GutsMan.EXE

GutsMan.EXE is the NetNavi counterpart of Dex Ogreon and a supporting protagonist in MegaMan Battle Network and MegaMan: NT Warrior.

While not very bright, he is a super strong Navi that relies on brute force. He likes Roll.EXE and is Mega Man.EXE's rival. He also has the habit of frequently saying the word "Guts". For Dex, having a "strong" Navi means they have super strength. GutsMan is a loyal friend and fights side by side with his allies.

Personality
Being a basic carbon copy of his operator, GutsMan tends to move and react slowly. This means that he tends not to make hasty decisions (though he and Dex feature a very "Gung-ho" attitude of doing things), but will only act if sufficiently provoked or if a given situation calls for it (in the case of a friend being in danger). Naturally, direct physical attacks usually earn an immediate reaction. When finally roused though, the angry GutsMan and his strength can be a terrifying sight to behold. In the Japanese version, GutsMan ends the majority of his sentences with "-de gatsu" ("guts").

In the anime, GutsMan's dedication to his friends is most well displayed while he and his allies are searching for MegaMan's new body in the wake of PharaohMan's awakening. Finding themselves trapped in a collapsing cavern, the Navi valiantly saves Roll from falling debris, then allows everyone to escape by holding up the weight of the structure on his own. He does, however, recover following the incident, and remains helpful.

Overview
Alongside his operator, GutsMan used to be a bully of sorts, picking on the Navis of weak children. When Lan Hikari received Mega Man.EXE, however, he was defeated, and the two realized the error of their ways, though they still remained rivals to the bitter end. GutsMan, in particular, has feelings for Roll, and therefore gets very angry when she spends time with MegaMan.

In both the video games and anime, MegaMan receives the powers of Guts Soul through his strong friendship with GutsMan. In the latter case, during Rockman.EXE Beast+, GutsMan also unknowingly teaches Zero the meaning of "companionship".

Rockman EXE Beast
In Rockman.EXE Beast, Gutsman has a Zoanoroid counterpart, Zoano Gutsman. Unlike the original, Zoano Gutsman is stronger, faster, and surprisingly smarter than the original. In terms of physical appearance, blue replaces yellow for his head, arms, back, and feet. His core area is replaced with a purple-ish color and the jewel located on his forehead is red instead of green. Also, instead of the regular Guts crest, there is a Gregar crest.

Like all Zoanoroids, he has the ability to beast out. He appears in Episode 12 and is deleted in Episode 13.

Game History
In all of the Mega Man Battle Network games, he attacks by punching, breaking panels (sometimes all of the enemy's area), and making shock waves by forming his fists into a massive hammer. In a fight, GutsMan relies entirely on his attack power. Due to his size and strength, he is slow, but when his attacks connect they are often powerful. He can be fought in most games, being first absent in Mega Man Battle Network 5 due to him, Roll, and Glyde being kidnapped by Nebula.

Mega Man Network Transmission
GutsMan is the second NetNavi the player battles. After Dex installs the fake Zero vaccine into GutsMan, Gutsman goes on a rampage and is no longer under Dex's control. MegaMan battles and defeats GutsMan. Dex, like Mr. Match, had no control over GutsMan and jacks GutsMan out before he can be deleted.

GutsMan makes appearances as the game progresses, assisting Lan and MegaMan in their endeavors to put a stop to the Zero Virus and WWW.

Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge
GutsMan appears as both an opponent and a playable character. He is the final opponent in the E-Class Guts Tournament, a semi-final opponent in the D-Class Sapling Tuornament, the first opponent in the A-Class West Tournament, the quarter-final round of the X-Class Shadow Tournament, the thirteenth opponent of the Z-Class Chaos Tournament and a random opponent in all Free Battles. If GutsMan is the playable character, he is replaced by other netbattlers like Chaud and ProtoMan and Tamako and MetalMan.EXE.

Abilities
Because of his extremely slow attacks, GutsMan is considered one of the easiest bosses in the game series.
 * Super Armour: In BN4, GutsMan cannot flinch.
 * Shockwave: GutsMan slams the ground, causing a Shockwave that travels forward. This attack cannot pass through holes.
 * Guts Hammer: GutsMan moves up to the front of his area and slams the ground with his Guts Hammer. Its effect depends on version fought and the game played.
 * It cracks all panels in the same line. Used in BN1-3.
 * It cracks all panels in the player's area. Used in BN2-3. Called "Shock Wave" in the anime.
 * It cracks random panels in the player's area and causes rocks to fall. Used in BN4. Called "Guts Quake" in the anime.
 * Guts Punch: GutsMan moves up to the front of his area and punches the player. If it connects, it pushes the player one square backward.
 * Rocket Guts Punch: Later versions of GutsMan makes him able to fire his punch forward down the row. Once again, it pushes the player one square backward if it connects.
 * Zeta Punch: GutsMan zips around the battlefield before initiating this Program Advance. He turns invincible and repeatedly shoots his Rocket Guts Punch down random rows. Used only in BN3.
 * Guts Machine Gun: GutsMan fires a few shots down the row at the player. Used only in BN4.
 * Mega Guts Punch (anime only): A bigger version of Guts Punch activated by slotting-in a Battle Chip of the same name.

Mega Man Network Transmission
GutsMan will not punch MegaMan if MegaMan is far enough away. He will try to attack the ground when this happens. The player needs only to jump to avoid those attacks. If GutsMan gets too close, the player can slide under GutsMan's legs to evade close-range attacks. Upon defeating GutsMan, the player receives either the GutPunch battle chip or the GutsMan battle chip.
 * GutsQuake (0) - GutsMan jumps. When he lands, he sends a shockwave that paralyzes MegaMan if MegaMan is still grounded.
 * GutsPunch (50) - GutsMan punches MegaMan in the face (if it lands). Short range. Uses if MegaMan is close.
 * GutsSlam (40) - GutsMan slams his fists into the ground, causing a quake that damages MegaMan if he is grounded.

Trivia

 * Using the Beast Link Gate or cheats in Battle Network 6 allows the player to play as ProtoMan as a Link Navi.


 * It is shown in the coding that Proto Cross was supposed to be in Battle Network 6, but was scrapped. If one activates it, it works normally.


 * The Battle Card "Sword Fighter" in the Mega Man Star Force series shows a silhouette of ProtoMan dashing alongside Mega Man.


 * ProtoMan's emblem is similar to the Yin-Yang symbol, one side of cold indifference and the other of striking kindness.


 * According to the Rockman.EXE's Secret Official Creation Illustration Guide, ProtoMan's emblem, or Navi mark, is supposed to resemble a "B," for his Japanese name, Blues.


 * According to UDON's English translation of Rockman.EXE Official Complete Works, early concepts of ProtoMan depict him with a scarf like his classic counterpart, but there was a rule in which it was forbidden to give Navi characters any form of cloth to "ensure [they] gave off a cyber vibe." Hence, ProtoMan was given long hair to make up for the missing scarf (this rule, however, would later be broken by a few Navis, first being Bass.EXE).


 * While most of his appearance and personality are based on the classic Proto Man, some aspects of him were distinctly inspired by Zero from the Mega Man X series, his sword and long hair being the most obvious examples.


 * Although ProtoMan.EXE's English name is derived from his classic series counterpart, it should be noted that it makes no sense from an in-universe perspective, as he is not a prototype of anything.


 * One issue of the MegaMan NT Warrior manga featured a potential character who would serve as a love interest to ProtoMan. Playing off ProtoMan's Japanese name, Blues, the new female character was named Rhythm.
 * Protoman's Seiyuu also did Teru Mikami from Death Note and both have to do with deleting and preserving their society.
 * Since Protoman's classic counterpart is influenced by Char Aznable, one of Char's expy Gaelio Baudain/Vidar has the same Seiyuu as Protoman.EXE. Both are policeman who serve their government only to end up supposedly "killed" but came back as another incarnation. Also both disguise themselves to secretly get close to their enemy and forming a rivalry with a formidable enemy who has extreme intentions. Also both have short term rivalry with the main character.