Tuesday, December 22, 2009

The Battle Rainbow Rockman

Your Weekly Famicom has unearthed what is quite possibly the very first look Japanese gamers got of Rockman: a magazine article from Famitsu's October 1987 issue.  In addition to providing old screenshots and info, this early look at the original Rockman revealed that the game once had a longer title: The Battle Rainbow Rockman.

As odd as it may sound, the title is quite appropriate once you consider Rockman's trademark ability of changing color when using a special weapon.  After all, Capcom once considered naming the character "Rainbow Man", but due to copyright conflicts with the Toho Co.'s television superhero Rainbowman, the name didn't stick for too long, and Capcom eventually settled on "Rockman."

For a better look at the above scan, and an English translated version, head on down to Your Weekly Famicom.


  1. Okay, I'm gonna start calling Rockman "Rainbow Rockman"!!

  2. I was waiting for someone to dig up a preview on MM1. :D

    Old title is kinda ridiculous, but yeah, it does fit.

  3. Bonn Birman
    Bonn Bir
    Bomb er

    I giggled

  4. Ironic, due to Copyright they had to change his name to Rockman, and due to copy right AGAIN they had to change to Megaman.

  5. They changed Rainbowman but forgot Hudson's Bomberman, although his name is translated as Bombman even in Japanese games.

    Funny that ShiningMan from NT Warrior is based on Rainbowman, makes me wonder if Mega.EXE would look like him if the name was kept. XD

