Mascot Mook: Difference between revisions

* Zakus are arguably almost as iconic as the [[Mobile Suit Gundam|Gundam]] itself, with or without the [[Law of Chromatic Superiority|red paint]], antenna and [[Ace Custom|3x boost to]] ''[[Ace Custom|everything]]''. And if you fuse them with Servbots, you get the Zakos from ''[[SD Gundam Force]]''.

** The Acguy, a ridiculously obscure Zeon mobile suit, is similarly adored in many places, often accompanying the Zaku.

* Although ''[[Mazinger Z]]'' basically used a [[Monster of the Week]] formula, two of Mazinger's first opponents: Garada K7, a skull-faced Mechanical Beast with two detachable scythes on its head; and Doublas M2, a beast with two serpentine laser-shooting heads, are among the most iconic, and show up in just about every adaptation and ''[[Super Robot Wars]] game (even if no other Mechanical Beasts appear).

* ''[[The Tower of Druaga (anime)|The Tower of Druaga]]'' has the ropers, possibly chosen because they don't really look at all marketable.

 

== Eastern RPG ==

** The ''[[Dragon Quest VI]]'' remake also retooled monster recruiting, limiting it to a handful of specific slimes (and one dragon).

** Second to the Slimes are the Drackies, flying black bats which are also low-level enemies.

** Moreover, it seems that they attempt to add a new one with each iteration. ''[[Final Fantasy I]]'' introduced Goblins. Marlboros came into play in ''[[Final Fantasy II]]'', with Chocobos expanding into battles in later titles. ''[[Final Fantasy III]]'' saw the first appearance of Moogles. In ''[[Final Fantasy IV]]'' there was the debut of the Zus. ''[[Final Fantasy V]]'' brought Tonberries and Magic Pots to the world. ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'' was where Cactuars made their introduction. At this point, you could stock a game purely with recurring mooks from the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series. Oh, wait, they ''have'' - the ''Chocobo'' series.

* The Poo Snake from ''[[Blue Dragon]]'' was an intentional attempt to create one of these, because of the [[Cliché Storm]] theme. It worked - you can recruit one named Poopie in the sequel. They're basically Slimes, with all their [[Underground Monkey]]s.

* ''[[Shin Megami Tensei]]'' has Jack Frost, who is the spirit of winter as a cute snowman dressed up like a clown. He has a bunch of related "Frost" type characters in each game to go along with him, such as his [[Distaff Counterpart]] Strawberry Frost and [[Evil Twin]] Black Frost. Not to mention [[Bonus Boss]] King Frost.

** To a lesser extent is Cerberus, who is usually the player's first summonable demon in every game. Because the novel the series was based on had Cerberus as the main character's most dependable demon ally. Though this Cerberus is actually a white lion with a dragon tail instead of a hellhound (Cerberus is often depecticed with 3 heads modernly, the number is inconsistent in the myths).

* The radish-like Kopins from the ''[[Luminous Arc]]'' series.

* The ''[[Phantasy Star]]'' games had Rappies (known as [[Underground Monkey|Chirpers, Warblers and Squawkers]] in ''[[Phantasy Star III]]'').

** The Pigmask Army in ''[[Mother 3]]''.

* Pikachu from ''[[Pokémon]]'' is a strange example. A rare [[Mon]] who only appeared in two areas in the entire original game became an [[Ensemble Darkhorse]], and [[Breakout Character|Nintendo noticed]].

 

== Live Action TV ==

* The [[Ultra Series]] has several mascot monsters for each entry.

* The ''[[Kamen Rider]]'' franchise has the Shocker Soldiers, the grunts from the [[Kamen Rider (TV series)|original series]], who returned in ''[[Kamen Rider Decade]]'' to lead up to the big teamup movie, and then there was their use in the ''[[Kamen Rider OOO]]'' teamup net movies... their wacky 'Yee!' noises and hand movements made them good for comedy fodder, to the point that by now it's ''awkward'' to watch them in an actual Shocker-related movie. They're basically Kamen Rider's Pikachu by now, and here they are ''with knives. Attacking people. People we like.'' You don't see that every day anymore!

* ''[[Maple Story]]'' has a the Orange Mushroom, but a number of other cute monsters, such as Slimes and Pigs, are prominent in the game.

* ''[[La Tale]]'' has the prrings and their palette swaps, the original of which is the first monster you fight. They were so popular that they were later made available as a pet. The shaggies are also popular, with some players actually trying to make real world replicas of their [[Vendor Trash]] drop - the shaggy doll.

* [[Wizard 101]] has Gobblers which are [[Extreme Omnivore|ExtremeOmnivores]] and featured in many of the cartoon depictions. There is even a gobbler Piñata in game.

 

== Platform Game ==

* Goombas and Koopa Troopas from the ''[[Super Mario Bros.]].'' series have evolved into this over the years, more so with Koopa Troopas owing to their [[Anthropomorphic Shift]]. Nowadays a Mario game is far more likely to feature Goombas and Koopa Troopas as sympathetic allies than [[Goomba Stomp|stompable]] monsters. (Not so much with the Piranha Plant.) You have them as party members in [[Paper Mario]] 1 and 2, and in any game where Bowser is on your side, especially Bowser's Inside Story.

* Metall (or Mettool, [[Spell My Name with an "S"|or however you spell it]]) from the classic ''[[Mega Man (video game)|Mega Man]]'' games also qualifies, appearing in every game in the series and making cameos in several non-Classic entries. (Bomb Bonne of ''[[Mega Man Legends]]'' even bears a strong resemblance to the classic helmeted enemy.)

** They're not just classic enemies, the only ''[[Mega Man X]]'' games they haven't appeared in are 2 and 3, and they haven't appeared in the first three Zero games. They appeared everywhere else. They ''did'' appear in the ''[[Mega Man Zero]]'' games if you used a Cyber Elf that transformed all the enemies in any stage into Metts.

 

== [[Tabletop Games]] ==

* The ''[[Pathfinder]]'' RPG's crazy, singing, pyromaniac Goblins have become this since the first adventure path.

* ''[[Exalted]]'' has the Blood Apes, the go-to demon summon for breaking skulls.

[[Category:Mooks]]

[[Category:Villains]]