Lan Hikari

General CVG character
name=Lan Hikari


caption=
series="Mega Man Battle Network" series
firstgame="Mega Man Battle Network"
creator=Keiji Inafune
voiceactor=Alex Doduk (Episode 1-5, 9-17)
Brad Swaile (Episode 6-8, 18+)
japanactor=Kumiko Higa
inuniverse=Mega Man character
type=Human
weapon=PET, Battle Chips

Lan Hikari, known in Japan as nihongo|Netto Hikari|光熱斗|Hikari Netto, is a video game character and the human protagonist of the "Mega Man Battle Network" series of video games and the "MegaMan NT Warrior" ("Rockman.EXE") anime and manga. He is the operator of MegaMan.EXE. In the anime, he is voiced by Alex Doduk (episodes 1-5, 9-17) and Brad Swaile (6-8, 18-present) in the English version, and Kumiko Higa in the Japanese version of the anime and Mega Man Network Transmission.

The name Lan is a pun on "LAN", while nihongo|Netto|熱斗 is a pun on "nihongo|Net"|ネット|netto|.

History

Lan is the happy, carefree blue headband wearing son of Yuichiro Hikari and Haruka Hikari, and the grandson of Tadashi Hikari, the "Battle Network" incarnation of Dr. Thomas Light. In the game, but not the anime, Lan had an identical twin brother named Hub (Saito Hikari), who died when the boys were young. Near the end of the first "Battle Network" game, it is revealed that MegaMan was programmed using Hub's DNA, slightly modified by .1% to avoid dangers between operator and Navi, as Dr. Hikari had theorized that since they share the same DNA, any damage that MegaMan will suffer will transfer to Lan. MegaMan is nearly deleted before this cutscene, and Lan is told to apply the "Hub.BAT" (Saito.BAT) file to erase the difference between their DNA and reincarnate MegaMan as Hub. (It bears mentioning that a batch file is designed for the rapid execution of a command or a series of commands already existent on a computer system; this implies that Yuichiro had planned for this event all along).

Lan lives next door to longtime friend Mayl Sakurai (Maylu Sakurai in the English anime, Meiru Sakurai in the Japanese versions). Maylu is affectionate toward Lan, which basically means she has a crush on him. At the end of "Battle Network 6", he marries and has a child (by the name of Patch/Raito) with. He is also friends with Dex Ogreon (Dekao Oyama) and Yai Ayano (Yaito Ayanokouji), and in the anime, also becomes friends with Tory Froid (Tohru Hikawa) early on in the series.

How Lan obtained MegaMan is unknown in the games - they were long acquainted from the beginning. In the anime, however, Lan was the operator for a generic Navi, eagerly awaiting the day that his father - who was often away on business trips - would send him his own custom-made Navi. When MegaMan presented himself to Lan, he was visibly underwhelmed until he saw MegaMan in action, defeating Dex and GutsMan with ease.

Throughout all of the "Battle Network" games, Lan enjoys a rivalry with top NetBattler Eugene Chaud (Chaud Blaze in the English anime and manga, Enzan Ijuuin in the Japanese version), just as MegaMan enjoys a rivalry with Chaud's NetNavi, ProtoMan (Blues).

In Mega Man Battle Network 3, he makes a friend, Mamoru. It is revealed that Mamoru has the same illness that Lan's brother Hub did, but he survived due to surgery. Lan and MegaMan had to beat PlantMan.EXE to save Mamoru.

In the anime, Lan eventually becomes a NetSaver (Net Savior), aiding the Net Police in stopping crimes. This responsibility leads Lan on many missions involving the Darkloids and the Dark Chips in "Axess", and his duties are expanded in "Stream", as he becomes one of the Cross Fusion members opposing Duo.

Lan actually makes a cameo appearance of sorts in Mega Man Star Force 2. From having a Battle Network game in the DS' second slot, player character, Geo Stelar, can collect pieces of Lan's diary which chronicle events after the Battle Network series, and even reveal that Lan himself hypothesized the concept of "Link Power" that is a main focus in the game and an integral part of the world of Star Force (which takes place roughly 200 years after Battle Network), and Geo receives an email from Lan himself, which thanks him for finding his diary, states that Lan wrote it because he wanted to leave some kind of message to the people of the future, and asking how is it in the future, and ending with "we will work harder to make a happy future!"

Personality

Lan is a typical carefree, happy Go-lucky youth in search of adventure and fun. He frequently NetBattles, and places the prospect of completing menial tasks like homework behind him. Despite his seemingly carefree attitude, Lan is always prompt to do the right thing, either for the world, or simply for a friend. In another typical case of youthful protagonist personality is that in all versions of him, he remains oblivious of Maylu's feelings for him. Though his personality is mostly the same in all three mediums, he expresses much more aggressive and disobedient tendencies in the manga, often getting into fist-fights or ditching classes.

He is talented on inline skates in every version of the franchise, loves curry in the anime and manga, and commonly decorates his room with soccer-themes in the games(though this apparent affinity is never mentioned or elaborated on). Throughout each series Lan becomes more mature through each series. Lan's favorite color is blue, his favorite fruit is ripe mango, his favorite toothpaste is strawberry-scented, and he despises cockroaches and the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard. ["MegaMan NT Warrior: Axess / Rockman EXE Axess" Episode #8, 2003] In the English version, he hates the sound of an alarm clock instead. In the games, the manga, and the anime not only does he have the same personatlity through them all, He has the same care for Maylu all the same. Lan's favorite hobbies are sleeping, netbattling and his main priority FOOD!

According to the "Secret of Rockman EXE - Official Illustrated Guide", Lan's birthday is June 10th (thus his astrological sign is Gemini according to the tropical zodiac), his blood type is B, and he is, despite appearances depicting otherwise, shorter than Maylu. cite book|title=Secret of Rockman EXE - Official Illustrated Guide (ロックマンエグゼのひみつ―オフィシャル設定イラストガイド)|id=ISBN 4-86233-059-2] Megaman know as Rockman, is Lan's devoted friend. Megaman/Rockman has his "default weapon" meaning they do not have to use a battle chip is known as the "Rockbuster." Throughout the series Megaman/Rockman has many various style changes. (Beginning in season 2 through Beast+ Megaman has elemental changes caled "Soul Unision." Despite all their troubles with Dr. Wily, Grave, Duo and the Cybeasts. Lan/Netto and Megaman/Rockman will always be friends even with Lan's irresponseible behavior.

Roll used to be a housekeeping maid and changed her self into a battling NetNavi. Roll's new design now has a long ponytail nad these "antenna" like things that circle around her heas, she uses these to battle foes and serch within the Net Maylu/Meiru is Roll's operator, and a good friend. Usually when Roll is not going with Maylu/Meiru she often goes to find Megaman/Rockman, Gutsman and Glyde. Roll is a quite a strong battler, she has the ability to turn her virus foes under her control by using with a little thing called "love." Roll has a lot of default weapons such as the "Heart Slash", "Roll Arrow", and "Roll Whip." Roll is affectionate when it comes toward Megaman/Rockman, and often becomes jealous if an another female tries to interfere. She'll do anything to protect him, but is often more of a distraction towards him rather than help.

Notes

fnb|1 Lan's Japanese name is a pun on the word "net". Official sources [http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/rockmanexe_axess/] have sometimes referred to him as "Net" [http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/rockmanexe_axess/character/chara01.html] and sometimes as "Netto" [http://www.rockman-exe.com/rockman/gallery/displayimage.php?album=4&pos=3] - the pun is more evident due to the phonetics of his name when written in Kanji and Hiragana, as well as nuances in pronunciation by the voice actors involved.

References