Medarot 1 (manga)

Medarot (メダロット) is the manga adaptation written and drawn by Horuma Rin. The manga was originally serialized on Kodansha's Comic BomBom from June 1997 to February 1999, and compiled into three volumes afterwards. It is the first-ever Medarot installment to be released, its serialization beginning a few months before the release of the game.

The manga received a new release in an unique volume called "Medarot Revised Edition: Hikaru's Chapters" (メダロット新装版ヒカル編) on June 21, 2013.

Synopsis

In the near-future of 2010, a young Hikaru Agata found a medal in the park and becomes a Medarotter. With Metabee, his Medarot, he faces many challenges including fighting against the Roborobo Gang, a strange group of criminals who use Medarots for evil porpoises.

Chapters

The chapters are called "Memory Disc", in line with the thematic of digitization and robotics in the late 1990s. The initial chapters are episodic, serving to introduces the game's concept (e.g. what is Medarots, Tinpets, how the battle system works), even though sometimes diverge from the source material (as when Cyandog and Metabee replace their parts during the Robottle ongoing, something impossible in the games).

Medarot Volume 01

Memory Disc	Original Title	Translated Title	Original Release Date
1	トモダチはロボット!! (Tomodachi wa Robotto!!)	My Friend is a Robot!!	June 1997
	When Hikaru Agata goes out for a walk with his dog Bonaparte, they find a medal. His dad, who had lined up three days prior to buying a brand new Medarot, gives it to Hikaru as a gift. Hikaru tries to put it together, but gets bored halfway through and goes outside to play. While he's there, he find his friend Kirara, who has been bullied by Yanma and Kubota and challenged by a Robottle. Claiming a 2 x 1 battle is unfair, a still-on-assembling Metabee shows up riding Bonaparte, entering the battle against Cyandog and Yellowturtle. Eventually, Metabee defeats the duo and come back with Hikaru to be fully assembled.
2	テキは宇宙人!? (Teki wa Uchūjin!?)	The Enemy is an Alien!?	Jully 1997
	While revisitng the basics of Medarot world, Hikaru and Kirara runs to the school. Later, he is called into the Director's room, since he brought Metabee to school, which is forbiden. While they are talking, the Roborobo Gang introduce themselve as a group of aliens who are there to rob the kids' lunch. The children try to defend themselves calling their Medarots, but the school is out of range by transport the parts. Hopefully, Metabee and Samurai, the director's Medarot, are already there to save the day.
3	ナマエはメタビー!! (Namae wa Metabī!!)	The Name is Metabee!!	August 1997
	Hikaru and Kirara are invited by Yanma and Kubota for a rematch, but now with her boss, Iseki, and her Medarot, Magentacat. A fierce battle then begins!
4	ショウブはきびし～!! (Shoubu wa Kibishi~!!)	The Battle is Harsh~!!	September 1997
	Hikaru and Metabee face their first fight in the sea against the Roborobo Gang. Struggling to defeat, they are helped by the Select Corps.
5	ロボトルに賭けろ!!! (Robotoru ni Kake-ro!!!)	Bet on the Robattle!!!	October 1997
	Hikaru and Kirara participate to the city Robottle Tournament and meet Yuki and Paddy, and their Medarots, Hoppinstar and Betty Bear.
6	ジッケンは大乱闘!! (Jikken wa Dairantō!!)	The Experiment is a Great Brawl!!	November 1997
	During the Halloween, Hikaru's father takes him to Medarot Lab. There, they are invited to fight Rokusho, a fierce KWG Medarot from Dr. Medarot, who realise Metabee's medal is a rare one. Later, he asks Hikaru to stay with Metabee for a few days for tests, while Hikaru can take Rokusho with him.

Influence on the anime

The manga was never adapted into anime. However, Hikaru's story still have influence on the first series.

The anime's initial episodes are very similar to the first chapter of this manga, regarding the themes and the challenges faced.

• The scene of Metabee shooting Ikki at the end of Episode 1 also happens between Metabee and Hikaru in Memory Disc 1 in the manga
• The Roborobo Gang being introduced as aliens in Memory Disc 2 is part of the plot of episode 6
• The main plot of Memory Disc 3, with Metabee fighting against the school trio with a CAT, DOG and TOT model is also reproduced in episode 2
• The battle between Metabee and Megaphant in the begin of Memory Disc 3 is part of the main plot of episode 3
• The beach thematic, Metabee struggles fighting in the water against Yuchitang in Memory Disc 4 is part of the main plot of episode 5
• The city tournment plot presented in Memory Disc 5 are similar to the main plot of episodes 10 and 11 of the anime
• Part of Rokusho's past presented in Memory Disc 11 is very similar to the one presented in episode 12
• The scene of a Roborobo Gang hiting Mr. Uruchi and being penalized by the satellite in Memory Disc 2 and the visit to the Shinobi park in Memory Disc 12 are part of the plot in episode 14

At the same time, the anime's final episodes have some influence from the original manga as well, since relies on Hikaru's past, never focused on the anime

• Team Japan being formed by Metabee, a fighting-type Medarot (Rokusho in the manga and Smilododan in the anime) and a support Medarot (always Sailor-Multi in the manga) happen in both media.
• Roborobo Gang being infiltrated and manipulating the World Robottle Cup is also present in both media, while in the manga they are part of the Select Corps and in the anime, part of the World Medarot Association.
• Joe Shihaw and Patra Tawarama are both finalists in the World Cup in both media, even though in different ages.

The whole plot of Medarots being descendants of an alien race seems inspired by Metabee contact with Mother entity.

Also, Ikki's Metabee in the anime seems a mix of Hikaru's Metabee, who is more short-tempered, and Manga's Ikki's Metabee, who is more over-confidence and sometimes even naive.

Western Release

The manga was published on France between January and April 2003 by Pika Edition in 3 volumes, as the Japanese release.

Image gallery

Japanese Release:

• 

  Medarot Revised Edition: Hikaru's Chapters #1 (2013)