ProtoMan.EXE

ProtoMan.EXE, known as Blues.EXE in Japan, is a NetNavi from the MegaMan Battle Network series operated by the ace NetBattler Eugene Chaud (Ijūin Enzan) and rival of MegaMan. ProtoMan specializes in swords and uses many sword-type BattleChips. ProtoMan appears in many stories of the Battle Network series, but the player can only play as him in MegaMan Battle Network 5, MegaMan Battle Chip Challenge, and MegaMan Battle Network 6 (using the Beast Link Gate).

Personality
ProtoMan's most defining character trait is that he is completely loyal to his NetOp, Chaud, and will follow any order given to him. He is also willing to sacrifice himself for Chaud. The two work together very well since they practice so many hours a day. In the anime, it is shown that ProtoMan was Chaud's best friend as a child when he recieved him as a gift. ProtoMan is also serious and doesn't talk much, but not to the point of being antisocial like his NetOp.

Description
ProtoMan is the elite NetNavi of Eugene Chaud (Chaud Blaze in the English anime, Enzan Ijuuin in the Japanese version). His Navi mark, a circle split with a thunderbolt pattern into two black and white sections, can be seen on ProtoMan's chest and gloves, as well as, in the games but not in the anime, on the back of Chaud's vest. Unlike his robot counterpart, he normally uses a sword weapon instead of a buster, although he does use a shield reminiscent of the original Proto Man's, and does have a buster weapon when he is player-controlled in MegaMan Battle Network 5.

In the Games
ProtoMan, as a Navi for an official, is extremely well-trained by Chaud, who actually created ProtoMan himself. In Megaman Battle Network, Protoman fought alone and won every fight without Chaud operating him. This streak was considered to be a force to be reckoned with to those who knew of them until he saw this downfall with Megaman during the Elecman scenario. Defeated, ProtoMan asked Megaman how he fights so well and his connection to his operator Lan. When Megaman explained to Protoman what that connection was, this made ProtoMan and Chaud rethink the way they operate. With Protoman's great fighting skills and Chaud's talent in NetBattling, this team is one of the few who can match Lan and MegaMan in strength. It is revealed in MegaMan Battle Network 3 that Chaud spends at least 10 hours a day training to uphold his skills.

Throughout the series, Chaud has operated him to defeat Net criminals as an Official Netbattler. ProtoMan has agained a fearsome reputation and deletes NetNavis in the nick of time when MegaMan can't. He can be battled in every game except for the Colonel version of MegaMan Battle Network 5 and in Megaman Battle Network 4 Red Sun. In MegaMan Battle Network 6 he has an extra form which can be unlocked after completing all the requests which is super powered, making him the only NetNavi in BN6 to have more than 3 forms.

Anime
ProtoMan doesn't change much from his game counter part in MegaMan NT Warrior. He is still loyal to Chaud and extremely powerful, deleting his enemies in seconds. ProtoMan and Chaud are Lan and MegaMan's rivals in the first part of the anime. Lan and MegaMan try to master the Program Advance like them and challenges them to battle in the streets once when they were supposed to have dinner at a restaurant. ProtoMan and MegaMan face off in the Net in the streets but are interrupted by Viruses before they can finish.

Chaud and ProtoMan enter the N1 Grand Prix and defeat their opponents easily. They have to team up for the next round with ShiningMan and his NetOp. In the ensuing battle, ProtoMan deletes his enemies and ShiningMan. They are then forced to team up with Lan and MegaMan against StoneMan.EXE and BombMan.EXE. ProtoMan almost loses because he is missing a Battle Chip for the Program Advance but MegaMan uses his and helps the duo win. After that, ProtoMan and Chaud battle Lan and MegaMan in the finals. After a long battle Chaud and ProtoMan are victorious. However, their battle awakens PharaohMan.EXE who deletes MegaMan and sinks the N1 dome. Later, Chaud and ProtoMan retrieve MegaMan and team up with him to delete PharaohMan.

In the anime, during Axess, Chaud gains the ability to perform Cross Fusion with ProtoMan. Lan and Chaud go through the first half of Axess using the Cross Fusion to defeat the Darkloids. Later, when Shademan was trying to redeem himself to Regal and two find themselves unable to defeat ShadeMan, Chaud reluctantly provides his Navi with a Dark Chip. In doing so, he released the dark soul in ProtoMan, which allowed him to escape. ProtoMan would later return as Dark ProtoMan (Dark Blues), a Darkloid completely absorbed by the Dark Aura due to the tampering of LaserMan. As Axess reached its finale, Chaud was able to rescue his friend's spirit, returning him to normal by Cross Fusing with him, confronting him within the confines of his heart.

Abilities
ProtoMan is one of the strongest NetNavis in the MegaMan Battle Network games. He has excellent potential with his sword and shield. His attacks and behavior differs in which game he is fought by the player himself/herself.
 * Delta Ray Edge: One of ProtoMan's strongest attack and techniques. This attack is heralded by a sudden flash, and then ProtoMan loops the area his opponent was last on, striking three times with a Wide Sword-ranged attack that cripples and paralyzes the opponent. Once all three strikes are executed, ProtoMan reappears in front of the enemy, his opponent ringed in the shining image of a triangle (technically, the three strikes do not all have to connect to leave the triangle-afterimage). The Delta Ray Edge Giga Chip is available in MMBN 3, 4, 5, and 6. This attack, both by ProtoMan and the Chip can only be used properly when the opponent is in the middle row, in the front or center panel, as the attack requires an open panel behind the target.
 * Shielding (Surprise Sword): ProtoMan's basic defense. At higher power levels, as ProtoMan pauses between his own attacks, most incoming strikes are blocked by his ProtoShield. He's less scrutinizing in later games, taking hits more often. In BN6, if he's struck when shielding, he will immediately speed towards the opponent and attack them (Surprise Sword). A good way to overcome this defense in later games is to use a multi-hit chip, as he'll walk right into the attack. (Note: the shield that appears in earlier games' battles appears to be a basic, nondescript shield, though by Battle Network 6, the shield he uses clearly shares his leitmotif colorization).
 * Sonic Sword: One of ProtoMan's rudimentary fighting attacks. He randomly shifts between the top and bottom rows, swinging a 3 panel wide sword attack that flies to the other end of the stage. He will sometimes strike consecutively, cycling between the top and bottom column, making the attack hard to dodge. He stops using this attack in later games.
 * Step Sword: Another of ProtoMan's basic skills. In previous games, he only used this when you shot at him, bringing up his shield. He'd then teleport in front, and use a widesword attack. He later begins using this over the Sonic Sword completely. If MegaMan is in the front rows, Protoman may also teleport behind and attack. This is present in later games. In the 5th game, where ProtoMan is playable, Step Sword is a chip exclusive to him, and works like the previous games' stepsword chips, moving 2 panels ahead and using a widesword.
 * Fighter Sword: Used in later games, ProtoMan stands in the front row of his panels, and swings a Fightersword, hitting 3 panels ahead to the back row.
 * Cross Sword: In BN6, he is capable of attacking in a + formation.
 * Trance Move: Replacing his Delta Ray Edge in BN6, ProtoMan will zip around with the player's position as the center, first diagonally from the top left panel then the bottom left panel, then back and forth the middle row, hitting him several times, dealing massive damage. This attack cannot be executed if the player steps on the bottom or the top row when Protoman is about to strike (after the ding sound).

ProtoMan gains some new moves as ProtoMan DS/Dark ProtoMan. Note that he can't use Delta Ray at all in this form.


 * Shadow Shield: A dark sillouhete of ProtoMan replaces his shield to block attacks. Note that with any attack involving a clone, the clone will block all attacks like a regular obstacle.
 * Dark Sword: ProtoMan's normal sword has been replaced with a Dark Sword, which he uses in most of his attacks.
 * Shadow Slice: A dark sillouhette appears and uses a Fighter Sword. Protoman still moves while the clone attacks.
 * Dark Step Sword: ProtoMan disappears. A clone will attempt to slash a Dark Sword behind the player. ProtoMan will then reappear and then use a Dark Sword in a similar fashion to his normal Step Sword.

Trivia

 * Using an E-Reader Card or cheats in MMBN6 allows the player to play as ProtoMan as a Link Navi.
 * It is shown in the coding that Proto Cross was supposed to be in MMBN6, but was scrapped. If one activates it, it works normally.
 * The Battle Card "Swordfighter" in the Star Force series shows a silhouette of ProtoMan dashing alongside MegaMan.
 * ProtoMan's emblem is similar to the Yin-Yang symbol, one side of cold indifference and the other of striking kindness.