Reploid Independence Day is Upon Us Once Again

As he did last year, our resident comic book reviewer for “The Blue Ink,” would like to remind everyone that as per the instruction manual for Mega Man X, June 4th is the “Day of Sigma,” aka– as he puts it– “Reploid Independence Day.” It’s a century early, give or take a few years, but who among us is going to be around then, anyway? Exactly.
“I’ve been celebrating this holiday for nine years now,” Erico states in a slight revision to last year’s announcement, “and I do my best to mark its passing with a short little story (this one’s new, by the way –Ed.) done entirely for fun. That’s the whole point of the day, really: To have a little fun and spice up the beginning of June with something Mega Man fans can get behind. We could celebrate September 16th (the day when Light put the warning message on X’s capsule), or December 17th… wait, we already do that…”

“Does that mean you should go out and write something? Heck no! That’s just what I do. Maybe you just want to play Mega Man X1 all over again, all the while speaking in super movie trailer announcer voice ‘In a world where Reploids and humans coexist…,’ or perhaps you’re more of a haiku person. Maybe you just want to toss back a grape soda and feel glad that it’s all make believe, then go have a round of NetBattling with your friends.

“Reploid Independence Day isn’t meant to be taken seriously. Remember, it’s a fictional holiday taken from a fictional video game world, and as such, a little humor and levity is required. For me, it’s a chance to go back and re-examine the world of Mavericks and Maverick Hunters, and everyone else who’s stuck along for the ride. I think for the most part, I celebrate Reploid Independence Day because it gives me something different to look forward to, a different sort of anniversary that has as little or as much meaning as I feel like giving it.

“However you look at Reploid Independence Day is up to you. For me, I will imagine that strange world where Sigma took a page from Planet of the Apes, and said ‘NO.’

“And of course, I’ll smile as I imagine Mega Man X and Zero taking on the Maverick hordes and counting coup.”

So throw some humans on the barbeque and break out the M-320s, because there’s no better way to celebrate the independence of a fictitious robot race than blowing up a small part of it, right? And feel free to share with us in the comments whether you have any plans to celebrate the day, or if you, for one, are not quite ready to welcome our new robotic overlords.

LanceHeart