We start off Season 5 with a mega-blast! It's all of our hosts favourites fandoms this season starting off with fans of the Blue Bomber: Mega Man! Why haven't there been any new games lately, and how have the fans adapted? How is a game from more than 25 years ago still relevant to fans today? Tune in and find out!
Next week, we'll be doing the things a particle can and talking about two rockin' musicians (John and John) and their fans as we talk about They Might Be Giants fandom!
## Episode outline
### Fandom Facts
**Origins:**
Rockman (also known as Mega Man, outside of Japan) is a video game franchise created by Akira Kitamura and designed by Keiji Inafune by (and owned by CAPCOM). Originally released for Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987, the franchise has over 50 games on multiple systems, and, by March 2015, over thirty million copies have been sold worldwide.
The original game follows the story of Rock (Mega), an android created by Doctor Light and his assistant, Doctor Wily. Doctor Wily reprograms Doctor Lights other robots in an act of treachery, and Rock volunteers to defend the world from Wily's violent robotic threats.
Other main series within the game's history:
- Mega Man X
- Mega Man Legends
- Mega Man Battle Network
**Most Active and Fandom Trends:**
Based on [Google Trends data](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=%2Fm%2F016vdf), interest in the Mega Man series of games has been on a steady decline since Google has started tracking trend data (current interest is about one fifth of data back in 2004). The most popular point in this history is around July 2004, which likely corresponds to the release of Mega Man X: Command Mission, a turn-based RPG.
**Size of Fandom:**
It's especially challenging to try to get estimates on fandoms that have been on the decline for a while. To get a rough sense of scale and level of community:
- The [Mega Man Subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Megaman/) has over 10 000 subscribers
- Mighty No 9, a game developed a sort of spiritual successor to Mega Man (and directed by longtime Mega Man director, Keiji Inafune) [has over 67 000 backers](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mightyno9/mighty-no-9)
- Over 30 million copies of the various games have been sold worldwide. A rough estimate taking the number of sales and dividing by the number of games (131) yields a rough estimate of over 220 000 game buyers
**Famous fan works:**
- [Mega Maker](https://mega-maker.com/), a fan game about creating your own Mega Man levels (like Mario maker)
- [Mega Man x Street Fighter](http://www.capcom-unity.com/mega_man), a fan game that puts Mega Man (circa Mega Man 2) in stages reminiscent of the characters in Street Fighter 2 and featuring them as bosses
- [Mega Man 2.5D](http://petersjostrand.com/), [20XX](http://store.steampowered.com/app/322110/20XX/), [Azure Striker Gunvolt](http://gunvolt.com/en/), [The Megas](http://www.themegas.com/), [BrentalFloss](https://www.brentalfloss.com/)... the list goes on
**Fanfics and Fanart**
- DeviantArt has almost 100 000 works for [Mega Man](https://www.deviantart.com/?section=&global=1&q=mega+man)
- FanFiction.net has over 5000 works for [Mega Man](https://www.fanfiction.net/game/Mega-Man/)
- Archive of Our Own has over 700 fan works for [Mega Man](https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Rockman%20%7C%20Mega%20Man%20-%20All%20Media%20Types/works)
### The Verdict
**G is in. Would like to play more Mega Man games.**
**T is in. 100% in.**
**Z is out. Would try Battle Network or Command Mission.**
[// Modern Mega Man fandom is the millenial generation's response to intellectual property. CAPCOM has been slowly killing off Mega Man titles or releasing things that fans (and gamers don't like). So the fans take it upon themselves to take the formula, remix it, and make something new. ]: #
### This week's spotlight
**[Mega Man-athon](https://megamanathon.com/)**
What would happen if you took a bunch of Mega Man fans and they wanted to raise money? It might sound something like this:
> In the year 20XX, a team of super-fighting robots join forces with one mission: to improve the lives of children and defeat Dr. Wily once and for all...
The Mega Man-athon is an annual 72 hour marathon that takes place at Super Magfest to raise money for Child's Play (a charity that is set up to improve the lives of children with toys and games at hospitals). It is run by Half Empty Energytank and, has been running since 2013, and has raised over $10 000 USD so far!
[// Plugs go here ]: #
### Famous Last Words
This week's famous last words around *next week's* fandom, They Might Be Giants!
**T**
What percentage of They Might Be Giants fans became fans via Tiny Toons?
Are They Might Be Giants fans more likely to be hipsters (is the reverse true)?
**Z**
How many fan made music videos are there on YouTube?
**G**
After TMBG success with their dial-a-song service, has any band or musical act followed?
## Where can you find us online?
We are everywhere! Most notably though, we like to hang out in a few places on social media:
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- If you want to be part of our podcast (or just want to check us out), we record our podcast LIVE on [twitch.tv](http://twitch.tv/thenickscast) every monday at 20:00 Eastern Time!
- For all the latest updates, check us out on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast)
- To see the latest hijinx from our conventions or even our daily lives and adventures, check us out on [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast)
- For our latest convention updates, *Let's Plays*, and other in-real-life video, [check out our YouTube channel](http://youtube.com/thenickscast)
- We're also on [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210), and [Google Play](https://play.google.com/music/m/Icmngxz7yhaoivdvivvf6q6c2pu?t=Fanthropological), and would love it if you could leave a review and rating!
- if you want to reach us, and for some reason none of those work for you, try [
[email protected]](mailto:
[email protected])
- You can check out [our website](http://thenickscast.com); that will mostly bring you back to this stuff.
- Everything is `thenickscast`, so if you can't find us, go on your social network and search for that!
- ... You're still looking for ways to reach out? You can also use the hashtag `#fanthro` on Twitter!
## What is "Fanthropological"?
How did you read this far without asking this question?!
Fanthropological is an anthropological (ish) podcast where we bring the fan's-eye view to you! Each week, we take a look at a different fandom, dig up interesting background, trivia, and history, and try to get to why it is that people are a fan. We also try to highlight good causes related to that fandom, and find interesting things that fans have created to share those to the world. Each episode is about an hour. Ish.
## Who is "The Nickscast"?
*We* are the Nickscast! Three products of late-80s / early-90s pop culture who love exploring fandom and everything geek ... who also happen to have been best buddies since high school, and all happen to be named Nick. Yes, we are super creative. Dare we say, the most creative.
*Ahem*
We are Nick Green, Nick Terwoord, and Nick Zacharewicz: We started the Nickscast as a labour of love, and as a place to entertain and to discuss our love of fans and fandom, and all that is shiny and interesting in that realm. It's what lead us to start our first podcast, our satellite podcasts, Fanthropological, and so much more.
We want to help others learn more about different fandoms, and to create empathy with other fans: We dream of a world where other fans aren't "those Weird-o's", but just folks with different tastes. A world where fandom is full of discourse and analysis, and there are plenty of tools and resources to help. Fans building communities to do good in the world. *Because everyone's a fan.*
## Credits
### Sources
- [Wikipedia - Mega Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega_Man#Original_series)
- [Reddit - Mega Man](https://www.reddit.com/r/Megaman/)
- [Kickstarter - Mighty No 9](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mightyno9/mighty-no-9)
- [Fanlore - Mega Man](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Mega_Man)
- [Game Skinny - What Even is Capcom's Motive Behind the New Mega Man Cartoon?](https://www.gameskinny.com/s31ko/what-even-is-capcoms-motive-behind-the-new-mega-man-cartoon)
- [Kotaku - How fan-made games keep Mega Man alive in the face of Capcom’s neglect](https://games.avclub.com/how-fan-made-games-keep-mega-man-alive-in-the-face-of-c-1798265899)
- [YouTube - Sequelitis - Mega Man Classic vs. Mega Man X](https://youtu.be/8FpigqfcvlM)
- [Fanlore - Mega Man](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Mega_Man)
- [MechaDrake - Fanart](http://www.mechadrake.com/fanart.html)
- [Kotaku Australia - The Internet Reacts to the New Mega Man Cartoon](https://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/05/the-internet-reacts-to-the-new-mega-man-cartoon/)
- [Polygon - Street Fighter X Mega Man is part apology to Mega Man fans, part proof of life, says Capcom](https://www.polygon.com/2012/12/11/3756478/street-fighter-x-mega-man-part-apology-to-mega-man-fans-says-capcom)
- [Kotaku Australia - Mega Man Fans Want to Know the Origin of this Out of Place Concept Art](https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/08/mega-man-fans-want-to-know-the-origin-of-this-out-of-place-concept-art/)
- [Rockman Corner - Home](http://www.rockman-corner.com/)
- [r/Megaman - I Might be the Only One Left Not Hurt by Capcom](https://www.reddit.com/r/Megaman/comments/72a4ui/i_might_be_the_only_one_left_not_hurt_by_capcom/)
- [FanFiction.net - Search: Megaman](https://www.fanfiction.net/search/?keywords=megaman&ready=1&type=story)
- [FanFiction.net - Search: Mega Man](https://www.fanfiction.net/search/?keywords=mega+man&ready=1&type=story)
- [Archive of Our Own - Megaman](https://archiveofourown.org/works/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&work_search%5Bquery%5D=Megaman)
- [Quora - What Are Some of the Greatest Marketing Disasters in History?](https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-of-the-greatest-marketing-disasters-in-history/answer/Aqshat-Seth?srid=ngWL)
- [Facebook - 100,000 Strong For Bringing Back Mega Man Legends 3](https://www.facebook.com/GetMeOffTheMoon/)
- [Youtube - Why Most Mega Man Fans Hate Capcom](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYbCpHyh80I)
### Music / Sound
- Ending music from [The Megas - Melody from the Past](https://themegas.bandcamp.com/track/melody-from-the-past)
- All other music and sound for this week's episode were provided by Nick Green!
### Artwork
- ["Glasses"](https://thenounproject.com/term/glasses/132894) by [Anton Anuchin](https://thenounproject.com/antonwebium) used under [CC BY 3.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/)
- [“Gear”](https://thenounproject.com/term/gear/18498) by [Lucian Novosel](https://thenounproject.com/lucian.novosel) used under [CC BY 3.0 US](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/)
