Description
An idea I had for something Megaman Battle Network related, more like an idea for a sort of "Miniboss" that I think would be cool to see in the series. I thought they should appear in the comic series that I have commissioned BlueIke to help me draw too, as sort of standard Grunts. Also with Steven Universe now being a REALLY sore topic towards just about everyone I know, I figured I'd focus on making something like the Flints I had designed for that.
Note, this guy was going to be more like a standard goon-type enemy and not like a specific one-of-a-kind boss.
This is a Shimobey Navi. Those of you who had played Megaman 11 may remember these small "Henchman Actor" enemies that appear in Blast Man's Stage called "Shimobeys." Given with the Megaman Battle Network's new take on several elements in the Megaman series, even doing things like taking the Mettaurs and making them one of the most basic virus enemies, I thought maybe it would be cool to think of what the Shimobeys would be like in the MMBN series.
If you don't know what enemies I'm talking about, these were the Shimobeys in Blast Man's stage of MM11. Remember these guys?
The second part was based on a problem I have with how I always felt about the way standard Grunt Navis were handled in most of the series. A bit of an unpopular opinion, but I actually liked Megaman Battle Network 4. It wasn't the best in the series but it still did a bunch of things right. One of those things I feel that MMBN4 did right was giving the opportunity to actually fight the HeelNavi grunts as Minibosses, whereas before they were handled a bit strangely.
In all the HeelNavi encounters in the games prior to that, it was not a battle against them but rather a battle against a couple of high-powered viruses, and it was weird like "did they just turn into a bunch of viruses or did they send them out, then after beating them, wait, why are they exploding, I thought we just killed their viruses not them, or did we? What's going on?" A weird example of story/gameplay dissonance.
MMBN4 did this better by making you actually fight them, usually with a few other viruses accompanying them, but there it makes sense as to who you are fighting. Sure they weren't super tough but they'd at least put up more of a fight than a basic virus would. Something that would again get dropped until Megaman Star Force, which did a similar thing with the Jammers, the Star Force equivalent of HeelNavis.
If you ask me, if they ever made an MMBN7 or other such sequel, I think they should continue this trend of being able to actually fight the HeelNavis as Minibosses, instead of just trigger a virus encounter. And to give it more variety, I think they should also add Minibosses against other types of bad guy Mass Produced Navis. Like the good guy Mass-Produced non-custom Navis, the bad guy ones were shown to have a few other variants, like those ghost-like ones wearing a cloak appearing in places like the Ranking Matches in MMBN3 (whom I always liked to refer to as "CloakNavis,") and the lanky gangster-looking ones who have a Mohawk (whom I always liked to refer to as "ThugNavis"). Then one more being this guy I drew here, the "ShimobeyNavis."
So this is my rendition of what the Megaman 11 Shimobeys would be like as Battle Network Net Navis. I think he kinda ended up looking like one of those Mexican Masked Wrestlers in a way, but I guess it fits given how he's supposed to be related to the HeelNavis, and "Heel" also relates to Wrestling given how "Heel" is the term given to whichever wrestler is considered to be the bad guy. Also yes I know I'm not very fond of Karate Kung-Fu, but given how the Shimobeys in MM11 would fight by running towards you and doing dive kicks, I want them to be similar to the original ones too.
Also, I hope you like this BlueIke , and I cannot wait to see how you do when drawing them.
Now for the specs on these Navi Minibosses.
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Shimobey Navis are a new subtype of standard grunt Net Navis. Designed to be similar to HeelNavis, but with a different specialty and fighting style. Several of them were in the process of being developed and used by the WWW some time around the invention of CopyBots, but after their defeat, many of them have gone off into places like the UnderNet and have become Solo Navis. Later on, several Shimobey Navis are recruited (not created) by Breaker Night to use as part of his new fighting force.
Although neither superior nor inferior to the HeelNavis, Shimobey Navis are shown to usually possess a greater degree of aggression, malevolence, and agility than most HeelNavis do. They are bold, usually to the point of being willing to challenge an enemy that they have a slim chance of beating head-on, but they still are just basic grunts and are outmatched by most custom-created and more sophisticated Navis. Also noteworthy is that many ShimobeyNavis tend to have very high-pitched voices.
While HeelNavis were designed to specialize in using Sword and Bomb-based chips, as well as Virus Summoning, ShimobeyNavis were programmed to specialize in Hand Combat and fighting unarmed. This was done to make them more viable when fighting in the regular world with CopyBots, since CopyBots can restrict the Navi's use of their abilities if Weapons Hardware is not installed in them, the ShimobeyNavis are programmed to know how to fight well with their bare hands if they have to. Unfortunately, they lack sufficient skill with Gun-based weaponry and chips, making them less effective at long range. When using chips, they prefer to use ones that allow them to fight more up-close, as for it synergizes better with their fighting style, with the exception of swords, which they prefer not to use.
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Shimobey Navis come in three different variants, and in encounters against them will usually have at least one other virus or another standard grunt Navi accompanying them, such as a HeelNavi, a ThugNavi, or even another Shimobey Navi. ShimobeyNavis do not summon additional viruses like HeelNavis do though. When moving, Shimobey Navis can move to any panel on their side of the stage not occupied by a hole or an object (not necessarily adjacent to them).
All ShimobeyNavis are Normal-Type Net Navis
Variants
• ShimobeyNavi: The basic type of Shimobey Navi. Has 200 HP
• ShimobeyNavi G: A slightly buffed Shimobey Navi that can move faster and usually carries extra BattleChips like AreaGrab. Has 500HP
• Navi Dusk: A ShimobeyNavi variant who has been tainted by darkness that appears in the BlackEarth area, similar to the NaviBlack and NaviShadow. Less HP than the ShimobeyNavi G, but impervious to all attacks except Sword-Type Attacks and Battle Chips. Has 200HP.
Attacks/Abilities
• Dive Kick: The basic non-battle-chip attack by a Shimobey Navi. They first briefly jump off-screen then dive down with their foot out right onto whichever panel you are on for a flying kick attack. The panel they are about to hit will flash yellow briefly before they land, giving you a moment to react. After doing this attack, they immediately return to whichever panel on their side of the field that they were on before. It is possible to counterattack once they land too.
• DashAttack: A slotted-in chip attack like that of a Fishy Virus. The Shimobey Navi first preps up then dashes towards you at high speed. Interestingly enough, they seem to shift into a rocket-like shape while using this attack. They will only dash once and not multiple times in a row. Like others using this chip, they will ignore panels with holes while using this attack, but the attack will be interrupted if they collide with an object on the field such as a RockCube.
• Guts Impact: A chip attack that synergizes with their hand combat style. The Shimobey Navi punches you with a 2-panel reach fist. The attack will knock you back if it connects, and also pushes objects. Stronger variants such as ShimobeyNavi Gs and Navi Dusks will often times replace this with another type of Punching chip such as Bronze Fist or Ice Punch.
• Thunder Ball: The only non-close-range chip a Shimobey Navi will use, mainly due to its auto-targetting and its stun effects. Shoots a slow-moving electric sphere similar to that of a Billy Virus that slowly moves towards you. If it hits and stuns you, the ShimobeyNavi will immediately follow up with one of its other three attacks. Useful to them to put enemies into a prime position for them to be attacked.
ShimobeyNavis would only drop Zenny and not unique Battle Chips when defeated.
Hope you like this. You gotta admit it would be cool to see Megaman and QuakeWoman fighting a bunch of these guys, wouldn't it?