My Mega Mans, let me show you them

This post is dedicated to Funktastic. Here's to you, Mr. Obsessive Game Collector Guy.

I am THE Mega Man nut of Destructoid.

Of course, anybody can make such a bold claim, but how well can they back it up? I think a show of credentials is in order. I've got a little Mega Man collection going on over here and I'd like to share some photographic evidence.

It started around when Mega Man 9 was announced. My passion for the franchise had been renewed and I figured that, since I finally had a bit of money to my name, it was time to work towards my dream of a room dedicated to displaying Mega Man memorabilia. I've been making small purchases here and there, adding to the collection little by little, but it's by no means comprehensive.

Since the Mega Man franchise spans well over a hundred games, I set some ground rules for myself. I was going to focus mainly on the Classic series and buy games in their native region format first. In other words, most of my game purchases would be in the Japanese format with the tiniest possibility that I would pick up versions from other regions some time down the road. Though I try to get games in complete condition, I have every intention of playing them. Ironically, I don't own as many actual pieces of software as I would like. Most of my money has been going towards supplementary materials like CDs and books.

Honestly, I still think my collection is on the weak side. There is this one dude on the Capcom Unity blogs with a mind-blowingly comprehensive assortment of goodies. I doubt I'll ever get to that level, but I'm content to just do my thing at my own pace.

And now, let me show you my Mega Mans!



This was my library before I officially started collecting. At the bottom is the entire Game Boy series (pre-Player's Choice re-releases, I might add) that I've owned since the green-and-white days. I've got the Zero series and Mega Man & Bass on Game Boy Advance, the ZX series on DS, the three Mega Man releases for GameCube, and two X games on the PS2. As you can see, I didn't care much for holding on to the original boxes as a young 'un. At least I had the good sense to save my GBA manuals.

I used to own Rockman 2 through 6 back when I had my original Famicom, but my family had given the Famicom and all its software to my cousins around the time the N64 dropped. I don't know what they did with it. Probably sold it to someone for a quick buck. Way to keep it in the family, guys.



And here's what I've gathered in the past year and a half. I've managed to recover Rockman 2 and 3 in addition to the original and the obscure Mario Party-esque RockBoard. There's the US-only Game Gear title that literally recycles levels from the NES games, Rockman 5 for Game Boy, Rockman & Forte: Challenger from the Future for the WonderSwan, Rockman Battle & Fighters for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, and the Irregular Hunter X / Rockman Rockman two-pack for PSP.

In the corners are Rockman Mega World (Mega Man: The Wily Wars in Euroland) for the Mega Drive and Rockman Battle & Chase for the PS1. Up top are shrink-wrapped duplicates of the ZX games that I won by coming in second place in this Robot Master contest.



Not a Mega Man game, but if ever you doubted my love for Power Blazer, the Taito Mega Man knock-off whose main character is the inspiration for my avatar, doubt no more.



Now we are getting dirty! Behold! PC games!

Ever play Mega Man or Mega Man 3 for PC? Don't. No, they aren't ports of the NES games and no, there is no Mega Man 2. Joining them is the Chinese-exclusive Rockman Strategy and yes, it is official. I installed it on my computer, but without any English translation I can't make heads or tails of it.

That big thing up top is a collection of all the Rockman Complete Works games for the PS1, ports of the original NES games which were then adapted to be part of the Mega Man Anniversary Collection.



Here's a better look at the contents of the box. All six games are the discounted PSone Books versions. I'll try to get the originals eventually. Also included is a set of Mega Man pins and, oddly, Rockman X7. I don't know what an X game is doing here. It was probably the only way they could move such a terrible game.



This is my library. In the top row are a bunch of art books -- on the far left is the Rockman & Rockman X 20th anniversary book, next comes the Udon-published Mega Man and Mega Man X books which are just that first book split in two, and finally comes the English Mega Man Zero art book.

I have the Dreamwave-published Mega Man graphic novel, the only one made before Dreamwave went tits up. Next to that is the English release of the first issue of the Hitoshi Ariga Rockman Megamix manga. It was first released in the late '90s in Japan but has only just found its way here. I'm planning on picking up the entire series in Japanese as well as in English.

Finally, I've got the issues of Nintendo Power revealing Mega Man 9 and 10. I'm making it my mission to track down the special members-only 250th issue with the badass Mega Man 10 cover art.



Music appreciation! The top row spans the entire mainline series. Below that are a bunch of arrange albums -- two press-only mini-CDs from the early '90s, the 20th anniversary rock and techno albums, the Rockman 9 arrange album, and the totally awesome and totally meta Chiptuned Rockman. Finally, in the bottom left is the sampler soundtrack that came with the Irregular Hunter X / Rockman Rockman two-pack and a bonus disc that came with the Rockman 10 album.

I'm a big fan of Mega Man fan artists, so I've also included in the photo the Mega Ran rap albums, The Protomen's two albums, and The Protomen 8-bit remix album. Finally, I've got the first season of the Ruby-Spears cartoon and the special Upon a Star OVA that I wrote about last year.



Here are all five of the Jazwares Retro Roto figures plus Rush. I found them all at CVS and you probably can too. Jazwares had a lot of inventory that they couldn't move and dumped it on CVS's doorstep. On the far right are the Jazwares JUVIs. They were shipped improperly and now the boxes are all warped. I might open those two up and display 'em somewhere, but the rest of the toys stay in the packages.



Check this beast out! A huge Rockman X3 ride armor! Now I just need a couple of X figures and I can take some pretty spiffy action shots!



These might be some of my favorite toys ever! They are pretty worse for the wear because my dad bought them for me on a trip to Japan right around when Mega Man 5 came out. I had a lot of fun adventures with these guys! Not part of my official collection, but I'll be damned if I don't mention 'em!



I've got the Mega Man 9 i am 8-bit T-shirt plus the Mega Mistake T-shirt from Split Reason. The T-shirt on top that's still in its shrink wrap was another prize from that Robot Master contest I mentioned above. Eventually, I'll track down a Mega Man 10 shirt.



Not much to say here. Mega Man 9 and 10 posters. I'll frame them or something at some point.



Lastly, I've got some merchandise related to the releases of the latest two games. Right at the top is the super amazing Mega Man 9 press kit still in its shrink wrap. On its left are two Rockman 9-themed E-tank energy drinks and on the right are two Rockman 10-themed drinks. Both varieties are different and I promise to try one of each, leaving the remaining two unopened. The Rockman 9 drinks have expired, but that's not gonna stop me.

At the bottom is a can of Sakuma Drops candy, best remembered from the movie Grave of the Fireflies. On either side of it are packs of manju, a Japanese confection filled with red bean paste. There's a cute little play on words here -- "ten" in Japanese is "ju" and therefore "Mega Man 10" could be read as "Rockman Ju."

The left box apes the original Rockman cover art while the right box would be what the cover on a Famicom Rockman 10 would look like.



For scale, here's the manju next to the original Famicom box.

Not shown in these photos is a pair of Mega Man Zero hobby kits, one of X and the other of Zero. They are unassembled and unpainted, so I didn't think a photo of the nondescript boxes would do 'em any justice.

Anyway, 'sup, bitches?