Site notice
Welcome! Please check To-Do List to see what pages need help, who is working on what, etc.

Shining Firefly

From Mega Man Wiki
Walkthrough
Quotes
Maverick Info
MMX5 - Shining Firefly Art.png
Artwork from Mega Man X5.
X5
Stage portrait(s).
General information
Name(s):Shining Firefly, Izzy Glow, Shining Hotarunicus
Title(s):Spark of Intelligence[1]
Group(s):None
Appearances:Mega Man X5
Inspiration:Firefly
Designer:Haruki Suetsugu[1]
Game Info
Weapon(s):F-Laser/C-Flasher
Weakness(es):Tri-Thunder/E-Blade
Stage(s):Laser Institute Stage


Shining Firefly, also known as Izzy Glow, or as Shining Hotarunicus (シャイニング・ホタルニクス) in Japan, is a Maverick from the X era, appearing as one of the main bosses in Mega Man X5. He is a light-themed Reploid based on a firefly, who attacks by flying through the dark and firing lasers. He is a laser scientist who possesses the Laser Device required for the Enigma project.

In the Games

Mega Man X5

Sprite from Mega Man X5.

Shining Firefly debuts in Mega Man X5 as one of the eight Mavericks on the Stage Select screen. He is a reclusive laser scientist Reploid who holds the Laser Device needed for the Enigma in the Laser Institute Stage. His laser attacks aren't particularly difficult to dodge, but he moves faster as the battle goes on. Defeating Shining Firefly grants F-Laser to X and C-Flasher to Zero. His weakness is the Tri-Thunder or E-Blade from Volt Kraken, which shocks him and resets his pattern. A boss attack rematch with Shining Firefly later occurs in Zero Space Stage 4: Birth.

Other Game Appearances

  • In TEPPEN, Shining Firefly appears as a Unit Card.

Other Media

  • In the Rockman X5 manhua, Shining Firefly reprises his role from Mega Man X5.
  • In the Archie Mega Man comic, Shining Firefly appears in the "Worlds Unite" arc as one of the many Mavericks resurrected in Sigma's army.

Official Data

Mega Man X5

Spark of Intelligence
Shining Firefly
A stubborn firefly Reploid who is the leading authority on laser engineering. Fearing his research will be used for destruction, he and his results stay hidden inside his laser laboratory. He is not very fast, but makes up for it with powerful laser attacks like the guided Flash Laser, which can remotely control firefly units. He possesses the Laser Device which can be used in the Enigma.[2][3]

Compendium of Rockman X

MMX5 - Shining Firefly Art.png
Super-Electromagnetic Lab Stage Volt Kraken
Weapon: F-Laser/C-Flasher Weakness: Tri-Thunder/E-Blade
Profile: He is always airborne and his shooting systems are very accurate. Although his teleportation can make him unpredictable, there are still opportunities to attack him.
Attack: Effect:
Flash Laser A shot that pursues the player.
Prism Laser Fires a laser either vertically or horizontally.
Prism Shot Fire eight shots across the floor, then pulls them back.
{{{attack4}}} {{{effect4}}}
{{{attack5}}} {{{effect5}}}
{{{attack6}}} {{{effect6}}}
{{{attack7}}} {{{effect7}}}

Mega Man X Legacy Collection Gallery

MMX5 - Shining Firefly Art.png Shining Firefly
Firefly is the foremost authority on laser technology, but he is so paranoid about his inventions being turned into weapons that they rarely see the light of day. His firefly-shaped remote laser emitters are highly mobile, to compensate for his own lack of agility.

Behind the Scenes

Developer Commentary

"This boss was settled on from the start. He's not plain evil, he's an intelligent and stubborn professor. I think he got a design that nicely echoes my mental image of him. However, there is one mistake... I screwed up his coloring while designing him. There were two versions, red and yellow, and I'd decided on yellow, but things got crazy and I had pixel art made with the unaccepted red. I noticed this towards the end of development, but by then it was too late." - (Developer Comments)[3]
"The majority of a real firefly's body is black-ish, so I designed him that way, but I didn't want people to think, "Is this a cockroach?" So I considered red, yellow, or white (like a labcoat) schemes, ultimately choosing red. He's a red-faced old man. His white mustache and glasses convey his scientist feel." - (SENSEI, Designer Comments)[3]
"I was told that Firefly would be a sort of professor like character, so that could only mean two things: glasses and distinguished facial hair! The red stripe I put along the top of his head is supposed to be a sort of bald look." - (Haruki Suetsugu)[1]

Nomenclature

Language Name Origin
Japanese Shining Hotarunicus (シャイニング・ホタルニクス) "Hotarunicus" is derived from "hotaru" (ホタル), the Japanese word for firefly.
English Shining Firefly / Izzy Glow "Izzy Glow", his name in the initial English release of Mega Man X5, was inspired by Izzy Stradlin, a former rhythm guitarist of the rock band Guns N' Roses. In the game's Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 re-release, his name was changed to "Shining Firefly" to better reflect his original Japanese name.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works. 2013.
  2. Haoh Game Special #188: Rockman X5 Kanzen Kōryaku Guide. 2000.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 (Archived) Capcom Japan official website, New Products, Rockman X5. 2001. (http://www.capcom.co.jp/newproducts/consumer/psrockx5/index.html)