MegaMan NT Warrior
Anime and manga adapting the Mega Man Battle Network games.
MegaMan NT Warrior is an anime and manga series based on the Mega Man Battle Network series by Capcom. The manga was written by Ryo Takamisaki and ran in Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic between 2001 and 2006, while the anime television series, produced by Xebec, Nihon Ad Systems and TV Tokyo, ran for five seasons on TV Tokyo in Japan between March 2002 and September 2006, reaching 209 episodes and a feature film. The series was licensed by Viz Media for North American distribution, with the manga released between 2004 and 2008 and the first two seasons airing on Kids' WB! from 2003 to 2005.
- Field
- Anime and manga series
- Based on
- Mega Man Battle Network series by Capcom
- Manga author
- Ryo Takamisaki
- Manga run
- 2001–2006
- Anime run
- March 2002 – September 2006
- Total episodes
- 209
- Licensee
- Viz Media
Lore & Background
The series takes place in an unspecified year of the 21st century ('200X') where the internet drives everyday life. Users interact via PErsonal Terminals (PETs) and Net Navigators, avatars that delete Viruses using Battle Chips. The story follows Lan Hikari and his NetNavi MegaMan.EXE as they fight threats from organizations like World Three. The first game released in 2001, with the anime and manga following in 2002 and 2001 respectively.
The manga consisted of six storylines loosely adapting game elements. The first storyline has Lan and MegaMan develop Full-Synchro, a rare ability merging operator and Navi minds, and defeat Dr. Wily's Life Virus. Later storylines introduce Bass, the Undernet, Grave, Darkloids, and the Cybeasts Gregar and Falzar, culminating in MegaMan's apparent deletion and return a year later.
The anime is split into two storylines: the first involves World Three and the Ultimate NetNavi PharaohMan, culminating in the N1 Grand Prix; the second has characters take on the NetMafia Grave and its virus beast. The anime and manga diverge heavily in plot, with no evidence in the anime that Lan and MegaMan were twin brothers, unlike in the games.
Reader's Guide
MegaMan NT Warrior was a commercial success, with the anime drawing high viewership in North America and Japan and the manga achieving monthly sales up to 1.5 million. The series helped popularize the Mega Man Battle Network franchise, expanding its reach through both visual media. In 2022, as promotion for Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, the Japanese and English dubs of the anime were re-released on the official YouTube channel until September 20, with the first episode of Axess available with English subtitles for unknown reasons. The series remains a key entry in the Mega Man multimedia universe, illustrating the cross-platform strategy Capcom used to build the brand.
Did You Know?
- The manga was written by Ryo Takamisaki and ran in CoroCoro Comic from 2001 to 2006.
- The anime ran for 209 episodes across five seasons on TV Tokyo from March 2002 to September 2006.
- In 2022, the anime was re-released on YouTube to promote the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection.
- The anime and manga diverge heavily from each other and from the games; for example, the anime does not show Lan and MegaMan as twin brothers.
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