Deathtanz Mantisk

Deathtanz Mantisk (デスタンツ・マンティスク) is one of the first four bosses of Mega Man Zero 3. Mantisk is a Mutos Reploid based on a praying mantis and the grim reaper, and was originally created for the sole purpose of execution. He is the Moonlight Judge (月光審官) from the Eight Gentle Judges, and used his "Grim Reaper's scythes", which are durable and sharpened at the atomic level, to dispose of Reploids considered Mavericks by the judges as a Vice Chief Judge. In the Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero Telos, Deathtanz says he doesn't like to take an unnecessary life and that the dullness of his scythes were proof of peace. However, after he was modified by Dr. Weil to be one of the Weil Numbers, he cares for nothing besides killing. He also has a habit of using the Japanese onomatopoeia, "chikachika" (ギチギチ, "gichigichi" in Japan), when irritated. He was sent by Dr. Weil to capture the Baby Elves, and was defeated by Zero. Mantisk, at least in his modified form, also seems to have a fear of dying, as evidenced by his last words to Zero after being defeated in his rematch in Weil's Laboratory.

An image of Deathtanz appears in Mega Man Zero 4 as one of Dr. Weil's first form attacks, launching one of his scythes at Zero. He also appears in Mega Man ZX as a secret boss in Area N, in a door that only opens if a Mega Man Zero 3 cartridge is inserted in the Nintendo DS or by activating the Zero 3 link in the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection re-release.

Strategy
Mantisk mainly attacks with his scythes either throwing them as boomerangs, slashing from above, doing a quick stab, or throwing them across the floor, up the wall and then back to him. If the player has A or S rank, he will use his EX Skill Rock Breaker. One strategy to defeat him is to equip a normal body chip and attack him with a charged Recoil Rod, which will knock him back and sometimes interrupt his attacks. The Burst Shot EX Skill may also be a good idea, as it can deplete an moderate amount of health from him, although the aforementioned strategy may be better.

Defeating him will give Zero the Light Body Chip, and if the player is at A or S rank, the 1000 Slash EX Skill.


 * Dancing Scythe - Deathtanz throws his spinning scythe at Zero which slides up a wall and back down towards Deathtanz.
 * Guillotine Drop - Deathtanz will jump on a wall and then strike from above. He then jumps onto the other side and repeats the same thing.
 * Back Stab - If Zero is too close to Deathtanz, he will quickly try and stab Zero.
 * Razor Arm - Deathtanz will detach his scythe and try to hit Zero.
 * EX Skill: Rock Breaker (ロックブレイカー) - Deathtanz Mantisk shoots energy blasts into the ceiling, causing a large chunk of it to fall down, which he slashes apart, launching pieces at Zero.

Data
Mission: Find Dark Elf

Zero's EX skill: 1000 Slash

Mission enemies

 * Sub-boss: Megamilpa
 * Gyro Cannon
 * Pantheon Bomber
 * Pantheon Hunter
 * Pillar Cannon
 * Seimeran

Trivia

 * "Chikachika" (ちかちか) is a onomatopoeic term commonly used in Japanese comics and graphic novels to describe or indicate the twitching/flickering of ones eyes. Apparently Mantisk has made a habit of saying this every time something annoys him enough to make his eye twitch. Moreover, "gichigichi" is Japanese onomatopoeia of grinding sound. Mantisk probably grind his teeth and scythes.
 * Deathtanz was misnamed as "Deastants Mantisk" in the English and European instruction manuals of Mega Man Zero 3.