Bubble Crab, known in Japan as Bubbly Crablos (バブリー・クラブロス Baburī Kuraburosu), is a crab-based Reploid from Mega Man X2. He is a former Maverick Hunter who defected to Sigma's rebellion.
History[]
Bubble Crab was once a Maverick Hunter who served in the 6th Naval Unit along with Wheel Gator; the two had a strained working relationship and frequently argued. Being extremely avaricious, Bubble Crab's only motivation in life was to amass great wealth; he joined Sigma's Maverick rebellion purely out of greed, as he saw it as his chance to get rich quick. He was put in charge of transportation, and tasked with defending the Mavericks' deep-sea submarine base. However, X infiltrated the base and destroyed him, claiming his Bubble Splash.
Strategy[]
Bubble Crab's arena has a rising and sinking tide, affecting the jump height of both the player and Bubble Crab. He attacks by crab-walking into the player, blowing bubbles, or summoning tiny crab Mechaniloids. If the player moves above him, he will always try to attack them with his beam claws, which can be useful to manipulate his attack patterns (especially since his claws dispel his Bubble Barrier). His weakness is Spin Wheel, which instantly pops his Bubble Barrier.
During his rematch, lethal spikes are placed at the lowered ceiling in an attempt to discourage players from avoiding his vertical jump from above or using Shoryuken.
|
Bubble Barrier (泡バリア Awa Baria)[1] |
|---|---|
| Bubble Crab forms a giant bubble around himself. It takes multiple hits from most weaponry before popping. | |
| Damage: 2 | |
|
Vertical Jump (垂直ジャンプ Suichoku Janpu)[1] |
| Bubble Crab activates his beam claws and jumps, attempting to slice the player whenever they move above him. This dispels his Bubble Barrier. | |
| Damage: 3 | |
|
Bubble Splash (バブルスプラッシュ Baburu Supurasshu)[1] |
| Bubble Crab blows a ring of bubbles that angles towards the player's vertical location. | |
| Damage: 2 | |
|
Mini Crabs (小ガニ Ko-gani)[1] |
| Bubble Crab summons three crab Mechaniloids in bubbles, which rest on the surface of the water. If their bubbles are popped, they launch themselves towards the player. | |
| Damage: 2 | |
|
Mini Crab Scatter (小ガニばら撒き Ko-gani Baramaki)[1] |
| Bubble Crab scatters five crab Mechaniloids that bounce around the arena. He may do so twice, resulting in ten crabs total. Crab only uses this move at low health. | |
| Damage: 2 |
Data[]
Mega Man X2 stats[]
- Height: 180 cm (5'11")
- Weight: 140 kg (309 lbs)
- Power: 6000rp
- Speed: 4800rp
Stage[]
Other appearances[]
- Bubble Crab appears in two battles from the X Challenge in Mega Man X Legacy Collection and Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2, first accompanied by Wheel Gator and then Spark Mandrill.
- Bubble Crab is an unit card in TEPPEN.
Other media[]
Archie Comics[]
Bubble Crab was resurrected by Sigma during the Worlds Unite event, a crossover between Archie's Mega Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Universe, and Sonic Boom lines with Mega Man X and other Sega and Capcom properties included. He joined an army of Mavericks who joined their master in attacking the Sky Patrol before departing to claim other worlds for Sigma.
Rockman X2 manga[]
Bubble Crab in the Rockman X2 manga.
Bubble Crab is a greedy Reploid that was smuggling goods to become rich, including Meyer Rubies, using his corrosive bubbles to melt aquatic Reploids and take the rubies from their remains. When Marty and her pirate crew began plundering his ships, it angers him. When X appeared in the area to investigate, Marty decided to attack Bubble Crab's base, and X soon appeared to assist her. X managed to defeat Bubble Crab, but his demise triggered the base's self-destruction system, nearly taking X and Marty with him. The explosion scattered Bubble Crab's money in the ocean and destroyed his Meyer Rubies.
Rockman X Mega Mission[]
Dr. Doppler used the Limited to revive him as "Bubbly Crablos L". As a Limit Reploid, his pincers became larger and stronger, and his avarice also increased. While X was aiming the X-Buster to take down the revived Maverick with Spin Wheel, Curtiss appeared and attacked X, throwing off him aim, but X still managed to land a critical hit on his target. Afterwards Curtiss took the Limited from his body and escaped.
Other appearances[]
Bubble Crab had a brief appearance in Rockman X2: Ano Tokushu Buki wo Ubae!, where he is defeated by X with Spin Wheel. He also had a short appearance in the Rockman X Mega Mission manga adaptation from Rockman Remix.
Gallery[]
Artwork[]
Sprites[]
Trivia[]
- Bubble Crab and Crystal Snail are the only Mavericks from Mega Man X2 not present in any of the Mega Man Xtreme games.
- A remixed version of Crab's level music plays in Mega Man X5 as Tidal Whale's stage theme. It was put in place after the original stage theme for Tidal Whale was scrapped.
- Strangely, Bubble Crab's crab claws are not located at the end of his arms, but rather in his shoulders, and they protrude upward in attack. He also has a second pair of eyes attached to stalks, much like a real crab. They do not seem to function as eyes, however, and only flash during certain attacks, suggesting that they serve to store or channel power.
- Bubble Crab's affinity for bubbles is likely a reference to how real-life crabs form bubbles around their mouths when breathing air out of the water.
References[]
| Mega Man X2 | |
|---|---|
| Stage Select bosses | |
| Overdrive Ostrich • Wire Sponge • Wheel Gator • Bubble Crab • Flame Stag • Morph Moth • Magna Centipede • Crystal Snail | |
| Other bosses | |
| Gigantic Mechaniloid CF-0 • Violen • Serges • Agile • Zero • Sigma | |
| Special Weapons | |
| Sonic Slicer • Strike Chain • Spin Wheel • Bubble Splash • Speed Burner • Silk Shot • Magnet Mine • Crystal Hunter - Other - Giga Crush • Shoryuken | |
| Stages | |
| Maverick Factory Stage • Desert Base Stage • Weather Control Stage • Dinosaur Tank Stage • Deep-Sea Base Stage Volcanic Zone Stage • Robot Junkyard Stage • Central Computer Stage • Energen Crystal Stage • X-Hunter Stages | |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Armor Parts • Damage data chart • Script | |