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Bulborb

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Bulborb In-game icon.
Artwork of a Bulborb.
Appears in PikminPikmin 2Pikmin 3Hey! Pikmin
Scientific name Oculus kageyamii russus
Family Grub-dog
Areas The Forest of Hope, Valley of Repose, Awakening Wood, Garden of Hope, Tropical Wilds, Formidable Oak, The Shadow in the Brush
Caves Hole of Beasts, Hole of Heroes, Dream Den
Challenge Mode stages The Forest of Hope, The Distant Spring, Explorer's Cave, Lost Toy Box, Red Chasm, Collector's Room, Breeding Ground, Emperor's Realm
Mission Mode Collect Treasure! stages Tropical Forest, Twilight Hollow, Shaded Garden, Tropical Forest Remix, Twilight Hollow Remix, Beastly Caverns
Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages Tropical Forest, Silver Lake, Thirsty Desert, Shaded Garden, Garden of Hope Remix, Formidable Oak Remix
Side Story days None
2-Player Battle stages Angle Maze
Bingo Battle stages Shaded Terrace, Stagnant Sea, Twisted Cavern, Arid Metropolis, Rusted Labyrinth, Jigsaw Fortress, Blooming Terrace, Parched Brook, Buried Pond, Sandbox Kingdom, Corroded Maze, Jigsaw Colosseum
Attacks Eat Pikmin

It has been suggested that this page should be moved to Bulborb. Reason:
It is called "Bulborb" in Pikmin 3 and Hey! Pikmin, which are much more recent than Pikmin 2.
Discuss your opinion on the talk page.

Red Bulborbs (アカチャッピー?, lit.: "Red Chappy") are among the most well-known enemies in the Pikmin games and are often just as much a staple for the games as Pikmin themselves. They were originally known as Spotty Bulborbs until various other subspecies, all with spots, were discovered in Pikmin 2. In Pikmin 3 and Hey! Pikmin, it is simply named Bulborb.

Stats

To do: Find out its health in Hey! Pikmin by retreiving the value from the game files.
Care to do so?

Game Weight Max.
carriers
Seeds Value Health Regen.
Pikmin 10 20 12 N/A 1100 Unknown
Pikmin 2 10 20 12 Poko × 7 750 No
Pikmin 3 (?) 10 20 (normally) 10 Poko × 50
Spirit × 50
1000 No
Hey! Pikmin N/A N/A N/A Sparklium Seed × 0 No

Behavior

A Red Bulborb asleep in the Valley of Repose.
A Red Bulborb sleeping during the day.

In most games, this nocturnal creature will sleep out in the open, exposing itself to Pikmin attacks. Bulborbs are generally surprisingly apathetic creatures and won't arise from their sleep even if one of their own is under attack. That being said, however, Dwarf Bulborbs in Pikmin will let out a screech when agitated, awaking any nearby Bulborbs.

In Hey! Pikmin, a Red Bulborb takes on the role of the boss of the Brilliant Garden. It is larger and moves slower, but is also more aggressive. When defeated, it drops the Flashy Monument.

Locations

See: Red Bulborb/Locations

Strategy

Some Pikmin fight a Spotty Bulborb.
Artwork of several Pikmin attacking a Red Bulborb.

The following article or section contains guides.
The strategies shown are just suggestions.

Pikmin

Swarming it with a large group of 50 or so Pikmin, preferably Reds due to their high attack power, proves quite effective. If only a few Pikmin are available, they should be thrown onto the Bulborb's back repeatedly while retreating if the enemy starts charging at them. Waiting until it goes back to sleep takes longer, but is a lot safer. If bomb-rocks are used, the Bulborb will die with two blasts. If you attack its back it will usually do a quarter-turn right, hiding some of its back from your current position.

Pikmin 2

Rather than swarming it, continuously tossing Pikmin onto its back is preferable when the army is at least 30 Pikmin strong, even if some are shaken off. A few Purple Pikmin can cause serious damage, especially if they stun the Bulborb. If it is accidentally awakened before being attacked by Pikmin, you should run away until it turns around, then make a new pass at it.

If the Pikmin army is very small, the creature can also be woken up and made to chase the leader until it leaves its territory, at which point it will turn around and return to its original sleeping spot. At this point, the player must follow it and wait for it to reach its spot. Once there it will yawn, fall asleep, then wake up and attack again if provoked. Beginning the attack at the moment the creature yawns provides the player with a few crucial seconds in which the Bulborb is entirely immobilized and harmless.

In some metallic themed caves, Red Bulborbs can be led off of the stage by awakening it and quickly running around a hole in the sublevel, causing it to fall off.

Pikmin 3

A Bulborb gets hit on the eye in Pikmin 3.
A Red Bulborb in Pikmin 3, hit on the eye in a prerelease version.

The first game's tactic of swarming the creature from behind returns in this game, though here it is far more effective. If the Pikmin charge at the creature's behind, they will flawlessly cling to it and continue attacking as it rises, making 20 Red Pikmin enough to take it down before it has any chance of resistance.

If it is awake, repeatedly throw Pikmin at its eyes, even when it's shaking in pain, and whistle them when they scatter around and you end up low on Pikmin to throw. You can also escape from a Red Bulborb by hiding under a tall plant.

Hey! Pikmin

The Bulborb cutscene in The Shadow in the Brush.
The Red Bulborb cutscene.

Olimar starts the fight with 20 Red Pikmin. The objective is to deplete the Bulborb's health by throwing Pikmin at its backside. If the Bulborb is facing towards Olimar, then wait for it to bend over and throw a Pikmin at its eye. This will stun it and give you time to run under it to the other side. The Bulborb will periodically jump into the blades of grass in the backdrop and shuffle around in them until eventually popping back out at the last place Olimar was standing. The player can tell when it will jump out because right before it does it will rustle in a single place.

Biology

Red Bulborbs are among the creatures with the most diverse physiology in the Pikmin series. They possess traits similar to those of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. They have large bulbous eyes, as opposed to the compound eyes of most insects.

Olimar mentions the Red Bulborbs having a set of mandibles. Mandibles are a pair of appendages near an insect's mouth, used for grinding and chewing food. The so-called mandibles Olimar mentions in his notes look nothing like normal mandibles and are instead most likely saber-teeth, used for breaking exoskeletons of prey insects and digging through the soil for roots. Their diet is, however, quite the mystery, as they are equipped with eating both animal and vegetable life, but they are known to fully ignore Spectralids.

It seems that the juvenile Red Bulborb is the favored host of the parasitic Pikmin known as Bulbmin. This type of Pikmin appears to control its host, causing the animal to behave less like a Bulborb and much more like a Pikmin, following a leader (which is naturally an older Bulbmin) and hunting in packs. Red Bulborbs are not observed at the two stages of development displayed by Bulbmin anywhere else in-game (unlike the Spotty Bulbear), so it is unknown whether Bulbmin are a common stage in Red Bulborb initial development or not, as symbiotic cooperation from the parasite would give this slightly weaker form of Grub-dog an advantage in the subterranean environment that all stages of the Red Bulborb species are found in.


Development history

Bulborbs were created before the concept for Pikmin was established. When Adam and Eve was being worked on, the Red Bulborb had been created to serve as a mammoth-like beast. When the concept for the game was scrapped, the Bulborbs were reused for Pikmin. As clued by the internal name for this enemy and the Dwarf Red Bulborb, the Dwarf Red Bulborb may have very well been the original Bulborb, and the Red Bulborb was created afterward in development. Although the "mammoth" properties of the beast, as mentioned by Shigeru Miyamoto, suggest that the first "Bulborb" creature to be developed was large, and hence, not the Dwarf Red Bulborb.

Their name in Pikmin is "Spotty Bulborb", and at this point, only one type of Bulborb was planned to exist (besides the false variations of Bulborb, the Dwarf Bulborbs). For Pikmin 2, it was decided that further types of Bulborb would be developed, but because they would all be Bulborbs and have spots on their backs, the original one needed a rename. Due to it being red while the others are orange and hairy, the name "Red Bulborb" was given to this enemy.

In the New Play Control! remake of Pikmin, their sounds were changed to be much higher-pitched, although this is likely an oversight.

For Pikmin 3, perhaps with the purpose to simplify things, its name became known simply as "Bulborb", despite two other types of Bulborb existing in the game: the Orange Bulborb and the Whiptongue Bulborb. In an attempt to flesh out this iconic enemy, its behavior was made slightly more complex in this game, in the form of it reacting to Pikmin thrown at its eyes with a flinch, and by looking at Pikmin while it chases them. These behaviors also happen with the other Bulborbs.

Notes

Olimar's voyage log

The most plentiful species on the planet, they are quite ferocious despite their appearance, using their massive jaws to swallow Pikmin whole. Frontal assaults result in disaster; attacks from behind are more successful. Attacking their legs is also effective.

Reel notes

This nocturnal hunter feeds mostly on small animals returning to their nests at night.

Olimar's notes

This large organism has the familiar mandibles and cranial morphology of the grub-dog family, as well as the characteristic bulging eyes. As with most grub-dogs, the creature's cranium comprises half of its total length and girth. Showing a scarlet abdomen with white spots, this creature is primarily nocturnal, choosing to prey upon smaller creatures returning to their nests. Originally classified as the spotty bulborb, further research has reclassified this species as the red bulborb. Subspecies of varied colors have recently been discovered, but academics are divided into two rival camps over how to handle their classification.

Louie's notes

Plump specimens are best spit-roasted whole, stuffed with a lime and a slab of bacon. Baste frequently to ensure a magnificently moist haunch.

Hey! Pikmin logs

The S.S. Dolphin II said it sleeps during the day, but the one I met was awake. I pointed this out and the ship said, "I meant during the day on Hocotate." After defeating it, we found an object rich in Sparklium. It's possible that the creature considers such objects a delicacy.

Pikmin 3 Nintendo Player's Guide

The weakest of the larger Bulborbs, the Red Bulborb can still hold its own against a good-sized Pikmin squad. Since it is a nocturnal species, most of the Red Bulborbs that you encounter in the daytime will be asleep to start. Sneak up on them from behind and hit them with a stream of flying Pikmin.

Pikmin 3 website

It's considered one of the weakest of the Bulborbs, but can still hold its own against a good-sized Pikmin squad. Attack from behind to gain the advantage. Weakest point: eyeballs.

Pikmin 3 Prima Guide

These large creatures use their jaws to gobble up several Pikmin with each bite. Whenever possible, use a large squad of Pikmin to charge the creature from the rear. If brute force isn’t an option, throw Red Pikmin and Rock Pikmin onto the creature’s back. During an extended battle, it’s important to retrieve your Pikmin as the Bulborb shakes them off.

In the Super Smash Bros. series

A Bulborb in the Smash Run mode of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
Bulborbs appear as enemies on the Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS exclusive game mode Smash Run.
SmashWiki.png

This article or section is a short summary on the enemy in the Super Smash Bros. series.
SmashWiki features more in-depth content.

A Red Bulborb is the main stage hazard on the Distant Planet stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It is considerably larger than a Bulborb in the Pikmin series, and will periodically appear on the right side of the stage. It occasionally opens its mouth, and any fighters that fall in will be eaten and taken away, resulting in a KO.

In the Smash Run mode of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, a Red Bulborb appears as one of many enemies featured in the mode. It is one of the largest enemies in the game and has a comparable amount of knockback resistance. Its attacks are also deadly, KOing fighters with minimal effort.

A Red Bulborb also appears in the background of the Garden of Hope stage in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Ultimate, but its purpose is merely cosmetic. There is a sticker for a Red Bulborb in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but it is merely called "Bulborb".

Finally, a Red Bulborb also appears as a Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Spirit Mode and is simply known as "Bulborb".

Brawl trophy

The Bulborb trophy from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Description:

A creature whose Japanese name translates as "spotted crimson bug-eye." These bulky nocturnal animals have white-and-red-flecked rumps that resemble strawberries. Red bulborbs sleep in the day and wake in the evening to feed on small animals. Several colors of bulborb subspecies have been discovered—their classification is a hot subject for scholars.

GameCube Pikmin 2
How to obtain: Random appearance. Type: Stage

Smash 4 trophy

3DS
The trophy for a Bulborb in the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, fighting Red Pikmin, Yellow Pikmin, Blue Pikmin, Purple Pikmin, and White Pikmin. US version US description:
These creatures from the Pikmin series have snail-like protruding eyes, huge mouths, and really bad tempers. They're known for snapping at fighters and trying to trample them underfoot. If you see one in a group of enemies, you should try to take it out fast—it'll shoot off and bounce around, hitting other enemies as it goes!
European version EU description:
These creatures from the Pikmin series have snail-like protruding eyes, huge mouths and really bad tempers. They're known for snapping at fighters and trying to trample them underfoot. If you see one in a group of enemies, you should try to take it out first – it'll shoot off and bounce around, hitting other enemies as it goes!
How to obtain: Random appearance. Type: Enemy
Wii U
The Bulborb trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. US version US description:

These creatures from the Pikmin series have snaillike protruding eyes, huge mouths, and really bad tempers. Despite their cute appearance, they'll happily gobble up Pikmin! In Smash Bros., they appear on the Garden of Hope stage, wandering around or chasing the poor Pikmin. Thankfully, they don't seem interested in the fighters duking it out.
Appears in:

GameCube Pikmin (12/2001)
GameCube Pikmin 2 (08/2004)
European version EU description:

With their spotted backs and big round eyes, Bulborbs are almost cute. But don't be fooled! They have a voracious appetite, and will gladly eat as many Pikmin as they can get their tongues on. In this game, you might spot one in the Garden of Hope stage, getting in the Pikmin's way. Luckily, the Bulborbs won't bother you. Phew!
Related Games

GameCube Pikmin (06/2002)
GameCube Pikmin 2 (10/2004)
How to obtain: Random appearance. Type: Stage Trophy Box: 61. Distant Planet & Indigenous Creatures

Technical information

Pikmin technical information (?)
Internal name swallow
HP 1100
Pikmin 2 technical information (?)
Internal name chappy
Global properties (List)
ID Japanese comment Property Value
s000 friction(not used) Friction 0.5
s001 wallReflection Unknown (wall bounce speed multiplier?) 0.5
s002 faceDirAdjust Unknown 0.25
s003 accel Acceleration 0.1
s004 bounceFactor Unknown (bounce when it hits the ground?) 0.3
fp00 ライフ HP 750
fp01 マップとの当り Unknown (related to slopes) 40
fp02 ダメージスケールXZ Horizontal damage scale 0.3
fp03 ダメージスケールY Vertical damage scale 0.3
fp04 ダメージフレーム Damage scale duration 0.35
fp05 質量 Unknown (weight?) 0.1
fp06 速度 Move speed 100
fp08 回転速度率 Rotation acceleration 0.4
fp09 テリトリー Territory radius 400
fp10 ホーム範囲 "Home" radius 15
fp11 プライベート距離 "Private" radius 70
fp12 視界距離 Sight radius 500
fp13 視界角度 FOV 90
fp14 探索距離 Unknown (exploration radius?) 500
fp15 探索角度 Unknown (exploration angle?) 90
fp16 振り払い率 Successful shake rate 1
fp17 振り払い力 Shake knockback 120
fp18 振り払いダメージ Shake damage 1
fp19 振り払い範囲 Shake range 40
fp20 攻撃可能範囲 Unknown (shock attack max range?) 75
fp21 攻撃可能角度 Unknown (shock attack max angle?) 25
fp22 攻撃ヒット範囲 Unknown (attack hit range?) 80
fp23 攻撃ヒット角度 Unknown (attack hit angle?) 35
fp24 攻撃力 Attack damage 10
fp25 視界高 Unknown (height visibility?) 50
fp26 探索高 Unknown (exploration height?) 50
fp27 ライフの高さ HP wheel height 90
fp28 回転最大速度 Rotation speed 4
fp29 警戒時間 Unknown (warning time?) 7
fp30 警戒ライフ Unknown 30
fp31 ライフ回復率 Regeneration rate 0
fp32 LOD半径 Off-camera radius 40
fp33 マップとのあたりポリゴンの選定 Collision processing radius 50
fp34 ピクミンとのあたり Pikmin damage radius 30
fp35 石化時間 Petrification duration 1
fp36 ヒップドロップダメージ Purple Pikmin drop damage 50
fp37 地震気絶確立 Purple Pikmin stun chance 0.3 (30%)
fp38 地震気絶時間 Purple Pikmin stun time 5
ip01 振り払い打撃A Shake mode 1 – hit count 6
ip02 振り払い張付1 Shake mode 1 – Pikmin requirement 5
ip03 振り払い打撃B Shake mode 2 – hit count 12
ip04 振り払い張付2 Shake mode 2 – Pikmin requirement 10
ip05 振り払い打撃C Shake mode 3 – hit count 17
ip06 振り払い張付3 Shake mode 3 – Pikmin requirement 20
ip07 振り払い打撃D Shake mode 4 – hit count 22
Specific properties
ID Japanese comment Property Value
fp01 足元範囲 Unknown (foot range?) 30
fp02 白ピクミン毒 White Pikmin poison damage 750
Pikmin 3 technical information (?)
Internal name chappy
HP 1000
Rock Pikmin throw hits to kill 25
White Pikmin ingestions to kill 5
Bomb rock explosions to kill 1
Bomb rock ingestions to kill 1
Number of direct hits on top to kill 0
Damage to leaders 20
Territory radius 300
Mission Mode value 50

To do: add more info.
Care to do so?

Hey! Pikmin technical information (?)
Internal name boss_chappy
Generator name(s) boss_chappy

Other information

Naming

See more: Grub-dog family#Naming.

The first word in the name "Red Bulborb" refers to its red coloration, in comparison with other known Bulborbs. The term "Spotty Bulborb" was initially used to refer to this enemy, in Pikmin (and New Play Control! Pikmin), until other types of Bulborbs were made for Pikmin 2. The "Spotty" in this name is due to the spots it has on its back. For Pikmin 3, the enemy's name was changed to simply be Bulborb.

The Brawl trophy for this creature indicates that its Japanese name is "Spotted Crimson Bug-eye", however, this is not referring to the name the creature normally goes by, "アカチャッピー?". The names by which all creatures normally go by is, in fact, a nickname or alias, presumably given by Olimar (referred to as "common name" (通称?) in this wiki), while the "Japanese name" (和名?) is their actual name, which is more specific and describes better the characteristics of the creatures. "アカチャッピー?" simply translates to "Red Chappy".

In the creature's scientific name, Oculus kageyamii russus, the species name russus is Latin for "red". In an early script left inside the game, the creature used to have the technical name Oculus kageyamii ssp RED.[1] The "ssp RED" means "subspecies RED" and is presumably a placeholder used until a proper word for "red" was found.

Its internal name in Pikmin is swallow, given that the name chappy is already used by the Dwarf Red Bulborb. The internal name in Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3 is also chappy, the same as the Japanese name for Bulborb. Finally, in Hey! Pikmin, the enemy's internal and generator names are both boss_chappy, the same as before, but now acknowledging that it is a boss.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Flag of Japan Japanese アカチャッピー?
Aka Chappii
Red Chappy
Flag of China Chinese 怡比 / 怡比 Name taken from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirit
Flag of the Netherlands Dutch Bulborb -
Flag of France French Bulborbe à pois (Pikmin)
Bulborbe rouge (Pikmin 2)
Bulborbe (Pikmin 3 and Hey! Pikmin)
Spotty Bulborb
Red Bulborb
Bulborb
Flag of Germany German Roter Punktkäfer (Pikmin 2)
Punktkäfer (Pikmin 3 and Hey! Pikmin)
Red Dot Beetle
Dot Beetle
Flag of Italy Italian Coleto Rosso
Coleto (Hey! Pikmin)
Red Coleto "Coleto" may come from "boletus" (Latin for mushroom), as a bulborb's spots resemble those found on certain mushrooms.
Flag of South Korea Korean 차피
Chappi
Bulborb
Flag of Portugal Portuguese (NoE) Olborbo Bulborb Name taken from the Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS trophy.
Flag of Spain Spanish Bulbo rojo (Pikmin 2)
Bulbo (Pikmin 3 and Hey! Pikmin)
Red bulb
Bulb
Flag of Russia Russian Клубнеголов
Klubnegolov
From клуб klub (club) or клубень kluben' (tube) and голова golova (head) Name taken from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirit

[[it:Coleto Rosso
Coleto (Hey! Pikmin)]]

Gallery

Pikmin

Pikmin 2

Pikmin 3

Hey! Pikmin

Other


See more: Red Bulborb images category.

Trivia

  • On the title screen of Pikmin 2, pressing the X Button on the GameCube controller / the 1 Button on the Wii Remote will summon a Red Bulborb onto the screen. The player can control it by using the C Stick on the GameCube controller / the + Control Pad on the Wii Remote and can eat Pikmin using the Z Button on the GameCube controller / the Z Button on the Nunchuk.
  • In the North American and Japanese version of New Play Control! Pikmin, it uses completely different sound clips. Instead of making normal bulborb sounds, they whistle and squeak.
  • If a bomb rock is planted near a Bulborb, the noise produced by the explosion will wake it up.
  • The Brawl trophy game appearance section claims that the Red Bulborb first makes an appearance in Pikmin 2. This is incorrect, as the enemy is present in the first game as well. The only part about the trophy that debuted in Pikmin 2 is the name "Red Bulborb" – this enemy was known as "Spotty Bulborb" prior to that game.
  • In the Nintendogs games, at the second-hand shop, there is a Red Bulborb toy on a shelf of products in a pre-rendered background shot.
  • Along with Captain Olimar, the Pikmin and Louie, the Red Bulborb is available as a plush toy, along with being a secret figurine in the first volume of Pikmin Figures.

See also

References

  1. ^ Pikmin 2/Early English Script on The Cutting Room Floor