Name: Purupuru (again)
Debut: Donkey Kong (Game Boy)
I know we've talked about Purupuru. I know we've said almost everything we could about Purupuru. But I can't stop thinking about Purupuru. It has invaded my mind like a virus, a divine muse. We HAVE to talk about Purupuru.
Look at this thing. This...creature that goes beyond definition. Not quite bird, not quite walrus...or is it?
Let me pull the curtain back a bit. See, this illustration comes from the Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijten, NOT any material directly linked to Donkey Kong (Game Boy). On the subject of characters that didn't HAVE artwork before the encyclopedia, Mariowiki has this to say:
"for characters and enemies for whom no existing artwork was available, original artwork was created based off sprites."
And let's look at the sprites for Purupuru from this game, shall we?
...it looks like a standard cartoon walrus, doesn't it? Sure, the diagonal sprite looks silly, but it IS trying to fit a bunch of detail in a small 16x16 space...could it be, then, that Purupuru's true form is a walrus and, based on the weirdness of the diagonal sprite, was simply misinterpreted as a tusked bird, with one of its flippers seen as feet and the other a tail?
That was likely the original intent, sure. But now Purupuru is something Else. A shiny, strange blob-like bird with tusks, who walks on walls and lives in icy caves. This is Purupuru's true form, its defining face, as is the fate of many video game creatures whose sprites were made before their artwork. When people think of Purupuru, she is what comes to mind:
And that's beautiful. And that's wonderful.
Please think about Purupuru. When you're out on a walk, preferably on a snowy day. When you're at a meeting. When you're rearing your kids. When you're lost in a deserted island and need to find a way to survive. Purupuru will be there, as she always has, as she always will be. Purupuru is here for you. Purupuru has it for you. Purupuru has it for you.
Thank you, Purupuru...
