With Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection on the horizon, we’re going to dive back into the archives for another developer interview, from around the time the games were originally published.
Today’s interview comes from Rockman EXE6 Ultimate Navigation COMP. This Japanese strategy guide for MMBN6 was published by Shogakukan on May 20th, 2006, six months after the release of the game in Japan. In addition to an interview, the book also features a survey among many members of the series’ staff.
Translated by Midori, edited by Prof. 9. This English translation uses official English localized Mega Man Battle Network terminology where possible. This interview was originally printed in black, red and white; some images have been replaced by higher quality sources.
Development Staff Interview – What the MMBN series aimed to be
The “Mega Man Battle Network” series has finally reached its sixth installment. Straight from the core development team, we’ve got the full story on “6” and the series so far!!
Capcom Development Team #2 Planner
Mr. Masahiro Yasuma
Oversees the “Mega Man Battle Network” team, which today includes over 30 people. He says evil was removed from “6” because ‘the uncontrollable power of evil overlaps with BeastOut.’
Capcom Development Team #2 Planner
Mr. Masakazu Eguchi
In charge of the series storyline in “Mega Man Battle Network,” and appears at tournaments as the one-and-only Mr. Famous. He says, ‘when I was working on “5,” I didn’t think “6” would be the conclusion.’
Capcom Development Team #2 Designer
Mr. Yuji Ishihara
Responsible for designs throughout the entire series. He was in the midst of designing a new character during the interview. Hm? A new character? Just what kind of game will that new character be in…?
Originally, “6” had non-elemental Crosses!!
— In this title, MegaMan’s forms have greatly expanded. Where did the idea for those come from?
Yasuma: Previously, MegaMan worked like, ‘put in the effort to fulfill the conditions to transform; only then will you become stronger.’ DoubleSouls even required the sacrifice of a corresponding chip. But instead of that, we thought a concept like ‘you can unleash your full power at any time, but if you overdo it, there’ll be consequences’ or ‘you need to manage your own excess power’ would be interesting. It seemed like a good idea for each version to have a different final boss, so we thought we’d include MegaMan taking in that last boss and going wild in each version respectively. But if there were only one kind of transformation, namely BeastOut, that wouldn’t be enough, so we added Crosses as parallel transformations.
— I feel like BeastOut and Crosses would already have been enough (laughs). Why did you also include CrossBeasts?
Yasuma: If you have two things, it’s human nature to want to combine them. We simply had to do it (laughs).
— I see. Guess that’s a developer’s spirit. By the way, the Gregar version has two Fire Elemental Navis, and the Falzar version has two Break-type Navis.
Yasuma: Originally, ChargeMan and DustMan were non-elemental. Actually, the mechanic for reverting a Cross was decided later, and they ended up being the only ones that couldn’t be reverted (laughs). So we were kind of forced to give them types.
Ishikawa: Design-wise, that may have been a good thing. If ChargeMan’s type was always supposed to be Fire, his design wouldn’t have come out like it did (laughs).
— What about the fine-tuned Folder limits?
Yasuma: I wanted to re-examine NaviChips. I’m also a judge at tournaments, so I check everybody’s Folders, and they carry a lot of plain MegaChips. Stuff like FullCustom (laughs). Putting in a lot of NaviChips makes it feel like you’re a team. I’d like to go back to that, I thought. But then, if we made a chip like LifeAura a Standard Chip, there’s no way battles could be balanced. So I figured we’d limit the number of chips you can put in based on their capacity.
The series actually concluded with “3”!?
— Next, I’d like to discuss the story. Has the series well and truly concluded this time?
Eguchi: That’s right. As a game, I think the curtain has fallen on Lan and the gang’s “Mega Man Battle Network.” But their lives go on.
— Has the battle between Bass and MegaMan come to a conclusion?
Eguchi: Since Bass was the crux of the storyline in “3,” his story ended in that game. There is no more deep history between the two after that. Bass descends into the Undernet in search of power, and becomes a symbolic figure of strength.
— When it was decided “6” would be the final entry, did your feelings towards writing the plot change at all?
Eguchi: Of course, I wanted to make sure we close it out properly. And I thought having it end that way would pass things on to the next generation. Though, in my heart, the series already ended once with “3” (laughs). I wrote that one feeling that it would be the finale. Also, in “6,” there’s that scene in the ending where all of Lan’s friends gather at his house and finally jack in at the park. I got a lot of comments about none of the adults, like the parents, being in that scene, but I wanted to convey a message that the children are bearing the next generation.
Challenging unique designs
— There are many Navis and Crosses in “6.” Were any characters particularly hard to design?
Ishihara: TomahawkCross and AquaCross[2] for sure. I’d already designed them once before as Souls (TomahawkSoul and AquaSoul). Being a similar concept, it was hard to design something in the same vein again.
— EraseMan and EraseCross have a different vibe from other characters up until now.
Yasuma: I wanted to make Cursor a typing, like an assassin using a sniper. On top of that, with the weakness cycle, it should be a design that looks weak to Wind (laughs).
Eguchi: So that’s why his body looks hazy.
Ishihara: Yeah, that fuzzy stuff isn’t hair or anything, but more like mist. Even I thought I was asking too much (laughs).
— ChargeMan has a unique design, modeled after a locomotive.
Ishihara: DiveMan is also a submarine–which is a vehicle, right? And GroundMan is also vehicle-like. So I made the remaining one less humanoid and more like an out-and-out vehicle. I wanted to make him stand out.
— There sure are a lot of different kinds of Navis this time. Mr. Ishihara, which do you think came out the best?
Ishihara: I think ChargeMan for sure. I was hoping he’d get a toy (laughs).
— And which Cross?
Ishihara: Hmmm, HeatCross, I think. Among the Crosses and Beasts, that was the very first one I did, at which point I was like, “yeah, I can do this.”
Memorable Navis and moments throughout the series
— Alright, let me ask each of you. Throughout the whole series, which Navi left the biggest impression on you?
Yasuma: My favorite Navi is MegaMan. When that design first came up, I was like, “that’s it!” It was trendy, but it also had a novelty I’d never seen before. I don’t think you could separate this MegaMan from this game. Also, if you’ll permit me, FireMan. I just really like him.
Eguchi: As Mr. Famous, I’d say KendoMan, but in terms of big impressions, ShadeMan. The way we used him was unlike any other boss up until that point; appearing in the first chapter as foreshadowing, then fighting him later. And then, instead of going out with a bang, he fades away like dust.
Ishihara: SparkMan was the most memorable for me. Around the time when (Mega Man series producer) Mr. Inafune’s son was in 5th grade of elementary school, he gave the design high praise (laughs). ‘Ishihara’s so awesome!’ he said (laughs). And on another level altogether, Bass and Serenade. It’s a shame Serenade only appeared once.
Eguchi: We considered putting Serenade in “6” at first.
Yasuma: We just ran out of storage capacity to include them. A shame…
— How about the most impactful chapter from the storyline?
Yasuma: The climax of “6.” The scene where, after having been the enemy, Colonel says ‘I never thought we would fight side-by-side again.’ That epic drama connecting back to “5” hits so hard!
Eguchi: In the ending of “3”, when Lan decides to say farewell to MegaMan at the harbor, and says ‘I’ll just say this one more time… Jack in!! MegaMan, Execute!’ That really moved me. It’s a point where Lan grew up a lot.
Ishihara: If we’re talking about impact, then the scene in “4” where Raika is introduced. He suddenly slugs Lan right in the stomach. Talk about hard (laughs).
Grading the series by your feelings
— I’d like to ask you all to grade the series’ games from your own point of view. And though it may be a lot to ask, you can’t answer all 100s (laughs).
Yasuma: “1” would get a 70. A precious 70. “2” would be a 90, and “3” would be a 95. “4” and “4.5” were challenging to produce, so two more precious 70s. Then “5” would be a 90, but “6” is a 95.
Eguchi: I wasn’t a core staff member on “1,” so I’d give it about a 70. For “2,” I was more involved, so 85. “3” is a 95. I really want to give it a 100 though (laughs). “4” and “4.5” have parts where I couldn’t aptly put in character individualities, so those are about 80 and 75 respectively. “5” is an 85, and “6” is a 95.
Ishihara: I’d give “1” a 100. I was able to do what I wanted then. Even looking back now, I can tell what zeal I had. On “2” I got a bit burnt out, so a 70 (laughs). I made Serenade in “3,” so that’s a 95. In “4,” I designed a bunch of Souls so I’d give it an 80. “4.5” and “5” were on a tight schedule, so an 80. And for “6”, I once again got to do many MegaMan designs, so it’s an 85.
— And, which title was the most impactful for each of you?
Yasuma: “1” just by a hair. “6” is a close second. But I was most excited during “1.”
Eguchi: It’s gotta be “3” for me. I think I had the most youthful energy to pour into it.
Ishihara: If we’re going by impactful, then it’s “4.” That had the most severe ‘stress level,’ at any rate (laughs). If it’s by a job well done, then “6.”
The “Battle Network” in all of us
— And now the final question. What did you aim to convey to the players with “Mega Man Battle Network?”
Yasuma: The many meanings of “network”. Up until this Mega Man had been a single player game, but Network Duels and chip trading tie people together. Of course, it portrays the network of the friendship between Lan and MegaMan, but I would also like it to be the network of friendships between players. The “Battle Network” is inside all of us.
Eguchi: Each game has its own themes, but if there’s something I wanted to convey across the whole series, it’d be about making friends. That players, who meet each other through battle for the first time at a tournament, will go home having made new friends. That is what Mega Man aims for, I think.
Ishihara: I hope the players feel the enjoyment I had in making so many different character designs.
— Thank you very much!!
The next title is a completely new Mega Man!? Look forward to it!!
Mega Man Battle Network
The commemorable first title. ‘It was a lot of work. The game mechanics still hadn’t been devised, so it was really nerve racking trying different things. (Yasuma)’ ‘I put in all of the designs I’d been stashing away. I really liked it. (Ishihara)’ Released March 2001.
Mega Man Battle Network 2
‘In “1”, the dungeon I created, Power Plant Comp, was said to be really difficult. I made use of that criticism and I think I made some pretty good dungeons for “2.” I really liked the Mother Comp. (Eguchi)’ Released December 2001.
Mega Man Battle Network 3 (White Version / Blue Version)
Released December 2002. ‘To be frank, I thought “2” was very good. So with “3” I was really uneasy about being able to follow it up. But we had the Navi Customizer and the story was solid, so I think it came out quite well. (Yasuma)’
Mega Man Battle Network 4 (Red Sun / Blue Moon)
‘This was the first one with Mod Cards and the Chip Gate; it wasn’t easy. (Yasuma)’ ‘The Boktai collab also started with “4,” didn’t it? (Eguchi)’ ‘I redid all of the spritework. We had to make them smaller to fit in limited storage capacity. (Ishihara)’ ‘This one came out really well. (Everyone)’ Released December 2003.
Rockman EXE4.5 – Real Operation
A unique title that makes the GBA a PET. ‘The clock function was a real pain. Making messages dependent on the time like “It’s time for lunch” with minute details for 21 Navis was truly a pain. Even when we started work on “5”, I still wasn’t done with them. (Eguchi)’ Released August 2004.
Mega Man Battle Network 5 (Team ProtoMan / Team Colonel)
Released December 2004. ‘The dev period for “5” was barely half a year. We pulled off a miracle with this game. (Yasuma)’ ‘Even after the instruction manuals had already been printed, we kept changing the rules for Liberation Missions to make them more entertaining. (Ishihara)’
Mega Man Battle Network 6 Development Staff Special Survey
And so, “Mega Man Battle Network” has come to an end with “6.” So, we got the development team to answer a questionnaire covering the games across the entire series!!
Q1: Who is your favorite Navi?
As one might expect from a dev team with a variety of personalities, their answers were remarkably different from one another.
- A: ‘JunkMan (“4”). I like the loneliness of having nowhere to belong.’ –Koetsu Matsuda, Programmer
- A: ‘ColorMan (“1”). From the first title, you could feel the depth of the series’s essence and design scope.’ | Ryuji Higurashi, Official Illustrator
- A: ‘BubbleMan (“3”). He’s so awful, but I can’t bring myself to hate him~.’ –Miki Kijima, Background Artist
- A: ‘MegaMan. Possessing both kindness and strength is an awesome quality!’ –Masahiro Yasuma, Director and Battle Designer
- A: ‘NumberMan. His design, fighting style, personality. I love everything about this Navi!’ –Kazutaka Sato, Object Designer
- A: ‘Bass. Lone wolves are cool. He’s villainous, but you feel sorry for him.’ –Shinji Amagishi, Sound Effect Creator
Q2: What is your favorite Chip?
Everyone fully understands the importance of BattleChips. But do you like unique chips all the same?
- A: ‘Guardian. I think it’s the most wonderful trap. ♪’ –Yoshino Aoki, BGM Artist
- A: ‘Static. It was the driving force behind my legendary achievement (recording over 60 consecutive wins at tournament).’ –Takahiro Tokuda, Analysis[3]
- A: ‘Tornado! Multi-hit attacks feel so good. If you can land them!’ –Hidekazu Shingaki, Programmer
- A: ‘It’s a P.A., but HeavyStamp (“1”). MegaMan was doing all kinds of neat things in battle in the early games.’ –Yuji Ishihara, Designer
- A: ‘BassGS (distributed Chip from “3”). The combination of Gospel and Bass is a good fit design-wise.’ –Shinsuke Komaki, Official Illustrator
- A: ‘Tornado. It’s a chip that can exhibit incredible strength depending on how it’s used.’ –Masakazu Eguchi, Scenario Writer
Q3: What is your favorite game in the MMBN series?
We asked everyone to give their personal perspectives, including the ones they worked on (?), and our editors compiled the top 3 responses!
1st Place: Mega Man Battle Network 3
‘I love the story. I cried during the ending.’
‘Cossaaaak! (wailing)’
There are many on the staff who are really into the storyline!
2nd Place: Mega Man Battle Network
‘It’s a little unpolished, but it’s those rough edges that give it charm.’
‘The first title is the one I have the fondest memories for, no doubt about it.’
For these reasons, the original Mega Man takes the #2 spot!
3rd Place: Mega Man Battle Network 2 / 6
‘It was packed with content. (“2”)’
‘It’s nice how lively the WWW is. (“6”)’
A tie for 3rd!
Q4: What was the most difficult game in the MMBN series to work on?
1st Place: Mega Man Battle Network 4
Everyone was quite satisfied with the game’s content. But, it sounds like the production schedule was especially tight!
2nd Place: Mega Man Battle Network 1 / 6
The hardships of the first game are tied with the hardships of the latest game!
3rd Place: Mega Man Battle Network 3 / 5
So, “2” went the smoothest?
Q5: What was your favorite transformation system in the MMBN series?
1st Place: Double Soul
‘Because I learned that when two spirits connect, they demonstrate incredible power.’
‘Sacrificing a chip makes for some heated strategy.’
Many hold it in the highest esteem!
2nd Place: Cross/Beast System
Everyone took to the power and coolness of BeastOut.
3rd Place: Style Change
More than a few fell for the elegance of a single transformation.
Q6: A word to the players
Everyone had lots of heartfelt sentiments for the players. Here are just a few!
- A: ‘Please keep on loving the MMBN series. And please, have a battle with meee!!!’ –Miki Kijima, Background Artist
- A: ‘Thank you so very much. I hope this game will remain in everyone’s hearts for all time!’ –Shinji Amagishi, Sound Effect Creator
- A: ‘Work hard and keep at it, and aim to become the greatest NetBattler in Japan!!’ –Takahiro Tokuda, Analysis[3]
- A: ‘I hope everyone can find a true friendship like Lan’s and MegaMan’s through “MMBN”!’ –Masahiro Yasuma, Director and Battle Designer
Everyone, thank you for your cooperation!!
Translation notes
[1] This screenshot appears to depict a scenario that cannot occur in the game; BowlMan’s bowling pins take 6 HP damage to be toppled over, which base MegaMan cannot do at this rate with his MegaBuster (GutsStyle is required). It’s possible that a developer cheat was active in this screenshot; for instance, in the translation beta version of MMBN2, it is possible to equip a 50 attack Break Buster.
[2] Known as SpoutCross in the English GBA version.
[3] Responsible for content analysis, quality assurance and fine-tuning.
[4] An in-development screenshot for MMBN1. An early version of the PET icon can be seen in the top left corner.
