Mega Man 2017
Today, Capcom announced plans for a new Mega Man animated series.
Dentsu handpicked Man Of Action Entertainment, creators of Ben 10 and Generator Rex, to create, write and executive produce the all-new **Mega Man **animated series. Disney/Marvel’s Academy Award®-winning feature Big Hero 6 utilized the characters and team created by Man of Action, the bi-coastal creative studio and writers’ collective formed by creators and acclaimed comic book writers Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau and Steven T. Seagle. Marvel called upon Man of Action to produce and write Ultimate Spider-Man and Marvel’s Avengers Assemble for their successful launches on Disney XD. The new **Mega Man **series has a target air date of 2017, coinciding with the franchise’s 30th anniversary.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to introduce an all-new Mega Man to loyal fans and kids,” said Kinoshita, commenting on the deal. “Having a celebrated character from Japan reimagined by Man Of Action is the ideal project for Dentsu Entertainment USA.”
I’m trepidatious.
The original Mega Man sprite epitomizes not only onscreen character design, but humanized robot design. A user controlled robot with the face of a boy; a face begging for life. And so, he blinks.
He recycles programmed movements when he jumps or takes damage. Nothing more. Nothing less. He doesn’t pretend to become tired or irritated at the player. Why would he? He is a killing machine, awaiting commands from his user.
That’s why, during the nearly perfect Super Smash Bros. Mega Man trailer, the magic of Mega Man breaks down between 0:44 and 0:47. He stops. He breathes. He shows emotion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmCVzjGVFy4
It’s not that I worry about the new Mega Man animated series. I will always have the original Mega Man sprite. It’s that I hope that Man Of Action Entertainment will be able to pull off not only a loveable character, but a loveable robot.
Hats off to Baymax. Let that be the seed for the return of the Blue Bomber.