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A Colorful Beginning
Long before the blue suited hero cemented his place in gaming history, Capcom’s designers toyed with a name that could have changed everything, Rainbow Man. It was not some throwaway title scribbled in a notebook. The choice reflected what made the character unique. Each time he defeated a Robot Master he absorbed their power and his armor blazed with a new color. According to the character’s development history, Capcom truly considered Rainbow Man as a possible title because of this constant transformation, a rainbow warrior shifting shades from stage to stage(The Gay Gamer). Also covered extensively on the Mega Man Wiki. Could you imagine the title in 2025 with this name. Would our hero have survived the culture war?
Imagining Mega Man wearing a rainbow hued armor in every stage is not far fetched. Early development sketches and design notes emphasized the visual charm of color shifting, and merchandising ideas were already being brainstormed around the concept. Developers juggled the rainbow motif with other working names such as “Mighty Kid” and “Knuckle Kid” as they explored what best captured the character’s essence.
In the end Rainbow Man was scrapped. Though it clearly spoke to the unique visual hook of the game, the name lacked the punch and brand potential Capcom sought for what they hoped would become a flagship franchise.
From Rockman to Mega Man
In Japan the name that stuck was Rockman, tying into the music themed naming convention that paired perfectly with “Roll,” Mega Man’s sister. The duo Rock and Roll became a clever and memorable pair, giving the series a playful identity right from the start.
When the game was brought overseas, Capcom USA felt Rockman did not resonate with Western audiences. Joseph Morici, a senior executive at Capcom USA, led the push to rename him. The result was Mega Man — a title that sounded grander, more heroic, and more marketable in the competitive late 1980s gaming landscape.
Rainbow Man quietly vanished from the narrative, replaced by an identity that would become one of the most enduring icons of retro gaming.
Why Naming Matters
Names are powerful. If Capcom had gone with Rainbow Man, the cultural perception of the character might have leaned toward whimsy or quirkiness, perhaps overshadowing his heroic action platformer roots. Mega Man’s name gave him a clear and strong identity, a “mega” hero ready to take on any threat.
A concise and memorable title like Mega Man helped establish a legacy. Across decades more than fifty titles have been released under that name, spanning platforms, genres, and spin offs. The name stuck and strengthened the hero’s brand, contributing to his lasting recognition in gaming lore.
Rainbow Man survives today as a colorful piece of trivia, a bright what if that never made it past the drawing board but helped pave the way to the legend we now know as Mega Man.
Phew!