Mr Mega Man Volume 1

Mr Mega Man is a sequel to the world of the titular hero - the fighting done, Dr Wily no longer a threat, Rock (aka Mega Man) now practices dentistry alongside Dr Light's assistant Roll. Both are now in new, older bodies and while remembered as heroes, are trying to live a quiet life.

The story initially concerns itself with catching up with Mega Man's various foes, all of which have been rebuilt so that they can find a place in society. These interactions occur at bars, restaurants, onsens and shrines, with Rock encouraging his old foes to do their best and push for robo-human integration.

While the imaginative uses for these formerly evil characters is interesting, it's hard to get over how repetitive and dull the book becomes very early on. Do I care that Elec Man is a stage performer? Or that Top Man is an influencer? Sure, it's fun to see inventive ideas for their powers, but every interaction is the same - Rock meets robot, robot has doubts/problem, Rock reassures robot, robot promises to keep trying their best. Repeat for eleven chapters. Eleven.

Snore.

The problem is that there's no underlying thread to join these interactions together, at least not initially. By chapter 12, we actually get some semblance of a plot - forces unknown have started moving and Dive Man, alongside Bubble Man, have discovered them. Of course they bring Rock into the investigation and finally the story gains narrative traction, but it was so hard getting to this chapter that I almost gave up. It's taken me a month to get through this book, every re-entry a struggle to overcome the repetitive nature of the chapters. Do I give a toss that Star Man has trouble moving because his star armour is restrictive? Not really. Perhaps I'm not a big enough Mega Man fan to be invested (highly likely as I've never been into the game series, though I like the world Capcom created) but I found I needed something to hold my interest, and it just wasn't there.

One thing I will compliment the book on is the art - the initial pull of the title in all honesty (we all know I'm an art-first kinda guy by now).  The character renditions are absolutely sublime; delicate and detailed artwork, every page awash with gorgeous tone to provide depth, the book is a thing of absolute beauty. Roll in particular is elegant and earnest, but all of the robots are fashioned with the same lovely detail which really brings out their personalities. 

When the book does get going, it is somewhat redeemed. Rock shows why he's a hero, putting his civilian, non-combat body through the wringer to take down an invading force with minimal casualties. By book's end, Dr Light has begun the process of upgrading his new form to be better equipped for the challenge ahead. There's momentum now and I'm actually intrigued to find out where it might be going, so I might just get the next volume just so long as we're no longer catching up with the wider cast over dinner.

Yushi Kawata's Afterword explains that this Mega Man story is for those who grew up without realising their dreams or potential, and I can certainly see how the initial chapters approached this concept. It's a nice thought, that we can still be useful and happy even if life isn't what we imagined, I just find that he laboured the point a little too much, too early. Had Rock's interactions been part of a wider investigation that also included the pep talks, with new information gleaned from each interaction pointing toward an over-arching plot, it would have felt more substantial. As it is, these early interactions feel a bit trite and counter-productive.

It's hard to wholeheartedly recommend the book as it is very much of two halves - the appeal of the opening will depend entirely on your level of investment in Mega Man as a series, while the latter hosts genuine intrigue and danger. Rock seems like a lovely guy, but like Superman, a bit too Dudley-Do-Right and vanilla outside his heroic adventures to spend much time with.