- "The annals of history contain endless records of war... The "madness" will never end."
- ―Snipe Anteator, Mega Man X7
Snipe Anteator, known as Snipe Ariquick (スナイプ・アリクイック Sunaipu Arikuikku) in Japan, is an anteater-based Reploid and member of the Red Alert syndicate in Mega Man X7.
Characteristics[]
Snipe Anteator was a Reploid with the design of a hunched-over anteater, possessing a long snout, stripes painted along his limbs, and black claws. He also had a large pack of some kind attached to his back, which slid along the floor behind his feet, similar to the long and bushy tail of a real anteater.
Snipe Anteator was Red Alert's technology specialist, one whose skill in interfering with cyberspace was unmatched.[1] He appeared to be a wise elder figure within the ranks of Red Alert, with plenty of knowledge to spare about the Maverick Hunters. Axl noted that he was skilled at reading people and their emotional states, and that he gathered data on those he battled. He often spoke cryptically, even taunting Zero about his past as a Maverick. He also waxed philosophical with X, revealing his beliefs that Reploids would forever be slaves to the cycle of war and that creating a utopia was impossible.
History[]
Anteator was a bounty hunter who was one of the main fighters in the vigilante group Red Alert. Anteator was a master of misdirection when carrying out operations, and the group's lead cyberspace expert.[2] He intercepted the details of Aluce and Cedar's meeting, so that Axl and Red could assassinate them and steal the "Virus Program Σ-02" they planned to trade.[1]
Eventually, the Professor came into contact with Red Alert and used DNA data to greatly enhance the strength of its members, Anteator included. However, this also made him subservient to the will of the Professor.
After Red Alert and the Maverick Hunters went to war against each other, Anteator created a digital maze known as the Cyber Field with which to confuse the Hunters and trap them in. They did manage to fight their way through the maze and reach Anteator, after which they destroyed him in battle, with Anteator lamenting that his calculations were off.
Strategy[]
Snipe Anteator's arena is a long, translucent tube. He is able to move on the underside of the tube, but the player is constrained to the top half, significantly narrowing the battlefield. The overhead camera can also make dodging attacks difficult, especially from the bottom of the screen up.
Anteator himself is a slow, easy target, but this is balanced out by his tendency to nimbly shift his position out of reach when damaged, fire off attacks in rapid succession, and litter the battlefield with hazards. He changes tactics throughout the battle as he takes damage, adding more and more weapons to his body.[3]
Anteator is weak to Moving Wheel/Zankourin, which can follow him to the underside of the tube, but his speed makes it difficult to hit him with either. Other attacks such as Volt Tornado, Raijinshou, Gokumonken, or even default weapons are more effective. X's Charge Shot is especially potent, since it can pass through the tube and hit Anteator while he's out of reach.
Spiral Claw (スパイラルクロウ Supairaru Kurou)[3][4] | |
---|---|
Snipe Anteator slashes with his claws to throw two spirals of energy. He can only throw them along the length of the tube. This is his only real attack at the start of the battle. | |
Damage: 4 | |
Dead End Kiss (デッドエンドキス Deddo Endo Kisu)[3][4] | |
Anteator extends his long tongue. It deals no damage if it catches the player, instead feeding power to Anteator's built-in weapon system, allowing him to access his next attack without taking damage first.[2] | |
Damage: 0 | |
Soldier Ant (ソルジャーアント Sorujā Anto)[3][4] | |
Anteator deploys ant-shaped proximity mines that slide until latching onto random spots along the tube. Their explosions are deceptively large and powerful. Anteator uses this attack after losing a little bit of health, summoning pipes along his snout. | |
Damage: 6 | |
Homing Missile (ホーミングミサイル Hōmingu Misairu)[3][4] | |
Anteator shoots three homing missiles after the player. Anteator uses this attack after losing 1/4 of his health, summoning a large backpack cannon. | |
Damage: 8 | |
Laser Pod (レーザーポッド Rēzā Poddo)[3][4] | |
Anteator deploys up to six hovering sentry cannons, which pursue the player with an onslaught of lasers. They cannot be destroyed, and function independently. Anteator uses this attack after losing 1/2 of his health, summoning the fleet of sentry cannons. | |
Damage: 4 |
Data[]
Stage[]
Quotes[]
Dialogues[]
Snipe Anteator: Hahahah! Splendid! Even better than expected.
X: How long must this madness go on!
Snipe Anteator: Hahaha! Let me ask you - how long has this madness been going on?
X: ?!
Snipe Anteator: The annals of history contain endless records of war... The "madness" will never end.
X: You're wrong! We can create a world without war. Utopia is not just a dream!
Snipe Anteator: You can't build a utopia on top of the graves of rebels like myself.
Snipe Anteator: Hohoh! Very well! But you've forgotten your true mission.
Zero: ...? My true mission?
Snipe Anteator: I see data buried deep within you... Is it memories of the future? Or false images of the past?
Zero: ...
Snipe Anteator: Blue - the lies that have infested the earth. Red - those destroyed and sealed away forever.
Zero: Hm! I don't know what you saw, and I don't care either. My "true mission" is to defeat you, here and now!
Snipe Anteator: Hahahah... You certainly are driven.
Snipe Anteator: Hohoh! So you've come, little one?
Axl: Isn't it about time for your retirement?
Snipe Anteator: Ah-hah, this little one is a big talker! Shouldn't you concentrate on being granted Hunter status?
Axl: Ah, man! You always were good at figuring people out...
Snipe Anteator: Hohoh! Yeees. And of course, I know why you're here too. So why do you think I'm here?
Axl: Know thine enemy, is it? You're a real pain, geezer.
Snipe Anteator: Hohoh!! Now, I want you to fight like normal. I need to get good data on you, boy!
In-battle quotes[]
Action | Romaji | Japanese | English |
---|---|---|---|
Spiral Claw | Supairaru Kurō! | スパイラルクロー! | Hi-aaah! |
Soldier Ant | Sorujā Anto! | ソルジャーアント! | Army Ants! |
Soldier Ant | Iku no ja! | 行くのじゃ! | Go get 'em! |
Dead End Kiss | Deddo Endo Kisu! | デッドエンドキス! | Dead End Kiss! |
Homing Missile | Hōmingu Kyanon! | ホーミングキャノン! | Homing Cannon! |
Laser Pod | Rēzā Poddo! | レーザーポッド! | Laser Pod! |
Losing half of health | Hiyokko-me! | ヒヨッ子め! | You little rat! |
Defeated | Yomi chigaeta ka! | 読み違えたか! | I missed! Huuargh!! |
Other media[]
Snipe Anteator appeared in the Rockman X7 4Koma Manga Kingdom shorts.
Archie Comics[]
Snipe Anteator appears in Worlds Unite as part of Sigma's army of Mavericks resurrected with the power of the Genesis Portals and Unity Engines.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Snipe Anteator has a brief appearance in the last issue from Dreamwave Productions' Mega Man comic.
- Snipe Anteator is the only boss in X7 that does not go into hit stun after being hit with the right weapon, making a "perfect victory pattern" impossible. Other bosses in the X series to also have this include Storm Eagle and Flame Mammoth from the first game.
- Snipe Anteator is the only Maverick in X7 (and, perhaps, the last Maverick in the entire X series) to make any mention of Zero's original purpose as a Maverick, and/or make any reference to Dr. Wily, as he states that Zero has forgotten his "true mission".
- Snipe Anteator's dialogue with X is a reference to X's original role in the Mega Man Zero games. Had he not been replaced with Copy X late into production, X would have become a tyrant who did indeed attempt to build a "utopia" over the graves of rebels.
- Likewise, Anteator's dialogue with Zero is also a nod to Copy X as well as Omega, Zero's murderous copy. "Blue: the lies that have infested the Earth" is a reference to Copy X falsely presenting himself as the true X to the public and instituting a violent, murderous regime of targeting and executing innocent Reploids as Mavericks. "Red: those destroyed and sealed away forever", is a reference to all the millions of humans and Reploids killed by Omega, and the fact that Zero sealed himself away permanently after defeating Omega as he felt that his very existence was a threat to peace on the Earth.
- His Japanese name "Ariquick" is derived from "arikui", Japanese for anteater.
- Snipe Anteator shares the same Japanese voice actor as Sigma.
References[]
Mega Man X7 | |
---|---|
Red Alert | |
Tornado Tonion • Splash Warfly • Flame Hyenard • Ride Boarski • Snipe Anteator Wind Crowrang • Vanishing Gungaroo • Soldier Stonekong | |
Other Bosses | |
Mega Scorpio • Mole Bore • Red • Sigma | |
X and Axl's Special Weapons | |
Volt Tornado • Splash Laser • Circle Blaze • Moving Wheel • Sniper Missile • Wind Cutter • Explosion • Gaea Shield | |
Zero's Special Techniques | |
Raijinshou • Suiretsusen • Bakuenjin • Zankourin • Hieijin • Souenbu • Hadangeki • Gokumonken | |
Other | |
- X - Glide Armor - Zero - D Glaive • V Hanger - Axl - Copy Shot • Double Bullet • G-Launcher • Ray Gun | |
Stages | |
Crimson Fortress • Highway • Radio Tower • Battleship • Lava Factory • Central Circuit • Cyber Field • Air Forces • Tunnel Base • Deep Forest • Palace Road • Crimson Palace |