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A-Trans

From Mega Man Wiki
Weapon Info
Artwork of Model A fighting using A-Trans, from Mega Man ZX Advent.
MMX7 MMX8
Weapon icon(s).
General information
Name(s):A-Trans, A-Trance
Abbreviation(s):A. Trans
Appearances:Mega Man X7, Mega Man X8, Mega Man ZX Advent
Game Info
Cost:Varies
Obtained from:Default
Other Info
Related:Axl Bullets

A-Trans (Aトランス),[1] also translated as A-Trance,[2] is a recurring ability in the Mega Man franchise. It is the power to absorb the DNA of other robots in order to completely mimic their abilities and/or appearance. It was first utilized by Axl in the X era, before returning as a power of Model A in Mega Man ZX Advent.

In the Games

X era

Mega Man X7

A-Trans is introduced in Mega Man X7, where Axl can use it to temporarily transform into enemies or gain their abilities. First, Axl has to deal the final blow to an enemy using his Axl Bullet's Copy Shot (コピーショット), which has a short charge time and doesn't deal much damage. They will then drop a DNA Core, which immediately activates A-Trans when Axl touches it. Humanoid enemies drop large DNA Cores that transform Axl into a copy of that enemy, while other enemies drop small DNA Cores that grant him power-ups or abilities. The duration of A-Trans is represented by the Weapon Energy meter; the player cannot detransform at will, and must wait for it to deplete.

Transformation
Enemy Attacks Description
Runnerbomb □: Throw bomb
△: Roll bomb
Protects against bombs.
Bounding □ (mid-air): Shoot electric spark Invincible while still. Does not fight back.
Flier ✕: Fly
□: Shoot buster shot
Glide down from a jump. Long gliding distance.
Mushadroyd □: Slash combo Cuts through electric walls with rapid attack.
Ruinsman □: Throw boulder Guards against damage from spikes and rocks.
Power-Up
Enemy Description
Crash Roadster Increases speed of movement.
Blockape Replenishes random amount of life.
Metool-S Creates a shield in front of you.
Pastegunner Increases shooting speed.
Quick Boots Increases speed of movement.
Radardroyd Creates a shield in front of you.
Skelebat Skelebats bombard the enemy.

In the story, Axl explains to Zero that he does not remember where he gained the power of A-Trans, and that he is limited to copying humanoid Reploids. His ability to steal the DNA of Reploids was misused by Red Alert due to the influence of Sigma, who used the DNA to create power-ups for Red and his team. This led Axl to eventually leave Red Alert to become a Maverick Hunter.

Mega Man X: Command Mission

In Mega Man X: Command Mission, Axl uses the similar ability DNA Change as his Action Trigger. After defeating certain bosses, Axl copies their DNA and can then transform into them to perform a single, powerful attack. Uniquely, Axl can mimic non-humanoid Reploids in this attack. In the story, Axl was seeking answers to the mysterious source of his ability, which led him to Giga City where he met X and joined the Resistance.

Mega Man X8

A-Trans returns as an ability for Axl in Mega Man X8, albeit slightly reworked since X7. The Copy Shot has no charge time, and Axl can freely activate or deactivate his transformations at will. However, DNA Cores can only be created from humanoid enemies, meaning Axl cannot gain power-ups from other types of enemies.

Enemy Attacks Description
Guardroid □: Throw bomb
△: Salute
Throws bombs and can salute other Guardroids.
Rollerroid □: Shoot triple shot Can move on spikes and shoot in three directions.
Skyroid ✕: Fly
□: Shoot buster shot
Able to hover.
Sphereroid □: Punch Becomes a small sphere able to enter short passages.

In the story, it is revealed that Axl can copy DNA because he is a prototype for the new generation Reploids, who are all installed with copy chips that let them do the same, albeit using a pre-set database rather than by absorbing DNA samples. This means Axl's A-Trans is unique to him.

ZX era

Mega Man ZX Advent

In Mega Man ZX Advent, A-Trans is one of the powers granted to Grey/Ashe by Model A. In Japanese, it is instead called Trans On (トランスオン). Rather than mimicking enemies, the player can mimic the game's eight Pseudoroid and five Mega Man bosses, automatically copying a DNA sample after each battle to unlock their form. Once a boss is copied, Model A can freely activate or deactivate A-Trans at will with no time limit, crying out "A-Trans!" when transforming. Each of the thirteen forms has a different elemental alignment and utility in traversing terrain.

Boss Description
Buckfire the Gaxelleroid Shoots fire arrows and dashes through blocks.
Chronoforce the Xiphosuroid Swims, shoots icicles, and slows down time.
Rospark the Floroid Climbs wires and manipulates electricity.
Vulturon the Condoroid Plays guitar, hovers, and clings to walls.
Queenbee the Hymenopteroid Flies, shoots stingers, and docks into machines.
Bifrost the Crocoroid Giant body that bites and throws wheels.
Hedgeshock the Erinaceroid Fires electricity and rolls through small passages.
Argoyle the Shisaroid Skates, throws bombs, and summons a clone.
Atlas Shoots Knuckle Busters and creates explosions.
Siarnaq Throws blades, clings to platforms, and navigates darkness.
Thetis Slashes with a halberd and swims through water.
Aeolus Uses dual beam sabers and dashes through the air.
Vent/Aile Uses ZX Saber and ZX Buster in balanced combat.

In the story, A-Trans is the power of Albert, who bestowed it upon his creation, Model A. Because of the intersection of Reploids and Humanoids at this point in time, A-Trans is able to copy either kind of being. In the climax of the game, Albert uses Ouroboros to unlock the "real A-Trans" (真のトランスオン), allowing him to perfectly copy or resurrect any being using the souls absorbed by Model W.[3]

Other Game Appearances

  • A-Trans is a rare Action card in TEPPEN. When used, it copies the cards in the player's EX Pocket and returns them to the top of the deck in random order.
  • A-Trans is one of Axl's abilities as an event character in Dragon Poker. t is a support skill that, under specific conditions, may grant a skill buff to the user (if the team leader has the same skill type as Axl), recover 5% HP to the party (if one member has an abnormal condition), or remove abnormal conditions from the party (if all members have the same condition).
  • A-Trans is one of Axl's abilities as an event character in Elemental Story. It converts two Light pieces into Wood pieces (Axl's element) in the end of the turn.

References

  1. Sub Screen, Mega Man X7. 2003.
  2. Axl: "Is that a Runnerbomb? Press (△) and use A-Trance to steal its ability and render it harmless." Crimson Fortress, Mega Man X7. Capcom. 2003. (PS2 release only)
  3. Albert: "I told you that you were made in my image. But my real power is not in my copy ability. The spirit of everything Model W eats lives on inside me. The power to control all life. That is the power of the ultimate Mega Man. The real A-Trans! They're waiting for you inside with their new bodies. Please go in and play with them. If you can make your way to me, I'll tell you everything, on how, even being incomplete, you can still use A-Trans, and who you really are." Mega Man ZX Advent. Inti Creates. 2007.