Wait a second, didn't I already draw this guy? Wasn't I almost going to draw the last few bosses from Kirby's Adventure and finally finish it after multiple years? Well! As it turns out, there's been some confusion, primarily in the English-speaking side of the Kirby franchise, about two separate enemies that were commonly considered to one in the same! That being this enemy, who has the Japanese name "Spiny", and Togezo, a very similar enemy appearing in Kirby's Dream Land 3. Their close resemblance certainly holds some blame for the confusion, but also it seems like both of their names reference the Super Mario enemy Spiny, as the Mario enemy's Japanese name is Togezo. All in all it's understandable that many people have treated them as the same entity for so long, but recent official media such as the Kirby Character Encyclopedia released for the 30th anniversary makes sure to treat Spiny and Togezo as two unique enemies! However, I absolutely drew Togezo earlier for this project, thinking they debuted in Kirby's Adventure, so retroactively I've now drawn Spiny as well! All is well in the world. When I get to Kirby's Dream Land 3, I'll make some adjustments to the original Togezo drawing to be more accurate, but for now you can consider it an early tease I suppose. Anyways, I don't have much to say about Spiny that I didn't already say before. They do reappear in Kirby's Dream Course which is fun, and were the only enemy to provide the Needle ability for a while. They were replaced by Needlous in Nightmare in Dream Land, so it's been a long while since they've made an appearance. It also might be confusing on whether or not they'd choose to bring back Spiny or Togezo, considering how similar they are. Probably easier to just continue using guys like Needlous or Tick, making new guys Jabhog, or... the best option of all.......
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Lovely little larva
Creeping ‘cross the wood
Stretching and contracting
Like a little larva should!
Some things in this world are so lovely! So lovely they inspire you to write poetry! Needlous is the very lovely little larva of legend. Let’s Larva Learn!
But first, here’s a word from our sponsor, Togezo from Kirby’s Adventure! Togezo is sponsoring today’s post because it is desperate to regain any crumb of relevance. Togezo was the first Needle enemy in the series! And its design is about what you would expect. A nondescript little waddling thing with a spiky shell. Togezo was the main Needle enemy for quite a while! It got in multiple games and even got blue shoes in one of them.
But alas! Togezo was utterly replaced. Maybe they thought it was too similar to designs from other games. Maybe they just felt they could do better. Whatever the case, when Adventure was remade in the form of Nightmare in Dream Land, Togezo was gone, and Needlous in its place!
No disrespect to Togezo, but I think this was a good idea. Needlous is a much more distinct design! More concept to it than just “a spiky guy”, and fits the world very naturally.
(Though very strangely, Gimmick!, which released even before Kirby’s Adventure, has these two enemies that strongly resemble both Needlous AND Togezo! And this is not the only time Kirby enemies have been strangely similar to Gimmick! ones...)
It is based on the stinging hairs of many caterpillars, but taken to the extreme, becoming big ol’ stabby spikes!
Needlous is NOT, however, the only Kirby enemy inspired by this phenomenon! Here we have Capiller! Alright. I know. Get it all out. I know it looks unfortunately similar to a certain body part. But it’s not Capiller’s fault that it happens to resemble a Muppet’s eyes and nose!
Kirby has no qualms about eating sharp weapons, fire, toxic waste, ghosts, and more. But he HATES eating Capillers! I assume this is because Capiller (whose Japanese name translates to Hairy Bug) is covered in irritating hairs, even if they are not always depicted visually, and that is just too uncomfortable for even Kirby to eat. Everyone has their limits!
This, then, makes it very strange that Kirby can eat Needlous just fine, and even get the Needle ability from it! Two enemies, both based on the same thing, but executed quite differently. It honestly feels like an oversight, like they just didn’t consider the existence of Capiller when conceptualizing Needlous! Or maybe it was intentional and there is something else about Capiller that Kirby hates. Maybe the eyes. Yucky texture.
BACK TO NEEDLOUS enough not talking about Needlous on its own post! Needlous is not capable of extending its spikes like Needle Kirby is, but instead, curls up and rolls in spiky disc form! In Return to Dream Land, this move was added to Needle Kirby’s moveset, so you can feel more than ever like you are playing as Needlous! If you take many creative liberties with interpreting what is actually happening.
Isn’t this such a lovely creature? You should not pet any random creature you meet, especially not dangerous ones like fuzzy caterpillars, but maybe you could pet Needlous, since its spikes are so big that they are easy to maneuver your hand around. Or maybe not! It is still a wild creature, be careful in this hypothetical scenario!
Needlous is such a little larva, but... what will it turn into? Assuming this is not already its adult state, I have some ideas!
First, the more mundane idea. This is Pierce, a bee with a spear that grants the Spear ability! Bees have some of the squishiest and most helpless little larvae around, not like the capable caterpillar that is Needlous, but the stripes and the points of Needlous do bring bees to mind! If Needlous really does turn into the stingerless Pierce, maybe the spear is one it made itself, using its own shed larval spike!
But now. The more wacky idea! Maybe Needlous is the larva of something that does not even usually have a larva!
The Spider ability, introduced in Star Allies, has a unique guard where the user is wrapped entirely in silk, with spikes appearing as a counter if attacked! Hmm. Spikes and silk? That sounds like the perfect cocoon for a pointy larva I know!
And then, there is Como’s striking stripe, matching the colors and stripiness of Needlous! Yes, yes, I know actual arthropod larvae do not resemble their adult forms in this way, but I am just having some fun in Silly Cartoons World over here. Como and Needlous also both debut in the same stage in Return to Dream Land, implying they occupy the same general location, but in different niches!
Needlous is such a humble little larva, but has so much to think about! Its complex past, its many future career paths, and most importantly, its splendid present! Every little larva is so special, please appreciate them whenever you can!
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A soul lost to time... Togezo debuts as the one and only provider of the Needle ability in Kirby's Adventure, and would continue providing the Needle ability in a few other games, including Dream Course and Dream Land 3. That would be the unfortunate end of Togezo's appearances however, as in Adventure's remake, Togezo's role was replaced by a new enemy, Needlous! Now I love Needlous to death, but it is sad to see any Kirby enemy outright replaced. Luckily it hasn't happened too many times, but I wonder what Togezo did to deserve it! It may be due to the enemy's clear basis on Spiny from Super Mario Bros, as even their name is just the Japanese name for Spiny. I still think they're distinct enough to still make appearances, and it's not like Kirby has to worry about copyright issues with Mario characters. Mario is IN multiple Kirby games anyways. Regardless, perhaps they just wanted to design something more original to use in the games following Nightmare in Dream Land? Needlous has made a solid amount of reappearances at this point. Well, the Needle ability reappears in Forgotten Land, so maybe we'll see how many Needle enemies they decide to bring back! Maybe Needlous, maybe Togezo, maybe Tick, maybe some unexpected choices like Punc and Spikey! Or maybe even.....
