List of Mega Man characters

Mega Man

DLN-001 Mega Man, known in Japan as Rockman (ロックマン, Rokkuman) is the protagonist of the original Mega Man series. Dr. Light originally created him to be a lab assistant named Rock, but he was modified for combat after Dr. Wily reprogrammed the original Robot Masters to take over the world. His Variable Weapons System allows him to copy the weapons of other Robot Masters and use them as his own.

Dr. Light

Doctor Thomas Light, known in Japan as Doctor Thomas Right (トーマス・ライト, Tōmasu Raito), is a scientist and roboticist and the creator of Mega Man and several other robots; as such, he can be considered the father of Mega Man, Roll, and Proto Man. Despite being a pacifist, he reluctantly recognizes that using force can sometimes be necessary. He plays a supporting role throughout the series, often developing and distributing new gear. He died prior to the events of the Mega Man X series, which is set 100 years after the original series, but his legacy continues through his last creation, X, and he maintains a supporting role through enhancement capsules that contain upgrades to X's systems along with messages relayed by holographic projections of him. He also appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man and Mega Man 6 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

He is voiced by Antony Holland in Captain N: The Game Master, Jim Byrnes in the 90s TV series, Randall Wiebe in Mega Man X8,^[1] Mega Man Maverick Hunter X,^[2] and Mega Man Powered Up,^[3] Michael Mislove in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, Doug Stone in Mega Man 11,^[4] Garry Chalk in Mega Man: Fully Charged and Rick Overton in Secret Level.

Dr. Wily

Doctor Albert W. Wily (Dr.ワイリー, Dokutā Wairī) is a mad scientist and the main antagonist of the series. He was Dr. Light's colleague when they were university students; driven by jealousy towards Light and his achievements overshadowing his own, he reprogrammed Light's robots, except for Rock and Roll, to assist him in taking over the world. However, Rock, who was upgraded and became known as Mega Man, defeated him. Wily returns as antagonist in subsequent titles of the main series,^[5] each time with a different scheme,^[6] only to ultimately be defeated and surrender to Mega Man.^[7]

Wily has also played a major role in the backgrounds of other characters in the series. He repaired the prototype for Mega Man, Proto Man, and in Mega Man 7 used the knowledge he gained from the process to create his answer to Light's work, Bass. After Bass proved to be unreliable, Wily refined his design, creating Zero,^[8] who, in the Mega Man X and Mega Man Zero games, is a hero working alongside Light's last creation, X. Though Wily died prior to the events of the Mega Man X series, his legacy continues through a virus which Zero initially carries and is later transferred to Sigma, resulting in the creation of the Sigma Virus and most of the Mavericks.^[9]

According to artist and producer Keiji Inafune, Wily's name and design are inspired by Albert Einstein, and he was initially conceived to appear as a tall, thin scientist with a mustache, glasses, balding hair, and lab coat.^[10] As development on Mega Man progressed, Inafune redrew Wily to match the in-game sprites, making him shorter and removing the glasses from his design.^[11] Inafune has expressed disdain for this design, stating in a 2003 interview that if an artist approached him with similar work, he would reject it and demand better.^[12] With the production of Mega Man 2, Inafune decided to redraw Wily's design completely, aiming to tie into the common perception of a mad scientist. After making his design slightly taller and with elongated hair and chin, Inafune was satisfied with the alternations and kept the design consistent for later appearances of the character.^[13] Since the beginning of the Mega Man X series, Inafune wanted to add Dr. Wily to the story, leading to Mega Man X4 revealing that he created Zero to set the climax of the series. Wily often is shown moving his eyebrows up and down when he appears in most of the games, usually seen in the prologue cutscenes to the castle levels.^[14]

GamesRadar praised that "Dr. Wily brings a certain flair to his evil schemes".^[15] IGN praised Dr. Wily as a "hopelessly persistent" video game villain, who returned despite his failure at the ending of each Mega Man game, concluding that "in a realm dominated by forgettable villains, Dr. Wily's staying power is a true testament to both his fictional tenacity and his popularity amongst gamers since the 8-bit days of the 1980s."^[16] Destructoid editor Chris Carter attributed the appeal of the character in part to the recurring grovelling of Dr. Wily after each defeat, allowing the player to "revel in your enemy's defeat", and considered this trait "as iconic as it is an in-joke".^[17]

Proto Man

DLN-000 Proto Man, known in Japan as Blues (ブルース, Burūsu), is an early prototype of Mega Man and his twelve-thirteen older teenage brother, who first appeared in Mega Man 3 under the name Break Man to help train Mega Man by fighting him. Beyond their armor and personality, Proto Man and Mega Man are supposedly identical. However, at the end of Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, Dr. Light reveals that Proto Man's energy system has a fatal defect, causing him great pain and shortening his lifespan. He also appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man 3 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

Character designer Keiji Inafune stated that "We wanted people to be unsure whether Proto Man was a friend or a foe. On one hand, he'd seem like a rival to Mega Man, but at the same time he'd seem like a comrade."^[18] Several anime characters Inafune used to watch inspired Proto Man, with the glow from his eyes being inspired by Break Man.^[19] The design also involved his shield being a "cool factor" and a sign of his superiority over Mega Man.^[20] Higurashi considers Proto Man and Rush to be the main attractions of Mega Man 3, while Hideki considers Mega Man 5 as a "Blue"'s Trap, resulting in major focus when making illustrations focusing on him.^[21] For Mega Man 8, Kaji had difficulties in making the illustrations, leading Inafune to revise the ones from Proto Man.^[22]

The absence of Proto Man in Mega Man 11 has been criticized.^[23][24][25] Mega Man 11 producer Kazuhiro Tsuchiya explained his exclusion in the game, stating that "What we struggled with the most was how to develop a clear and engaging story that builds upon the previous installments while appealing to a wide range of players; new players picking up a Mega Man game for the first time, those who may have forgotten the series' backstory, and the hardcore fans who remember the events of 9 and 10 as though they happened yesterday. After the long gap between 10 and 11, we decided to focus on sharing an untold story that touches on the past of Dr. Light and Dr. Wily."^[26]

Bass

SWN-001 Bass, known in Japan as Forte (フォルテ, Forute), is a robot Dr. Wily designed, who was constructed based on research conducted on Mega Man with the intention of matching his power, being a more advanced model of Robot Master compared to Mega Man. He is powered by the energy Bassnium, the most powerful form of energy on Earth, which Wily discovered by mistake. He seeks to defeat Mega Man and be acknowledged as the world's strongest robot, and as such frequently rebels against Wily when he feels he is standing in the way of his goals. Despite this, Bass has worked with Mega Man several times, though usually for his own purposes.

Bass wields the Bass Buster, which originally functioned similarly to the Mega Buster, albeit with slightly different shots. As of Mega Man & Bass, however, it has lost its ability to charge shots in favor of an increased rate of fire and the ability to fire upwards and diagonally. Unlike the Mega Buster, its bullets do not travel through solid surfaces without an upgrade. Like Mega Man and Proto Man, Bass can also copy the weapons of Robot Masters, with his body changing colors to reflect the weapon currently equipped. He can also combine with his robotic wolf Treble (ゴスペル, Gosuperu, Gospel) for the Treble Boost, allowing him to fly and shoot more powerful projectiles from the Buster.

Save for a cameo showing a schematic of him, Bass does not appear in Mega Man 9. His absence is not explained in the game, but according to the booklet that came with the Rockman 9 Arranged Album, he was undergoing adjustments.^[27] He is playable in Mega Man 10, being added through DLC, where he retains his dash and rapid-fire, multi-directional arm cannon.^[28] In the game's re-release as part of Mega Man Legacy Collection 2, Bass is instead unlocked by either completing the game or by using a secret code at the title screen.^[29]

In Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, where Zero makes a cameo appearance, Bass seeks to destroy him to prove that he is stronger than all other robots, as Wily says that he is a creation that could surpass him.

Roll

DLN-002 Roll (ロール, DRN-003 Rōru) is Mega Man's seven-eight younger "sister"; a female robot designed for housekeeping instead of fighting. She plays a supporting role in the first game and a more substantive role in subsequent sequels. Her name was never mentioned until Mega Man 3, which marks her return, where her entry in Dr. Light's robot list is shown during the ending. She also appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man 2 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

She is usually depicted with blonde hair worn in a ponytail and wearing a red outfit. In Mega Man 8, she wears a black and red dress with red boots and a green ribbon in her hair. Despite not being designed for fighting, she appears as a combatant in the fighting games Marvel vs. Capcom and Marvel vs. Capcom 2, as well as in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars, and Mega Man Powered Up. Alternate versions of Roll appear in two other Mega Man spinoff series: Roll Caskett in Mega Man Legends, and Roll.EXE in Mega Man Battle Network. Roll also appears in other Mega Man media, including manga and Mega Man.

Roll has proved popular amongst fans, who have created various ROM hacks and fangames to place her in the main role as a female counterpart to Mega Man.^[30][31][32] Theresa Romano from The Mary Sue said Roll had been the sole female robot in the franchise's universe to have made a lasting impression on the Mega Man fandom. She observed that Roll is notable for her constant character redesigns through the games or the animated series; for Romano, the most memorable iteration was the Ruby-Spears series version, whose arm could transform into different household appliances.^[33] Joshua Scullin from University of Washington Tacoma saw Roll as a better female character than the ones featured from Nintendo Entertainment System games as she is not reward for the main character but instead a powerful character on her own. However, her weaponry was still called out for her distinctive weapon.^[34] In Gaming Disability: Disability Perspectives on Contemporary Video Games, Roll is seen as a clean up messes in a more common approach to women in the 1980s in contrast to the heroic exploits of her brother, Mega Man.^[35]

Rush

Rush (ラッシュ, Rasshu) is Mega Man's robotic dog, who Dr. Light created to be an all-around support unit and is first introduced in Mega Man 3. He can transform into various forms, including Rush Marine, which transforms him into a one-seated submarine, and Rush Jet, which transforms his legs into jet engines that allow him to fly. He also has the Rush Coil, a spring that pops out of his back and helps Mega Man reach higher platforms that he normally cannot access. Other games have him transform into a motorcycle and a drill car, and in the fourth and fifth Game Boy games as a spaceship. In later games, the Rush Adaptor allows Rush to attach himself to Mega Man, allowing him to float, shoot more powerful blasts, and launch his arms as projectiles. In some games, such as Mega Man 7 and Mega Man 8, Rush can be used to obtain items, such as health. His name is derived from another Capcom game, The Speed Rumbler, which is known as Rush & Crash in Japan,^[36] while the pronunciation of his name is similar to Lassie.^[37]

Auto

Auto, known as Rightot in Japan, is a robot that Dr. Light created to replace Rock's role as lab assistant due to him being unable to fulfill that role after becoming Mega Man. He is introduced in Mega Man 7, where he provides Mega Man with upgrades and parts. In Mega Man 8, Auto assists Mega Man in the Rush Jet scenes, using a rocket launcher and a propeller in his head that allows him to fly. He also appears in Mega Man & Bass, creating upgrades for the player in exchange for 'bolts' dropped by defeated enemies. He returns again in Mega Man 11 as Dr. Light's lab assistant, helping Mega Man by creating new parts for him from bolts collected from enemies. He, or a robot resembling him, makes a cameo appearance in CD versions of Mega Man X3, watching TV in the background of the FMV intro for Volt Catfish's stage, making him the only robot from the classic series to also appear in the X series.

Beat

Beat is a robotic bird that Dr. Cossack created to provide additional support to Mega Man during the events of Mega Man 5 and has since appeared in many Mega Man games. Several of the games require the player to obtain a certain number of Beat Plates in order to use him. Beat homes in on enemies, providing damage by slamming into them; however, in Mega Man 6, he does not attack bosses. In Mega Man 7, Mega Man 9, Mega Man 10 and Mega Man 11, he rescues Mega Man, as well as Proto Man in Mega Man 10, from pits. In Mega Man 8, he can assist Mega Man during the Rush Jet scenes, and also provides him with an energy barrier in Mega Man & Bass. He assists Duo and Proto Man as a temporary invincibility power-up in Power Fighters.

Dr. Cossack

Dr. Mikhail Sergeyevich Cossack is a Russian colleague of Dr. Light, who appears in Mega Man 4 as the main antagonist. However, it is later revealed that he was being blackmailed, as Wily kidnapped his daughter Kalinka. After Proto rescues Kalinka and the truth is revealed, Dr. Cossack betrays Wily and becomes an ally to Mega Man. He is the inventor of Beat and the Super Mega Buster, as well as several industrial and military robots. He also appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man 5 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

Duo

Duo is a robot from outer space who was designed to preserve the universe's peace and justice. Duo was formally introduced in Mega Man 8, where he is battling a robot powered by Evil Energy. After crashing to Earth, Dr. Light repairs him and he becomes an ally of Mega Man. After eradicating the Evil Energy on Earth, he thanks Mega Man and departs Earth to resume his search. He later appears in Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, which was released before Mega Man 8 but set after its events, as well as Mega Man Battle & Chase and Rockman Strategy.

Most of Duo's offensive abilities come from his left arm, which has a fist nearly as large as his torso, and his large spiked body. He primarily attacks by punching, though also wields projectile weapons, the most powerful of which is a blast in the shape of his own hand. He also appears to have the same weapon copying abilities as Mega Man, Proto Man, and Bass; like them, his body changes color in accordance with the weapon he has equipped. Having been created for the purpose of destroying Evil Energy, he has the unique ability to purge it from an infected victim's body, as demonstrated when he saves Mega Man.

Eddie

Eddie, originally known as Flip Top in early Western manuals, is a robot that Dr. Light created as a "walking suitcase", who first appeared in Mega Man 4. He is usually sent to help Mega Man by providing recovery items, and can also fire bombs from his head while assisting Mega Man in the Rush Jet sections of Mega Man 8. Starting with Mega Man 7, Eddie only appears in the shop and no longer gives items to Mega Man.

Kalinka

Kalinka Cossack is Dr. Cossack's daughter, who Proto Man kidnapped on Dr. Wily's orders to force her father into unwillingly declaring war against Mega Man on Wily's behalf. However, Proto Man later rescues her before Mega Man confronts and defeats Cossack in his citadel. Kalinka also appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man 4 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man. She is named after the Russian folk song Kalinka.

King

King is a robot who appears in Mega Man and Bass as the apparent main antagonist. Declaring himself the king of all robots, he seeks to eradicate humanity and establish a world populated only by robots. After either Mega Man or Bass defeat him, it is revealed that Dr. Wily had programmed him to form a rebellion. While King seemingly dies after this revelation, during Mega Man's ending it is revealed that he survived and is now a wanderer, like Proto Man. He then apologizes for his actions and wishes to meet up with Mega Man peacefully.

King wields several weapons, including a battle-axe and a shield which can absorb attacks and fire them back as a laser beam. He also has the ability to merge with other vehicles to form King Jet Robo and King Tank Robo, the penultimate bosses of the game.

Tango

Tango (タンゴ) is a green robotic cat and one of Mega Man's allies. Tango can roll himself into a buzzsaw and dive into enemies until all in-area enemies are defeated, he falls into a pit or spikes, or his energy is expended. He appears in Mega Man V, Rockman & Forte Mirai kara no Chōsensha, and as a cameo in Mega Man 10 in the item shop when playing as Proto Man. His name is derived from the music genre tango.

Reggae

Reggae is a robotic bird and Dr. Wily's pet, who appears in a Japan-exclusive drama CD, Wily & Right no RockBoard: That's Paradise, and in Rockman & Forte: Challenger From the Future as a weapon for Bass. His first appearance outside Japan is in Mega Man 7, where he appears if an invalid password is entered.^[38] He also appears in Mega Man 10 as shopkeeper when playing as Bass. In Archie Comics' adaptation of Mega Man, he has a more prominent role, usually mocking Dr. Wily's failures in the "Short Circuits" section. His name is derived from the music genre reggae.

Treble

Treble (ゴスペル, Gosuperu, Gospel) is Bass' equivalent to Rush, who, like Rush, can assume a jet-like form and fly in the form of an armored suit called the Treble Boost,^[39] which was created after Bass stole designs for the Super Adapter in Mega Man 7 and gives Bass limited flight capability and increased firepower. It also appears in Mega Man & Bass, where it also grants Bass invulnerability while its energy lasts, and in Mega Man 10, where it functions similarly to its previous incarnation, but without invulnerability. Its Japanese name of Gospel is likely derived from the musical genre gospel.^[40]

Met

The Met, also known as Hard Hat, is a construction robot wearing a hard hat with a plus sign on it. Mets usually wait below their helmet before attacking, as it is impervious to most of Mega Man's weapons. They appear in the various series with many different variations and forms, such as the Metall, Mettool, and Mettaur variants, but their look has largely remained the same. In the original Mega Man, another common enemy, the Picket Man, has a head similar to the Met, but with a full body, a shield, and a pickaxe. The Mets also appear in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U as a collectable trophy in both versions, as well as enemies in the 3DS-exclusive Smash Run mode.

Sniper Joe

Sniper Joe is a humanoid robot which Dr. Light built and which Dr. Wily later modified for infantry. They were built based on Proto Man and mass-produced for combat. Sniper Joes are a recurring enemy throughout the classic series, and most variants often operate machines such as walkers, gun turrets, jet skis, and helicopters. They wear a black visor and have a single red eye.

Yellow Devil

The Yellow Devil is a powerful combat robot which Dr. Wily created. Its body is made from a shape-memory alloy, allowing it to split into multiple pieces and reform elsewhere. At the center of its body is a single mechanical eye, which keeps the body together and is its sole weakness. The Yellow Devil is a recurring boss character throughout the series, with several successors and offshoots appearing in other games, such as the Yellow Devil MK-II in Mega Man 3, the Green Devil in Mega Man 8, and the Block Devil in Mega Man 10. Variants also appear in other series, including the Shadow Devil in Mega Man X5 and the Rainbow Devil in Mega Man Zero.

Early Western media referred to the Yellow Devil as the "Rock Monster", a change made due to Nintendo's policies regarding religious figures and names. However, the "Devil" name has since been used in recent American releases. The Mega Man/Sonic the Hedgehog crossover produced by Archie Comics featured the Chaos Devil, a being combining the Yellow Devil with Chaos.

Mega Man Killers

The Mega Man Killers are a series of robots appearing in the Game Boy series, which Dr. Wily created to destroy Mega Man. They reappear as bosses in the Game Boy version of Mega Man V, as well as bosses in the DLC stages of Mega Man 10. They are named after notable music genres.

Genesis Units

Mega Man 1 / Mega Man Powered Up

These Robot Masters were created by Dr. Light and reprogrammed by Dr. Wily to serve him:

Mega Man 2

These Robot Masters were the first line created solely by Dr. Wily to destroy Mega Man:

Mega Man 3

Most of the Robot Masters listed here were created by Dr. Light and Dr. Wily at the time of their truce.

Mega Man 4

These Robot Masters were created by Dr. Cossack, and remodeled into battle robots by Dr. Wily after he took Dr. Cossack's daughter Kalinka hostage.

Mega Man 5

Dr. Wily created these Robot Masters in his next attempt to take over the world.

Mega Man 6

These Robot Masters were created for the First Annual Robot Tournament and were reprogrammed by Dr. Wily under the alias of Mr. X.

Mega Man 7

Four of the robots were created by Dr. Wily to activate and find him if he is not there to activate a certain code to keep them in stasis. They activated while Dr. Wily was in prison; after his escape, Wily obtained four more robots to serve him.

Mega Man 8

Some of the Robot Masters were created by Dr. Wily, while others were stolen and repurposed by him.

Mega Man 9

These Robot Masters were created by Dr. Light, with Dr. Wily tricking them into serving him after saving them from being scrapped, as their period of use had expired.

Mega Man 10

These following Robot Masters contracted Roboenza, as Mega Man had to salvage parts of them to help Dr. Light find a cure for Roboenza.

Mega Man 11

These Robot Masters have different manufacturers until they were captured during Dr. Light's maintenance on them and reprogrammed to serve Dr. Wily, who equipped them with the Double Gear. After Dr. Wily's plot is thwarted, Dr. Light and a Double Gear System-enhanced Auto recovered their bodies and worked to rebuild and restore them to normal.

Mega Man & Bass

Besides Tengu Man and Astro Man, the following Robot Masters were used by King as part of his robot revolution. Some of them were created by him, while others were modified.

X

X is the protagonist of the Mega Man X series. Dr. Light created him, but feared the ramifications of giving robots free will and so chose to seal him inside a capsule for 30 years to test the integrity and reliability of his systems.^[46] Dr. Light died before X's diagnostics were complete, and 100 years later another scientist, Dr. Cain, discovered his capsule and attempted to emulate his technology. With X's help, Cain developed the first mass-produced Reploids: humanoid androids based upon X's designs.

Zero

Originally intended to be the protagonist of Mega Man X,^[47] he was recast as X's mentor and partner in favor of an X who looked "more like Mega Man". He is a top-class Maverick Hunter who undergoes inner turmoil over his mysterious past and purpose, which he seems to see glimpses of in nightmares, and the fact that the Virus does not affect him like it does with other reploids, who become Mavericks.

Axl

Voiced by (English): Lenne Hardt (X7);^[48] Jeffrey Watson (X8)^[1]
Voiced by (Japanese): Minami Takayama^[48][49][50]

Axl (アクセル, Akuseru) is a black and red-armored reploid with an X-shaped scar above his nose who wields a pair of handheld blaster pistols. He first appears in Mega Man X7, where he displays an ability called A-Trans, which allows him to take on the appearance and abilities of any reploid he defeats which matches his size, allowing him to explore normally inaccessible areas. He also has the ability to hover in midair and roll through enemy shots. While his gameplay style was originally similar to X, Mega Man X8 reworked his gameplay to give him a distinctive fighting style. His shots are now rapid-fire abilities and can fire in any direction, and instead of copying the Maverick weapons like X, he instead gains a new type of gun for each boss he defeats, which have unlimited ammo and can be fired either multi-directional or rapid-fire. While overall the weakest in power, Axl's fighting style relies more on speed compared to X's powerful but slower charge shots and Zero's swordplay.

Dr. Cain

Voiced by (English): Michael Shepherd^[2]
Voiced by (Japanese): Tadashi Miyazawa^[51]

Dr. Cain is a human archaeologist and robot expert, who serves as a supporting character throughout the Mega Man X games. He discovered the dormant X in the ruins of Dr. Light's lab, and soon after invented Reploids, sapient robots based on X's design, with the most notable being Sigma. Sigma, being the most advanced robot at the time, became the head of the Maverick Hunters, a group of reploids dedicated to destroying reploids that violate the three rules of robotics.

Iris

Voiced by (Japanese): Yūko Mizutani (PXZ);^[52] Aya Endō (X DiVE–present)^[53][54]

Repliforce scientists created Iris alongside her brother Colonel as one half of the "Perfect Soldier program", with Colonel being the other half. She was compassionate and peaceful, while Colonel was a strong-willed Reploid warrior. Repliforce scientists struggled to make these two factors into one Reploid, and because the differences were irreconcilable, they split them into brother and sister Reploids.

In Mega Man X4, Iris is one of the two characters alongside Double who can only be fought depending on whether the player chooses Zero or X.

Alia

Voiced by (English): Rumiko Varnes (X7);^[48] Marriete Sluyter (X8)^[1]
Voiced by (Japanese): Rumi Kasahara^[48][49]

Alia acts as a Navigator for the Maverick Hunters in Mega Man X5 and onwards. She began her career as a researcher in Reploid engineering alongside her colleague Gate, whom she was said to have feelings for. They were ahead of their time in their research on Reploids, though she contends that Gate was a better programmer than she was. However, Gate's inability to follow the rules made him a social outcast, and his creations were systematically destroyed, sometimes with Alia's assistance. She soon mastered programming languages and was chosen to be a spotter for the Hunters. In Mega Man X5, Alia served as the Hunters' spotter during the Sigma Virus outbreak, while lending her technical talents to the cause by uploading and letting X utilize the Falcon and Gaea armor.

Layer

Voiced by (English): Meredith Taylor Parry^[1]
Voiced by (Japanese): Sonoko Kawata^[49]

Layer is a navigator alongside Alia and Pallette in X8, with her high processing power allowing her to quickly determine enemy abilities. For the most part, Layer appears to be the oldest navigator and is calm and collected. However, she seems to show more concern for Zero, even blushing when talking to him. Palette's comment on how she "waited the whole time for him" seemingly implies that she has a crush on him.^[55] Layer is also a secret unlockable character in the game, and has gameplay similar to Zero's. She wields her own sword weapon, the "Layer Rapier", allowing her to use the same abilities as Zero, but cannot use his "Black Armor".

Pallette

Voiced by (English): Chris Simms^[1]
Voiced by (Japanese): Haruna Mima^[49]

Pallette is another navigator alongside Alia and Layer in X8 who excels at finding hidden routes at facilities, allowing X to find Dr. Light's armor capsules. She appears to be the most playful of the navigators and hates being ignored. Pallette is also an unlockable character in the game, taking after Axl's playstyle but being unable to use Axl's copy ability.

Douglas

Douglas is a mechanic for the Maverick Hunters. In Mega Man X5, he constructs modules for X and Zero and reinforces the Enigma Cannon and Space Shuttle with parts they gather from the Mavericks. During the Nightmare outbreak in X6, Douglas helps X and Zero by refining modules for them.

Signas

Voiced by (English): Robert Belgrade (X7);^[48] Roger Rhodes (X8)^[1]
Voiced by (Japanese): Hirotaka Suzuoki (X7);^[48] Tsuneyoshi Iwatsuru (X8)^[49]

Signas is the newest leader and commander of the Maverick Hunters, who is introduced in X5. He was originally a private investigator before being assigned to the Maverick Hunters, commanding missions and overseeing major operations. He is loyal to both humans and Reploids and is determined to ensure that all Mavericks are eliminated. He has the most advanced CPU of the current Reploids.

Spider

WIP

Steel Massimo

WIP

Marino

WIP

Cinnamon

WIP

Chief R

WIP

Nana

WIP

Professor Gaudile

WIP

Aile (Command Mission)

WIP

Middy

WIP

Sigma

Sigma (シグマ, Shiguma) is the primary antagonist of the Mega Man X series, who Dr. Cain considered to be the finest reploid of the time, with circuitry designs meant to prevent him from becoming a Maverick. He was once the leader of the Maverick Hunters, but during a mission, he came into contact with Zero, who at the time was rampaging after falling under the influence of the Zero Virus.

Prior to the first Mega Man X game, Sigma was the most advanced Reploid of his time and the leader of the Maverick Hunters. However, one day, the Maverick Hunters received reports of a powerful "Red Maverick" that had destroyed an entire squadron of Hunters. While investigating, Sigma and his unit tracked it down to an abandoned laboratory and learned that it was Zero, an evil robot that Dr. Wily created which carried the Maverick Virus. After Sigma defeated Zero, the virus was inadvertently transferred into him. While the virus was purged from Zero, turning him benevolent, the virus adapted to Sigma, becoming the Sigma Virus.

After gradually succumbing to the virus, he suddenly led a mass revolt among the Reploids, declaring total war on humans.^[56] Many Maverick Hunters chose to follow Sigma out of loyalty, leaving Zero in charge of the organization. X, the last creation of Dr. Light and the base model for the Reploids, decided to volunteer and joined Zero. X and Zero battle through the Maverick regime, and ultimately X destroys Sigma; however, while his physical body is scrapped, his "soul", the Virus, survives. After the end credits, Sigma's face appears on a blue monitor and warns X that he will be back.^[57]

Sigma returns in each installment of the series in various forms, but X defeats him each time. His final appearance is in Mega Man X8, where he is finally destroyed for good. However, the Sigma Virus remains, prompting the events of the Mega Man Zero series.

Sigma appears in the crossover game Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. In the story mode, he merges with Ultron to become "Ultron Sigma" to convert the inhabitants of both worlds into their slaves.^[58] Sigma as a playable character is available for purchase as standalone downloadable content or as part of the game's character pass.^[59]

Sigma was referenced in an episode of the 1994 cartoon, where X, Vile, and Spark Mandrill travel back in time, with his name being spelled as Cigma. He also appears in a short unlockable OVA in Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, "The Day of Σ", which depicts the Maverick Hunters prior to the events of the first Mega Man X game under Sigma's command, prior to his revolt.

Vile

Voiced by (English): Roger Rhodes^[2]
Voiced by (Japanese): Mugihito^[49][51]

Vile, known as VAVA (ヴァヴァ) in Japanese, is a recurring major villain in the Mega Man X series, who frequently reappears as a mid-game boss. He is first introduced in Mega Man X, where he is a former Maverick Hunter now serving Sigma as his right-hand man.

X-Hunters

The X-Hunters, known as the Counter Hunters (カウンターハンター, Kauntā Hantā) in Japan, are a group of three Mavericks formed to counter the Maverick Hunters and destroy X, who serve as the main antagonists of Mega Man X2. Its members are Violen (バイオレン, Baioren), the muscle and enforcer, Serges, known as Sagesse (サーゲス, Sāgesu) in Japan, the brains and scientist, and Agile (アジール, Ajīru), the speed and military strategist. They are among the few remaining followers in the Maverick rebellion and led a rebellion of their own after Sigma's death and took over the North Pole. They were also in possession of Zero's parts, which was part of their Unification Plan to rebuild him as a Maverick, and challenge X in a duel for the parts after some of their Mavericks are defeated. Each member is found in a secret area of a stage and will move to another stage. After X defeats them and recovers the three parts, he has a final battle with them at their lair and destroys them, eventually confronting a newly revived Sigma.

Dr. Doppler

Dr. Doppler (Ｄｒ．ドップラー, Doppurā) is the main antagonist of Mega Man X3. He is a Reploid researcher who was friends with Dr. Cain and supposedly discovered a cure for Maverick Reploids, founding a city, Dopple Town, in honor of it. When the supposedly cured reploids began causing riots in Dopple Town, the Maverick Hunters held Doppler accountable. After X and Zero defeas him, Doppler reveals that the viral form of Sigma corrupted him and ordered him to create a new body for him. Eventually, Zero learns that Dr. Doppler has the true antivirus and applies it to his Z-Saber to finish off Sigma and allow him and X himself to escape from Doppler's exploding laboratory. Alternatively, if Zero is injured, Dr. Doppler uses his body as the true antivirus and sacrifices himself.

Nightmare Police

The Nightmare Police (ナイトメアポリス, Naitomea Porisu) is a duo of Reploids who Dr. Doppler enlisted as law enforcement in Dopple Town to protect it before the uprising and joining his army, consisting of Bit, known as Vajurila FF (ヴァジュリーラＦＦ, Vajurīra FF) in Japan, the faster of the two, and Byte, known as Mandarela BB (マンダレーラＢＢ, Mandarēra BB) in Japan, the stronger of the two. They are found and fought in the eight stages of Mega Man X3, where Doppler sends them to destroy X and Zero. If at least one of them is defeated but not destroyed, they combine to form Godkarmachine O Inary (ゴッドカルマシーン・Ｏ・イナリー, Goddokarumashīn O Inarī) in the first stage of Doppler's fortress, which is an upgrade received from Doppler after their first defeat.

Double

Double (ダブル, Daburu) is a supporting character in Mega Man X4. He befriends X during his mission and acts as his mission operator, but as X heads to the Final Weapon, Double reveals his true purpose as a spy Sigma sent to infiltrate the Maverick Hunters and unveils his true personality as a combat-loving sadist, cruelly taunting X about his naivety when defeated. After defeating some Maverick Hunters in their headquarters, Double pursues X inside the Final Weapon and reveals his true form to him, causing X to realize he was betrayed and confront and destroy him in combat.

Techno

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Shadow Hunters

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Dynamo

Dynamo (ダイナモ, Dainamo), introduced in Mega Man X5 and later recurring in Mega Man X6 as an optional boss, is a Reploid mercenary working for Sigma.

Soul Erasers

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Gate

Gate (ゲイト, Geito) is the main antagonist of Mega Man X6. He is a researcher who formerly worked with Alia and possessed knowledge far ahead of his peers. He was eventually exiled from the research community when his colleagues, including Alia, conspired to destroy his Reploids out of fear for their power and inability to be analyzed. Following the crash of Eurasia, Gate discovered a piece of Zero's DNA and became infected by traces of the Maverick virus within it. Obsessed with building his own utopia for only the most supreme Reploids, Gate created the Nightmare Virus and the Zero Nightmare, a clone of Zero, to instill fear in the population, then revived his Reploids as the "Nightmare Investigators", supposedly to protect them, but in reality to lead them to their deaths.

Isoc

Isoc is Gate's chief assistant, who appears in Mega Man X6. He is first seen giving a rousing speech to the Reploids and recruiting them as Nightmare Investigators. His true goal is to observe the effects of the Nightmare Virus and report them to Gate for further refinements. Isoc also shows an obsession with Zero, claiming that he knows everything about him.

High Max

High Max, known as HI-MAX (ハイマックス, Hai Makkusu) in Japan, is an antagonist in Mega Man X6. He was created by Gate as the ultimate Reploid, using DNA taken from Zero to make him powerful and resistant to damage. As the leader of the Nightmare Investigators, High Max is assigned with seeking out and destroying the Zero Nightmare as part of Gate's farce to lead the "low-grade" Reploids to their deaths.

Red

Voiced by (English): Barry Gjerde^[48]
Voiced by (Japanese): Akio Ōtsuka^[48]

Red appears in Mega Man X7 as the main antagonist and the leader of Red Alert, an anti-Maverick mercenary group that rose to prominence in place of the Maverick Hunters. He adopted and trained Axl, who looked up to him as a father figure. After Red met with Sigma. who claimed that he could increase his power, he began acting unusual. Soon after, Axl fled for his life, ultimately seeking asylum with the Maverick Hunters.

Epsilon

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Rebellion Army

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Colonel Redips

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Lumine

Voiced by (English): Elinor Holt^[1]
Voiced by (Japanese): Junko Noda^[1]

Lumine is the main antagonist of Mega Man X8. He is a new generation Reploid that can transform into other Reploids. At the beginning of X8, Lumine is introduced as the director of the Jakob project. He is soon kidnapped by Vile due to his knowledge of the elevator. After defeating Sigma on normal or hard mode, Lumine is revealed to have been manipulating a weakened Sigma and is carrying out his plans. He goes on to claim that this was Sigma's final death and that he would be unable to return.

Maverick Bosses

Lan Hikari

Lan Hikari (光 熱斗, Hikari Netto), is a fifth-grade student who has a strong bond with his NetNavi, MegaMan. He is the son of Yuichiro Hikari and Haruka Hikari and the grandson of Tadashi Hikari. He had a twin brother, Hub Hikari, who died when they were young, and it is later revealed that MegaMan.EXE is Hub reincarnated as data. MegaMan.EXE has a .1% modified difference in his DNA to prevent a connection between the two, but it is eventually erased, causing them to become synchronized.

He is voiced by Alex Doduk and Brad Swaile^[60][61][62] in the English version of the anime, Mark Gatha in the English version of Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS^[63] and Kumiko Higa in Japanese.^[64]

Lan is a carefree boy who seeks adventure and fun and can be rash at times, but is also quick to notice small details and think calmly during situations. He frequently NetBattles, and is known to be dense about things unrelated to the Net. Despite his seemingly carefree attitude, Lan is always quick to do the right thing. He is talented on inline skates and commonly decorates his room with soccer-related things.

MegaMan.EXE

MegaMan.EXE (ロックマン.EXE, Rokkuman.Eguze, Rockman.EXE in Japanese) is the main protagonist of the series. He is a NetNavi and very close to his operator, Lan, and it is later revealed that he is Hub Hikari (光彩斗, Hikari Saito), Lan's twin brother, reincarnated as data. Hub died in infancy from a rare heart disease, but their father, Yuichiro, used his DNA in a project to create the perfect NetNavi. In the anime, he is instead Lan's close friend. He later gains the ability to be in the real world using a "CopyBot" as a body.

He is voiced by Andrew Francis^[60][61][62] in the English version of the anime, Jeffrey Watson in the English version of Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS^[63] and Akiko Kimura in Japanese.^[64]

Mayl Sakurai

Mayl Sakurai (桜井 メイル, Sakurai Meiru), known as Maylu Sakurai in the English anime and manga, Lan's classmate and close friend and the operator of Roll.EXE (ロール, Rōru). They are next-door neighbors and often seen as a couple, though Lan is clueless towards her affections. Mega Man Battle Network 6's post-credits scene reveals that Lan and Mayl eventually married and had a child they named "Patch" ("Raito"). Mayl, being the more mature and intelligent of the two, often beats some sense into Lan when he gets himself into trouble. In Mega Man Battle Network 5, it is revealed in a Visionburst 11 years in the past that Mayl's father is Netopian, making her at least half Netopian.

She is voiced by Brittney Wilson^[62] in the English anime and by Kaori Mizuhashi in the Japanese anime.

Roll.EXE

Roll.EXE is the main female NetNavi of the series, who often assists Mega Man in the games and the anime. In Battle Network 4: Red Sun, she and Mega Man battle during the Eagle Tournament. Her combat abilities include Roll Flash, where she uses her antenna to whip the enemy, and Roll Arrow, which is capable of breaking loaded BattleChips; in the anime, she also uses Roll Blast, where she fires heart-shaped projectiles. She is based on Roll from the classic series.

She is voiced by Lenore Zann and Sharon Alexander^[62] in the English anime and by Masako Jō in the Japanese anime.

Dex Oyama

Dex Oyama (大山 デカオ, Ōyama Dekao), known as Dex Ogreon in the English anime and manga, is Lan's classmate and friend and the operator of GutsMan.EXE (ガッツマン, Gattsuman), who is often portrayed as a bully with a soft spot. He has a younger brother named Chisao, who is seen infrequently in Battle Network, and a recurring character in the anime. In the anime, Dex later gives up NetBattling to focus on his new career as a curry chef.

He is voiced by Tony Sampson^[62] in the English anime.

GutsMan.EXE

GutsMan.EXE is a Navi who believes that he and his operator are the greatest NetBattlers in the world. GutsMan.EXE is also shown to have a huge crush on Roll in the anime, mirroring Dex's feelings for Maylu. He is based on Guts Man from the classic series.

He is voiced by Scott McNeil in English.^[62]

Yai Ayanokoji

Yai Ayanokoji (綾小路 やいと, Ayanokōji Yaito). known as Yai Ayano in the English anime and manga, is Lan's classmate and friend and the operator of Glide.EXE (グライド, Guraido). She is younger than the other main characters, as she skipped grades due to her intelligence, and, in the anime, operates out of her father's company, AyanoTech (Gabcom). In the anime, and sometimes the games, she secretly adores Chaud after he helped guide her out of a stuck elevator.

She is voiced by Jocelyne Loewen in English.

Glide.EXE

Glide.EXE, also known as Glyde in the first game, is a jet-themed cyber-butler armed with rare and powerful chips to defend himself. He is based on Glyde of the Mega Man Legends series.

Glide.EXE is voiced by Ted Cole in English.^[62]

Eugene Chaud

Eugene Chaud (伊集院　炎山, Ijūin Enzan), known as Chaud Blaze in the English anime and manga, is the son of IPC's (BlazeQuest in English) president, and the operator and creator of ProtoMan.EXE, known in Japan as Blues.EXE (ブルース.EXE, Burūsu.Eguze). Aside from the introduction he gives in the first game, he is exclusively referred to by his surname, Chaud. His mother died when he was young, and he was forced into becoming the vice-president of his father's corporation, a position which contributed to his initial cold attitude towards Lan. Over time, he gains more respect for Lan and begins to open up to others, but maintains his serious outlook during battle. In the games, he is an Official NetBattler who meets Lan while investigating a water shortage that WWW caused. He is introduced as a ruthless operator who takes his job seriously and will delete any Navis who get in the way, and despite originally seeing Lan as a pest, they slowly became friends.

Chaud is voiced by Bill Switzer and Scott Perrie in English.^[62]

ProtoMan.EXE or Blues.EXE

ProtoMan.EXE is based on Proto Man from the classic series.

In the anime, he is voiced by David Kaye^[62] in English, and Masaya Matsukaze in Japanese.

WWW (World Three)

An organization Lord Wily formed to take over the real world and cyberworld, which Lan Hikari and MegaMan.EXE oppose. Initially trying to conquer the internet through the Life Virus (Dream Virus), Wily is forced to disband WWW's members and go into hiding after Lan and MegaMan.EXE foil his plans.

NetMafia Gospel

Gospel (ゴスペル, Gosuperu) is a NetMafia organization led by the mysterious Boss Gospel (ゴスペル首領, Gosperu Shuryō) and a wolf-like monstrosity called Gospel which they unleashed. In Battle Network 2, Gospel was created from a collection of bugs in various programs, while in the anime, Gospel and Bass were created from the remnants of PharaohMan. Gospel and the Cybeast Gregar are similar in appearance because they were both born from a fusion of bugs. In English, Boss Gospel is known as Kid Grave, the organization is known as Grave, and the beast is known as the Grave Virus Beast.

Nebula

DarkChip Syndicate Nebula is the antagonist of Mega Man Battle Network 4 and Mega Man Battle Network 5. It is unique in that, aside from Dr. Regal, and Ms. Yuri in the anime, no named human operators are shown to be involved with it.

Duo.EXE

Duo (デューオ, Dyūo) is a mysterious being from outer space, who in Mega Man Battle Network 4 and Rockman EXE Stream seeks to "cleanse" Earth of evil.

In the games, Duo is the operating system of an asteroid set to destroy Earth. He was attracted to Earth by the spread of Dark Chips, which Nebula had instigated. After Dr. Regal sabotages NAXA's attempts to divert the asteroid, he sends LaserMan in an attempt to control it, but MegaMan deletes him. Duo then appears before MegaMan and, after forcing him to fight his dark soul, engages him in battle. MegaMan destroys Duo's battle body and, using the energy of humans worldwide, changes the asteroid's course. Before MegaMan leaves, Duo warns that he will one day return again.

In the anime, he is a god-like entity created by an alien race. Fifteen years prior to Stream, he visited Earth and rescued Dr. Regal and Ms. Yuri from a plane crash, turning them into probes. He returns after seeing the violence Regal caused, but decides to spare humankind if it proves its worth. He is voiced by Kenji Nomura.

Duo possesses several abilities, many of which manifest in the form of space-age weaponry. His fists can detach and fire through rocket propulsion to strike his enemies. His chest cavity contains explosive artillery, including mines or missiles, which can be fired either directly or as homing projectiles; the cavity can also compress in on itself to release a laser beam. His most powerful technique is Anger Impact, where he releases a wave of energy resembling his face. In the anime, Duo also possesses the ability to separate Navis and operators from Cross Fusion, allowing them to take on physical bodies while in his asteroid.

Cybeasts

The Cybeasts are cyber beasts that appear in Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Gregar/Cybeast Falzar, which Mayor Cain's grandfather created. Lord Wily seeks to obtain the legendary beasts to wreak havoc on both Cyberworld and the real world. Their roles in the story depend on the game version: the titular Cybeast is absorbed by MegaMan.EXE and later destroyed by him, while the opposite Cybeast is absorbed by CircusMan.EXE and is ultimately deleted by Colonel and Iris. In the anime, Gregar and Falzar each lead an army of Zoanoroids.

Bass.EXE

Bass, known as Forte (フォルテ, Forute) in Japan, was intended to be the first fully autonomous NetNavi, completely independent of an operator. Bass was falsely blamed for causing problems in the original internet, and the SciLab Elite Corps nearly killed him. Dr. Cossack, his creator and the only human he trusted, was arrested before he could get Bass to safety, leading Bass to believe he had betrayed him and causing him to harbor hatred toward humanity..

In Battle Network 2, Sean Obihiro of Gospel attempts to make an army of Bass copies, eventually leading to the accidental creation of the Gospel Megavirus. In the game's ending, Bass is shown deleting a clone while swearing revenge upon humanity. Bass returns to fulfill this promise in Battle Network 3, where he assists Wily in using Alpha to destroy network society; however, he and Wily are later swallowed by Alpha. However, the remains of the Gospel Megavirus save him and fuse with him. He is later confronted by MegaMan in the secret area and defeated. It is revealed that he has amnesia, but Megaman reminds him of his creator, Cossack, and he leaves in confusion.

In Battle Network 4, Bass is found deep in the Undernet hibernating as a statue, and reawakens upon meeting Megaman. After being defeated, he retreats and vows to become stronger. In Battle Network 5, a post-game boss created through dark power takes on his likeness, but he can also be fought. When defeated, he leaves of his own volition; this trend continues until Battle Network 6. There, Bass is confronted in his gravestone in the Undernet and several times afterwards. The final confrontation with Bass is him at his most powerful, having absorbed the power of a Cybeast into his body. After being defeated, he drifts away into the net and is available as a random encounter in the Graveyard area.

In the anime, Wily created Bass from PharaohMan's data, coming into existence from PharaohMan's leftover data that Wily did not use to make Gospel. While Gospel contains PharaohMan's ultimate program, Bass is the reincarnation of PharaohMan's soul but without memories, which were used in making Gospel, though he later regains his memories after reading Megaman's memories. He is voiced by Matt Hill in English.

In the manga, Bass has a more violent personality and is known as the 'Black Shadow', the strongest Net Navi in the Undernet. As well, he is depicted as having a deeper rivalry with MegaMan.

Recurring