days of Rockman” has been a spectacular failure so far (like Dr. Wily, all my failed schemes are special). At any rate, I’ll be playing some catch up this weekend. Pretend they were posted on the proper days, pretty please?

Side note, if any of you readers are playing the Japanese version of Rockman XOVER (what are the odds of that, I wonder) I’ve put my friend ID code up. Check the “XOVER” tab at the top of the page if this applies to you. Be sure to drop yours there too so we can all get cheesey special cards. Cuz that’s the name of the game.

Posted in blogging | 4 Comments

Getting In Tune With The Times

2012/12/03 Monday | Author: #20

Music has always been a huge part of Rockman. Judging from the 3:1 ratio of soundtracks to actual new game releases in the past 5 years (at least), music is now a large part of Capcom’s bottom line for Rockman as well. Between the E-Can, the 25th anniversary Techno and Rock remixes, Rockman Holic and We Are Rock-Men 2, not to mention the Rockman EXE Transmission album, Morishita’s Another Sun 2012 and the surpassing even that, the incredible remix output by fans in recent times… you might say this 25th anniversary is more about the music than anything else. Let’s end this little rant on a high note by something musical today–sheet music!

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Posted in capcom, rockman | 1 Comment

Yusuke Murata’s Epic Rockman

2012/12/02 Sunday | Author: #20

Today’s offering comes from the recent Capcom Heroes 2012 calendar, art by Yusuke Murata. If you’ve perused near the end of the Mega Man Official Complete Works book, you may remember him as the guy who submitted the original Dust Man and Crystal Man designs as a kid, then grew up to become a successful manga artist. Here he’s created an incredibly detailed collage of classic Rockman characters (and even a few X ones for good measure) that’s simply amazing to gaze over and try to take in all the crazy action going on. Who can you spot?

See the large version of this, click here. It’s an image stitch, so there’s a few parts that don’t line up (most notably Rock’s helmet). If you want to see the original in all it’s glory, it’s not too late to import one of these calendars… Though I’m hoping to see a quality version come up in the upcoming R20+5 art book also.

Posted in capcom, manga, rare art, rockman | 9 Comments

25 Days of Rockman

2012/12/01 Saturday | Author: #20

In honor of Rockman’s 25th birthday, I’m attempting something I’ve never managed to do in the past: 25 posts. IN A ROW. One for each year of Rockman’s existence. I’ll be putting up some very old and very rare stuff I’ve been saving for a special occasion. And this time, nothing’s gonna stop me… Unless maybe the world ends after all.
It’s 25 Days of Rockman.

Today’s image is from the official mouse pad that commemorated Rockman’s 10th birthday back in 1997. Yes, it’s not all that rare. Don’t fret, I’m just getting warmed up.

Posted in random, rare art, rockman | 5 Comments