Medabots
Medabots | |
---|---|
Publisher(s) | Imagineer Natsume Co., Ltd. (Some GBA/GC titles) Ubisoft (PAL, GBA/GC titles) Rocket Company (2010-16) |
Platform(s) | Game Boy, Game Boy Color, WonderSwan, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Nintendo DS, 3DS, iOS, Android, Switch |
First release | Medarot November 28, 1997 |
Latest release | Medarot Classics Plus November 12, 2020 |
Medabots, known in Japan as Medarot (メダロット, Medarotto), is a Japanese role-playing video game franchise created by Rin Horuma (Horumarin) and currently owned by Imagineer. The main series of RPGs focus on collecting and battling with the titular robots. The bulk of the games releases have been on Nintendo platforms, including the Game Boy, GameCube, and the DS, and 3DS handhelds.
The series was adapted into a Japanese
A
To date, only
A compilation game Medarot Classics Plus was released on November 12, 2020. It features the Kabuto and Kuwagata versions of the first eight mainline games.[1]
Plot
In the future, the Medabots are a type of robot that are owned by different people and engage in Robattles. The theories and processes of the Medabots led to their creation at the hands of Dr. Eugene Aki, Professor Hushi, and Dr. Armond. In submission battles, the loser of the battle must give up one of their Medabots' parts ranging from their head, one of their arms, or their legs.
Medabots
The series centers around Medabots,
The rare medals were kept secret by the Medabot Corporation, as very little was known about them. However, a Medabot with a rare medal would be able to call upon an attack called the "Medaforce". In the manga, the Medaforce is a form of medal mind control, as explained by Dr. Aki in the third graphic novel of Medabots. In the cartoon however, it is shown as a way of increasing the power of the Medabot's special skill into a focused beam attack.
Another important aspect is the story of Henry, the store clerk who sold Ikki Metabee. It is revealed that he is, quite obviously, Phantom Renegade. A running gag of the series was Henry almost telling everyone he is the Phantom Renegade, with no one ever discovering this fact. Space Medafighter X is introduced, who is another one of Henry's secret identities, the number one Medafighter in Japan. Later, during the World Finals, he rarely shows up to the fights, instead sending substitutes and working behind the scenes. This being because he supposedly started The Ten Days of Darkness, which occurred eight years before the events in the series during the World Robattle Cup when Henry fought as Hikaru Agata with the original Metabee (however, the medal was different). The Medabots went on a rampage during the Ten Days of Darkness which stopped when Henry was forced to kill his Medabot by destroying his medal.
At the end of the second season, it is revealed that Victor (a medafighter for Team Kenya and Warbandit's owner) was helping Dr. Meta-Evil to get medals during the tournament. During the finals, Metabee and Warbandit continue to fight, even with their partners lost and their bodies damaged. It is during this event that Dr. Meta-Evil starts his plan using Metabee and Warbandit's medals; trapping them both in a dream. However, Ikki manages to get Metabee to wake up from the dream, while the other medabots, free now, help Metabee to fight against Dr. Meta-Evil.
Later in the series, Medabots are found to be actually thousands of years old; remnants of an ancient civilization who called themselves Medalorians. The Medalorians were obsessed with war, and to become more effective warriors they fastened metal armor to themselves. However, their wars decimated the civilization, and the survivors coded their memories onto hexagonal pieces of metal. These, "Medals", cloned and mass-produced by the Medabot Corporation (a corporation founded by Dr. Aki), are the Medabot equivalent of a brain and soul. The original medals, referred to as rare medals, are kept in storage because of the extreme power they have. After Dr. Meta-Evil was defeated, Professor Hushi was revealed to have been saved from some aliens as he invites Dr. Meta-Evil with him on a space trip ultimately resulting in the disbandment of the Rubberobo Gang.
Medarot Damashii (Medabots Spirits)
Medarot Damashii, a sequel to the original series, follows Ikki and Metabee, as they face a new challenge some time after the events of the original series. Kam Kamazaki, a twelve-year-old boy, has designed one of the most dangerous Medabots in the entire story called Kilobots (or Death Medarot in the Japanese version) who use the X-Medal. These Kilobots have no feelings, since the emotion part of the Medabot medal has been removed, and more strength parts have been replaced instead, and can break the rules in order to win a fight. Because they have no personality, the Medaforce is useless against them. In the first episode, Ikki loses a Robattle to Ginkai and his Kilobot when it cheats and reloads. But he soon meets Nae, a Medabot mechanic and Dr. Aki's granddaughter, who gives Ikki new medaparts in order to defeat the kilobot through using a new feature called Action Mode (later Demolition Mode is introduced as well). Throughout the season, Ikki, Erika and their new friend Zuru (who also masks as the Mystery Medafighter) battle several of Kam's friends and their Kilobots. The Mystery Medfighter's ambition is to rid the world of Kilobots, with the help of his medabot Roks. Eventually, Ginkai re-discovers the true spirit of medafighting and ceases being a rogue medafighter and returns to using Medabots. Eventually Kam realizes the error of his ways and stops trying to develop stronger and more dangerous Kilobots, choosing to remain with his Kilobot Blackbettle, who has a personality installed into her medal.
The series is often criticized for the removal of several supporting characters such as Henry/Hikaru Agata/Phantom Renegade/Space Medafighter X and Arcbeetle, Rokusho, Koji and Sumilidon, Rintaro and Kantaroth, Karin and Neutranurse, Victor and Warbandit, Mr. Referee, the Rubberobo Gang, and the Chick Salesman, as well as for the fact that many of the new Kilobots and Medabots are simply slightly modified versions of the original series without relation to the original characters: Roks (Rokusho), Exor (Sumilidon), Arcdash (Arcbeetle), Unitrix (Warbandit).
Characters
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2024) |
- Ikki Tenryou (天領イッキ Tenryō Ikki), is a lively and easygoing boy, although a bit timid, he is one of the main protagonists of the series. At first Ikki is unable to afford a Medabot. But after finding a medal in a river, he manages to buy a model, which is named Metabee. However, the medal he found appears to be defective, as Metabee is short-tempered and disobedient. In spite of this, a strong bond grows between them after several robattles. Though Ikki is not a full-fledged Medafighter, he gradually matures through the Robattles he engages in. He is voiced by Michiru Yamazaki in the Japanese version, Samantha Reynolds in the English translation of the first series, and by Julie Lemieux in the Spirits anime.
- Metabee (メタビー, Metabī, whose name is a portmanteau of Metal Beetle) is one of the main protagonists of the series, a Medabot belonging to Ikki Tenryou. Metabee is a Hercules beetle-type Medabot, specializing in revolver tactics. He possesses a rare medal that allows him to access the Medaforce. Metabee is known to be a rebellious and arrogant Medabot who often causes problems due to his headstrong personality. He is often sarcastic to his owner Ikki, but he shares a close bond with him, and so Ikki trusts him deeply. Metabee is voiced by Junko Takeuchi in Japanese. In the English version, he is voiced by Joseph Motiki.
Media
Video games
Most games in the series come in two versions: Kabuto (lit. Rhinoceros Beetle), in which the player's starting Medabot's design is based on a Japanese rhinoceros beetle (a "KBT type" Medabot), and Kuwagata, in which it is based on a stag beetle ("KWG type"). Differences beyond the starting Medabot also exist, such as which Medabot parts the player is able to collect, and minor story differences. Medarot R, Medabots Infinity, and the Parts Collection games were only titles to not have been released in two versions.
Main series
The main series entries, except Medabots DS, are all numbered.
Title | Details |
---|---|
Medarot Original release date(s):[2][3][4]
|
Release years by system: 1997—Game Boy[2][3][4] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot Perfect Edition Original release date(s):[5]
|
Release years by system: 1999—WonderSwan[5] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot 2 Original release date(s):[2][6]
|
Release years by system: 1999—Game Boy Color[2][6] |
Notes: | |
Medarot 3 Original release date(s):[2][7]
|
Release years by system: 2000—Game Boy Color[2][7] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot 4 Original release date(s):[2][8][9]
|
Release years by system: 2001—Game Boy Color[2][8][9] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot 5: Susutake-mura no Tenkōsei Original release date(s):[2]
|
Release years by system: 2001—Game Boy Color[2] |
Notes:
| |
Medabots Original release date(s):
|
Release years by system: 2002— |
Notes:
| |
Medarot DS Original release date(s):[13]
|
Release years by system: 2010—Nintendo DS[13] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot 7 Original release date(s):[14]
|
Release years by system: 2012—Nintendo 3DS[14] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot 8 Original release date(s):[15]
|
Release years by system: 2014—Nintendo 3DS[15] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot 9 Original release date(s):[16]
|
Release years by system: 2015—Nintendo 3DS[16] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot Classics Original release date(s):[18]
|
Release years by system: 2017—Nintendo 3DS[18] |
Notes: | |
Medarot Classics Plus Original release date(s):[1]
|
Release years by system: 2020—Nintendo Switch[1] |
Notes: |
Spinoffs and side games
Several spinoffs have been produced, some sticking closer to the RPG formula of the main series while others branch out into other genres.
For Medarot 1, 2, R, and 3, supplementary games entitled Parts Collection were made. These are shorter games with less complicated stories, focusing mostly on battles. Their main draw is that the player is able to collect robot parts and other items within the Parts Collection games and transfer them to their respective main series titles.
Title | Details |
---|---|
Medarot Parts Collection Original release date(s):[2]
|
Release years by system: 1998—Game Boy[2] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot Parts Collection 2 Original release date(s):[2]
|
Release years by system: 1999—Game Boy[2] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot 2 Parts Collection Original release date(s):[2]
|
Release years by system: 1999—Game Boy Color[2] |
Notes: | |
Medarot R Original release date(s):[20]
|
Release years by system: 1999—PlayStation[20] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot R Parts Collection Original release date(s):[21]
|
Release years by system: 2000—PlayStation[21] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot Card Robottle Original release date(s):[2]
|
Release years by system: 2000—Game Boy Color[2] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot 3 Parts Collection Z kara no Chōsenjō Original release date(s):[22]
|
Release years by system: 2000—Game Boy Color[22] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot Navi Original release date(s):[2]
|
Release years by system: 2001— Wii U Virtual Console[23]
|
Notes:
| |
Release years by system: 2002— | |
Notes:
| |
Medarot G Original release date(s):[2]
|
Release years by system: 2002— Wii U Virtual Console[27]
|
Notes:
| |
Original release date(s):[28]
|
Release years by system: 2003—GameCube[28] |
Notes:
| |
Shingata Medarot Original release date(s):[2]
|
Release years by system: 2004—Game Boy Advance[2] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot DUAL Original release date(s):[29]
|
Release years by system: 2013—Nintendo 3DS[29] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot Girls Mission Original release date(s):[30]
|
Release years by system: 2016—Nintendo 3DS[30] |
Notes:
| |
Medarot S: Unlimited Nova Original release date(s):
|
Release years by system: 2020—iOS, Android |
Notes:
|
Manga
Medabots | |
メダロット (Medarotto) | |
---|---|
Manga | |
Written by | Horumarin |
Published by | Kodansha |
Magazine | Comic BomBom |
Demographic | Children |
Original run | 1997 – 1999 |
Volumes | 3 |
Manga | |
Medarot 2 | |
Written by | Horumarin |
Published by | Kodansha |
English publisher | |
Magazine | Comic BomBom |
Demographic | Children |
Original run | 1999 – 2000 |
Volumes | 4 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | ABC Family |
Original run | July 2, 1999 – June 30, 2000 |
Episodes | 52 |
Manga | |
Medarot 3 | |
Written by | Horumarin |
Published by | Kodansha |
Magazine | Comic BomBom |
Demographic | Children |
Original run | 2000 – 2001 |
Volumes | 2 |
Anime television series | |
Medarot Damashii | |
Directed by | Masatsugu Arakawa |
Produced by | Tomoko Gushima Yōko Matsushita |
Written by | Yōsuke Nakagawa |
Music by | Osamu Tezuka |
Studio | Trans Arts ABC Family (Jetix) |
Original run | July 7, 2000 – March 30, 2001 |
Episodes | 39 |
Manga | |
Medarot 4 | |
Written by | Horumarin |
Published by | Kodansha |
Magazine | Comic BomBom |
Demographic | Children |
Original run | 2001 – 2001 |
Volumes | 2 |
Manga | |
Medarot 5 | |
Written by | Horumarin |
Published by | Kodansha |
Magazine | Comic BomBom |
Demographic | Children |
Original run | 2001 – 2002 |
Volumes | 2 |
Manga | |
Medarot G | |
Written by | Horumarin |
Published by | Kodansha |
Magazine | Comic BomBom |
Demographic | Children |
Original run | 2003 – 2003 |
Volumes | 2 |
Manga | |
Medarot Re-Reloaded | |
Written by | Hakubayashi |
Published by | Mangahot |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | December 27, 2017 – present |
Volumes | 6 |
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008) |
Written by Horumarin, the Medabots manga series was originally serialized in the
Anime
The Medabots anime series was adapted from Medarot 2, with its robotic combat elements inspired by
The Japanese version has received a VHS and DVD release of the first series, while the second series has only received a VHS release. On January 29, 2010, a Region 2 boxset release known as Medabot DVD BOX 1 was released containing the first thirty episodes,[46] with a second boxset on February 19 finishing with the last twenty-two episodes.[47] Two boxsets for Damashii were released on December 30, 2010.[48][49] This was the Production I.G series' very first DVD release.
Both series were licensed and
Under the license of Nelvana, the series was released on 12-volume VHS and DVD by
See also
- List of Japanese role-playing game franchises
References
- ^ a b c "Medabots Franchise Gets Medarot Classics Plus Switch Game Compilation on November 12". 5 August 2023.
- ^ ISBN 978-4072879290.
- ^ OCLC 47255331.
- ^ a b "Medarot: Kuwagata Version for GB". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ a b "Medarot: Perfect Edition for WS". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ a b "Medarot 2". GameSpot. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ a b "2000年のソフト販売本数ランキング" [Sales Ranking for Games Released in 2000] (in Japanese). Famitsu. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ a b "COMING SOON! メダロット4 カブトバージョン/クワガタバージョン" [COMING SOON! Medarot 4 Kabuto Version/Kuwagata Version] (in Japanese). Famitsu. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ a b "Medarot 4". GameSpot. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ "Medabots™: Metabee". Retrieved 2018-01-14.
- ^ "Medabots: Metabee". Nintendo. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
- ^ "メダロット弐CORE カブトVer". 任天堂ホームページ. Nintendo. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
- ^ a b "メダロットDS". Medarotsha.jp. Archived from the original on 2015-10-21. Retrieved 2015-09-30.
- ^ a b "Medabots 7: Kabuto Ver./Kuwagata Ver. Announced for 3DS - Interest". Anime News Network. 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2015-09-30.
- ^ a b "Amazon.co.jp: メダロット8 カブトVer.: ゲーム". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2015-09-30.
- ^ a b "メダロット9 カブトVer. - 3DS". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
- ^ "Medabots Maker Delta Arts Has Shut Down Its Studio". Siliconera. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
- ^ a b "メダロット クラシックス カブトVer. - 3DS". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
- ^ digifloyd (December 21, 2017). メダロット クラシックス (in Japanese). Imagineer. Scene: credits.
- ^ a b "メダロットR" [Medarot R] (in Japanese). Sony Interactive Entertainment. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
- ^ Natsume Co., Ltd. Archived from the originalon June 23, 2000. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
- ^ Natsume Co., Ltd. Archived from the originalon August 10, 2004. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
- ^ "メダロット・ナビ カブト" [Medarot Navi Kabuto] (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ a b "Medabots AX". GameSpot. Retrieved 2017-01-17.
- ^ a b "Medabots AX Metabee Vers". Nintendo. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ "Medabots AX: Metabee". Nintendo. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ "メダロットG カブトバージョン" [Medarot G Kabuto Version]. Nintendo (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ a b "Medabots Infinity". GameSpot. 22 January 2004. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ a b "『メダロットDUAL(デュアル) カブトVer./クワガタVer.』歴代シリーズ作品の人気キャラクターが登場" ["Medarot DUAL Kabuto Ver./Kuwagata Ver." – Popular Characters from a New Work in a Long-Running Series Make Their Appearance] (in Japanese). Famitsu. 17 October 2013. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ a b "『メダロット ガールズミッション カブトVer. / クワガタVer.』新たな"メダロット"の爽快アクシ ョンゲームが爆誕!" ["Medarot Girls Mission Kabuto Ver. / Kuwagata Ver." – An Exhilarating New Medarot Action Game Bursting onto the Scene!] (in Japanese). Famitsu. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ "イマジニアがロケットカンパニーを吸収合併。『メダロット』の版権はイマジニアが保有" [Rocket Company merging with Imagineer. The "Medabots" Copyright Will be Owned by Imagineer] (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ Sherman, Jennifer (November 28, 2018). "Medabots Franchise Gets Smartphone Game". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロット(1)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロット(3)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロット2(1)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロット2(4)<完>" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "Viz Launches Medabots Manga". ICv2. 2002-01-18. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
- ^ "メダロット3(1)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロット3(2)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロット4(1)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロット4(2)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロット5(1)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロット5(2)" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロットG 1" (in Japanese). e-hon. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "メダロットG 2" (in Japanese). e-hon. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- Amazon Japan. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- Amazon Japan. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- Amazon Japan. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
- Amazon Japan. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
- ISBN 978-1476665993.
- ^ "Nelvana Spins a Deal to Bring Beyblade Phenomenon to North America". PR Newswire. Cision. January 10, 2002. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ Jeff Bercovici (July 23, 2001). "Disney buying Fox Family Channel". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
- ^ "ABC Family March 2002 Schedule" (PDF). ABC Family. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-09-17. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
- ^ "ADV Films to Release Medabots on Home Video". PR Newswire. Cision. December 5, 2001. Archived from the original on January 24, 2002. Retrieved June 23, 2019 – via Yahoo.com.
- ^ "Shout! Factory expands family program" (Press release). Video Business. 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 28, 2019). "Discotek Licenses Symphogear, Dokuro-chan, Medabots, Cleopatra, Battery, Great Passage, More Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ^ Morrissy, Kim (June 11, 2020). "Discotek Turns to Community for Help Locating Mon Kolle Knights, Medabots English Dub Masters". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ Sherman, Jennifer (September 15, 2020). "Discotek Schedules Gin Rei OVA in Late 2020-Early 2021". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ "Medabots Season 3 Blu-ray".
External links
- Official Medabots Website
- Medarotters/Medarot official fan club Imagineer Co., Ltd./Rocket company Medarot site
- Medarotsha Official Twitter site
Derivative media
- Medabots in anime-paradijs Archived 2010-03-22 at the Wayback Machine Dutch
- Medabots (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Medabots at IMDb
- Project Rising Beetle localization campaign
- TV Tokyo page: Medarot 2
- ADV Films page: Medabots (season 1-2)
- Nelvana page Medabots (season 1-2)
- Discotek page: Medabots Season 1 Blu-ray, Medabots Season 2 Blu-ray, Medabots Season 3 Blu-ray