Hyakutaro Ichimonji (一文字 百太郎, Ichimonji Hyakutarō) is a recurring support character from the Metal Slug games since Metal Slug 2.
Information
Hyakutaro is a living-legend, who takes disguise as a POW to help in the battlefield against the Rebel Army. He is able to channel a strange light energy from his palms, then releasing it in a burst.
Once the player frees him from captivity, he will follow them around, launching projectiles (similar to a Hadouken from the Street Fighter franchise) which home in on enemies, dealing considerable damage. The energy burst also inflicts damage to any enemy caught in its direction.
Unfortunately, if the player dies, he will stop following and run off screen. He also stops following when the player enters a new area of the mission.
Locations
Other Appearances
Metal Slug: 2nd Mission
Hyakutaro is a hidden boss found in Mission 18. He fights by shooting slow homing energy balls from his palms. Once he's defeated, Hyakutaro gives the Iron Knuckle to the player and is added to the game's POW list. He is ranked as a Super Devil in this game, whereas other games has him as a 2nd Lieutenant.
Metal Slug Defense
Hyakutaro is a purchasable unit in this game. He attacks by kicking when in close range and shoots homing energy balls in long range. His special attack is firing five energy balls.
For the game's ten million downloads celebration, a unit by the name of Issenmantaro (or 10000000TARO) is available as a free unit. A red headed Hyakutaro, he is a melee fighter; his long range and special attacks are a quick burst of energy in front of him.
Both Taros have low health and run away should their HP is depleted.
Metal Slug Attack
Both Hyakutaro and Issenmantaro (now named Roppyakumantaro/6000000TARO) return in this game. Hyakutaro pieces can be earned through the POW Shop and the Normal/Extra Shop. 6000000TARO was a limited unit whose pieces (up to gold) where given out during the six million download campaign. Hyakutaro can now shoot ten energy blasts while 6000000TARO performs two energy bursts.
A third variant, Nanahyakumantaro (7000000TARO), appears for the seven million campaign through the same process as 6000000TARO. A black haired Hyakutaro, he shoots green energy balls towards the opposing army. His special is firing a vast number of shots after a lengthy charge of his palms (around five seconds). He can also deploy to the front of the lines, but unlike the Mummy or the Japonese Assault Force, he lands a few distances away from the front-most enemy.
All three Taros have low health and run away should their HP be depleted.
Crossover Appearances
Neo-Geo Battle Coliseum
During one of Marco Rossi's Supers he is able to summon Hyakutaro into battle. Once he arrives Hyakutaro will wander around until Marco makes contact with him after which he will charge a powerful energy blast at a random time after contact is made. This provides some unpredictable assaults upon the opponent. The blast is extremely powerful, but the time he will charge is totally random (he can shoot as soon as he enters the screen, or take almost 10 seconds to shoot).
Trivia
- Hyakutaro possibly plays homage to Ryu from Street Fighter, as he uses a special attack similar to the Hadouken.
- It also resembles the energy projectiles seen in Akira Toriyama's Dragonball series.
- The energy burst seem from his palms also bears a resemblance to Andy Bogard's Hishouken, from The King of Fighters.
- There is an artwork in Metal Slug Anthology where he is a rebel in disguise using his signature attack.
- He was supposed to appear in Metal Slug Advance but for some reason it ended as unused.
- "Hyaku" means "one hundred" in Japanese. Hyakutaro's variants in Defense and Attack are named after their download milestones.
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