Mega Man (character)

Mega Man
Mega Man in Mega Man 9

Mega Man, known as Rockman (ロックマン Rokkuman^?) in Japan, is a cybernetic video game character, and the main protagonist of what has been referred to as the original Mega Man series developed by Capcom since 1987.^[1] The pixel art for the character was created by the designer of the original game in the series, credited under the pseudonym "A.K",^[2] and later turned into a refined illustration by Keiji Inafune.^[3][4] Since then, he has become one of the company's primary original characters and continues to be one of the video game industry's most recognizable icons.^[5] Having appeared on many gaming systems since the Nintendo Entertainment System, Mega Man has had a wide gaming audience, and his games continue to evolve with the ever-changing hardware demands of modern gaming systems. Mega Man's fictional universe can be divided into seven categories, each featuring different variations and incarnations of a cyborg boy hero. Although "Mega Man", or "Rockman", is usually the name used to describe only the original Mega Man from the classic series, it can also be used less specifically to describe the Mega Man series of fictional works, or the group of adherently named main characters within.

The several spin-off series that have emerged over the past years, each one continuing the Mega Man mythos in some unique way, includes but isn't limited to the Mega Man X, Mega Man Legends, Mega Man Battle Network, and Mega Man Star Force series. A resulting animated series was also produced originally in Japan as well as a number of toys, comics, and collectables available both in and outside of Japan.

Mega Man's role in the original story is to battle the mad scientist Dr. Wily and his ever-growing army of cyborgs, and stop them from taking over the planet by using their own special abilities against them.^[6] Utilizing his special Mega Blaster arm cannon (becomes the Mega Buster starting with Mega Man IV), and his ability to copy a defeated cyborg's special weapon. Mega Man must travel the world and traverse harsh environments in order to bring Wily's menace to an end. With the help of his creator Dr. Light and his assorted cybernetic companions, Mega Man's eventual goal is to one day achieve "everlasting peace".^[7]