Mega Man: Fully Charged

[Tracker_TD]

Quote

Sure, from the trailer it seems that humans can have any hair color they want. And she's probably a robot like Aki. I'm not against mixed families. I'm not saying every "Roll" has to be a blonde white girl. But like....why.....what were you thinking Dr. Light?

"I'm not against all these things... but why?"

...why not?

-----

Anyway, I'm kinda surprised how absolutely furious this place is about this show, particularly after seeing reactions grow relatively tepid elsewhere.

As far as being its own thing, I don't see the deviation from the Classic series here as anything much different to say, Battle Network or Legends. It's like Sonic Boom, basically - very different, but not replacing the main series so it may as well do some stuff to stand out. 

As far as the thing itself goes... it seems average. The animation isn't amazing, and the '8-bit' segments are somewhat shoddy, but it seems to have the idea of Mega Man wanting robots to live together and all that down and while Sgt. Night is obviously the bad guy having him be someone who's actually alongside the heroes and simply playing on people's emotions to try and have them turn against robots is... interesting? Again, nothing Eisner-winning here, but as I said I'm genuinely surprised by the absolute scorn I'm seeing here on a daily basis towards something that for all intents and purposes doesn't seem to warrant it.

I reckon Fire Man's design looks pretty neat too and I'm glad they re-designed Mega Mini, even if I can see his comedy act wearing a little thin. 

tl;dr it's different but it's clearly trying to be, and I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. It's average, sure, but far from some insult to the series. I love the hell out of MM Classic, and I think it's interesting to see a different take on it from a team I can tell (both from small cues in the show and their personal feeds) have quite a fondness for Mega Man. 

[Polkadi~☆]

Okay, taking a moment to calm down and reflect on my thoughts, it's just meh. That's all.

It's not a crime against Mega Man, even if there are things I do not like. I think my frustration comes from the fact that this feels too different from the source material it's clearly basing itself off of. So please allow myself to take a different perspective and take Mega Man out of the equation. I have now no longer played any Mega Man games, nor have I ever heard of this franchise.

Now how is the show?

It's like the rest of the schlock I see in the after-school timeslot on ABC. Flat backgrounds, awkwardly animated, busy character design, and incredibly average voice acting. It offers nothing new or different from the other shows of that nature, which is going to hurt this show. It would be on that alone that I do not have faith in it. And if I happen to catch it on TV, I'm not just gonna turn it off on the spot, for it's not hurting anyone. But I won't be interested enough to watch and will leave it on in the background.

It's such a shame that it's so uninteresting and boring, and it's going onto a channel with so many unique shows on air. Couple that with the timeslot it has, Mega Man: Full Charged doesn't stand a chance about staying on TV. Except for, of course, getting into the after-school ABC timeslot and blending in with the rest of the schlock.

It's just incredibly average, and that is all.

[KoDaiko]

2 hours ago, Tracker_TD said:

"I'm not against all these things... but why?"

...why not?

-----

tl;dr it's different but it's clearly trying to be, and I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. It's average, sure, but far from some insult to the series. I love the hell out of MM Classic, and I think it's interesting to see a different take on it from a team I can tell (both from small cues in the show and their personal feeds) have quite a fondness for Mega Man. 

I mean, if she IS Suna=Roll, what was the point in changing her completely? Everyone else is somewhat similar to their original counterpart. Representation? New kids probably won’t care but it bothers me that Dr. Light himself is white-skinned, made a white-skinned son(s, given Namagem is the same), yet made his one daughter black. Unless she’s actually human and mixed. Or she's a robot based on his dead wife. Or just, something.

-------------------

What makes me be sad is that they said something along the line of “this cartoon is based off Classic”. So, an adaptation of Classic? No. A story based on the universe but different characters like X? No. An AU using Classic characters but with a totally different world and story like BN? No.

The story is basically Classic, the world is silimar to Classic,  the theme is the same as Classic, they even push the nostalgia of Classic via sprite/music, but they redesign/replaced the character/mechanics. If we’re going that far, why not a faithful adaptation? Why treat it a new series??

Why rename Rock to Aki? Is Rock too silly, despite most of the main cast being music-themed?
Why is he a generic “regular schoolboy with a secret hero identity”? Do we really need the robot part?
Why change Roll to a black girl named Suna (not confirmed)? Is Roll’s original design bad?
Why give Rush a “normal” form? Why does he need to transform too?
Why change how Megaman’s copy mechanic works? Why make it more time-consuming?
Why replace Wily with Srt. Night? Why replace the most iconic villain of the series?

 

Now, when it airs I’m going to try treating it as a totally new series. But I will forever question the decision of the creative staff behind it.

[Candescence]

"But why" is pretty much going to define this show. There is simply no compelling reason for this show to exist as it is, nor any reason why it isn't an adaptation of Ian Flynn's material.

In other words, it's basically DMC: Devil May Cry all over again, except without a narrative that's downright offensive, at least, which is... Not a high bar, frankly.

[SonicWind]

I mean, the way I see it, I, too, believe this isn't an affront to all things Mega Man. After all, I didn't believe that to be the case with Sonic when Sonic Boom was announced. Besides, Mega Man 11 is still gonna be a thing whether Fully Charged is a success or not, so anyone who expresses a distaste toward it can easily flock to that game. In any case, I'm willing to give this a shot. Maybe as the show advances, things will get more interesting? Likely not, but I can hope.

4 hours ago, KoDaiko said:

Why rename Rock to Aki? Is Rock too silly, despite most of the main cast being music-themed?

According to the TV Tropes page, one of the meanings for "Aki" is "bright", which fits with the last name Light and shows the doctor clearly envisioned big things for his robot son. Points for that, I guess. Probably doesn't give much of an answer, though, I realize.

[Forte-Metallix]

New clip, with a recycled idea from Archie:

Wow. First episode, and even Aki's already sick of Mega-Mini. But I will admit that the bit with the manhole cover is the first genuine laugh this show has given me.

[Celestia]

Honestly I never understood the music themed names anyway. It isn't really reflected by the characters, though obviously it's not like it "has" to mean something. (...I might also just be missing something really obvious.)

What I'm saying is instead of lemons the buster should've been shooting musical notes or something.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

21 minutes ago, Celestia said:

Honestly I never understood the music themed names anyway. It isn't really reflected by the characters, though obviously it's not like it "has" to mean something. (...I might also just be missing something really obvious.)

What I'm saying is instead of lemons the buster should've been shooting musical notes or something.

All I know is Blues sounds a lot more better than Namagem.

[KoDaiko]

On 7/24/2018 at 1:19 AM, SonicWind said:

According to the TV Tropes page, one of the meanings for "Aki" is "bright", which fits with the last name Light and shows the doctor clearly envisioned big things for his robot son. Points for that, I guess. Probably doesn't give much of an answer, though, I realize.

If it is indeed Japanese, Aki is such a bland (apologies to all the Aki's around the world) and broad name. There is countless kanji combinations that can read Aki, and while some can mean "bright" and "light" you need to choose specific kanji for that. Unless the pronounciation makes it obvious, no one will know what kanji the name uses. The first thing people would probably think when pronouncing that word is fall/autumn, maybe "empty space" and "boredom". If it was something like Hikaru or Teru, maybe Akira, people would more likely know it's light related. But that would sound too Japanese, huh?

Also the first thing people will think hearing Suna will be "sand". Need some courage to call your child that. But then in other languages it can also mean duck, sun, or s*x goddess (I am not joking) according to Google.

2 hours ago, Celestia said:

Honestly I never understood the music themed names anyway. It isn't really reflected by the characters, though obviously it's not like it "has" to mean something. (...I might also just be missing something really obvious.)

What I'm saying is instead of lemons the buster should've been shooting musical notes or something.

True. I think it's just a trend Capcom decided to use for Classic after using Rock and Roll. Though I'm sure they do think a bit about the meanings when choosing (like Forte=strong, Blues=melancholic, Duo=two=friend?, Quint=5 may be referencing "Rock"-->Roku=6.)

 I wish the cartoon kept the original names though, just because it's basically Classic.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Again, for those who can't see the region-blocked clip above:

 

[Balding Spider]

On 7/22/2018 at 6:28 PM, Forte-Metallix said:

One last thing from the preview's Youtube description:

"Mega Man also has to find a way to redeem his twin brother, Namagem and release him from the evil influence of Sgt.Night."

...

Yeah, I'm out. I'm going back to Kung-Fu Cut Man.

Wait this is real? Ha, oh man, and I thought that update was just a joke!

Edit:

On 7/23/2018 at 1:56 PM, KoDaiko said:

My current question is whether the dark-skinned girl is Suna Light. Who's supposed to be Aki's sister.

Sure, from the trailer it seems that humans can have any hair color they want. And she's probably a robot like Aki. I'm not against mixed families. I'm not saying every "Roll" has to be a blonde white girl. But like....why.....what were you thinking Dr. Light?

Also,

I'd be laughing if this boy is Aki's twin brother Namagem. Using the term "twin" on a robot is so weird. (btw I wonder if Dr. Wily exists, or the t-shirt is just a reference??)

What the fuck is up with entertainment and their need to give Asian women colored hair?

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Don't know if it's real or not, given it's from Wikipedia, but these are supposedly the first 10 episodes:

• Throwing Shade Part 1
• Throwing Shade Part 2
• Drilling Deep
• Videodrone
• Please Rush Home
• Blaze of Glory
• Nice on Ice
• Hard Times
• Tripping the Light Fantastic
• Running Wild

The most interesting thing to gleam from this is that it confirms Hard Man supposedly.

[SonicWind]

I'm gonna guess "Please Rush Home" is another one of those "beloved pet runs away" episodes. They're probably gonna put some kind of twist on it, though.

[KoDaiko]

Okay, we have a new clip:

For those who can't watch due to region-block, someone re-uploaded it:

Spoiler

 

Some new information:

• Suna is a human girl (interesting the video description pointed it out). Which means...she was adopted or Light has a dead wife?
• Robots have robot-dads and "family business" now

Personal opinion

• I sorta like Drillman's voice
• Do robots have more free will and rights? How does robot biology work in this world???
• Red-boy is totally "Wily"-related. Whether fan service, Namagem(=Protoman), or this world's version Bass is still unclear.
• I still am not fond of the pixel art, they LOOK nice but Megaman looks so ugly.
• Why is there so much effort in making "references" to classic. I know it's supposed to be neat but it makes me more bitter than happy.

[Forte-Metallix]

2 hours ago, KoDaiko said:

Okay, we have a new clip:

 

Credit where it's due:

1) Drill Man was actually playing his classic theme in the flashback. Fire Man retained his, too. It's not much, but at least they skimmed over the source material.

2) From the video description: The Mega Buster allows Mega Man to replicate other robots’ schematics – powers, personality quirks and all – often with unexpected and hilarious results. So it seems he runs the risk of converting to the behavior of whomever he copies. Last few clips showed him becoming more aggressive like Fire Man, and here he starts spinning uncontrollably after taking Drill Man's data. Interesting concept, I will admit.

Still think this show looks like hot garbage.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

I swear the 8-bit effects have to be one of the most shameless attempts to tie this to Classic, despite the fact they're extremely distracting and unneeded. Like, what was the point of having that random 8-bit effect engulfing the screen when Mega Man shoots at Drill Man early on in the screen?

Also, I really do not like the design of the CGI kids. Aki, Suna or that other random kid. They all look immensely generic.

[Mega]

You know what I find weird?

Man of Action is doing the Big Hero 6 cartoon, but that is actually very faithful to the source material and a good show. Maybe it's because Disney has a tighter hold on it while Capcom's giving more leeway? idk.

[PC the Hedgehog]

38 minutes ago, Mega said:

You know what I find weird?

Man of Action is doing the Big Hero 6 cartoon, but that is actually very faithful to the source material and a good show. Maybe it's because Disney has a tighter hold on it while Capcom's giving more leeway? idk.

Man of Action was probably more faithful to the source material of Big Hero 6 because they created the source material too.

[Tara]

I don't think we can discount that Capcom wanted a dramatic departure as a means of drawing attention.  I don't like comparing the show to Boom (even though it's not a bad comparison, it's just an easy one), but I imagine they wanted to test the waters with something like that for their own brand.

As is, though, I don't even mind the fact the show is so different from normal Mega Man flair.  There's like a billion different Mega Man series, even in the games.  Classic, X, ZX, Zero, Battle Network, Mega Man Super Taxpaying Robot, etc.  They're all very different, but all fine in their own right.  I just think this show is... bad.  And the confusing attempts to shoehorn classic nostalgia despite being a visibly separate thing just strikes me as very dissonant.  I mean, Sonic Boom has throwbacks to classic and modern Sonic as well, but it's not nearly as in your face about them and usually involves a tongue-in-cheek reference rather than going out out of their way to make a transitional sequence or something like that.

[Milo]

I'm not a big fan of Megaman, I don't even own or have played one Megaman game, and yet the biggest question I have is "Why is this here? Why does this cartoon exist?".

....or at least, to put it less harshly, "Why does this exist as a product under the Megaman brand, when it clearly has little to do with it?"

I mean, sure, from the surface, it bears the name and borrows some superficial elements, but even as a casual observer this reminds me of the live-action Jem and the Holograms (or for a more recent example, the Netflix reboot of Reboot) more than anything else with the Megaman name: a boilerplate production that had the rights to another license fecklessly slapped on top of it.

I also said this a while back in the statuses, but that CG animation looks pretty poor to me. Everything's too simple and bright in their design, like the production crew wanted to go for a cel-shaded look but didn't have the budget to properly pull it off. Both Sonic Boom and Pac-Man Ghostly Adventures honestly looked better IMO.

The show may not be outright terrible but at the same time, "harmless" isn't exactly a great selling point for your supposed new product / IP revival. I don't really see any significant audience tuning into this--too insipid to reach a general audience and too alien to get existing Megaman fans on board. I think even Capcom feels the same way, as (unlike Sonic Boom or Pac-Man G.A.) they don't really have any notable tie-in products coinciding with the show's launch that I'm aware of.

And picking CN to broadcast your action(-comedy) cartoon nowadays may as well be a kiss of death--if it's not predominantly a comedy and it's not produced in-house (CN Studios/WB Animation), it's going to be get crappy timeslots and transparent promotion. I'll be surprised if this show lasts two seasons at best, and that's being generous.

[Forte-Metallix]

Two more clips:

Dr. Light doesn't even know Mega Man's his own son. Seriously?!

Cringy dialogue is cringy. And we finally have confirmation that generic purple-hair girl is Suna.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

I guess Light just thought “I’ll throw in a copy chip and weapon for the kicks of it, not like he’d use it”

[SonicWind]

...Yeah, OK, that also might be a bit of an odd choice. Still going along with it, though.

Gonna hazard a guess and say Aki enhanced himself secretly or something.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Rewatching the clips, they really rushed to shoehorn in the whole "rage makes us blind" message in there.

[Forte-Metallix]

Lotsa character profiles:

Aki Light aka Mega Man

"An enthusiastic robot with an action-seeking mischievous side. He seeks the good in everyone, but he's no saint. Aki is learning to be be a boy and a hero both in his daily life and as Mega Man. He is bright, confident, fun and curious. He can definitely feel confusion, anger and shame, but these are rare extremes. When he absorbs the power of a defeated enemy, he takes on aspects of their personality that enhances his own and force him to deal with their emotions as they manifest in his mind and affect his daily existence.
In a flurry of computer code and visual pyrotechnics, latent programming awakens inside of Aki. Aki's skin re-forms into a suit of impenetrable nanocore armor and the signature Mega Man helmet forms around his head! Aki's mind is flooded with battle-mode tactics, weapon system arrays and schematics to fully charge the Mega Buster canon arm!"

Mega Mini

"No bigger than a cricket, Mega Mini is Mega Man's onboard repair unit and external conscience drive. He has a biting, often rude sense of humor, and he's funny as heck*.
With his home base located inside Mega Man's helmet, Mega Mini easily moves through Mega Man's body to repair and analyze his circuity. From time to time he unexpectedly pops out of various access hatches in Mega Man's armor to act as his pit crew and sounding board.
He is Mega Man's partner and confidant, allowing our hero to talk to himself in order to sort things out!"

Rush

(Yes, this is him. Guess he has a civil form, now, too)

"Rush is the Light family's robot hound and Aki's lifelong friend. While Rush possesses many useful robot features he is first and foremost a dog. Rush is not fully aware of good and evil, he think that everything is a game to be played in order to obtain a treat!
Just as Aki transforms into Mega Man, Rush undergoes a transformation of his own. Rush is always on hand for a quick "power up", like the spring in his back that allows Mega Man to jump to the highest rooftops in Silicon City! Rush's legs can transform into jets and tank treads, allowing Mega Man to ride Rush on land, sea and air."

Dr. Light

"Part adventurer, part scientist, all father. Dr. Light has walked some hard paths in his life, but has come out of it a charismatic optimist.
Dr. Light is confident about all things science, less so about social situations. However, he is no "bumbling scientist" – more of a semi-retired Indiana Jones who hates when he has to dress up for a gala.
He has unlimited affection for his children and is a great father who lets them make, and learn from, their own mistakes. He knows that Aki is Mega Man, but is playing along with Aki's "secret identity" until the time is right.** He is wise but not "old", kind but not soft. He's gregarious and charismatic until he has to take charge of a situation – then he's brave and resolute."

Suna Light

"Suna, Aki's sister and human daughter of Dr. Light is an adventurous spirit. Her father taught her that anything is possible, so she has grown up to be an optimist with the eye of a scientist.

She is smart, fun-loving and not afraid to get her hands dirty. Suna often plays the realist to Aki's unbridled optimism, but she is not cynical. She is bright, intelligent, and confident, but above all very human. She has a high tolerance for nonsense, but when danger threatens her friends and family, she is fiercely protective."

Sargent Night

"Sgt. Night is cold and direct, but does manage a certain charm – until he's angry, then the militaristic barking of orders begins. Part man and part machine, Sgt. Night is the remnant of a forgotten conflict between humans and robots.
He wants revenge on a world he believes betrayed him – most especially the Light family, and Mega Man. A smooth but direct villain, Night is charismatic enough to persuade followers and manipulate robot minions without the need for force. However, at the drop of a hat he changes: a would-be emperor.
Commanding. Defiant. Bold. He knows loss and wears it like a cold suit of armor."
 

*

**Alright, that addresses one of my issues with this show. Just about 7000 more to go.