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Difference between revisions of "Canon"

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==[[Classic era]]==
==[[Classic era]]==
* All numbered video games (''[[Mega Man 1|Mega Man]]'' to ''[[Mega Man 11]]'') are '''canon'''.
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
* The Special Stages of ''[[Mega Man 10]]'' are '''canon'''. They take place as [[Mega Man (Classic era)|Mega Man]] escapes [[Dr. Wily]]'s castle after the main story.<ref>Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, [https://imgur.com/a/5FBnwqv Page 364].</ref>
! Media !! Status !! Notes
* ''[[Mega Man Soccer]]'' is '''canon'''. It is set after ''Mega Man 4'',<ref>Mega Man: Official Complete Works, [https://imgur.com/a/sDCUef8 Page 119]</ref> and a stated trait of Mega Man is that he likes playing soccer.<ref>Mega Man Powered Up Manual, [https://static.capcom.com/megaman/manuals/PSP_MMPU_Manual.pdf Page 7]. Capcom, 2006.</ref>
|-
* ''[[Mega Man & Bass]]'' is '''canon'''. It is set after ''Mega Man 8'',<ref>[https://hondoori.wordpress.com/2017/03/03/rockman-forte-instruction-booklet/ Rockman & Forte Instruction Booklet], Page 2. Capcom, 1998. '''Translation:''' "There has been confirmed news of Dr. Wily (57), who has been missing since he was caught in the explosion of his base following his defeat against Rockman! What’s more, it has been discovered by our company’s investigations that he is in the midst of building a new castle to realize his aspirations of world domination!"</ref> and is directly referenced as an event in ''Mega Man 9''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydSl55Ee1xQ&t=4600s Mega Man 9]</ref> During development, the game was internally referred to as ''Rockman 8.5''.<ref>[https://themechanicalmaniacs.com/articles/mmmcmysteries.php The Mechanical Maniacs: Misc. Classic Mega Man Mysteries]</ref>
| Main video games (''[[Mega Man 1|Mega Man]]'' to ''[[Mega Man 11]]'') || '''Canon''' ||
* All Gameboy series games (''[[Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge]]'' to ''[[Mega Man V]]'') are '''canon'''. The ''[[Kodansha Manga Hyakka|Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan]]'' establishes their places in the main timeline.<ref>Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan, [https://imgur.com/a/tC6e7Bb Page 113-116]</ref> The book also includes the Mega Arm on a page describing the evolution of the Mega Buster and how it either has been upgraded or gained new powers as time passed.<ref>Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan, [https://imgur.com/a/DJHi36S Pages 42-43]. [https://kobun20.interordi.com/2011/04/27/reminiscin-bout-rockmans-reference-books/#:~:text=The%20Evolution%20of%20the%20ROCK%20BUSTER Translation]</ref> The cast of all five games are included in the [[Data Base (Mega Man & Bass)|Data Base]] in ''Mega Man & Bass'' and the ''[[Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide]]'', along with it being stated that Dr. Wily based [[Slash Man]]'s design on [[Pluto]].<ref>''Mega Man & Bass'' 2003. [https://imgur.com/a/XZblBQs '''Database:''' Pluto: A battle robot designed for jungle combat. Slash Man is designed after him.]</ref><ref>''Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter's Field Guide'', Page 82. UDON Entertainment, 2021. "[https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-robot-master-field-guide-pluto-PJHxpZ6 With speedy reflexes and a cat-like appearance, the Stardroid Pluto is quick on his feet, and was created to work and fight in jungle-like environments. This proficiency would later lead him to being used as a model for the Robot Master Slash Man.]"</ref> The [[Mega Man Killers]] also return in ''Mega Man 10'' as bosses of the Special Stages, and [[Tango]] appears in the shop while playing as [[Proto Man]].<ref>''Mega Man 10'', 2010. [https://imgur.com/a/Nzkc6X9 Proto Man Shop]</ref> Lastly, [[Enker]] also reappears in ''Mega Man Soccer'' as an opponent to Mega Man.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVrqLDESpG4&t=32s Mega Man Soccer], 1994.</ref>
* The main games of the series are definitely canon.
* The [[Wily Tower]] from ''[[Mega Man: The Wily Wars]]'' is '''canon'''. The members of the [[Genesis Unit]] are all included in the ''Mega Man & Bass'' Data Base and the ''Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide''.
|-
* ''[[Mega Man Powered Up]]'' is '''canon'''. The plot of Old Style does not contradict the original ''Mega Man'' at all. New Style seems to complicate this with two new Robot Masters: [[Time Man]] and [[Oil Man]]. However, the original ''Mega Man'' was initially intended to have eight Robot Masters before two were cut during development,<ref>''Mega Man'' Game Design Document. Capcom Town. 2023. [https://captown.capcom.com/en/museums/megaman/7#doc1 (link)]</ref> and [[Keiji Inafune]] has expressed that ''Powered Up'' is closer to the game's intended vision.<ref name="GameSpy">"Mega Man on PSP -- Keiji Inafune and Tatsuya Kitabayashi Interview". Phil Theobald, GameSpy. 2005. [http://ps2.gamespy.com/articles/651/651835p1.html (archived)]</ref> Furthermore, the new Robot Masters have been referenced in works such as the ''Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide''. The guide notes that Dr. Wily sees [[Flash Man]] as a masterpiece because he can stop time while Dr. Light's [[Time Man]] can only slow time;<ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/lek86u1 Page 43]</ref> this is consistent with how Wily used the first Robot Masters to inspire the ''Mega Man 2'' Robot Masters. This all suggests that Time Man and Oil Man are canon. However, only Mega Man's version of the story is canon, and the other playable characters are only what-if scenarios.
| Gameboy series games (''[[Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge]]'' to ''[[Mega Man V]]'') || '''Canon''' ||
* ''[[Mega Man: Battle & Chase]]'' is '''canon'''. The ''Mega Man & Bass'' [[Data Base (Mega Man & Bass)|Data Base]] references [[Napalm Man]]'s ending where he builds a museum.<ref>''Mega Man: Battle and Chase'', 1997. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGROMVnuozI&t=3054s Napalmman built the weapon museum with his earnings. But on the opening day, tragedy happened. One of the kids who was visiting the place said, "This museum is boring." Napalmman got mad when he heard that and...]"</ref> This game is also referenced on the pages of [[Napalm Man]], [[Spring Man]], [[Quick Man]], and [[Duo]] in the ''Robot Master Field Guide''.<ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/pMiqwMx Page 73].</ref><ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/zGEHuXw Page 103].</ref><ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/67krLja 86].</ref><ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/R9aNJdB Page 34].</ref> Lastly, it is grouped together with ''[[Mega Man Soccer]]'' in books such as ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works'' and ''Rockman Perfect Memories''.<ref>Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, Pages 119-120</ref><ref>Rockman Perfect Memories, [https://imgur.com/a/EXoQTdQ Pages 109-110].</ref>
* The ''[[Kodansha Manga Hyakka|Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan]]'' establishes each game's respective place in the [[timeline]].<ref>Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan, [https://imgur.com/a/tC6e7Bb Page 113-116]</ref> It also lists the [[Mega Arm]] as an evolution of the Mega Buster.<ref>Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan, [https://imgur.com/a/DJHi36S Pages 42-43]. [https://kobun20.interordi.com/2011/04/27/reminiscin-bout-rockmans-reference-books/#:~:text=The%20Evolution%20of%20the%20ROCK%20BUSTER Translation]</ref>
* ''[[Rockman VR: A Targeted Virtual World!!]]'' is '''canon'''. It takes place after ''Mega Man 11'',<ref>''Rockman VR: A Targeted Virtual World!!'', 2020.'''Roll:''' "[https://imgur.com/a/rockman-vr-cutscene-image-SkGS719 These VR goggles also feature the Speed Gear function like what you used in the past]."</ref> in a virtual reality hacked by Dr. Wily.<ref>''Rockman VR: A Targeted Virtual World!!'', 2020. '''Dr: Light:''' [https://imgur.com/a/XcV8TP3 "Our virtual training room has already been hacked and is occupied by Wily's robots."]</ref><ref>プラザカプコン池袋「ロックマンVR 狙われたバーチャルワールド!!」先行体験 弾をかわし、敵を撃ち抜くアクションが快感, [https://www.rockman-corner.com/2020/07/rockman-vr-announced-arcade-virtual.html#:~:text=A%20peaceful%20VR%20world%20where%20everyone%20was%20having%20fun....%20and%20Dr.%20Wily%20is%20planning%20to%20hack%20and%20conquer%20it!%20Oh%2C%20Rockman%2C%20put%20on%20the%20VR%20goggles%20developed%20by%20Dr.%20Right%20and%20enter%20the%20VR%20world%20to%20stop%20Dr.%20Wily%27s%20ambitions! '''Story Translation:''' "A peaceful VR world where everyone was having fun.... and Dr. Wily is planning to hack and conquer it! Oh, Rockman, put on the VR goggles developed by Dr. Right and enter the VR world to stop Dr. Wily's ambitions!"]</ref>
* The cast of all five games are included in the [[Data Base (Mega Man & Bass)|Data Base]] in ''Mega Man & Bass'', along with it being stated that [[Dr. Wily]] based [[Slash Man]]'s design on [[Pluto]].<ref>''Mega Man & Bass'' 2003. [https://imgur.com/a/XZblBQs '''Database:''' Pluto: A battle robot designed for jungle combat. Slash Man is designed after him.]</ref> The ''[[Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide]]'' also includes this info.<ref>''Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide'', Page 82. UDON Entertainment, 2021. "[https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-robot-master-field-guide-pluto-PJHxpZ6 With speedy reflexes and a cat-like appearance, the Stardroid Pluto is quick on his feet, and was created to work and fight in jungle-like environments. This proficiency would later lead him to being used as a model for the Robot Master Slash Man.]"</ref>
* ''[[Wily & Right's RockBoard: That's Paradise]]'' is '''canon'''. [[Reggae]] has appeared in later games such as ''Mega Man 7'' and ''10'', and is included in the ''Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan'' and the ''Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide''.
* [[Enker]] appears in ''Mega Man Soccer''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVrqLDESpG4&t=32s Mega Man Soccer], 1994.</ref>
* ''[[Super Adventure Rockman]]'' is '''canon''' to an extent. The game is acknowledged in ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works''.<ref name="Flynn" group="note">[[Ian Flynn]], writer of the [[Mega Man (Archie Comics)|Archie ''Mega Man'' comics]], wrote in a [http://web.archive.org/web/20150425145613/https://www.bumbleking.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7636#p401847 post] on his forums that he was instructed by Capcom USA to avoid using material from ''Super Adventure Rockman'', ''Rockman & Forte: Challengers from the Future'', ''Rockman Strategy'', ''Mega Man'' (DOS), ''Mega Man 3'' (DOS), or ''Rockman no Huángjīn Dìguó'' when writing the comics. Flynn described these six titles as "non-canon", but this statement's authority is debatable regarding the games that were developed by Capcom of Japan. Thus, the post will not be treated as a fully authoritative source until supporting evidence is presented by Capcom of Japan.</ref>
* The [[Mega Man Killers]] and [[Tango]] appear in ''Mega Man 10''.<ref>''Mega Man 10'', 2010. [https://imgur.com/a/Nzkc6X9 Proto Man Shop]</ref>
* ''[[Rockman & Forte: Challengers from the Future]]'' is '''canon''' to an extent. The game is briefly acknowledged in ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works'' and referenced in both ''Mega Man ZX'' and ''Mega Man ZX Advent''.<ref name="Flynn" group="note"/>
|-
* The DOS games (''[[Mega Man (DOS)|Mega Man]]'' and [[Mega Man 3 (DOS)|''Mega Man 3: The Robots are Revolting'']]) are '''non-canon'''. ''Mega Man'' was developed by [[Stephen Rozner]] as a side project while working at Capcom, which eventually got published. ''Mega Man 3'' was originally developed by Rozner as a different game called ''Eco-Man'', before being rebranded as a ''Mega Man'' game.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwt5yWJqCzU "The Story of Mega Man on DOS"]. Gaming Historian. 2020.</ref> Neither games were released in Japan, and they are excluded from game lists such as the ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works''.<ref name="Flynn" group="note"/>
| ''[[Wily & Right's RockBoard: That's Paradise]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* ''[[Rockman Strategy]]'' is '''non-canon'''. It is a licensed game made by [[Dream Come True]], and was never released outside Taiwan. It is excluded from game lists such as the ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works''.<ref name="Flynn" group="note"/>
* [[Reggae]] has appeared in later games such as ''Mega Man 7'' and ''10'', and is included in the ''Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan'' and the ''Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide''.
* ''[[Rockman no Huángjīn Dìguó]]'' is '''non-canon'''. It is a licensed game made by [[Strawberry Software]], and was never released outside Taiwan. It is excluded from game lists such as the ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works''.<ref name="Flynn" group="note"/>
|-
* [[Mega Man (Game Gear)|''Mega Man'' on Game Gear]] appears to be '''non-canon''', as it was never released in Japan.
| ''[[Mega Man: The Wily Wars]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* The members of the [[Genesis Unit]] from the [[Wily Tower]] are included in the ''Mega Man & Bass'' Data Base and the ''Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide''. The rest of the game is just remakes of the first three games.
|-
| ''[[Mega Man Soccer]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Set after ''Mega Man 4''.<ref>Mega Man: Official Complete Works, [https://imgur.com/a/sDCUef8 Page 119]</ref>
* A stated trait of Mega Man is that he enjoys playing soccer.<ref>Mega Man Powered Up Manual, [https://static.capcom.com/megaman/manuals/PSP_MMPU_Manual.pdf Page 7]. Capcom, 2006.</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mega Man: The Power Battle]]'' and ''[[Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Referenced in the ''Robot Master Field Guide'' and ''Super Adventure Rockman''.
* [[Teruaki Hirokado]] stated that Capcom designed these games as if they were set in a parallel world, noting that this decision was made to avoid constraining future games, such as introducing [[Duo]] before the release of ''[[Mega Man 8]]''.<ref name="CFC1">[http://kobun20.interordi.com/2011/03/07/ultimate-justice-on-parallel-earths/ "Ultimate Justice on Parallel Earths"]. The Reploid Research Lavatory. March 2011.</ref> Similar phrasing was used by Keiji Inafune regarding ''Mega Man & Bass'', which later turned out to be canon too.
|-
| ''[[Mega Man & Bass]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Set after ''Mega Man 8''.<ref>[https://hondoori.wordpress.com/2017/03/03/rockman-forte-instruction-booklet/ Rockman & Forte Instruction Booklet], Page 2. Capcom, 1998. '''Translation:''' "There has been confirmed news of Dr. Wily (57), who has been missing since he was caught in the explosion of his base following his defeat against Rockman! What’s more, it has been discovered by our company’s investigations that he is in the midst of building a new castle to realize his aspirations of world domination!"</ref>
* Directly referenced in the ending of ''Mega Man 9''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydSl55Ee1xQ&t=4600s Mega Man 9]</ref>
* During development, the game was internally referred to as ''Rockman 8.5''.<ref>[https://themechanicalmaniacs.com/articles/mmmcmysteries.php The Mechanical Maniacs: Misc. Classic Mega Man Mysteries]</ref>
* Keiji Inafune once claimed that the game is set in a parallel world to ''Mega Man 9''.<ref>[https://www.rockman-corner.com/2008/09/inafune-talks-future-x-series-titles.html "Inafune Talks Future X Series Titles, RM9 Continuity". ProtoDude's Rockman Corner. September 2008.] </ref> This statement was only so that the game's plot wouldn't constrain future titles (as ''Mega Man 9'' was not in development at the time), and ''Mega Man & Bass'' has since been proven to be canon and not a parallel world.
|-
| ''[[Super Adventure Rockman]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Included with the canon games in ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works'' and ''Rockman Perfect Memories''.<ref>Rockman Perfect Memories, Page 107</ref>
* Referenced in the ''Robot Master Field Guide'', which mentions when [[Shadow Man]] stabbed [[Quick Man]].<ref>''Mega Man: Robot Master Field Guide - Updated Edition'', [https://imgur.com/a/oXezm6O Page 101].</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmRXBnNRS5g&t=79s Super Adventure Rockman]</ref>
* Despite Keiji Inafune not being fond of the game,<ref>Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works, [https://imgur.com/a/Z3FgUzP Page 125].</ref> he still treats it as part of the franchise and has never dismissed it as non-canon when discussing the Classic era.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040415030025/http://www.planet-megaman.com/visualmedia/interview/interview.txt Keiji Inafune Interview E3 2003], '''Sean:''' A good deal of characters in Rockman come from space, like the Space Rulers from Rockman World 5, Ra Moon from Super Adventure Rockman, and Duo and the Evil Energy from Rockman 8. Is there any background you might be able to give on these characters? '''Keiji:''' Actually I wish there was an extremely deep story for the reason why there are so many characters that come from space, but there really isn't. It's merely an action game, and the story doesn't run that deep. There is one character that does have quite a background story concerning why he's in space, and that's the character Duo. That character is actually a space police member and he chases one of his enemies down to Earth. That's why he is actually in space.</ref>
* The forum post by [[Ian Flynn]] claiming otherwise is not authoritative.<ref name="Flynn" group="note">[[Ian Flynn]], writer of the [[Mega Man (Archie Comics)|Archie ''Mega Man'' comics]], wrote in a [http://web.archive.org/web/20150425145613/https://www.bumbleking.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7636#p401847 forum post] that he was instructed by Capcom USA to avoid using material from ''Super Adventure Rockman'', ''Rockman & Forte: Challengers from the Future'', ''Rockman Strategy'', ''Mega Man'' (DOS), ''Mega Man 3'' (DOS), or ''Rockman no Huángjīn Dìguó'' when writing the comics. Flynn described these six titles as "non-canon", but this statement's authority is unreliable regarding the games that were developed or released only in Japan. The statement is also contradicted by Capcom of Japan allowing ''Mega Man ZX Advent'' to reference ''Rockman & Forte: Challengers from the Future'', Keiji Inafune recognizing ''Super Adventure Rockman'' as part of the Classic era, and the ''Robot Master Field Guide'' referencing the events of ''Super Adventure Rockman''. Thus, Flynn's forum post will not be treated as a fully authoritative source unless supporting evidence is presented by Capcom of Japan.</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mega Man: Battle & Chase]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* [[Napalm Man]]'s ending is referenced in the ''Mega Man & Bass'' [[Data Base (Mega Man & Bass)|Data Base]].<ref>''Mega Man: Battle and Chase'', 1997. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGROMVnuozI&t=3054s Napalmman built the weapon museum with his earnings. But on the opening day, tragedy happened. One of the kids who was visiting the place said, "This museum is boring." Napalmman got mad when he heard that and...]"</ref>
* Referenced in the ''Robot Master Field Guide'' on the pages of [[Napalm Man]], [[Spring Man]], [[Quick Man]], and [[Duo]].<ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/pMiqwMx Page 73].</ref><ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/zGEHuXw Page 103].</ref><ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/67krLja 86].</ref><ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/R9aNJdB Page 34].</ref>
* Grouped with ''[[Mega Man Soccer]]'' in lists such as ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works'' and ''Rockman Perfect Memories''.<ref>Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, Pages 119-120</ref><ref>Rockman Perfect Memories, [https://imgur.com/a/EXoQTdQ Pages 109-110].</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mega Man Powered Up]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Old Style does not contradict the original ''Mega Man'' at all.
* [[Time Man]] and [[Oil Man]] are new, but the original ''Mega Man'' was initially planned to have eight Robot Masters before two were cut during development,<ref>''Mega Man'' Game Design Document. Capcom Town. 2023. [https://captown.capcom.com/en/museums/megaman/7#doc1 (link)]</ref> and [[Keiji Inafune]] has expressed that ''Powered Up'' is closer to the game's intended vision.<ref name="GameSpy">"Mega Man on PSP -- Keiji Inafune and Tatsuya Kitabayashi Interview". Phil Theobald, GameSpy. 2005. [http://ps2.gamespy.com/articles/651/651835p1.html (archived)]</ref>
* Time Man and Oil Man are included in the ''Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide''. It notes that Dr. Wily sees [[Flash Man]] as a masterpiece because he can stop time whereas Dr. Light's [[Time Man]] can only slow time;<ref>Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/lek86u1 Page 43]</ref> this is consistent with how Wily used the first Robot Masters to inspire his Robot Masters in ''Mega Man 2''.
* Only Mega Man's story is canon; other playable characters are only what-if scenarios.
|-
| ''[[Mega Man 10]]'' Special Stage DLC || '''Canon''' ||
* Set directly after ''Mega Man 10'', as [[Mega Man (Classic era)|Mega Man]] escapes the [[Wily Castle]].<ref>Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, [https://imgur.com/a/5FBnwqv Page 364].</ref>
|-
| ''[[Rockman VR: A Targeted Virtual World!!]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Set after ''Mega Man 11'', in a virtual reality hacked by Dr. Wily.<ref>''Rockman VR: A Targeted Virtual World!!'', 2020. '''Roll:''' "[https://imgur.com/a/rockman-vr-cutscene-image-SkGS719 These VR goggles also feature the Speed Gear function like what you used in the past]."</ref><ref>''Rockman VR: A Targeted Virtual World!!'', 2020. '''Dr: Light:''' [https://imgur.com/a/XcV8TP3 "Our virtual training room has already been hacked and is occupied by Wily's robots."]</ref><ref>プラザカプコン池袋「ロックマンVR 狙われたバーチャルワールド!!」先行体験 弾をかわし、敵を撃ち抜くアクションが快感, [https://www.rockman-corner.com/2020/07/rockman-vr-announced-arcade-virtual.html#:~:text=A%20peaceful%20VR%20world%20where%20everyone%20was%20having%20fun....%20and%20Dr.%20Wily%20is%20planning%20to%20hack%20and%20conquer%20it!%20Oh%2C%20Rockman%2C%20put%20on%20the%20VR%20goggles%20developed%20by%20Dr.%20Right%20and%20enter%20the%20VR%20world%20to%20stop%20Dr.%20Wily%27s%20ambitions! '''Story Translation:''' "A peaceful VR world where everyone was having fun.... and Dr. Wily is planning to hack and conquer it! Oh, Rockman, put on the VR goggles developed by Dr. Right and enter the VR world to stop Dr. Wily's ambitions!"]</ref>
|-
| DOS games (''[[Mega Man (DOS)|Mega Man]]'' and [[Mega Man 3 (DOS)|''Mega Man 3: The Robots are Revolting'']]) || '''Non-canon''' ||
* ''Mega Man'' was developed by [[Stephen Rozner]] as a side project, and was published by Capcom USA on a whim. ''Mega Man 3'' was originally designed as a different game called ''Eco-Man'', before being rebranded as a ''Mega Man'' game.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwt5yWJqCzU "The Story of Mega Man on DOS"]. Gaming Historian. 2020.</ref>
* Neither games were released outside of the United States.
* Excluded from game lists, such as ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works''.
|-
| [[Strawberry Software]] games (''[[Rockman no Huángjīn Dìguó]]'' and ''[[Rockman IQ Xuànfēng]]'') || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Licensed games developed by [[Strawberry Software]], and only released in Taiwan.
* Excluded from game lists, such as ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works''.
|-
| ''[[Rockman Strategy]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Licensed game developed by [[Dream Come True]], and only released in Taiwan.
* Excluded from game lists, such as ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works''.
|-
| ''[[Mega Man (Game Gear)]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Licensed game developed by [[Freestyle]], and only released in the United States.
* Compilation of past levels with no story explanation (e.g. Cossack Citadel and Wily Castle stages are mixed).
* Excluded from game lists, such as ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works''.
|-
| ''[[Rockman Go Go!]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Licensed endless runner game developed by [[Jenoi]], and only released in South Korea.
* Excluded from game lists, such as ''Mega Man: Official Complete Works''.
|}


==[[X era]]==
==[[X era]]==
* All numbered video games (''[[Mega Man X]]'' to ''[[Mega Man X8]]'') are '''canon'''.
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
** However, the ending cutscene in ''[[Mega Man X6]]'' where {{XEraLink|Zero}} seals himself away has been moved as the final event in the era's timeline. The scene was intended as a bridge to the [[Zero era]]. Moving it allows for ''[[Mega Man X7]]'' and ''X8'' to occur, as both games are referenced as Zero's past in trailers for ''[[Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection]]'',<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvogIb4rkOg&t=97s Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection - "Red Hero"]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvogIb4rkOg&t=97s ゼロ”紅き英雄”に関する調査報告書 - 『ロックマン ゼロ&ゼクス ダブルヒーローコレクション』]</ref> and there is no evidence to suggest they are non-canon.
! Media !! Status !! Notes
* The ''Xtreme'' games (''[[Mega Man Xtreme]]'' and ''[[Mega Man Xtreme 2]]'') are '''canon'''. The ''[[Compendium of Rockman X]]'' establishes their places in the timeline.<ref>Compendium of Rockman X, [https://imgur.com/a/Ew8uc70 Page 7]. 2005.</ref> ''Xtreme 2'' is set before ''[[Mega Man X4]]'',<ref>Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, [https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-mega-man-x-official-complete-works-page-225-D55lykx Page 225]. '''Suetsugu:''' "[https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-mega-man-x-official-complete-works-page-225-D55lykx I was so happy that I got to draw Iris again! Since she had died in 'X4', and this title was supposed to be a prequel set in an earlier timeframe, I adjusted her design appropiately to reflect the shift in time. I thought perhaps she hadn't yet begun wearing her beret when she was still in training, and I also gave her a uniform a touch of a schoolgirl look to give her an overall more youthful appearance. Another little detail I incorporated into her design was to make her a little less 'physically developed' then she was in 'X4']."</ref> and the events of the Erasure incident are referenced in ''Mega Man X6''.<ref>''Mega Man X6'', 2001. '''Alia:''' "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPdYcfA8Uio&t=13691s ... X. Can you hear me? I found out... That's Isoc's body. It just broke down. Is he dead? ... This is similar to the Erasure Incident...]"</ref>
|-
* ''[[Mega Man Maverick Hunter X]]'' is '''canon'''. The game was originally intended as the first in a reboot of X era, which would have replaced the plot of the original games had more ''Maverick Hunter X'' games been released.<ref>"Editorial: Give Thanks For What You've Got..." Tim. The Mega Man Network. 2005. [http://web.archive.org/web/20060427034058/megaman.retrofaction.com/index.php?main=articles/editorials/editorial019 (archive)]</ref><ref name="GameSpy"/> However, nothing in X Mode majorly contradicts the plot of the original ''Mega Man X'', save for adding a {{MHXLink|Navigator}} and altering the events of the [[Sigma Palace]] stages. Conversely, the plot of Vile Mode is a strictly non-canon what-if scenario.
| Main video games (''[[Mega Man X]]'' to ''[[Mega Man X8]]'') || '''Canon''' ||
** The accompanying animation "[[The Day of Sigma]]" was included in the ''[[Mega Man X Legacy Collection]]'' as a prologue to ''Mega Man X''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usis7p46Vxs "Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 & 2 Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch"]. Nintendo. 2018.</ref> However, it contains a large contradiction regarding the fate of [[Dr. Cain]], which has yet to be officially addressed.
* The main games of the series are definitely canon.
* [[X Challenge]] from ''Mega Man X Legacy Collection'' is '''canon'''. It is set after ''Mega Man X6'', only featuring Mavericks from that game and prior.<ref>''Mega Man X Legacy Collection''. 2018. X Challenge Story: "[https://imgur.com/a/nMvoJDP There are countless Mavericks who've suffered defeat at your hands. Now, somehow they've reappeared and are causing havoc! Prepare yourself, X!]"</ref> Its events are acknowledged in the ''Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter's Field Guide'',<ref>Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter Field Guide, Pages 153. UDON Entertainment, 2021. "[https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-x-maverick-hunters-field-guide-page-153-OXq1fIv During a mysterious outbreak of resurrected Mavericks who had previously been defeated by X and Zero, X donned a weaker white version of this armor which functionally resembled the recreated Forth Armor]."</ref> and the [[Ultimate Armor|Ultimate Armor (Legacy)]] is described as an altered version of the one from ''X6''.<ref>[https://rockmanunity.blog.jp/archives/9189691.html Rockman Unity]. [https://www.reddit.com/r/translator/comments/1f6ibph/japaneseenglish_can_someone_translate_this_text/ Translation]: '''Matsuura:''' "The armor is unique to the X-Challenge mode. In fact, it's a new armor that has never been seen before, based on the Ultimate Armor series from 'Megaman X6', with (extra) customization and prototype features".</ref> Its plot does not contradict any other games of the era, fitting into the timeskip between ''X6'' and ''X7''.
* The ending cutscene in ''[[Mega Man X6]]'' where {{XEraLink|Zero}} seals himself away has been moved as the final event in the era's timeline. The scene was intended as a bridge to the [[Zero era]]. Moving it allows for ''[[Mega Man X7]]'' and ''X8'' to occur, as both games are referenced as Zero's past in trailers for ''[[Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection]]'',<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvogIb4rkOg&t=97s Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection - "Red Hero"]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvogIb4rkOg&t=97s ゼロ”紅き英雄”に関する調査報告書 - 『ロックマン ゼロ&ゼクス ダブルヒーローコレクション』]</ref> and there is no evidence to suggest they are non-canon.
* ''[[Mega Man X: Command Mission]]'' is '''non-canon'''. Set after ''[[Mega Man X7]]'' in the century 22XX,<ref>''Rockman X Command Mission Kyūkyoku Complete Guide''. Capcom. 2004.</ref> the game is part of an alternate timeline that occurs where the Zero series never happened.<ref>''Compendium of Rockman X''. Futabasha. 2005. Pg. 142.</ref><ref>''MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works''. UDON Entertainment. 2013. Pg. 406. [https://imgur.com/a/command-mission-isnt-canon-scan-1-uaBVzV5 Higurashi: "When I heard the timeframe was set in the year 22XX, I realized it was the same as the Zero series. That's why I added a few touches to give it a bit of a Zero flavor. Initially, I had some reservations about X's design changes, but I think it suits him quite well."]</ref><ref>''MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works''. UDON Entertainment. 2013. Pg. 430. [https://imgur.com/a/command-mission-isnt-canon-scan-2-jOXQjf9 Higurashi: '' "Command Mission'' is technically a spin-off, so even though it takes place in 22XX, it's not necessarily the same ''22XX'' during which the "Zero" series takes place. Still, we didn't want to cut it off completely just because it's a spin-off. Out goal was to incorporate some of the "Zero" series' flavor in order to make it feel like "Command Mission" is still connected to the other games, like it is part of the same family. So it might be easier if you regard "Command Mission" not as "a story that takes place between X7 and the Zero series", but rather as "one of the many potential futures that exists independently from the Zero series".]''</ref><ref>'''Rockman X DiVE Official:''' [http://web.archive.org/web/20210516210407/https://twitter.com/RX_DiVE_Asia/status/1156738495513108480 "Mega Man X:Command Mission" is set outside of the main storyline of "Mega Man X" series.] Twitter.</ref> Since ''Command Mission'' released a year before ''Mega Man X8'', that game is likely non-canon in this alternate timeline, though both games discuss [[copy chip]] technology in different ways.
|-
| ''[[Mega Man Xtreme]]'' and ''[[Mega Man Xtreme 2]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* ''Mega Man Xtreme 2'' is directly referenced in ''Mega Man X6''.<ref>''Mega Man X6'', 2001. '''Alia:''' "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPdYcfA8Uio&t=13691s ... X. Can you hear me? I found out... That's Isoc's body. It just broke down. Is he dead? ... This is similar to the Erasure Incident...]"</ref>
* The ''[[Compendium of Rockman X]]'' establishes each game's place in the timeline.<ref>''Compendium of Rockman X'', [https://imgur.com/a/Ew8uc70 Page 7]. 2005.</ref>
* ''Mega Man X: Official Complete Works'' mentions that ''Xtreme 2'' is set before ''X4''.<ref>Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, [https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-mega-man-x-official-complete-works-page-225-D55lykx Page 225]. '''Suetsugu:''' "[https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-mega-man-x-official-complete-works-page-225-D55lykx I was so happy that I got to draw Iris again! Since she had died in 'X4', and this title was supposed to be a prequel set in an earlier timeframe, I adjusted her design appropiately to reflect the shift in time. I thought perhaps she hadn't yet begun wearing her beret when she was still in training, and I also gave her a uniform a touch of a schoolgirl look to give her an overall more youthful appearance. Another little detail I incorporated into her design was to make her a little less 'physically developed' then she was in 'X4']."</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mega Man Maverick Hunter X]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Intended as the first in a reboot of X era, which would have retold the plot of the series.<ref>"Editorial: Give Thanks For What You've Got..." Tim. The Mega Man Network. 2005. [http://web.archive.org/web/20060427034058/megaman.retrofaction.com/index.php?main=articles/editorials/editorial019 (archive)]</ref><ref name="GameSpy"/> Nothing in X Mode majorly contradicts the plot of the original ''Mega Man X'', save for adding a {{MHXLink|Navigator}} and altering the events of the [[Sigma Palace]] stages.
* Vile Mode is a strictly non-canon what-if scenario.
|-
| "[[The Day of Sigma]]" || '''Canon''' ||
* Included in the ''[[Mega Man X Legacy Collection]]'' as a prologue to ''Mega Man X''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usis7p46Vxs "Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 & 2 Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch"]. Nintendo. 2018.</ref>
* However, it contains a major contradiction regarding the fate of [[Dr. Cain]], and since the ''Maverick Hunter X'' reboots did not continue, the mystery remains unresolved. The only official comment so far has been in the ''Mega Man X Maverick Hunter's Field Guide'', which suggests that Dr. Cain secretly survived Sigma's attack.<ref>Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter's Field Guide, [https://imgur.com/a/vJD4C5H Page 27].</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mega Man X Legacy Collection]]'' [[X Challenge]] || '''Canon''' ||
* Set after ''Mega Man X6'', only featuring Mavericks from that game and prior.<ref>''Mega Man X Legacy Collection''. 2018. X Challenge Story: "[https://imgur.com/a/nMvoJDP There are countless Mavericks who've suffered defeat at your hands. Now, somehow they've reappeared and are causing havoc! Prepare yourself, X!]"</ref>  
* Acknowledged in the ''Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter's Field Guide'',<ref>Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter Field Guide, Pages 153. UDON Entertainment, 2021. "[https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-x-maverick-hunters-field-guide-page-153-OXq1fIv During a mysterious outbreak of resurrected Mavericks who had previously been defeated by X and Zero, X donned a weaker white version of this armor which functionally resembled the recreated Forth Armor]."</ref> and the [[Ultimate Armor|Ultimate Armor (Legacy)]] is described as an altered version of the one from ''X6''.<ref>[https://rockmanunity.blog.jp/archives/9189691.html Rockman Unity]. [https://www.reddit.com/r/translator/comments/1f6ibph/japaneseenglish_can_someone_translate_this_text/ Translation]: '''Matsuura:''' "The armor is unique to the X-Challenge mode. In fact, it's a new armor that has never been seen before, based on the Ultimate Armor series from 'Megaman X6', with (extra) customization and prototype features".</ref>
* Does not contradict any other games of the era, fitting into the timeskip between ''X6'' and ''X7''.
|-
| ''[[Mega Man X: Command Mission]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Set in the year 22XX, the game is part of an alternate timeline where ''Mega Man X8'' and the Zero era never happened.<ref>''Rockman X Command Mission Kyūkyoku Complete Guide''. Capcom. 2004.</ref><ref>''Compendium of Rockman X''. Futabasha. 2005. Pg. 142.</ref><ref>''MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works''. UDON Entertainment. 2013. Pg. 406. [https://imgur.com/a/command-mission-isnt-canon-scan-1-uaBVzV5 Higurashi: "When I heard the timeframe was set in the year 22XX, I realized it was the same as the Zero series. That's why I added a few touches to give it a bit of a Zero flavor. Initially, I had some reservations about X's design changes, but I think it suits him quite well."]</ref><ref>''MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works''. UDON Entertainment. 2013. Pg. 430. [https://imgur.com/a/command-mission-isnt-canon-scan-2-jOXQjf9 Higurashi: '' "Command Mission'' is technically a spin-off, so even though it takes place in 22XX, it's not necessarily the same ''22XX'' during which the "Zero" series takes place. Still, we didn't want to cut it off completely just because it's a spin-off. Our goal was to incorporate some of the "Zero" series' flavor in order to make it feel like "Command Mission" is still connected to the other games, like it is part of the same family. So it might be easier if you regard "Command Mission" not as "a story that takes place between X7 and the Zero series", but rather as "one of the many potential futures that exists independently from the Zero series".]''</ref><ref>'''Rockman X DiVE Official:''' [http://web.archive.org/web/20210516210407/https://twitter.com/RX_DiVE_Asia/status/1156738495513108480 "Mega Man X:Command Mission" is set outside of the main storyline of "Mega Man X" series.] Twitter.</ref>  
* However, the game is still canon to the overall ''Mega Man'' multiverse, as its characters appear in games such as ''[[Mega Man X DiVE]]''.
|-
| ''[[Rockman X Shùxué Xuànfēng]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Licensed game developed by [[Strawberry Software]], and only released in Taiwan.
* Excluded from game lists, such as ''Mega Man X: Official Complete Works''.
|}


==[[Zero era]]==
==[[Zero era]]==
* All numbered video games (''[[Mega Man Zero]]'' to ''[[Mega Man Zero 4]]'') are '''canon'''.
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
* The drama tracks from all four ''[[Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero]]'' albums are '''canon'''. They were officially released by [[Inti Creates]].<ref>[https://www.inti.co.jp/cd/zero3/index.htm REMASTERED TRACKS ROCKMAN ZERO・Telos / III INTI RECORDS]</ref>
! Media !! Status !! Notes
* ''[[Vile's Incident - Eden dome, its sin and rebirth]]'' is '''canon'''.
|-
* [[Z Chaser]] from ''[[Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection]]'' is '''non-canon'''.
| Main video games (''[[Mega Man Zero]]'' to ''[[Mega Man Zero 4]]'') || '''Canon''' ||
* The main games of the series are definitely canon.
|-
| Drama tracks (''[[Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero]]'' albums) || '''Canon''' ||
* They were officially released by [[Inti Creates]].<ref>[https://www.inti.co.jp/cd/zero3/index.htm REMASTERED TRACKS ROCKMAN ZERO・Telos / III INTI RECORDS]</ref>
|-
| ''[[Vile's Incident - Eden dome, its sin and rebirth]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Recap of certain events in the Zero era, along with an epilogue set after the series. It was included in one of the booklets from ''[[Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero Physis]]'', which was officially released by [[Inti Creates]].<ref>[https://www.inti.co.jp/cd/zero4/index.htm REMASTERED TRACKS ROCKMAN ZERO・Physis / III INTI RECORDS]</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection]]'' [[Z Chaser]] || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Has no plot, being a bonus speedrun mode featuring levels from the games.
|}


==[[ZX era]]==
==[[ZX era]]==
* Both main video games (''[[Mega Man ZX]]'' and ''[[Mega Man ZX Advent]]'') are '''canon'''.
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
* The drama tracks from ''[[Rockman ZX Soundsketch ZX GIGAMIX]]'' are '''canon'''. It was officially released by [[Inti Creates]].<ref>[https://www.inti.co.jp/cd/gigamix/index.htm Rockman ZX Soundsketch ZX GIGAMIX INTI RECORDS]</ref>
! Media !! Status !! Notes
* The canceled ''[[Rockman ZXC]]'' is '''non-canon''', as it was never officially released.
|-
* [[Z Chaser]] from ''[[Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection]]'' is '''non-canon'''.
| Main video games (''[[Mega Man ZX]]'' and ''[[Mega Man ZX Advent]]'') || '''Canon''' ||
* The main games of the series are definitely canon.
|-
| Drama tracks (''[[Rockman ZX Soundsketch ZX GIGAMIX]]'') || '''Canon''' ||
* It was officially released by [[Inti Creates]].<ref>[https://www.inti.co.jp/cd/gigamix/index.htm Rockman ZX Soundsketch ZX GIGAMIX INTI RECORDS]</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection]]'' [[Z Chaser]] || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Has no plot, being a bonus speedrun mode featuring levels from the games.
|-
| ''[[Rockman ZXC]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Canceled game.
|}


==[[Legends era]]==
==[[Legends era]]==
* Both numbered video games (''[[Mega Man Legends]]'' and ''[[Mega Man Legends 2]]'') are '''canon'''.
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
* ''[[The Misadventures of Tron Bonne]]'' is '''canon'''. It take places before ''[[Mega Man Legends]]''.<ref>''The Misadventures of Tron Bonne''. 1999. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtlDBzVN-Ts&t=26071s "Story continues in ''Mega Man Legends''"]</ref>
! Media !! Status !! Notes
* The canceled ''[[Mega Man Legends 3]]'' is '''non-canon''', as it was never officially released.
|-
| Main video games (''[[Mega Man Legends]]'' and ''[[Mega Man Legends 2]]'') || '''Canon''' ||
* The main games of the series are definitely canon.
|-
| ''[[The Misadventures of Tron Bonne]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Set before ''[[Mega Man Legends]]''.<ref>''The Misadventures of Tron Bonne''. 1999. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtlDBzVN-Ts&t=26071s "Story continues in ''Mega Man Legends''"]</ref>
|-
| ''[[Rockman DASH: Great Adventure on 5 Islands]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Set between ''Mega Man Legends'' and ''Mega Man Legends 2''.
|-
| ''[[Rockman DASH Zhěngjiù Dìqiú Dà Màoxiǎn]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Licensed game developed by [[Strawberry Software]], and only released in Taiwan.
* Excluded from game lists, such as ''Mega Man X: Official Complete Works''.
|-
| ''[[Mega Man Legends 3]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Canceled game.
|}


==[[Battle Network era]]==
==[[Battle Network era]]==
* All numbered video games (''[[Mega Man Battle Network]]'' to ''[[Mega Man Battle Network 6]]'') are '''canon'''. Differences between versions, such as ''Mega Man Battle Network 3: Blue Version'' and ''Mega Man Battle Network 3: White Version'', rarely have enough bearing to require scrutiny.
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
* ''[[Mega Man Network Transmission]]'' appears to be '''canon'''.
! Media !! Status !! Notes
* ''[[Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge]]'' appears to be '''canon'''.
|-
* ''[[Rockman.EXE Phantom of Network]]'' appears to be '''canon'''.
| Main video games (''[[Mega Man Battle Network]]'' to ''[[Mega Man Battle Network 6]]'') || '''Canon''' ||
* ''[[Rockman.EXE Legend of Network]]'' appears to be '''canon'''.
* The main games of the series are definitely canon.
* ''[[Rockman.EXE 4.5: Real Operation]]'' appears to be '''non-canon''', as [[The Player]] themselves controls [[NetNavi]]s to compete in tournaments.
* Differences between versions, such as ''Mega Man Battle Network 3: Blue Version'' and ''White Version'', rarely have enough bearing to require scrutiny.
* ''[[Rockman EXE WS]]'' appears to be '''non-canon''', as it follows the story of the ''[[Mega Man NT Warrior]]'' anime instead of the games.
|-
* ''[[Rockman EXE: Battle Chip Stadium]]'' appears to be '''non-canon''', as it is an arcade game with no plot.
| ''[[Mega Man Network Transmission]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* ''[[Rockman EXE: The Medal Operation]]'' appears to be '''non-canon''', as it is an arcade game with no plot.
* Set one month after the first ''[[Mega Man Battle Network]]''.<ref>''Mega Man Network Transmission'', 2003. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwhGGStQ_Ns&t=62s What? No, that's impossible! My, my WWW research! ... All hail the WWW!" "... And so, thanks to me and MegaMan, the ambitions of theWWW were shattered. Life was peaceful again one month later...]"</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* No evidence yet to indicate it is non-canon.{{Citation needed}}
|-
| ''[[Rockman.EXE Phantom of Network]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Set between ''[[Mega Man Battle Network 3|Battle Network 3]]'' and ''[[Mega Man Battle Network 4|Battle Network 4]]''.
|-
| ''[[Rockman.EXE Legend of Network]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Set between ''[[Mega Man Battle Network 5|Battle Network 5]]'' and ''[[Mega Man Battle Network 6|Battle Network 6]]''.
|-
| ''[[Rockman.EXE 4.5: Real Operation]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* [[The Player]] themselves controls [[NetNavi]]s to compete in tournaments, instead of their usual NetOps.
|-
| ''[[Rockman EXE WS]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Follows the story of the ''[[Mega Man NT Warrior]]'' anime instead of the games.<ref>''[https://web.archive.org/web/20051229194115/http://www.swan.channel.or.jp/swan/software/line_up/index_ROK02.html Rockman EXE WS official page]'' (archive)</ref>
|-
| ''[[Rockman EXE: Battle Chip Stadium]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Arcade game with no plot.
|-
| ''[[Rockman EXE: The Medal Operation]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Arcade game with no plot.
|}


==[[Star Force era]]==
==[[Star Force era]]==
* All numbered video games (''[[Mega Man Star Force]]'' to ''[[Mega Man Star Force 3]]'') are '''canon'''. Differences between versions, such as ''Mega Man Star Force 3: Black Ace'' and ''Mega Man Star Force 3: Red Joker'', rarely have enough bearing to require scrutiny.
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
* The canceled ''[[Mega Man Star Force 4]]'' is '''non-canon''', as it was never officially released.
! Media !! Status !! Notes
* ''[[Shooting Star Rockman: Wave Change! On Air!]]'' does not conflict with canon.
|-
| Main video games (''[[Mega Man Star Force]]'' to ''[[Mega Man Star Force 3]]'') || '''Canon''' ||
* The main games of the series are definitely canon.
* Differences between versions, such as ''Mega Man Star Force 3: Black Ace'' and ''Red Joker'', rarely have enough bearing to require scrutiny.
|-
| ''[[Shooting Star Rockman: Wave Change! On Air!]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Mini-game collection based on ''Mega Man Star Force'' with no real story.
|-
| ''[[Mega Man Star Force 4]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Canceled game.
|}


==[[Crossover]]s==
==[[Crossover]]s==
Crossover games, especially those that do not bear the ''Mega Man'' branding as part of their title, are generally considered to be non-canon. However, those that are part of the ''Mega Man'' brand require further scrutiny.
Crossover games, especially those that do not bear the ''Mega Man'' branding as part of their title (e.g. ''Marvel vs. Capcom''), are generally considered to be non-canon. However, those that are part of the ''Mega Man'' brand require further scrutiny.
* ''[[Rockman Tennis]]'' has a loose narrative, leaving its canon status dubious. At the very least, the appearance of [[X]] and the {{MMXLink|Highway Stage}} is an anachronism that is non-canon.
 
* ''[[Rockman.EXE Operate Shooting Star]]'' is '''canon'''. It is a port of the first ''Battle Network'' with a bonus time-travel story featuring [[Geo Stelar]], with no evidence suggesting it is non-canon.
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
* ''[[Street Fighter X Mega Man]]'' is '''non-canon'''. The game was developed by fan [[Seow Zong Hui]] and was published by Capcom as a free game.
! Media !! Status !! Notes
* ''[[Rockman ✕over]]'' is '''canon'''. It is a time-travel story starting between the [[Classic era]] and [[X era]] in the timeline, with several statements suggesting it is canon.<ref>[https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/interview/607380.html iOS/Android “Mega Man Crossover” Developer Roundtable] [https://imgur.com/a/rockman-xover-interview-translated-CsSWDN5 '''Translation:''' '''Mizuno:''' "There is a separate main designer, but Mega Man XO was set in the timeline between the original Mega Man and Mega Man X. For "OVER-5" and beyond, we took that into consideration and kept the common points, such as making the legs thicker, while adding complex lines closer to the "X"."'''Matsuura:''' "Since it is between the first generation and "X", we have to make it "X" without being too close to the "X", and we have to make it "X" while retaining the character of the first generation. It was a bit of a difficult order, so we had the character designs created quite early.</ref><ref>Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, Page 427. [https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-xover-takes-place-between-classic-x-era-wodlsui '''Saito:''' "That's just the official explanation. (laughs) I had to come up with a sihouette that wasn't similar to those of other main characters in the series, and according to the overall timeline, this character exists between "Mega Man" and "Mega Man X". I couldn't do without the thick limbs, so my only option was to add a unique accent... That's the real truth behind the fur."]</ref> However, its events do not impact the stories of the other eras, and it remains a self-contained episode.
|-
* ''[[Mega Man X DiVE]]'' is story that goes beyond the multiverse and features [[The Player]] who is a fan of the ''Mega Man'' series itself starring as the main character of the story to restore the Deep Log from corruption along with RiCO.
| ''[[Rockman Tennis]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* The appearance of [[X]] and the {{MMXLink|Highway Stage}} in the Classic era is an anachronism that must be non-canon.
|-
| ''[[Rockman.EXE Operate Shooting Star]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Port of the first ''Battle Network'' game with a bonus time travel story featuring [[Geo Stelar]]. No evidence suggests it is non-canon.
|-
| ''[[Street Fighter X Mega Man]]'' || '''Non-canon''' ||
* Developed by fan [[Seow Zong Hui]] and published by Capcom as a free game.
|-
| ''[[Rockman ✕over]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Does not conflict with canon, with several developer statements suggesting it is canon.<ref>[https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/interview/607380.html iOS/Android “Mega Man Crossover” Developer Roundtable] [https://imgur.com/a/rockman-xover-interview-translated-CsSWDN5 '''Translation:''' '''Mizuno:''' "There is a separate main designer, but Mega Man XO was set in the timeline between the original Mega Man and Mega Man X. For "OVER-5" and beyond, we took that into consideration and kept the common points, such as making the legs thicker, while adding complex lines closer to the "X"."'''Matsuura:''' "Since it is between the first generation and "X", we have to make it "X" without being too close to the "X", and we have to make it "X" while retaining the character of the first generation. It was a bit of a difficult order, so we had the character designs created quite early.</ref><ref>Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, Page 427. [https://imgur.com/a/mega-man-xover-takes-place-between-classic-x-era-wodlsui '''Saito:''' "That's just the official explanation. (laughs) I had to come up with a sihouette that wasn't similar to those of other main characters in the series, and according to the overall timeline, this character exists between "Mega Man" and "Mega Man X". I couldn't do without the thick limbs, so my only option was to add a unique accent... That's the real truth behind the fur."]</ref>
* However, it remains a self-contained episode, as its time traveling plot does not impact the stories of the other eras.
|-
| ''[[Mega Man X DiVE]]'' || '''Canon''' ||
* Officially considered a chapter within the X era.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210923160218/https://store.steampowered.com/app/1582620/ROCKMAN_X_DiVE/#:~:text=The%20latest%20chapter%20in%20the%20classic%20action%20shooting%20game%2C%20 Mega Man X DiVE Store Description] (archive)</ref> This fits the premise, as the Robot Destroy Program within Zero that eventually became the Sigma Virus is the catalyst for the events as it went out of control and took over ViA, the previous administrator of the Deep Log.<ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. '''Erato:''' I've said before that the Sigma virus is "an evolved form of a program." Remember? The reason for this deep log error is the program. The program is called "Robot Destroy Program." It is said to be a system installed on a red Maverick.The "Robot Destroy Program" had infiltrated Sigma's body at the time. It evolved in Sigma's body and became the Sigma virus. And the things used to install the "Robot Destroy Program" are the "hosts" like us. This is also true for a certain red Maverick. And the appearance of ViA is derived from the red Maverick. That's why, when we first met ViA, he reminded us of someone we knew. As the host of the re-installed "Robot Destroy Program," ViA is looking for us. Being born in this world shouldering everything.</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. '''RiCO:''' "...W-what... In this case, the reason why Mr. ViA intends to fight with player..." '''Erato:''' "is because the "Robot Destroy Program" that was the cause of the error went out of control. That is why he wishes for the player to destroy the program in his body as well as himself."</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. '''Erato:''' I've said before that the Sigma virus is "an evolved form of a program." Remember? The reason for this deep log error is the program. The program is called "Robot Destroy Program." It is said to be a system installed on a red Maverick. The "Robot Destroy Program" had infiltrated Sigma's body at the time. It evolved in Sigma's body and became the Sigma virus. And the things used to install the "Robot Destroy Program" are the "hosts" like us. This is also true for a certain red Maverick. And the appearance of ViA is derived from the red Maverick. That's why, when we first met ViA, he reminded us of someone we knew. As the host of the re-installed "Robot Destroy Program," ViA is looking for us. Being born in this world shouldering everything.</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. '''RiCO:''' "...W-what... In this case, the reason why Mr. ViA intends to fight with player..." '''Erato:''' "is because the "Robot Destroy Program" that was the cause of the error went out of control. That is why he wishes for the player to destroy the program in his body as well as himself."</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. '''ViA:''' Rather than calling it my decision, it's more like my "Mission!" Keep it short! Player, RiCO, listed up! How do I put this... The reasons for program errors... is me.</ref><ref>''Mega Man X Dive'', 2021. '''ViA (Character Profile):''' "Claiming to be the former administrator of the Deep Log, he used to be responsible for maintaining order and correcting errors in the cyber world. Although he is currently helping Player with the correction of Irregular Data, his true purpose and mission remain unknown and as far as Player is concerned, he is still shrouded in mystery.</ref> A major plot point also involves all the new characters being canonized by RiCO to exist within the ''Mega Man'' multiverse as otherwise they don't normally exist.<ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. '''ViA:''' "That is correct. We have been created because of a program error that exists in the Deep Log. Simply put..." '''iCO:''' "We are just like Irregular Data. And that applies to you too, RiCO. And as for you, Player... your job is to correct Irregular Data." '''RiCO:''' "But... how can this... be... This cannot be true, Ms. iCO! If it is, when Player finally fix the Deep Log, we would be..." '''iCO:''' "That is correct. We will no longer exist in this world. ViA, as if it wasn't bad enough for you to conceal my existence... You didn't even inform them about this?" '''ViA:''' "I am sorry, RiCO and Player, for having kept both of you in the dark for so long... But I can't afford to let "them" find out about my plans." '''iCO:''' "Don't worry, RiCO. The only one who has the power to connect us to this world... Is you, RiCO. Even if we did not originally exist in the universe of Mega Man, you hold the power to link and connect us to this universe."</ref><ref>''Mega Man X Dive'', 2021. '''Mad Nautilus:''' "Ugh... it seems... that this is as far as I'll go... Apparently program errors are fated to be corrected... But don't you forget this, Player... If this World is restored to it's original state, All game data that doesn't belong to the Mega Man series will cease to exist in this cyberspace..." '''RiCO:''' "What is he trying to say exactly..." '''Mad Nautilus:''' "If that ever becomes the reality, what do you think would happen to characters who originally do not exist? ?" '''ViA:''' "Hmph! The bookwork types are all the same...they just keep lecturing as if they know everything about the world, even in the final moments of their lives." '''Mad Nautilus:''' "Player, mark my words... In this cyberspace... if the error did not take place... There will be characters who should... have never appear in this world... Like those two blue fellows over..therer..."</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. '''iCO:''' "RiCO, you're the same, you're too chill.. Did you forget? Your ability to "parse and materialize" is crucial to our connection to this world!" '''RiCO:''' "I remember everything! As long as the player restores the Deep Log to their original state, and I materialize everyone into the Maverick Hunter Program ......" '''ViA:''' "We will not be Irregular Data, but will be able to survive as "Megaman X series characters", right?"</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. '''RiCO:''' "Player has defeated the Sigma Virus, the schmuck that was in your body. Then you should be able to manifest into the Hunter Program as well......" '''Droitclair:''' "Is that so......? Then from now on, I can be with...... Player, RiCO and you guys...... And restore this world...... together?" '''RiCO:'''
"That's right, Ms. Droitclair! Come join the fight with us!" '''Droitclair:'''
"RiCO...... as a result, I will not be irregular data anymore but a "character in Mega Man X" for our players......" '''RiCO:''' "Correct! And now we still need to save Mr. Angie and Ms. Erato. Let's return to base and discuss about our battle plan."</ref><ref>''Mega Man XDiVE'', 2021. '''RiCO:''' "Ms. Droit............Don't worry! We will definitely defeat the bastard inside Mr. Angie's body - the Sigma Virus. We'll materialize Mr. Angie's into a hunter program to stay in this world! Of course we'll need to entrust this on the player! Just like us and Ms. Droit, Mr. Angie can definitely become a Megaman X character as well......"</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. '''RiCO:''' "Of course!...... I don't want to fight if possible...... However, the player and I will definitely save them, whether it's Mr. Angie or the sister! And we will materialize everyone into the characters of Megaman X! With the player standing with us, I'm sure they'll agree with us too!</ref><ref>'''RiCO:'''
"Heh heh heh heh. By the way, why do you want us to materialize you as a hunter program soon?" '''ViA:''' "Oh, that's my wish, I guess. Simply put. I want you to "always remember me."" '''RiCO:''' "Remember...... and so on! You've been with us all along, haven't you? This is not at all like what you would say......" '''ViA:''' "Not like what I would say?...... Indeed! But as long as I'm turned into a hunter program by the power of you, RiCO. I will be able to stay in the hearts of everyone with a "Mega Man X" identity, right? The same goes for Droit and Angie. Player and RiCO, you have worked very hard for this world!"</ref>
* Everything in ''X DiVE'' is able to exist without disturbing the canon, as all the interactions and events that occur between characters throughout the verse take place in what-if timelines. This is acknowledged in interviews,<ref>[https://www.rockman-corner.com/2019/09/rockman-x-dive-interview-with-keisuke.html Rockman X DiVE – An Interview with Keisuke Mizuno], '''Mizuno:''' "I think we can take “Rockman X DiVE”’s particular world view of being game data to create new ideas, such as “what if this kind of character existed” in the history of Rockman X series, allowing ones that had relations to previous characters to retake the stage, or even characters (in its setting) had been planned to appeared in original games but couldn’t make it in due to insufficient space and was ultimately abandoned, this kind of stuff might turn out super interesting. For example a character designed to be a member of the 14th martial arts irregular hunter unit led by Rockman X4’s “Magma Dragoon”, it would be neat to let this character appear as a fighting type character. They might even be very active in PVP</ref><ref>[https://www.rockman-corner.com/2019/09/rockman-x-dive-interview-with-keisuke.html Rockman X DiVE – An Interview with Keisuke Mizuno] '''Q:''' "One specialty of “Rockman X DiVE” is having characters that can never appear together in the main series, whom can now appear together in PVP or team battles. do you have any thoughts about this?" '''Mizuno:''' "It’s an element that can only be experienced in Rockman X DiVE, and I think it’s pretty great. Every character can simply existing alongside one another without having to think about the past or future, and even the same characters sometimes, I think this is the merit of this game production. It’ll probably be really cool to see X and Ultimate Armor X fighting together in the team battle system."</ref> blogs,<ref>[https://rockmanunity.blog.jp/archives/9577641.html 思い出を守れ!スマホ用アプリ『ロックマンX DiVE』配信決定]!, '''Translation:''' "The story takes place in a “what if” world. First of all, please check out the video message from Tsuchiya, the producer of the Mega Man series. Please take a look at the video message from Tsuchiya, the producer of the Mega Man series! What do you think? For a moment, I thought Mr. Tsuchiya was promoting Kotobukiya's plastic models. I thought for a moment that Tsuchiya was promoting Kotobukiya's plastic models, but then I realized that he is a player and a hero! But it turns out that you, the player, are the main character. What is the “what if” world in which “Mega Man X DiVE” takes place? The “what if” world of “Mega Man X DiVE” is a cyber world called “Deep Log,” where various game data is stored. All the data and memories of the Mega Man X series that you have played are stored here. The “Deep Log” has been damaged by a bug of unknown cause, and you, the player, have to find a navigator who appears out of the blue and guides you through the world. You, the player, are led by the navigator “Rico” who suddenly appears, and you dive into the world of “Deep Log! "Rico” is an original character in this game!"</ref><ref>[https://rockmanunity.blog.jp/archives/9887789.html 6月9日『ロックマン X DiVE』で「ロックマンの日!?」開催!], '''Translation:''' "Mega Man X series, but different from the main series. It is a “what if” world. It takes place in the “Deep Log”, a cyber world where various game data is stored. The game takes place in the cyber world of “Deep Log,” where various game data is stored. Therefore, it is not only the X series, characters from various Mega Man series can appear in the game. The key point of this game is the high degree of freedom to use any character from not only the X series, but also the various Mega Man series. The “Mega Man” series of course includes the original Mega Man, but also DASH, EXE, and Zero. DASH, EXE, ZERO, ZX, and the Shooting Star series will also appear. If anything, “Mega Man-chan” or “Mr. Mega Man” may even appear in the future. Wouldn't it be funny if “Mega Man-chan” or “Mr. Mega Man” appeared in the future? (No, because it's not game data.) The main character is “myself who used to play Mega Man. In order to protect the memories of playing back then Guided by the navigator “Rico” who suddenly appeared from the Deep Log and dive into the Deep Log in order to restore the data. This is the general story."</ref> and even in game.<ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. '''ViA:''' "You are right; the power of Hunter Program is absolutely essential in data correction... That and the skill that you bring by controlling the Hunter Programs, Player! It's thanks to you that characters and enemies from previous series can make their return. And this makes the "what-if"s of encounters that would never happen in the original series possible! Looks like it's about time for me to "show" something to Player."</ref> This is even shown with characters such as [[Iris -Another-]] who represents Repliforce's original plan for Iris and Colonel.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2frLlpEDDfc&t=19s 【ROCKMAN X DiVE】非正規情報站/Maverick Information]</ref> The Player successfully restores the Deep Log to its proper state,<ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwBVtDhR360&t=18s Deep Log Corrected]"</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. '''RiCO:''' "What? What does that mean? Unlocking and manifesting... Are you talking about what I have been doing to summon Hunter Programs and Weapon Data to this world?" '''ViA:''' "Yes, that's what we meant. In addition to that, Player's ability to "Correct Data" is critical too! It is what we need to restore the Deep Log to is original state... And for the sake of..." '''iCO:''' "For the sake of our existence, right? That applies to you too, RiCO."</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE'', 2021. '''RiCO:''' "Mr. ViA, Ms. iCO...... The battle is over, right? The corrupt program has disappeared too, right? We can go back together, right?" '''ViA■:''' "Hey, RiCO. I thought I'd finally see your strong, determined side. Why are you saying that right now? As your brother, I won't allow...... You can't say that again...... The world has now returned back to its original state...... The mission is over, Player."</ref> so everything that happens in the game is essentially undone in the end and is turned into said what-if timelines. Overall, nothing within the canon is affected besides the new characters being canonized as part of the Deep Log and therefore the ''Mega Man'' multiverse.
 
* Characters in costumes or alternate appearances that normally wouldn't appear are explained as glitches in the Deep Log or Hunter Programs being able to remove the limitations of the original canon.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201204025556/https://corocoro.jp/148174/2/ 【ロックマンX DiVE】『ロックマン エグゼ』コラボ開催中! 日本版プロデューサー・橋本賢一さんに今だからこそ聞ける配信後の反響や制作秘話、これからの展開を聞いてみた!!] '''[https://www.reddit.com/r/translator/comments/117npm8/japanese_english_can_someone_translate_these/#lightbox Translation]''': "-Theoretically, anything can be reproduced thanks to the Hunter Program (2)?" '''Hashimoto:''' "Yes. Thanks to the system, even non-combative and boss characters can be reproduced as a program!"</ref><ref>『[https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2020/10/27/129889_2.html ロックマンX DiVE』プロデューサーへ直撃!「ロックマンXのアクションの全てを詰め込んだ」カプコン初のスマホ向け横スクACTに君はついて来られるか?] '''[https://www.reddit.com/r/translator/comments/117npm8/japanese_english_can_someone_translate_these/#lightbox Translation]:''' "The costume changes such as the swimsuits and happi coats are drastic, are they not? In the original setting they were called Reploids, and did not wear clothes. But how was the reception in the Taiwanese players when the game was previously distributed there?" '''Hashimoto:''' "The characters in this game are not real Reploids but rather Hunter Programs created from game data. The Taiwanese players were accepting of the swimsuit character but were surprised by Zero in a happi coat (laughs). As one would expect, the happi coats worn at festivals aren't recognized there. Roughly speaking."</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. '''ViA:''' "Hmmph, RiCo, don't make things hard for the Player! The "Matsuri" program error that has shown up in the stage is probably a "festive celebration" for the Deep Log itself! Looks like the impact caused by this "Matsuri" dara error is not just limited to the stages. See? Even some hunter programs now take on incredible costumes too, almost as if they are going all out with the celebrations..."</ref><ref>''Mega Man X DiVE, 2021.'''ViA:''' "Yes, this is definitely the Christmas atmosphere! This is a program error generated from seasonal event, not unlike the "Matsuri" and "Halloween" program errors! By the way, I met the players from a region called Japan. They don't appear to know the presence of "Matsuri" program error, though most of them spotted the Solan Matsuri issue on Zero!"</ref> Crossovers with other Capcom games are explained as data from other universes being mixed in with the data of the ''Mega Man'' universe.<ref>https://imgur.com/a/capcom-franchises-deeplog-x0Xz10Y</ref>
 
|}


==[[Other media]]==
==[[Other media]]==
Most works referred to as "[[other media]]" on the Mega Man Wiki are '''non-canon'''.
Most non-video game works classified as "[[other media]]" on the Mega Man Wiki are '''non-canon'''. This is because Capcom would rather non-game products remain exclusive representations of their respective authors' imaginations, uninhibited by official canon constraints.<ref>''MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works''. 2013. Pg. 431.</ref>
* Some works, such as ''[[Captain N: The Game Master]]'' or ''[[Mega Man: Fully Charged]]'', have their own self-contained worlds that clearly diverge from the video games and cannot be mistaken for canon.
* Some works, such as ''[[Captain N: The Game Master]]'' or ''[[Mega Man: Fully Charged]]'', have their own self-contained worlds that clearly diverge from the video games and cannot be mistaken for canon.
* Other works that adapt material from the video games, such as the [[Mega Man (1994 animated series)|1994 ''Mega Man'' series]], the anime ''[[Mega Man NT Warrior]]'', or the [[Rockman X (manga)|''Rockman X'' manga]] by [[Yoshihiro Iwamoto]], are also treated as their own independent worlds despite directly drawing on the video games. Thus, they each have their own canons, in a way.
* Other works that adapt material from the video games, such as the [[Mega Man (1994 animated series)|1994 ''Mega Man'' series]], the anime ''[[Mega Man NT Warrior]]'', or the [[Rockman X (manga)|''Rockman X'' manga]] by [[Yoshihiro Iwamoto]], are also treated as their own independent worlds despite directly drawing on the video games. Thus, they each have their own canons, in a way.
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==References==
==References==
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{{Meta}}


[[Category:Meta pages]]
[[Category:Meta pages]]

Latest revision as of 14:55, 18 September 2024

Canon refers to the body of works taking place in a fictional world that are considered to be official or authoritative.[1] The Mega Man franchise has its own canon body of works that are recognized by its creators, such as Capcom. Generally, the mainline numbered video games released by Capcom are always part of canon. Where canon can become unclear is with spin-off games and non-video game media. This page will contain sources and explanations as to which works are part of each era's canon, and which are not.

Classic era

Media Status Notes
Main video games (Mega Man to Mega Man 11) Canon
  • The main games of the series are definitely canon.
Gameboy series games (Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge to Mega Man V) Canon
Wily & Right's RockBoard: That's Paradise Canon
  • Reggae has appeared in later games such as Mega Man 7 and 10, and is included in the Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan and the Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide.
Mega Man: The Wily Wars Canon
  • The members of the Genesis Unit from the Wily Tower are included in the Mega Man & Bass Data Base and the Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide. The rest of the game is just remakes of the first three games.
Mega Man Soccer Canon
  • Set after Mega Man 4.[8]
  • A stated trait of Mega Man is that he enjoys playing soccer.[9]
Mega Man: The Power Battle and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters Canon
  • Referenced in the Robot Master Field Guide and Super Adventure Rockman.
  • Teruaki Hirokado stated that Capcom designed these games as if they were set in a parallel world, noting that this decision was made to avoid constraining future games, such as introducing Duo before the release of Mega Man 8.[10] Similar phrasing was used by Keiji Inafune regarding Mega Man & Bass, which later turned out to be canon too.
Mega Man & Bass Canon
  • Set after Mega Man 8.[11]
  • Directly referenced in the ending of Mega Man 9.[12]
  • During development, the game was internally referred to as Rockman 8.5.[13]
  • Keiji Inafune once claimed that the game is set in a parallel world to Mega Man 9.[14] This statement was only so that the game's plot wouldn't constrain future titles (as Mega Man 9 was not in development at the time), and Mega Man & Bass has since been proven to be canon and not a parallel world.
Super Adventure Rockman Canon
  • Included with the canon games in Mega Man: Official Complete Works and Rockman Perfect Memories.[15]
  • Referenced in the Robot Master Field Guide, which mentions when Shadow Man stabbed Quick Man.[16][17]
  • Despite Keiji Inafune not being fond of the game,[18] he still treats it as part of the franchise and has never dismissed it as non-canon when discussing the Classic era.[19]
  • The forum post by Ian Flynn claiming otherwise is not authoritative.[note 1]
Mega Man: Battle & Chase Canon
Mega Man Powered Up Canon
  • Old Style does not contradict the original Mega Man at all.
  • Time Man and Oil Man are new, but the original Mega Man was initially planned to have eight Robot Masters before two were cut during development,[27] and Keiji Inafune has expressed that Powered Up is closer to the game's intended vision.[28]
  • Time Man and Oil Man are included in the Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide. It notes that Dr. Wily sees Flash Man as a masterpiece because he can stop time whereas Dr. Light's Time Man can only slow time;[29] this is consistent with how Wily used the first Robot Masters to inspire his Robot Masters in Mega Man 2.
  • Only Mega Man's story is canon; other playable characters are only what-if scenarios.
Mega Man 10 Special Stage DLC Canon
Rockman VR: A Targeted Virtual World!! Canon
  • Set after Mega Man 11, in a virtual reality hacked by Dr. Wily.[31][32][33]
DOS games (Mega Man and Mega Man 3: The Robots are Revolting) Non-canon
  • Mega Man was developed by Stephen Rozner as a side project, and was published by Capcom USA on a whim. Mega Man 3 was originally designed as a different game called Eco-Man, before being rebranded as a Mega Man game.[34]
  • Neither games were released outside of the United States.
  • Excluded from game lists, such as Mega Man: Official Complete Works.
Strawberry Software games (Rockman no Huángjīn Dìguó and Rockman IQ Xuànfēng) Non-canon
  • Licensed games developed by Strawberry Software, and only released in Taiwan.
  • Excluded from game lists, such as Mega Man: Official Complete Works.
Rockman Strategy Non-canon
  • Licensed game developed by Dream Come True, and only released in Taiwan.
  • Excluded from game lists, such as Mega Man: Official Complete Works.
Mega Man (Game Gear) Non-canon
  • Licensed game developed by Freestyle, and only released in the United States.
  • Compilation of past levels with no story explanation (e.g. Cossack Citadel and Wily Castle stages are mixed).
  • Excluded from game lists, such as Mega Man: Official Complete Works.
Rockman Go Go! Non-canon
  • Licensed endless runner game developed by Jenoi, and only released in South Korea.
  • Excluded from game lists, such as Mega Man: Official Complete Works.

X era

Media Status Notes
Main video games (Mega Man X to Mega Man X8) Canon
  • The main games of the series are definitely canon.
  • The ending cutscene in Mega Man X6 where Zero seals himself away has been moved as the final event in the era's timeline. The scene was intended as a bridge to the Zero era. Moving it allows for Mega Man X7 and X8 to occur, as both games are referenced as Zero's past in trailers for Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection,[35][36] and there is no evidence to suggest they are non-canon.
Mega Man Xtreme and Mega Man Xtreme 2 Canon
  • Mega Man Xtreme 2 is directly referenced in Mega Man X6.[37]
  • The Compendium of Rockman X establishes each game's place in the timeline.[38]
  • Mega Man X: Official Complete Works mentions that Xtreme 2 is set before X4.[39]
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X Canon
  • Intended as the first in a reboot of X era, which would have retold the plot of the series.[40][28] Nothing in X Mode majorly contradicts the plot of the original Mega Man X, save for adding a Navigator and altering the events of the Sigma Palace stages.
  • Vile Mode is a strictly non-canon what-if scenario.
"The Day of Sigma" Canon
  • Included in the Mega Man X Legacy Collection as a prologue to Mega Man X.[41]
  • However, it contains a major contradiction regarding the fate of Dr. Cain, and since the Maverick Hunter X reboots did not continue, the mystery remains unresolved. The only official comment so far has been in the Mega Man X Maverick Hunter's Field Guide, which suggests that Dr. Cain secretly survived Sigma's attack.[42]
Mega Man X Legacy Collection X Challenge Canon
  • Set after Mega Man X6, only featuring Mavericks from that game and prior.[43]
  • Acknowledged in the Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter's Field Guide,[44] and the Ultimate Armor (Legacy) is described as an altered version of the one from X6.[45]
  • Does not contradict any other games of the era, fitting into the timeskip between X6 and X7.
Mega Man X: Command Mission Non-canon
  • Set in the year 22XX, the game is part of an alternate timeline where Mega Man X8 and the Zero era never happened.[46][47][48][49][50]
  • However, the game is still canon to the overall Mega Man multiverse, as its characters appear in games such as Mega Man X DiVE.
Rockman X Shùxué Xuànfēng Non-canon
  • Licensed game developed by Strawberry Software, and only released in Taiwan.
  • Excluded from game lists, such as Mega Man X: Official Complete Works.

Zero era

Media Status Notes
Main video games (Mega Man Zero to Mega Man Zero 4) Canon
  • The main games of the series are definitely canon.
Drama tracks (Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero albums) Canon
Vile's Incident - Eden dome, its sin and rebirth Canon
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection Z Chaser Non-canon
  • Has no plot, being a bonus speedrun mode featuring levels from the games.

ZX era

Media Status Notes
Main video games (Mega Man ZX and Mega Man ZX Advent) Canon
  • The main games of the series are definitely canon.
Drama tracks (Rockman ZX Soundsketch ZX GIGAMIX) Canon
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection Z Chaser Non-canon
  • Has no plot, being a bonus speedrun mode featuring levels from the games.
Rockman ZXC Non-canon
  • Canceled game.

Legends era

Media Status Notes
Main video games (Mega Man Legends and Mega Man Legends 2) Canon
  • The main games of the series are definitely canon.
The Misadventures of Tron Bonne Canon
Rockman DASH: Great Adventure on 5 Islands Canon
  • Set between Mega Man Legends and Mega Man Legends 2.
Rockman DASH Zhěngjiù Dìqiú Dà Màoxiǎn Non-canon
  • Licensed game developed by Strawberry Software, and only released in Taiwan.
  • Excluded from game lists, such as Mega Man X: Official Complete Works.
Mega Man Legends 3 Non-canon
  • Canceled game.

Battle Network era

Media Status Notes
Main video games (Mega Man Battle Network to Mega Man Battle Network 6) Canon
  • The main games of the series are definitely canon.
  • Differences between versions, such as Mega Man Battle Network 3: Blue Version and White Version, rarely have enough bearing to require scrutiny.
Mega Man Network Transmission Canon
Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge Canon
  • No evidence yet to indicate it is non-canon.[Citation needed]
Rockman.EXE Phantom of Network Canon
Rockman.EXE Legend of Network Canon
Rockman.EXE 4.5: Real Operation Non-canon
  • The Player themselves controls NetNavis to compete in tournaments, instead of their usual NetOps.
Rockman EXE WS Non-canon
Rockman EXE: Battle Chip Stadium Non-canon
  • Arcade game with no plot.
Rockman EXE: The Medal Operation Non-canon
  • Arcade game with no plot.

Star Force era

Media Status Notes
Main video games (Mega Man Star Force to Mega Man Star Force 3) Canon
  • The main games of the series are definitely canon.
  • Differences between versions, such as Mega Man Star Force 3: Black Ace and Red Joker, rarely have enough bearing to require scrutiny.
Shooting Star Rockman: Wave Change! On Air! Non-canon
  • Mini-game collection based on Mega Man Star Force with no real story.
Mega Man Star Force 4 Non-canon
  • Canceled game.

Crossovers

Crossover games, especially those that do not bear the Mega Man branding as part of their title (e.g. Marvel vs. Capcom), are generally considered to be non-canon. However, those that are part of the Mega Man brand require further scrutiny.

Media Status Notes
Rockman Tennis Non-canon
  • The appearance of X and the Highway Stage in the Classic era is an anachronism that must be non-canon.
Rockman.EXE Operate Shooting Star Canon
  • Port of the first Battle Network game with a bonus time travel story featuring Geo Stelar. No evidence suggests it is non-canon.
Street Fighter X Mega Man Non-canon
  • Developed by fan Seow Zong Hui and published by Capcom as a free game.
Rockman ✕over Canon
  • Does not conflict with canon, with several developer statements suggesting it is canon.[57][58]
  • However, it remains a self-contained episode, as its time traveling plot does not impact the stories of the other eras.
Mega Man X DiVE Canon
  • Officially considered a chapter within the X era.[59] This fits the premise, as the Robot Destroy Program within Zero that eventually became the Sigma Virus is the catalyst for the events as it went out of control and took over ViA, the previous administrator of the Deep Log.[60][61][62][63][64][65] A major plot point also involves all the new characters being canonized by RiCO to exist within the Mega Man multiverse as otherwise they don't normally exist.[66][67][68][69][70][71][72]
  • Everything in X DiVE is able to exist without disturbing the canon, as all the interactions and events that occur between characters throughout the verse take place in what-if timelines. This is acknowledged in interviews,[73][74] blogs,[75][76] and even in game.[77] This is even shown with characters such as Iris -Another- who represents Repliforce's original plan for Iris and Colonel.[78] The Player successfully restores the Deep Log to its proper state,[79][80][81] so everything that happens in the game is essentially undone in the end and is turned into said what-if timelines. Overall, nothing within the canon is affected besides the new characters being canonized as part of the Deep Log and therefore the Mega Man multiverse.
  • Characters in costumes or alternate appearances that normally wouldn't appear are explained as glitches in the Deep Log or Hunter Programs being able to remove the limitations of the original canon.[82][83][84][85] Crossovers with other Capcom games are explained as data from other universes being mixed in with the data of the Mega Man universe.[86]

Other media

Most non-video game works classified as "other media" on the Mega Man Wiki are non-canon. This is because Capcom would rather non-game products remain exclusive representations of their respective authors' imaginations, uninhibited by official canon constraints.[87]

  • Some works, such as Captain N: The Game Master or Mega Man: Fully Charged, have their own self-contained worlds that clearly diverge from the video games and cannot be mistaken for canon.
  • Other works that adapt material from the video games, such as the 1994 Mega Man series, the anime Mega Man NT Warrior, or the Rockman X manga by Yoshihiro Iwamoto, are also treated as their own independent worlds despite directly drawing on the video games. Thus, they each have their own canons, in a way.
  • However, other media that is included alongside mainline works (e.g. "The Day of Sigma" in Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, or Vile's Incident in the Mega Man Zero 4 soundtrack) is still canon.

Notes

  1. Ian Flynn, writer of the Archie Mega Man comics, wrote in a forum post that he was instructed by Capcom USA to avoid using material from Super Adventure Rockman, Rockman & Forte: Challengers from the Future, Rockman Strategy, Mega Man (DOS), Mega Man 3 (DOS), or Rockman no Huángjīn Dìguó when writing the comics. Flynn described these six titles as "non-canon", but this statement's authority is unreliable regarding the games that were developed or released only in Japan. The statement is also contradicted by Capcom of Japan allowing Mega Man ZX Advent to reference Rockman & Forte: Challengers from the Future, Keiji Inafune recognizing Super Adventure Rockman as part of the Classic era, and the Robot Master Field Guide referencing the events of Super Adventure Rockman. Thus, Flynn's forum post will not be treated as a fully authoritative source unless supporting evidence is presented by Capcom of Japan.

References

  1. Canon (fiction) on Wikipedia
  2. Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan, Page 113-116
  3. Rockman & Rockman X Daizukan, Pages 42-43. Translation
  4. Mega Man & Bass 2003. Database: Pluto: A battle robot designed for jungle combat. Slash Man is designed after him.
  5. Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, Page 82. UDON Entertainment, 2021. "With speedy reflexes and a cat-like appearance, the Stardroid Pluto is quick on his feet, and was created to work and fight in jungle-like environments. This proficiency would later lead him to being used as a model for the Robot Master Slash Man."
  6. Mega Man Soccer, 1994.
  7. Mega Man 10, 2010. Proto Man Shop
  8. Mega Man: Official Complete Works, Page 119
  9. Mega Man Powered Up Manual, Page 7. Capcom, 2006.
  10. "Ultimate Justice on Parallel Earths". The Reploid Research Lavatory. March 2011.
  11. Rockman & Forte Instruction Booklet, Page 2. Capcom, 1998. Translation: "There has been confirmed news of Dr. Wily (57), who has been missing since he was caught in the explosion of his base following his defeat against Rockman! What’s more, it has been discovered by our company’s investigations that he is in the midst of building a new castle to realize his aspirations of world domination!"
  12. Mega Man 9
  13. The Mechanical Maniacs: Misc. Classic Mega Man Mysteries
  14. "Inafune Talks Future X Series Titles, RM9 Continuity". ProtoDude's Rockman Corner. September 2008.
  15. Rockman Perfect Memories, Page 107
  16. Mega Man: Robot Master Field Guide - Updated Edition, Page 101.
  17. Super Adventure Rockman
  18. Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works, Page 125.
  19. Keiji Inafune Interview E3 2003, Sean: A good deal of characters in Rockman come from space, like the Space Rulers from Rockman World 5, Ra Moon from Super Adventure Rockman, and Duo and the Evil Energy from Rockman 8. Is there any background you might be able to give on these characters? Keiji: Actually I wish there was an extremely deep story for the reason why there are so many characters that come from space, but there really isn't. It's merely an action game, and the story doesn't run that deep. There is one character that does have quite a background story concerning why he's in space, and that's the character Duo. That character is actually a space police member and he chases one of his enemies down to Earth. That's why he is actually in space.
  20. Mega Man: Battle and Chase, 1997. "Napalmman built the weapon museum with his earnings. But on the opening day, tragedy happened. One of the kids who was visiting the place said, "This museum is boring." Napalmman got mad when he heard that and..."
  21. Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, Page 73.
  22. Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, Page 103.
  23. Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, 86.
  24. Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, Page 34.
  25. Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, Pages 119-120
  26. Rockman Perfect Memories, Pages 109-110.
  27. Mega Man Game Design Document. Capcom Town. 2023. (link)
  28. 28.0 28.1 "Mega Man on PSP -- Keiji Inafune and Tatsuya Kitabayashi Interview". Phil Theobald, GameSpy. 2005. (archived)
  29. Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide, Page 43
  30. Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, Page 364.
  31. Rockman VR: A Targeted Virtual World!!, 2020. Roll: "These VR goggles also feature the Speed Gear function like what you used in the past."
  32. Rockman VR: A Targeted Virtual World!!, 2020. Dr: Light: "Our virtual training room has already been hacked and is occupied by Wily's robots."
  33. プラザカプコン池袋「ロックマンVR 狙われたバーチャルワールド!!」先行体験 弾をかわし、敵を撃ち抜くアクションが快感, Story Translation: "A peaceful VR world where everyone was having fun.... and Dr. Wily is planning to hack and conquer it! Oh, Rockman, put on the VR goggles developed by Dr. Right and enter the VR world to stop Dr. Wily's ambitions!"
  34. "The Story of Mega Man on DOS". Gaming Historian. 2020.
  35. Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection - "Red Hero"
  36. ゼロ”紅き英雄”に関する調査報告書 - 『ロックマン ゼロ&ゼクス ダブルヒーローコレクション』
  37. Mega Man X6, 2001. Alia: "... X. Can you hear me? I found out... That's Isoc's body. It just broke down. Is he dead? ... This is similar to the Erasure Incident..."
  38. Compendium of Rockman X, Page 7. 2005.
  39. Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, Page 225. Suetsugu: "I was so happy that I got to draw Iris again! Since she had died in 'X4', and this title was supposed to be a prequel set in an earlier timeframe, I adjusted her design appropiately to reflect the shift in time. I thought perhaps she hadn't yet begun wearing her beret when she was still in training, and I also gave her a uniform a touch of a schoolgirl look to give her an overall more youthful appearance. Another little detail I incorporated into her design was to make her a little less 'physically developed' then she was in 'X4'."
  40. "Editorial: Give Thanks For What You've Got..." Tim. The Mega Man Network. 2005. (archive)
  41. "Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 & 2 Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch". Nintendo. 2018.
  42. Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter's Field Guide, Page 27.
  43. Mega Man X Legacy Collection. 2018. X Challenge Story: "There are countless Mavericks who've suffered defeat at your hands. Now, somehow they've reappeared and are causing havoc! Prepare yourself, X!"
  44. Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter Field Guide, Pages 153. UDON Entertainment, 2021. "During a mysterious outbreak of resurrected Mavericks who had previously been defeated by X and Zero, X donned a weaker white version of this armor which functionally resembled the recreated Forth Armor."
  45. Rockman Unity. Translation: Matsuura: "The armor is unique to the X-Challenge mode. In fact, it's a new armor that has never been seen before, based on the Ultimate Armor series from 'Megaman X6', with (extra) customization and prototype features".
  46. Rockman X Command Mission Kyūkyoku Complete Guide. Capcom. 2004.
  47. Compendium of Rockman X. Futabasha. 2005. Pg. 142.
  48. MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works. UDON Entertainment. 2013. Pg. 406. Higurashi: "When I heard the timeframe was set in the year 22XX, I realized it was the same as the Zero series. That's why I added a few touches to give it a bit of a Zero flavor. Initially, I had some reservations about X's design changes, but I think it suits him quite well."
  49. MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works. UDON Entertainment. 2013. Pg. 430. Higurashi: "Command Mission is technically a spin-off, so even though it takes place in 22XX, it's not necessarily the same 22XX during which the "Zero" series takes place. Still, we didn't want to cut it off completely just because it's a spin-off. Our goal was to incorporate some of the "Zero" series' flavor in order to make it feel like "Command Mission" is still connected to the other games, like it is part of the same family. So it might be easier if you regard "Command Mission" not as "a story that takes place between X7 and the Zero series", but rather as "one of the many potential futures that exists independently from the Zero series".
  50. Rockman X DiVE Official: "Mega Man X:Command Mission" is set outside of the main storyline of "Mega Man X" series. Twitter.
  51. REMASTERED TRACKS ROCKMAN ZERO・Telos / III INTI RECORDS
  52. REMASTERED TRACKS ROCKMAN ZERO・Physis / III INTI RECORDS
  53. Rockman ZX Soundsketch ZX GIGAMIX INTI RECORDS
  54. The Misadventures of Tron Bonne. 1999. "Story continues in Mega Man Legends"
  55. Mega Man Network Transmission, 2003. "What? No, that's impossible! My, my WWW research! ... All hail the WWW!" "... And so, thanks to me and MegaMan, the ambitions of theWWW were shattered. Life was peaceful again one month later..."
  56. Rockman EXE WS official page (archive)
  57. iOS/Android “Mega Man Crossover” Developer Roundtable [https://imgur.com/a/rockman-xover-interview-translated-CsSWDN5 Translation: Mizuno: "There is a separate main designer, but Mega Man XO was set in the timeline between the original Mega Man and Mega Man X. For "OVER-5" and beyond, we took that into consideration and kept the common points, such as making the legs thicker, while adding complex lines closer to the "X"."Matsuura: "Since it is between the first generation and "X", we have to make it "X" without being too close to the "X", and we have to make it "X" while retaining the character of the first generation. It was a bit of a difficult order, so we had the character designs created quite early.
  58. Mega Man & Mega Man X: Official Complete Works, Page 427. Saito: "That's just the official explanation. (laughs) I had to come up with a sihouette that wasn't similar to those of other main characters in the series, and according to the overall timeline, this character exists between "Mega Man" and "Mega Man X". I couldn't do without the thick limbs, so my only option was to add a unique accent... That's the real truth behind the fur."
  59. Mega Man X DiVE Store Description (archive)
  60. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. Erato: I've said before that the Sigma virus is "an evolved form of a program." Remember? The reason for this deep log error is the program. The program is called "Robot Destroy Program." It is said to be a system installed on a red Maverick.The "Robot Destroy Program" had infiltrated Sigma's body at the time. It evolved in Sigma's body and became the Sigma virus. And the things used to install the "Robot Destroy Program" are the "hosts" like us. This is also true for a certain red Maverick. And the appearance of ViA is derived from the red Maverick. That's why, when we first met ViA, he reminded us of someone we knew. As the host of the re-installed "Robot Destroy Program," ViA is looking for us. Being born in this world shouldering everything.
  61. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. RiCO: "...W-what... In this case, the reason why Mr. ViA intends to fight with player..." Erato: "is because the "Robot Destroy Program" that was the cause of the error went out of control. That is why he wishes for the player to destroy the program in his body as well as himself."
  62. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. Erato: I've said before that the Sigma virus is "an evolved form of a program." Remember? The reason for this deep log error is the program. The program is called "Robot Destroy Program." It is said to be a system installed on a red Maverick. The "Robot Destroy Program" had infiltrated Sigma's body at the time. It evolved in Sigma's body and became the Sigma virus. And the things used to install the "Robot Destroy Program" are the "hosts" like us. This is also true for a certain red Maverick. And the appearance of ViA is derived from the red Maverick. That's why, when we first met ViA, he reminded us of someone we knew. As the host of the re-installed "Robot Destroy Program," ViA is looking for us. Being born in this world shouldering everything.
  63. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. RiCO: "...W-what... In this case, the reason why Mr. ViA intends to fight with player..." Erato: "is because the "Robot Destroy Program" that was the cause of the error went out of control. That is why he wishes for the player to destroy the program in his body as well as himself."
  64. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. ViA: Rather than calling it my decision, it's more like my "Mission!" Keep it short! Player, RiCO, listed up! How do I put this... The reasons for program errors... is me.
  65. Mega Man X Dive, 2021. ViA (Character Profile): "Claiming to be the former administrator of the Deep Log, he used to be responsible for maintaining order and correcting errors in the cyber world. Although he is currently helping Player with the correction of Irregular Data, his true purpose and mission remain unknown and as far as Player is concerned, he is still shrouded in mystery.
  66. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. ViA: "That is correct. We have been created because of a program error that exists in the Deep Log. Simply put..." iCO: "We are just like Irregular Data. And that applies to you too, RiCO. And as for you, Player... your job is to correct Irregular Data." RiCO: "But... how can this... be... This cannot be true, Ms. iCO! If it is, when Player finally fix the Deep Log, we would be..." iCO: "That is correct. We will no longer exist in this world. ViA, as if it wasn't bad enough for you to conceal my existence... You didn't even inform them about this?" ViA: "I am sorry, RiCO and Player, for having kept both of you in the dark for so long... But I can't afford to let "them" find out about my plans." iCO: "Don't worry, RiCO. The only one who has the power to connect us to this world... Is you, RiCO. Even if we did not originally exist in the universe of Mega Man, you hold the power to link and connect us to this universe."
  67. Mega Man X Dive, 2021. Mad Nautilus: "Ugh... it seems... that this is as far as I'll go... Apparently program errors are fated to be corrected... But don't you forget this, Player... If this World is restored to it's original state, All game data that doesn't belong to the Mega Man series will cease to exist in this cyberspace..." RiCO: "What is he trying to say exactly..." Mad Nautilus: "If that ever becomes the reality, what do you think would happen to characters who originally do not exist? ?" ViA: "Hmph! The bookwork types are all the same...they just keep lecturing as if they know everything about the world, even in the final moments of their lives." Mad Nautilus: "Player, mark my words... In this cyberspace... if the error did not take place... There will be characters who should... have never appear in this world... Like those two blue fellows over..therer..."
  68. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. iCO: "RiCO, you're the same, you're too chill.. Did you forget? Your ability to "parse and materialize" is crucial to our connection to this world!" RiCO: "I remember everything! As long as the player restores the Deep Log to their original state, and I materialize everyone into the Maverick Hunter Program ......" ViA: "We will not be Irregular Data, but will be able to survive as "Megaman X series characters", right?"
  69. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. RiCO: "Player has defeated the Sigma Virus, the schmuck that was in your body. Then you should be able to manifest into the Hunter Program as well......" Droitclair: "Is that so......? Then from now on, I can be with...... Player, RiCO and you guys...... And restore this world...... together?" RiCO: "That's right, Ms. Droitclair! Come join the fight with us!" Droitclair: "RiCO...... as a result, I will not be irregular data anymore but a "character in Mega Man X" for our players......" RiCO: "Correct! And now we still need to save Mr. Angie and Ms. Erato. Let's return to base and discuss about our battle plan."
  70. Mega Man XDiVE, 2021. RiCO: "Ms. Droit............Don't worry! We will definitely defeat the bastard inside Mr. Angie's body - the Sigma Virus. We'll materialize Mr. Angie's into a hunter program to stay in this world! Of course we'll need to entrust this on the player! Just like us and Ms. Droit, Mr. Angie can definitely become a Megaman X character as well......"
  71. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. RiCO: "Of course!...... I don't want to fight if possible...... However, the player and I will definitely save them, whether it's Mr. Angie or the sister! And we will materialize everyone into the characters of Megaman X! With the player standing with us, I'm sure they'll agree with us too!
  72. RiCO: "Heh heh heh heh. By the way, why do you want us to materialize you as a hunter program soon?" ViA: "Oh, that's my wish, I guess. Simply put. I want you to "always remember me."" RiCO: "Remember...... and so on! You've been with us all along, haven't you? This is not at all like what you would say......" ViA: "Not like what I would say?...... Indeed! But as long as I'm turned into a hunter program by the power of you, RiCO. I will be able to stay in the hearts of everyone with a "Mega Man X" identity, right? The same goes for Droit and Angie. Player and RiCO, you have worked very hard for this world!"
  73. Rockman X DiVE – An Interview with Keisuke Mizuno, Mizuno: "I think we can take “Rockman X DiVE”’s particular world view of being game data to create new ideas, such as “what if this kind of character existed” in the history of Rockman X series, allowing ones that had relations to previous characters to retake the stage, or even characters (in its setting) had been planned to appeared in original games but couldn’t make it in due to insufficient space and was ultimately abandoned, this kind of stuff might turn out super interesting. For example a character designed to be a member of the 14th martial arts irregular hunter unit led by Rockman X4’s “Magma Dragoon”, it would be neat to let this character appear as a fighting type character. They might even be very active in PVP
  74. Rockman X DiVE – An Interview with Keisuke Mizuno Q: "One specialty of “Rockman X DiVE” is having characters that can never appear together in the main series, whom can now appear together in PVP or team battles. do you have any thoughts about this?" Mizuno: "It’s an element that can only be experienced in Rockman X DiVE, and I think it’s pretty great. Every character can simply existing alongside one another without having to think about the past or future, and even the same characters sometimes, I think this is the merit of this game production. It’ll probably be really cool to see X and Ultimate Armor X fighting together in the team battle system."
  75. 思い出を守れ!スマホ用アプリ『ロックマンX DiVE』配信決定!, Translation: "The story takes place in a “what if” world. First of all, please check out the video message from Tsuchiya, the producer of the Mega Man series. Please take a look at the video message from Tsuchiya, the producer of the Mega Man series! What do you think? For a moment, I thought Mr. Tsuchiya was promoting Kotobukiya's plastic models. I thought for a moment that Tsuchiya was promoting Kotobukiya's plastic models, but then I realized that he is a player and a hero! But it turns out that you, the player, are the main character. What is the “what if” world in which “Mega Man X DiVE” takes place? The “what if” world of “Mega Man X DiVE” is a cyber world called “Deep Log,” where various game data is stored. All the data and memories of the Mega Man X series that you have played are stored here. The “Deep Log” has been damaged by a bug of unknown cause, and you, the player, have to find a navigator who appears out of the blue and guides you through the world. You, the player, are led by the navigator “Rico” who suddenly appears, and you dive into the world of “Deep Log! "Rico” is an original character in this game!"
  76. 6月9日『ロックマン X DiVE』で「ロックマンの日!?」開催!, Translation: "Mega Man X series, but different from the main series. It is a “what if” world. It takes place in the “Deep Log”, a cyber world where various game data is stored. The game takes place in the cyber world of “Deep Log,” where various game data is stored. Therefore, it is not only the X series, characters from various Mega Man series can appear in the game. The key point of this game is the high degree of freedom to use any character from not only the X series, but also the various Mega Man series. The “Mega Man” series of course includes the original Mega Man, but also DASH, EXE, and Zero. DASH, EXE, ZERO, ZX, and the Shooting Star series will also appear. If anything, “Mega Man-chan” or “Mr. Mega Man” may even appear in the future. Wouldn't it be funny if “Mega Man-chan” or “Mr. Mega Man” appeared in the future? (No, because it's not game data.) The main character is “myself who used to play Mega Man. In order to protect the memories of playing back then Guided by the navigator “Rico” who suddenly appeared from the Deep Log and dive into the Deep Log in order to restore the data. This is the general story."
  77. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. ViA: "You are right; the power of Hunter Program is absolutely essential in data correction... That and the skill that you bring by controlling the Hunter Programs, Player! It's thanks to you that characters and enemies from previous series can make their return. And this makes the "what-if"s of encounters that would never happen in the original series possible! Looks like it's about time for me to "show" something to Player."
  78. 【ROCKMAN X DiVE】非正規情報站/Maverick Information
  79. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. "Deep Log Corrected"
  80. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. RiCO: "What? What does that mean? Unlocking and manifesting... Are you talking about what I have been doing to summon Hunter Programs and Weapon Data to this world?" ViA: "Yes, that's what we meant. In addition to that, Player's ability to "Correct Data" is critical too! It is what we need to restore the Deep Log to is original state... And for the sake of..." iCO: "For the sake of our existence, right? That applies to you too, RiCO."
  81. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. RiCO: "Mr. ViA, Ms. iCO...... The battle is over, right? The corrupt program has disappeared too, right? We can go back together, right?" ViA■: "Hey, RiCO. I thought I'd finally see your strong, determined side. Why are you saying that right now? As your brother, I won't allow...... You can't say that again...... The world has now returned back to its original state...... The mission is over, Player."
  82. 【ロックマンX DiVE】『ロックマン エグゼ』コラボ開催中! 日本版プロデューサー・橋本賢一さんに今だからこそ聞ける配信後の反響や制作秘話、これからの展開を聞いてみた!! Translation: "-Theoretically, anything can be reproduced thanks to the Hunter Program (2)?" Hashimoto: "Yes. Thanks to the system, even non-combative and boss characters can be reproduced as a program!"
  83. ロックマンX DiVE』プロデューサーへ直撃!「ロックマンXのアクションの全てを詰め込んだ」カプコン初のスマホ向け横スクACTに君はついて来られるか? Translation: "The costume changes such as the swimsuits and happi coats are drastic, are they not? In the original setting they were called Reploids, and did not wear clothes. But how was the reception in the Taiwanese players when the game was previously distributed there?" Hashimoto: "The characters in this game are not real Reploids but rather Hunter Programs created from game data. The Taiwanese players were accepting of the swimsuit character but were surprised by Zero in a happi coat (laughs). As one would expect, the happi coats worn at festivals aren't recognized there. Roughly speaking."
  84. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021. ViA: "Hmmph, RiCo, don't make things hard for the Player! The "Matsuri" program error that has shown up in the stage is probably a "festive celebration" for the Deep Log itself! Looks like the impact caused by this "Matsuri" dara error is not just limited to the stages. See? Even some hunter programs now take on incredible costumes too, almost as if they are going all out with the celebrations..."
  85. Mega Man X DiVE, 2021.ViA: "Yes, this is definitely the Christmas atmosphere! This is a program error generated from seasonal event, not unlike the "Matsuri" and "Halloween" program errors! By the way, I met the players from a region called Japan. They don't appear to know the presence of "Matsuri" program error, though most of them spotted the Solan Matsuri issue on Zero!"
  86. https://imgur.com/a/capcom-franchises-deeplog-x0Xz10Y
  87. MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works. 2013. Pg. 431.