Mega Man ZX (series)

The Mega Man ZX series, known as Rockman ZX in Japan, made its debut in 2006 on the Nintendo DS and is set over 200 years after the events of the Mega Man Zero series.

In this new era, the difference between humans and Reploids has become nonexistent, and a new combination of "man and machine," called "Humanoids" has emerged. A new series of "Maverick" uprisings begins to occur, which proves to be a dangerous threat since all beings on Earth are now part machine in nature and thus susceptible to the outbreak. Vent/Aile, orphans from a Maverick outbreak that occurred ten years ago, get drawn into the new conflict, along with Girouette, the head of their delivery team.

Between the Zero and ZX series

 * After the fighting against Neo Arcadia came to an end, Ciel and her research team begin doing research in an area known as the Outlands - a generally uninhabitable area outside of Neo Arcadia. The team comes across the remains of Doctor Weil's core from when he had merged with Ragnarok, and when the team comes into contact with it they begin to experience severe migraines. This core, which Ciel calls the W Core, begins to turn members of Ciel's team into Mavericks, mainly a Reploid named Serpent. Serpent ends up destroying the research team, with Ciel being the only one who escaped. Her fate after the incident is unknown, so Alouette, a young Reploid raised by Ciel, assumes command of the Guardians, also changing her name to Prairie.


 * A truce between humans and Reploids is agreed upon. A new law is created by the Legion, where Reploids must have lifespans and humans have mechanical parts integrated into their bodies. In essence, the difference between "man and machine" become negligible. The ones who do not choose to follow this rule are branded Mavericks. Also during this period nations emerge, such as Innerpeace. Slowly during this time, these new fledgling states begin to form a centralized, somewhat representative government at Legion under the leadership of the "Sage Trinity" - a triumvirate of men.


 * Some years prior to the events of Mega Man ZX, Serpent emerges as a hero to society as he is able to solve most of the world's energy crisis using technology unearthed in the Outlands. Thus, Serpent founded Slither, Inc., which becomes prevalent in most major cities of Innerpeace. At the same time, Maverick Raids become more widespread, reaching beyond the Outlands and into the supposed safety of the cities (Vent/Aile loses his/her parents in the raids and Giro takes him/her under his wing).
 * It is also noted that Prairie's "Big sister" (Ciel) had created the Biometals X, Z, H, F, P and L in between Zero and ZX.

Mega Man ZX


Giro Express is hired to deliver a package to the Guardians, but during the delivery the team falls under attack by Mavericks. Giro and either Vent or Aile (Depending on the player`s character choice) are split up during the attack. They wake up in a forest near their rendezvous point where the Guardians, under the guidance of Prairie, have fallen under attack from Mavericks as well. Thus, they find that the package contained a substance known as Biometal (in this case, Biometal Model X), which can link with them and essentially transform them into Mega Man X. They use the Biometal to defeat the Mavericks and save the Guardians who were under attack. Then, the Guardians believe that they are trustworthy and give them a small test that they can complete to have access to their HQ (a flying battleship that hovers above one of the major cities at which Slither, Inc. is headquartered). Vent/Aile find that Giro is located underneath an old highway area and set out to investigate. Giro rescue them from an airship using the power of the Biometal Model Z. They all return to the base, but learn that a major battle is commencing and that Slither's forces cannot make it to the area in time. They head to the area (directly above where they had previously been) to aid in whatever way possible. As they travel through the place (strongly reminiscent of the opening stage in Mega Man X), a power forces Giro to battle them and they defeat him, but then all of them are stunned by a powerful attack. Serpent reveals himself, along with other Mega Men (those capable of Megamerging, or using the Meta-Encapsulated Granule Awareness System) and claims that he has the power to make the world go Maverick with his Model W Biometal, although it won't matter to Vent/Aile. Pandora, one of the other Mega-Men, drains the passcodes from their bodies and leaves them for dead, but Giro, realizing that he will soon die, tells Model Z to lend them its power, although Z at first refuses because if Giro transforms he will die. In the end, Z agrees and Giro dies. The result is the merging of Model X and Model Z into Model ZX. Vent/Aile return to base, and decide to go after the rest of the Biometals. Later, it is revealed that Ciel created the Biometals all those years ago in order to stop the power of the original W Core (what remained of the consciousness of Dr. Weil after he merged with Ragnarok in Mega Man Zero 4). The Biometals were essentially created by downloading the "DNA" and AI of past "legends", such as Mega Man X, Zero, and the four Guardians. However, Serpent found these Biometals and wanted to keep them away from the Guardians, so he created Pseudoroids (Reploids with regenerative power, thanks to the W Core's regenerative effects) that could wear the Biometal and split them in half, each containing part of the password that could unlock the W Core. In the end, Vent/Aile face down Serpent in order to stop him from causing the world (of which everyone is humanoid or Mechaniloid) and learn that Serpent had been with Prairie's sister's (Ciel) research team and had found the W Core, which had in turn made him turn maverick and destroy everyone around him. They learn that Prometheus and Pandora, two Reploids, were simply "using" Serpent as a means to unlock the Core's true power (they needed someone to use the core and become maverick in order to unleash its true potential, but they were not willing to do so themselves). However, Vent/Aile defeat the two and then make their way into Slither, Inc. HQ and battle Serpent himself, who admits that all of the maverick incidents which Slither "stopped" were actually created by him using the W Core! The Core "fed" off of the power of human suffering and needed to absorb the Cyber-elves created by the destroyed Reploids and Humanoids. Thus, realizing that their parents were killed in the attacks ten years ago, Vent/Aile attack and defeat Serpent in a fit of rage. However, Serpent tells them that they are simply using "rage" to drive their attacks, thus empowering the Core. He then merges with the W Core, and thus all of the Biometals tell them to fight with courage, not rage and hatred. In the end, they do so and defeat Serpent, severing him from the Core and destroying Slither, Inc.'s Headquarters. After the explosion, they see the spirit of Giro, who tells them to continue to fight for justice and then they meet up with Prairie and the rest of the Guardians and promise to continue to work with them.

Mega Man ZX Advent
The two main characters are Ashe and Grey. Ashe is a human girl and Grey is a Reploid.

Grey's story begins when two Hunters stumble into a lab with a Reploid contained inside a pod. When one of them trips the security, Mechaniloids start coming into the lab and open fire. When one of the Hunters took a shot from one of the Mechaniloids, he banged into the Reploid's pod, cracking it. When the screen blacks out, another gets shot, the pod opens and the Reploid is released. A woman named Pandora comes and tells the Reploid his name is "Grey". Unlike the other "Mega Men", he was awakened before the mind control sequence was complete. Pandora shoots Grey with a lightning blast and says that Defectives must be disposed of. He grabs a gun from one of the dead Hunters and escapes from the Mysterious Lab. After challenging Dogu the Giant, he falls into the Hunters' Camp.

Ashe's story begins with three Hunters talking about a Biometal that's been taken by Raiders, illegal hunters. The government known as Legion has a huge bounty on them, so taking that and bringing it to Legion is their first priority. However, Ashe, a Hunter with unmatched skill, goes on ahead and docks on a Raider airship but landed way in the back when the Biometal is in the lead airship. On her way to the lead airship, she challenges and defeats Dogu the Giant, and lands on the airship. A man named Prometheus is also going after the Biometal, but he's not a Hunter, nor Raider. Controlling the power of the Mega Man, Prometheus strikes down the airship, and Ashe and the Hunters fall near Hunters' Camp.

After Grey and Ashe get their Hunters' Licences, they proceed to a train station to deliver the Biometal. As the train moves, Mavericks appear and so do Prometheus and Pandora. Delivering a severe blow to Grey or Ashe, The package is sliced open and upon hearing Biometal Model A's voice, Megamerges with either character to become Model A. After defeating Buckfire, Grey and Ashe learn of the ability of A-Trans. After defeating Rospark at the Tower of Verdure, Grey and Ashe see a Raider's spirit being absorbed by Model W. They are also introduced to Mega Men Aeolus and Siarnaq. At the Arctic Ice Floe, Grey and Ashe are also introduced to two more Mega Men, Atlas and Thetis before they fight Chronoforce.

And unlike the previous series, Model A is the anchor Biometal and players are unable to Megamerge with other Biometals. In order to gain new abilities players must use Model A's ability, A-Trans, to use the DNA of new Pseudoroids and new Biometal holders H, P, L and F to transform into an exact copy of the original DNA holder. This allows the player to use abilities freely (at least until their energy bar is depleted).

The Sage Trinity makes its debut in this game, as a type of Government. The main antagonist, Master Albert, one of the Sage Trinity, is gathering Model W fragments in hopes of becoming the Ultimate Mega Man and 'reset' the world.

Vent/Aile make their appearance as Ashe/Grey respectively enter deep into the Quarry to find Model W.

As in the previous game players can have a rematch against the defeated Pseudoroids, and if they are killed under certain circumstances players will gain a badge, which can be used to unlock extras.

Other Media
A manga by Shin Ogino was serialized in Fami2 Comic from August 2006 to August 2007, and published in two tankōbon volumes (each with 7 chapters) by Enterbrain in Japan in 2007, and by UDON in the US in 2010.

A second manga, Rockman ZX Advent, was serialized in Fami2 Comic between September 2007 to April 2008 spanning eight chapters. However, unlike it's predecessor, this manga was never collected or officially translated. On 17 December 2019, it was announced that both Rockman ZX manga's would be reprinted by Fukan in 2020.

The Mega Man ZX series' timeline was briefly seen in Archie Comics' Mega Man series in Mega Man #55 as one of Dr. Light's visions of the future.

Trivia

 * The Mega Man ZX series heavily references the other Mega Man series, such as the classic and X series through character appearances, references, and name usages.


 * Before getting the "find the Legendary Pickaxe" mission request from Kidd in Mega Man ZX Advent, go into the room closest to him. There are posters hanging on the wall, which shows the Guardian Base, what is most likely a Mechanaloid or a large Maverick, and Slither Inc.


 * Vent/Aile and Grey/Ashe's existences have caused a lot of confusion and arguments over whether or not they exist in the same timeline as each other, or exist in place of each other depending on who the player chooses. It is the logical answer that they exist in place of each other, meaning that only one exists at a time (between respective partners, such as Vent may exist instead of Aile, but not instead of Grey or Ashe). This is evident in the fact that Vent and Aile have identical back stories and appearances, and Grey and Ashe fill identical roles with Model A and Master Albert. Differences in story between respective partners is for the effect of exploring alternate areas of the same conflict as a creative direction by the creators of the game, instead of actual concrete canon.
 * However, in Ashe's story from ZX Advent, it is noted that there was a fight at the bridge near the Mysterious Lab. This may indicate that Grey was simply killed by the giant Mechaniloid. Also, the fact that Ashe does not appear in Grey's story could mean that she and other Hunters died during the first moment of her story, and the group Grey meets with found the Biometal lying somewhere on the ground.
 * Concept/Artwork and some videos show Aile and Vent together. The pictures most often show Vent and Aile working together with Giro, or hanging out in human form, leading to a theory that they both do exist in the same time, but perhaps only one becomes a Mega Man, depending on the character chosen. Where the other is at the time, is left to the players speculation. The videos however, such as the Japanese trailers, show Vent and Aile Rock-On or Megamerging at the same time. This leads to a theory that both of them canonically become Mega Men, but the game only follows the story of one of them due to limitations, as the player can only control a single character at a time.


 * Mega Man ZX is the shortest Mega Man series, having only two titles.
 * Excluding spin-offs like The Misadventures of Tron Bonne and Rockman DASH: 5tsu no Shima no Daibouken!, the Mega Man Legends series also has only two main titles.
 * Mega Man ZX and Legends are both currently on a hiatus with no definitive conclusion.
 * Mega Man ZX is the first series within the Mega Man franchise to allow the player to choose to play as a female or male protagonist.
 * If the player defeat Expert Mode in Mega Man ZX Advent, a secret ending will be showed after the credits. In the secret ending, it reveals that Albert and Thomas had laid down the laws for Human and Reploid equality, as Humans were given cybernetic implants whilst Reploids were given a limited lifespan that would set them to expire at a predetermined time. Thomas did not appear to be pleased with the outcome as there were supposedly no human bodies for the Reploids nor was there immortality for the humans. Suddenly, the four Mega Men all appear. Thomas revealed that he shares Albert's view, much to Mikhail's horror, but he was not pleased with Albert's method, and thus, sent the Hunters to destroy Albert so that his own plan could come into fruition. The screen blacks out as Thomas speaks in a chilling tone: "This world needs to be reset...", paving the way for a third game in the series (as well as implying that Master Thomas will probably end up being the villain in said third game).

Online

 * ロックマンゼクス ROCKMAN ZX - Animated Trailer (Subbed by TV-Nihon)