Japanese toy brand ELECTRIC TOYS' new soft vinyl toy brand, "SOFVIPS" (ソフビップス), will once again release new color versions of its Mega Man and Proto Man soft vinyl figures. These are the Mega Man "Napalm Bomb" version and the Proto Man "Wheel Cutter" version. They are scheduled for release in August 2024, priced at 9,350 JPY and 9,900 JPY respectively.
Released by CAPCOM in December 1987 on the Nintendo Famicom, Mega Man was the first title in the series. It adopted a non-linear stage progression, allowing players to freely choose stages, which was quite novel at the time. The protagonist, Mega Man, initially only had basic bullets, but could acquire weapons by defeating enemy bosses. The game also introduced a weapon weakness system, similar to rock-paper-scissors, where finding the corresponding weapon for each enemy was part of the fun. After its release, it was beloved by many players, selling 810,000 copies, and a sequel was released the following year in 1988, establishing it as one of the classic series ever since.
▼ The TV commercial for Mega Man at the time:
▼ The original Mega Man game box art. Image credit:twitter
The new color versions of the SOFVIPS Mega Man and Proto Man soft vinyl figures released by Electric Toys this time are completely different from their original colors, offering a distinct new feel. This Mega Man Napalm Bomb version features a blue and yellow color scheme, inspired by the boss "Napalm Man" (ナパームマン) from Mega Man 5. The soft vinyl figure stands 17 cm tall, identical to the previous regular version, and features CAPCOM's authentication engraving on the sole of its foot. Mega Man's signature weapon, the "Rock Buster," and his hands can be swapped out with interchangeable parts.
ELECTRIC TOYS SOFVIPS Mega Man (Napalm Bomb)
Reference Price: 9,350 JPY (tax included)
Scheduled Release Date: August 2024
Size: Approximately 170mm in height
This Proto Man "Wheel Cutter" version features a dark black color scheme. This color is inspired by the form Proto Man takes after acquiring the special weapon "Wheel Cutter" from the enemy boss "Nitro Man" (NITROMAN) in Mega Man 10, offering a different feel from Proto Man's original red. The figure stands 16.5 cm tall, identical to the previous Proto Man, and its shield and hand parts can be freely swapped out.
ELECTRIC TOYS SOFVIPS Proto Man (Wheel Cutter)
Reference Price: 9,900 JPY (tax included)
Scheduled Release Date: August 2024
Size: Approximately 165mm in height
via： SOFVI.TOKYO