Metal Shark Player

Metal Shark Player
In-Game Information
HP:	48-56
Attack Damage:	3:4:5 (contact) 3:4:5 (Metal Anchor) 6:8:10 (Metal Head) 3:4:5 (Helper Attack: Magna Centipede) 3:4:5 (Helper Attack: Sting Chameleon) 5 (Helper Attack: Blast Hornet; Xtreme mode)
Weapon X gains:	Metal Anchor
Technique Zero gains:	Rakukojin
Weakness:	Meteor Rain / Ensuizan
Main Stage:	Recycle Lab
Misc. Information
Japanese Name:	Metalshark Prayer
Script:	メタルシャーク・プレイヤー
Rōmaji:	Metarushāku Pureiyā
Series Information
In-game Appearances:	Mega Man X6
Japanese VA:	Makoto Terada
Theme Music

"Heh heh heh. You have excellent DNA, don't you? I'd like to analyze your DNA once."

―Metal Shark Player, Mega Man X6

Metal Shark Player, also known as Metalshark Player (メタルシャーク・プレイヤー, Metarushāku Pureiyā) in Japan, is a hammerhead shark-based Reploid created by Gate to work as a member of a recycling research team.

Characteristics

Metal Shark Player was a Reploid designed with the head and dorsal fin of a hammerhead shark. His body was colored primarily blue, although his legs were adorned with yellow "teeth" to resemble the maw of a shark. He also possessed long shoulderpads and coattails that made it look like he was wearing a labcoat. He bore the rhombus-shaped gem of all Gate's creations on his forehead.

Player was an eccentric mind and something of a mad scientist. He didn't even try to pretend he was investigating the Nightmare Phenomenon, instead openly manipulating it for his own experiments. He was very interested in X's DNA and was eager to research it. Conversely, he claimed to have no need for Zero's DNA.

History

Mega Man X6

Metal Shark Player was formerly a member of a recycling research team who specialized in taking the junk parts of destroyed Mavericks and preparing them for re-use as materials for new Reploids. Player's outstanding DNA research capabilities won him a promotion to the position of chief of the recycling facility. His job was to oversee the analysis and control of DNA at the facility and was very skilled in his work. Player's abilities in DNA analysis soon led him to experiment in the recreation of Reploids using the DNA of retired Mavericks. Gate still used and encouraged his work despite "DNA Resurrection" being deemed illegal by the government. Player's activities were eventually discovered and he was disposed of as punishment.

Gate later revives him as one of his Nightmare Investigators, putting him back in charge of a Recycle Lab where the press has been hijacked by the Nightmare. However, he is confronted by the Hunters and destroyed by them in battle.

Strategy

As a shark, Metal Shark Player moves around the arena by swimming. He can either swim atop the scrap metal, or beneath the scrap metal to jump upwards. He attacks with anchors and his hammer-like head. Being adept in DNA resurrection, he is also capable of creating clones of previous Mavericks, including Sting Chameleon, Magna Centipede, and Blast Hornet. Despite being a shark, he's vulnerable to water (likely because water makes metal rust), so his weakness is Meteor Rain/Ensuizan.

	Metal Anchor (メタルアンカー, Metaru Ankā)
	Metal Shark Player jumps and throws an anchor at the player. After hitting a surface, the anchor bounces around until it hits the player or times out and explodes.
	Damage: 3:4:5
	Metal Head (メタルヘッド, Metaru Heddo)
	Metal Shark Player jumps above the player to perform a downward headbutt.
	Damage: 6:8:10
	Helper Attack (助つ人攻撃, Jotsuhito Kōgeki)
	Metal Shark Player jumps to one side and casts his arms out, temporarily resurrecting one of three Mavericks from a previous game. The clones can be avoided until they disappear by themselves or be destroyed to cancel the attack prematurely. If the player is X, Player summons Magna Centipede. He stands on the ceiling and attacks with Shuriken. If the player is Zero, Player summons Sting Chameleon. He clings to the background and lashes with Iron Tongue. In Xtreme mode, Player may summon Blast Hornet. Hornet uses Mini Bee Summon, deploying three bees that home in on the player. They can be destroyed, but doing so may cause Hornet to deploy another set.
	Damage: 3:4:5

Quotes

Dialogues

• X
• Zero

X: You! What are you up to? Instead of investigating the Nightmare, you are manipulating it! It's strange that you are not affected by the Nightmare.
??: Heh heh heh. You have excellent DNA, don't you? I'd like to analyze your DNA once.
X: You must be Metal Shark Player. Right?

Metal Shark Player: It doesn't matter! I'll get your DNA!

??: What are you doing?
Zero: I don't have time for this... What do you want? Metal Shark Player?
Metal Shark Player: I want DNA! Excellent DNA! But I don't need your DNA data.
Zero: Shut up and fight!

Metal Shark Player: Fine! Heh heh heh!

In-battle quotes

Action	Japanese	Translation	Audio
Metal Anchor	死ね！(Shine!)	Die!
Metal Anchor	ヘヘッ！(Hehe!)	Hehe!
Metal Anchor	ほら！(Hora!)	There!
Metal Head	落ちろ！(Ochiro!)	Fall!
Helper Attack; Magna Centipede (Magne Hyakulegger in Japan)	いでよ、ヒャクレッガー！(Ideyo, Hyakureggā!)	Come forth, Hyakulegger!
Helper Attack; Sting Chameleon (Sting Chameleao in Japan)	いでよ、カメリーオ！(Ideyo, Kamerīo!)	Come forth, Chameleao!
Helper Attack; Blast Hornet (Explose Horneck in Japan)	いでよ、ホーネック！(Ideyo, Hōnekku!)	Come forth, Horneck!
Hit by weakness	くそ！(Kuso!)	Dammit!
Defeated	死ぬのか！(Shinu no ka!)	I'm done for!

Other appearances

• Metal Shark Player appeared in two stages from the X Challenge mode in Mega Man X Legacy Collection and Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2, where he is fought alongside Tidal Whale (Stage 8-3, Volume 2 only) and Storm Eagle (Stage 9-2).
• Metal Shark Player appeared in Battle Memory from Rockman Xover.
• Metal Shark Player appeared as an Unit Card in TEPPEN.

Other media

Archie Comics

Metal Shark Player was one of the many Maverick bosses revived by Sigma during the Worlds Unite crossover event.

Gallery

Artwork

Player's bustshot.

Player's concept art.

TEPPEN card.

Mega Man X - Mega Man X8 Mavericks in Worlds Unite.

Sprites

Metal Shark Player's intro animation.

The resurrected Mavericks in Player's Helper Attack.

Videos

Rockman X6 - Metal Shark Player Xtreme (10)

Metal Shark Player stage gameplay

Trivia

• Metal Shark Player and Tidal Whale's original English name, Duff McWhalen, were mentioned in Nintendo Power volume 266, as both of them were said to be "one of the worst Mega Man boss names ever".
• Metal Shark Player shares his voice actor, Mugihito, with Sigma.
• His name and Spike Rosered's original English name, Axle the Red, are the only Maverick names to have three words. This is not the case in Japanese, as their names are instead Metalshark Player and Spike Rosered, respectively.
• In Mega Man X6, Alia refers to him once simply as "Metal Shark" in the results screen after completing his stage. This is a more accurate translation of his Japanese name, though it is inconsistent with how it is translated elsewhere in the game.