Bulborb
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| Appears in | Pikmin, Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3 | ||
| Scientific name | Oculus kageyamii russus | ||
| Family | Grub-dog | ||
| Areas | The Forest of Hope, Valley of Repose, Awakening Wood | ||
| 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 | None | ||
| Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages | None | ||
| Side Story days | None | ||
| 2-Player Battle stages | Angle Maze | ||
| Bingo Battle stages | None | ||
| Attacks | Eats Pikmin | ||
Red Bulborbs 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.
It seems that the young 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 more like a Pikmin, following a Captain (which is naturally an older Bulbmin) and predating in packs. Red Bulborbs are not observed at the two stages of development displayed by Bulbmin (between Bulborb Larva and their full size) anywhere else in-game (unlike the Spotty Bulbear and Emperor Bulblax), so it is unknown whether Bulbmin are a common stage in Red Bulborb 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. The best known form, the large adults, also venture to the surface.
Most have a very slow reaction time when attacked. If rushed by a large enough force, they can be overcome before they can counterattack. It is also true that throwing numerous Purple Pikmin will work exceedingly well in defeating it without fail. Their mouths are large enough to be able to gobble up as many as five Pikmin with one bite, so attacking from behind is recommended for the best results.
Bulborbs in general are 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. This does not happen in Pikmin 2.
Notes
Olimar's voyage log
Reel notes
Olimar's notes
Louie's notes
Brawl Trophy 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."
Strategy
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, the player should run away until it turns around, then make a new pass at it.
If you don't have purples and your army is small, you can also wake it up and let it chase you until out of its range, which will make it shake its head and turn back. Follow it, and at the moment it stops walking at its original sleeping spot, attack it. Even though it is still awake, it will not notice you attacking it until looking around, yawning and falling asleep, then waking back up.
Trivia
- 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 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.
- The Red Bulborb's Japanese name literally translates to "spotted crimson bug-eye".
- On the title screen of Pikmin 2, pressing and holding the Y button will summon a Red Bulborb onto the screen. The player can control it by using the C stick and can eat Pikmin using the Z button.
- In New Play Control! Pikmin, it uses completely different sound clips, making it "whistle" and "squeak" instead of roar.
- The first and last words of its scientific name translate to "eye" and "red" respectively, likely making its scientific name similar or indentical to its Japanese name translation.
Gallery
- NPC Red Bulborb.jpg
Artwork of a Red Bulborb from Pikmin.
Artwork of a Red Bulborb from Pikmin 3. Note the elongated face as compared to earlier games.
Promotional clay artwork of a Red Bulborb fighting some Pikmin.
A Red Bulborb asleep in the Valley of Repose.
- Brawl Bulborb.PNG
A Red Bulborb, as it appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Olimar and his Pikmin fighting a Bulborb in Pikmin.
- 100i.jpg
A Red Bulborb being carried off in an early version of Pikmin.
See Also
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
アカチャッピー? Aka Chappī |
Red Chappy |
 German |
Roter Punktkäfer | Red Dot Beetle |