View Full Version : Mega Man/Rock Man Name Question
jedimind7
04-04-2009, 05:44 AM
Im sure most already know but ima dummy so...
Why did Capcom change the name from Rock Man to Mega Man when they bought it over here to the states? I read somewhere that one of the reasons was because Capcom was worried that the name ROCK Man would be associated with crack cocaine. Any truth to that?
joshnickerson
04-04-2009, 07:23 AM
I think it's simply because if they called him "Rock Man" here in the states, people would take it literally, thinking he's MADE of rock, or has some sort of rock powers.
tubeway
04-04-2009, 07:43 AM
My guesses is that they either thought "Rockman" sounded like a jewish guy, or that they didn't want it to be vaguely associated with the hideous hair metal of the day.
Shalom.
Eggman
04-04-2009, 09:20 AM
Wiki says that it was changed to avoid patent infringement on the "Rockman" series of guitar amplifiers that debuted in the early 80's. They don't source it, but it sounds like a reasonable enough explanation.
NayusDante
04-04-2009, 12:12 PM
Wiki says that it was changed to avoid patent infringement on the "Rockman" series of guitar amplifiers that debuted in the early 80's. They don't source it, but it sounds like a reasonable enough explanation.
This is the explanation that I've heard most often, and seeing all the Rockman amps on eBay when I'm looking for model kits seems to back it up.
I've also heard a simpler explanation, that the localization division just didn't understand the name. If you think about it, they just added -man to his name when he decided to go off and fight. Imagine if you joined the army and they had to add -man to the end of your name.
TonyTheTiger
04-04-2009, 12:22 PM
It probably has to do with toughening up the game's image like a lot of NES games went through back then. Mega Man sounds more superhero.
gameRaTeR
04-04-2009, 12:26 PM
Im no japanese pro but maybe in japan it meant like "Hardcore man or Skin of steel man" Here people think its a man that throws rocks from a cannon at little construction caps wielding pick axes.
Haiku's have creative poetry have alot to think about and decipher. We take everything literal =l
(IN MY OPINIONNN)
NayusDante
04-04-2009, 12:32 PM
At least they didn't use the original concept... They wanted to do a game about a character who could change colors based on his abilities, affectionately named "Rainbowman." However, I believe that they had difficulties obtaining the license (must have been a hot property...). Instead, they made the game a more original effort, and I believe that this was about the time that Inafune was added to the project.
Fight, Rainbowman, for everlasting... color?
Aussie2B
04-04-2009, 01:11 PM
Im no japanese pro but maybe in japan it meant like "Hardcore man or Skin of steel man" Here people think its a man that throws rocks from a cannon at little construction caps wielding pick axes.
Haiku's have creative poetry have alot to think about and decipher. We take everything literal =l
(IN MY OPINIONNN)
You're over-thinking it, man. The answer to the origin of his name is explained by his sister Roll. Rock and Roll, get it? It all comes down to a dumb little joke. Not that different from how most (all?) of the Koopa kids are references to real musicians (and Boo Diddly as well).
You also have Blues, Bass, Forte further expanding the music theme. Probably even more than that, but I'm not all that familiar with Mega Man characters.
Draven
04-04-2009, 01:15 PM
Was his sister around at the game's inception, or was she created later? (I'm not really familiar with Mega Man lineage, either)
Nirvana
04-05-2009, 01:43 AM
Roll was in one of the later Mega Mans IIRC. Mega Man 4?
Ruudos
04-05-2009, 07:20 AM
I'm not sure if she's in the first, but she's listed in Mega Man 3's credits.
NayusDante
04-05-2009, 09:57 AM
Roll is indeed in the ending for MM1. In MM3, she's listed in Dr. Light's list of created robots, with the idea being that you find out that Protoman/Blues was also created by Dr. Light at the end. The next time you see her, however, is in 7.
As for musical references, everyone always overlooks the fact that Rush is an amazing prog-rock band from Canada...
Aussie2B
04-05-2009, 02:18 PM
As for musical references, everyone always overlooks the fact that Rush is an amazing prog-rock band from Canada...
I thought about that. :P It's not really consistent with the theme, though, so I'm reluctant to say it's a reference to the band with 100% certainty. Everything else is general music terminology, not the names of bands or artists.
But I did forget about Beat.
Bloodreign
04-06-2009, 04:00 AM
No one's mentioned the one time used character, Tango the Cat to further add to the musical names of the series. I think his one appearance was in Mega Man 5 for Gameboy.
boogiecat
04-06-2009, 07:01 AM
Wiki says that it was changed to avoid patent infringement on the "Rockman" series of guitar amplifiers that debuted in the early 80's. They don't source it, but it sounds like a reasonable enough explanation.
I see that's explains why it was changed in the US release...
BTW Rockman/Megaman and Roll are kinda similar to Astroboy and Uran,though i prefer Rockman and Roll due to a fact that thier much more cooler and cuter!!:D
Cryomancer
04-06-2009, 04:25 PM
At least they didn't use the original concept... They wanted to do a game about a character who could change colors based on his abilities, affectionately named "Rainbowman." However, I believe that they had difficulties obtaining the license (must have been a hot property...). Instead, they made the game a more original effort, and I believe that this was about the time that Inafune was added to the project.
Fight, Rainbowman, for everlasting... color?
Probably because of this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbowman
Rock is definitely a musical reference, but there is also the fact that the games were designed around the idea of rock / paper / scissors as well. Hence Cutman.
bangtango
04-06-2009, 04:30 PM
Too bad they didn't change the name Yamato Man (Mega Man 6) before it hit the States.
NayusDante
04-06-2009, 06:16 PM
Then there's the GB bosses... Punk, Ballade, etc.
GaijinPunch
04-08-2009, 02:50 AM
My two cents: "Rockman" was a slang term for crack dealer, popularized by one of Sir Mix-a-lots awful tracks right around the time the first Mega Man was ported over. My mom made me turn that song off the radio one day. Patent or not, I doubt it would've ever happened.
boogiecat
04-08-2009, 07:35 AM
My two cents: "Rockman" was a slang term for crack dealer, popularized by one of Sir Mix-a-lots awful tracks right around the time the first Mega Man was ported over. My mom made me turn that song off the radio one day. Patent or not, I doubt it would've ever happened.
Yeah Rockman sounded kinda similar to an illegal drug dealer/seller...ROFL
Lord Contaminous
04-08-2009, 02:29 PM
Here's another one, Forte/Bass' robo dog, Treble, is called Gospel in Japan.
Lots of things changed back then when they came to the states. While Dragon Quest became Dragon Warrior for trademar reasons (DQ was already taken in the US), there was no logic to changing the name of the Mega Drive to the Genesis. Yes, Family Computer and PC Engine were changed, but those names sounded bad. The Mega Drive sounded awesome.
And why did Biohazard become Resident Evil?
My two cents: "Rockman" was a slang term for crack dealer, popularized by one of Sir Mix-a-lots awful tracks right around the time the first Mega Man was ported over. My mom made me turn that song off the radio one day. Patent or not, I doubt it would've ever happened.
I also doubt Capcom knew what the slang meant.
Aussie2B
04-08-2009, 03:53 PM
And why did Biohazard become Resident Evil?
Because there was already a band in the US with that name.
NE146
04-08-2009, 05:11 PM
If I remember correctly, they had a Megaman "Icons" special on G4, and I think the creator himself stated the name Rockman specifically means Rock as in Rock music.
He then says the whole game was meant to revolve around driving rock music. Although I'm not sure how well the Megaman tunes (as good as they are) qualify as that :p