- "Don't expect you can go back easily. Zero! I know you have released the bomb... However, we can still continue our mission if I have the aircraft crash into your base!"
- —Kuwagust Anchus, Mega Man Zero 2
Kuwagust Anchus (クワガスト・アンカトゥス Kuwagasuto Ankatusu) is a boss in Mega Man Zero 2. He is a Mutos Reploid based on the stag beetle (kuwagata in Japan) and a member of Sage Harpuia's Strong Air Battalion. He is also the brother of Herculious Anchus.
History[]
In light of Elpizo's Operation Righteous Strike, Sage Harpuia sees this as reason for a counter-attack, and sends Kuwagust to commandeer an airship, Simurgh B, armed with a special bomb, which will only damage Reploids,[1] on course for the Resistance Base. As he was built with the same technology as Herculious Anchus, they are known as brother Reploids, and he mentions him during his battle against Zero. If Zero defeats Kuwagust with Rank A or S, he will gain the EX Skill Sengatotsu.
When the player faces Kuwagust again in Yggdrasil, Zero fights both him and Herculious together, who both die once they are tricked into colliding into each other, resulting in their simultaneous demise after being brainwashed by Elpizo.
Strategy[]
During the first and the only individual encounter, the fight takes on a helicopter runway with very small pits on the both side of the edges. The whirlwind that Kuwagust creates with his EX Skill can push Zero to these pits. All of his attacks during this battle can be cancelled by any Ice-type attacks, including his EX Skill and during the dash.
In the Yggdrasil, Kuwagust appears along with his brother instead of fighting alone. Their attack pattern changes to fit into each others and each of them have one attack that performs without their brother (noted below). One of them stays in the background, becoming invulnerable while the other one performs their solo attack. As noted above, instead of perishing immediately after their health bar depletes, they instead dash into each other in the same lower-level height, resulting in both of them colliding each other and dying, officially ending the battle. If the player dies to this attack, they will have to refight both of them again at the teleporting hatches.
Attack | Description | Notes |
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Dash | Kuwagust will charge at Zero to grab him. If the player dodges, Kuwagust will turn around and try again, charging up to a total of three times. If Kuwagust catches Zero, he will pinch Zero in a grab position, causing continuous damage until Zero manages to break free.
In the second game, in the teleporting hatches, Kuwagust air-dashes along with his brother to damage Zero after one of them perform their attacks instead. This won't grab Zero if he gets physically touched by this. |
During the matchup, the only way to avoid this is to dash under this. |
Cyclone | Kuwagust will summon a whirlwind to try and grab Zero. Dashing away from it is useless, but it can be avoided by dash jumping over Kuwagust. In the teleporting hatches, this is his only attack that performs solo. | |
Mandible Clutch | If Kuwagust catches Zero with his Cyclone, he will do a pinch that causes heavy damage and causes an explosion. Kuwagust becomes immune to all damage sources for a few seconds after using this. | |
Beat Anchor | Kuwagust will summon four lasers in a sequence to shoot Zero. | |
EX Skill: Spinning Blade (スピニングブレード) |
Kuwagust Anchus forces Zero back with a gust from his spinning pincers, then charges at him, leaving a trail of electric sparks behind him. Damaging Kuwagust while he charges at Zero won't damage him but can change the charge angle and thus, the direction of this attack. | The way to avoid this attack is to shoot Kuwagust with the Buster Shot or hit him with the Chain Rod. This will change his direction before he hits Zero. |
EX Skill: Electric Circuit (no official name given) |
Teleporting hatches exclusive battle. Only seen after each of them performs their solo attack at least once. After their dash attack, they jump, stop mid-air, extend their chains from their body to connect them in the middle of the screen and creating an electric ball right in front of their chains then starts spinning around it in a random way. Both of the brothers and the chain itself will hurt Zero if contacted. This circular motion can change its direction once during the attack. Also both of them cannot be damaged during this attack. Hitting the electric ball in the middle of their chains will deactivate the electricity of the chains temporarily. Zero can use this to prevent this attack. | To avoid this attack, avoid being touched by either of them and damage the electric ball right in front of the screen with any weapon to temporarily turn off the electricity of the chains, then jump to the other side of the screen. |
Last Effort (no official name given) | Teleporting hatches exclusive battle. After their shared health bar depletes, they won't be defeated immediately but instead their next Dash attack will be on the same level and instead will be aimed at each other, finally ending the battle. |
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Etymology[]
- Kuwagust Anchus' first name is a portmanteau of the Japanese word for stag beetle "kuwagata", and "gust" meaning a rush of wind. His last name is derived from the word "anchor", which he shares with his brother Herculious.
Trivia[]
- Stag beetles are sometimes called "thunder beetles" due to a myth that wearing one the head would prevent the wearer from being struck by lightning. This may be referenced in Kuwagust's thunder alignment.
- The second name of Herculious and Kuwagust is the same in Japan, but they originally had different translations: Anchortus and Anchus. This discrepancy was fixed in Mega Man Zero Collection, as they both go by Anchus.
- The character may be a reference to Gravity Beetle, as both characters are based on bugs and had a brother who died at the hands of the protagonists and wanted to avenge them. Kuwagust is also based on the same insect as Boomer Kuwanger, Gravity Beetle's brother.
- As is the case with Boomer Kuwanger's name, the word "Kuwangust" is likely derived from the word "kuwagata (クワガタ)" which is Japanese for "stag beetle."
- In the Japanese version, Kuwagust calls Herculious "Aniue (兄上, lit. brother)" with reverence.
- Him and Herculious are the two of the three bosses in this series that keeps attacking to the player after their health bar depletes. The other one is Phantom, who explodes to damage Zero at the end of their rematch at the teleporting hatches.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero Idea booklet (Translation).
Mega Man Zero 2 | |
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Mission bosses | |
Hyleg Ourobockle • Poler Kamrous • Phoenix Magnion • Panter Flauclaws Burble Hekelot • Fairy Leviathan • Sage Harpuia • Fighting Fefnir | |
Other bosses | |
Mega Scorpia • Golems Type E/F/I • Kuwagust Anchus Rainbow Devil • Armed Phenomena (Fighting Fefnir/Fairy Leviathan/Sage Harpuia) Herculious Anchus • Elpizo | |
Zero's Weaponry and EX Skills | |
Buster Shot • Z-Saber • Chain Rod • Shield Boomerang Laser Shot • Triple Shot • Spark Shot • Blast Shot Tenshouzan • Sengatotsu • Rakuretsuzan • Kougenjin Energy Chain • Filter Shield | |
Areas | |
Sand Wilderness • New Resistance Base • Forest of Dysis • Computer Zone • Power Room • Train of Neo Arcadia Residential Area • Simurgh B • Forest of Notus • Roof of Computer Zone • Shuttle Factory • Crystal Cave Neo Arcadia Temple • Temple of Fire • Temple of Ice • Temple of Wind • Yggdrasil | |
Miscellaneous | |
Game Script • Forms • List of Mega Man Zero 2 enemies |