X (Mega Man)

X (Japanese: エックス, Hepburn: Ekkusu) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of Capcom's Mega Man X video game series. First introduced in the 1993 Super NES video game Mega Man X, X is a highly advanced Robot, an anthropomorphic android, and member of the Maverick Hunters, a special police force tasked with defending humans and Reploids from criminal Reploids known as Mavericks. X has made additional appearances in the Mega Man franchise, including printed adaptations of the series, the original video animation (OVA) The Day of Sigma, which explores his early days as a Hunter, as a supporting character in the Mega Man Zero and Mega Man ZX video game series, which star his Hunter comrade Zero. Outside of the franchise, X has also appeared in multiple crossover video game series. Keiji Inafune and artist Hayato Kaji created X as a contrasting successor to the original Mega Man, wielding a similar weapon called the "X-Buster" (エックスバスター, Ekkusu Basutā) and possessing the ability to take enemies' weapons. However, he was given darker characterization and multiple sets of armor that enhance his abilities, as well as the alternative "Ultimate Armor" (アルティメットアーマー, Arutimetto Āmā) which enhances all his powers, also retaining it in crossover games as part of his strongest techniques. X has been voiced by multiple actors in the Japanese and English versions of the franchise. Critics have generally praised X, with game journalists often finding him a worthy successor to Mega Man because of his unique traits and complex characterization as a tragic hero who hates violence. His partnership with Zero was also praised due to their different yet complementary skills. However, X was noted as being less popular than Zero, and his English voice actors have often been criticized as not fitting his characterization.