Who's that Ana? Now we know!

I meant to leave any new posts for that long-awaited (long long long long looooong-awaited) new Encyclopedia excerpt, but this news is just too cool not to give an update on:

The girl who played Ana in the famous MOTHER TV commercial has been identified in this Reddit post!

Reddit user u/No_Kaleidoscope_4359 gives us this info:

I am not very familiar with this game, but a kind redditor helped me find this lost ad my mom has talked about for years. My mom was a model in Japan in the 1980s and 1990s while my grandfather served in the US Navy. She always told me about one of her favorite projects, and advertisement where she got to fight a giant robot. I was so excited to come across more of the digital media from this project!

My mom also did some projects with Sega Genesis, and a few other things with Nintendo that I'm trying to find. Her name, at the time, was Laurel Dollahon. If anybody has any more pictures from production or anything like that, let me know! She would be tickled to see them!

She doesn't remember who the other two kids were, but this was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise, especially to learn how fond she must be of the memory of working on the MOTHER commercial, if she's talked about it so much for years!

Feet of Clay

Alright, so... I made a mistake in the Enemy Characters translation, and (whoops) it's a pretty big error that's thrown some folks in the MOTHER/EarthBound fandom into a state of confusion. I should address it here, as its own post, so consider this something of a press conference (or a public apology, take your pick).

At the very end of the section is a short bio for Tottori, the man who created the clay figures for the game. Yes, clay figures, not papier-mâché as I mistranslated. Cat Blackard of the MOTHER, She Wrote podcast had been speaking to Camille Young (known for her incredible clay sculpture work), who was reportedly confused when the former mentioned the official figures as made of papier-mâché, quoting my translation. Apparently it's impossible to get papier-mâché to look that smooth (I wondered about that too, but as this isn't my area of art, I'd just assumed a professional could work wonders with such material).

It gets even more embarrassing. The kanji used here in the Encyclopedia (紙粘土) is pronounced kami-nendo, and speaking as one who played MOTHER 3 in Japanese at release (long before the fan translation even came out), I should have remembered -- nendo means "clay". Specifically, 紙粘土 is paper clay. How it escaped me to look this up on the Japanese Wikipedia in the first place boggles the mind.

I won't make any excuses. I knew how important this information would be to the MOTHER community, and I distinctly remember looking up the word's definition more than once just to be sure... but oddly enough I must not have Googled it or anything.

So... yeah. Sorry for all the confusion, everyone!

(This is what I get for not branching out into other forms of art than drawing.)

I'm Alive! ...And I've Been Interviewed!

Hey guys!

I’m alive! Unfortunately, no new Encyclopedia MOTHER update. I can’t apologize enough. I know how patient everyone has been with me, so I owe you an explanation.

Things sort of exploded in late 2022. I’ve been working at the local grocery store since then, as well as some volunteer work, and then there’s one other thing —

A very, very large project I was working on (*before* the project you’ve been following) is now on serious time-sensitivity. I thought I could put it on hold to focus on the Encyclopedia, but this is something I’m doing in collaboration with one of my irl friends, and there was a misunderstanding. It turns out it demands my immediate attention. (Can’t say much at the moment, but I’m illustrating a children’s picture book he’s written.)

I’ve found, when I attempt to juggle projects, things don’t work out too well. It causes burnout on a cosmic scale, and instead of one nicely polished, completed product, I end up with several things lying there in an unfinished state. So I truly hope you’ll all understand if it takes a bit to see the Encyclopedia through to the end. Fortunately, I’m in the coloring stage of the children’s book, so it won’t be much longer before I can return to the MOTHER-related goodies we all know and love.

Through all this mess, somehow, I was able to find time to be interviewed recently by a longtime MOTHER fan, YouTuber Remie_REM_Sleep! That’s the video above. It was a blast getting to talk one-on-one with a fellow creative and somebody who knows all about EarthBound Beginnings. We also talked about other stuff, like our favorite childhood movies and other things from pop culture. I spoke about things that influenced my art, answered numerous questions provided by other MOTHER fans, and I even tried in my own clumsy way to articulate what it is about the first game in the trilogy that makes me love it so much. So set aside 2–3 hours and give it a listen and subscribe to his channel!

Encyclopedia MOTHER: Message from Shigesato Itoi

To Encyclopedia MOTHER contents

[1989: pp. 148–151]

[2003: pp. 152–155]

Message from Shigesato Itoi

Making a Game was My Best Sand Play Therapy.

Originally I had the idea computers and I just didn't mix. It didn't matter how many uses I heard personal computers had, the only ones that ever occurred to me were sorting an address book or keeping track of monetary transactions. They aren't my line of work, I figured, so they don't concern me.

Even when I heard the rumors that a PC exclusively for play was coming out, I bought it with the perspective, eh, I'll finally go ahead and get one just for myself, it's okay if I just use it for fun. Then it came out, and not only was I spared an alphabet keyboard (I don't care for those things), it wasn't a PC: it went by the name Famicom. When I gave it a play I was delighted to find it was a toy through-and-through, and wasn't even so much as a PC-wannabe.

It piqued that feeling from when I was little and I'd be given a brand new toy. I started to forget it was a computer. I bought quite a few of the actual consoles and put them in my place of work, gave them to people, made gifts out of them as souvenirs from the countryside, the list goes on. So you see, I was beginning to loosen my attitude and find it wasn't worth being a computer-phobe.

Playing Dragon Quest Stirred Certain Emotions.

It was around the time I first played Mario that I began to realize there were people out there other than programmers who designed games. Then, I started to get the vague idea that the designs of these games reminded me of advertising methods, or creations like novels, movies or manga. Programs that didn't feel like programs were just starting to be made.

I played Dragon Quest a year later than others did. When it was released, I didn't feel a sense of reality in the battles, so I left it alone for a year. But now that I think about it, I realize it was because I'd simply forgotten to "Equip".

Even before that, I'd had people show me things like Ultima or Wizardry, but all I could see them as were number-spouters, which I'm no good with. "Man, this just isn't my thing," I'd thought.

I picked Dragon Quest back up again a year later, and became aware of certain emotions being stirred within me. So I began to wonder if maybe, through the role-playing genre, I could have someone program something I'd created. Once I really got into RPGs, I found myself saying, oh hey, it'd be cool if they did this sort of thing here. It was just like when I'm watching a movie and can see all the director's methods; and that's how I got drawn further and further into games.

I Watched All the Spielberg Films I Hadn't Yet Seen.

It was then that an idea flashed into my mind for an ending, and that was the final slam-down on my emotion buttons. All I needed to do now was tie it to the kind of story that could be interpreted with nuance, where everyone "gets" it yet everyone differs on it. It'd be like making a superb B-grade movie.

And I watched nearly all the Spielberg films I hadn't seen yet. This was because I had a hunch my creative style was a lot like his. I systematically gathered up every little bit of intrigue from American pulp fantasy and mystery novels. I bought up books on psychic powers, a world I'd been interested in from the start. I must have gathered a bookcase's worth of materials.

For example, I think the difference between a well-made game and a not-so-well-made one can be put like so: I'm someone who, when I throw a bomb at an enemy, feels something simply by the act of taking that opponent out. Who then wonders what the landscape would look like after the bomb is thrown. Who feels hurt. Who thinks I shouldn't have thrown the thing. In terms of your common game, that bomb turns out to be nothing more than a stand-in for an exchange of numbers. A programming convenience, as it were. But there is a projection of reality there, so depending on the person, there can be some sense of friction, or if you prefer, something that "goes against the grain". In which case, I thought, you know what, I think this is my "line of work"! Games had called out to me, requesting my presence.

The Fun of Taking Something that Can't Quite Become a Machine and Bringing it to the Verge of Being One.

According to books on the subject, there is some logic behind war, and a motto: "He's the enemy, kill him." By saying "he's the enemy", you first pigeonhole your opponent, then after you've switched him into something other than human, it comes down to "kill your enemy". Once that's established, anything goes, right?

A game always sees confrontation carried out in the form of non-human "enemies", within a certain rule that states "well, it's just a game". To use my favorite baseball analogy, you might think of it as an army-like formation.¹ Yet we get to simultaneously keep the part of us that makes us human. That's because the fun part of playing make-believe war is that you take something that can't quite become a machine, and you bring it to the verge of being one.² I wondered if maybe this brand of fun wasn't yet being had on the Famicom. At any rate, no one would be hurt, so anything would go. I don't know, maybe that was a bit too primitive of me.

The B-Grade's Lie Broke Through to Me Out of a Blind Alley's Dead End.

It was right in that period of time that advertising was rather lacking in enthusiasm. A lot of advertisements were coming out that were more sales promotion than ad. It was, to use a handy phrase, a return to the drawing board, the kind where they'd just say their company's name over and over; but that simple return to square one made it an awfully boring time for advertising, you know?

Then, while this was going on, New Academism³ was the "in" thing, and there even came a point when it seemed like talk of "dead ends" was music to an intellectual's ears. It was "double bind" this or "postmodern" that. And I myself happened to be writing a novel called A Family's Dissolution⁴, which I guess was also a form of blind-alley dead end. That's how it was: everyone was trying to "out-sigh" one another. Now, in contrast, you had the course Spielberg was on. That, I guess, was when the A-class drove me to say, "That's a lie, but you know, I like that kind of lie," and the B-grade broke through to me.⁵

Planning Out a Famicom Game was Like My God of Salvation.

Now that I was planning out a Famicom game, I was brimming with life. It was like my god of salvation. Coming up with a game is taking what you have inside your head and bringing it all outside to see, or in other words, it's making the world inside your head into that sandbox we call a game. Doing this brought my cheerful nature further and further out.

This is a kind of fun where you enjoy deceiving yourself. Maybe even enjoy deceiving others.

For example, if I were to write a novel or an essay on friendship, there'd be a side to it that would lean inevitably toward pessimism. But if I were to think about how I could represent friendship in a Famicom game, I'd realize friendships actually do exist. There's self-sacrifice, there's ardor, there's love bordering on agape. Everyone has those things, and yet it's gotten to where you can't discuss them in today's media. The reason for that has to be out there; and you could go looking for it, but if you're able to create that special something that hearkens back to a time when those things were around, and make that your work, now that's fun.

You'd be lying if you said, "but friendship is such-and-such, isn't it?" Why does realism end up excluding all else? Because it confines itself to what we say is the truth.

You can do similar things in a game. Lloyd and Ninten's journey isn't defined by their personalities, but rather by what you do with the obviously weak one when he shows up, and how the two of you will walk together. Stuff like that happens in real life. You started off weak yourself, and you're constantly getting reminded of that. To put it the way the game does, others might tease you and say, "oh, are the two of you lovers?"⁶ There can even be times you then realize you are lovers.

To be a child is to experience a simulation of adult society from a young age. In a game, you can have that in a vicarious experience. That sort of game is one I'd like to play.

The Sophistication of the B-Grade Breaking Through the A-Class Gives Me a New Lease on Life.

There is one key trick no one has caught on to, and that's the naming scheme for the baseball bats.

Battered Bat, Ordinary Bat, Good Bat, Best Bat. This way, no one has the feel of holding the bat in their hands, do they? If I'd gone with Paper Bat, Plastic Bat, Wooden Bat, Metal Bat, you'd know how it would feel to grasp them.⁷ This sense of touch is absent from MOTHER. You should be getting the feel of battle, but not through the grasping of a bat. "How do I do this so that it isn't the bat that brings out the raw feel of things? But then, what other kinds of weapons could there be aside from bats?" My logic, or whatever it is, will be there asking me these questions.

This seemed to be something I needed for my mental health, as well. "Each of us has a universe inside us" is my slogan. The size of a person's universe is determined by how many experiences they've recognized. And the bigger and messier it is the better. When you've put all of that nice and together, and contrast it against others, not only is sympathy likely to come of it, but so are battle tactics.

For example, I hear all kinds of theories about the father's absence, but if I went and told them the reason for it, kids would end up getting the full picture. Yet most kids are being deceived by their father and mother. "He's busy with work", and all that. Your mother is keeping up a certain system and ideology when she says that. If your father is the type to come home after drinking, odds are you know how this works. The father on the other end of that phone line is just about every father. I imagine those who understand that aren't going to ask why he's absent.

Even though they have a vague feeling they're being lied to, when children become adults they tell the same lies. Spielberg gets that, so he doesn't allow for anything like posing the question to children of why the father isn't around. This, you see, is the sophisticated side where the B-grade breaks through the A-class. This sort of thing just might be my sand play therapy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

¹ A few sentences around this section of the essay were giving me trouble, so I turned to HiNative for help. Here's what user Fidy88814637 had to say:

In general, baseball in Japan is often trained under a strict discipline that is comparable to that of the military.

² Added insight, again from Fidy88814637:

[Itoi] believes that an army is something mechanized and orderly, devoid of any humanity. [He] recognizes an adversarial structure in which the general idea of war is not to challenge specific individuals with strong hatred or murderous intent, but rather, to adopt a large-grouped concept of enemy. This is the same in baseball, where fans are excited and saddened by the conflict structure between teams, rather than against a particular pitcher or hitter.

In other words, the sentence [about keeping our humanity] would imply that "it is an interesting state of affairs in wars in which the human element seems to have been lost, and yet at the same time, the human condition is preserved."

³ New Academism: A social science fad that took Japan by storm during the 1980s.

⁴『家族解散』 Kazoku Kaisan, 1986, published by Shinchosha.

⁵ I think by "A-class", Itoi is referring to the lackluster state of advertising and pessimistic outlook of the intellectualism he describes (all contributing to cynicism), while "B-grade" refers to unrealistic, but idyllic themes (hence, "that's a lie, but I like that kind of lie") such as those portrayed in Spielberg's works. 

It's the reason I chose to translate B級映画 earlier in the essay as "B-grade movie", rather than just "B-movie", because it came up again later in this context. It's also the reason I went with "A-class" in contrast, even though both words used the same suffix (A級 and B級).

(And he's clearly not throwing shade at Spielberg by referring to his films as B-grade. They're anything but. It may just be an acknowledgement of some of the times he stretches believability to provide a big, satisfying finish, like how the shark in JAWS bites down on the air tank and Brody blows it up, a scene the author of the book took issue with in favor of believability.)

⁶ Spoken by an NPC in Valentine.

⁷ Ironically, this is the very style of naming scheme for the baseball bats used by the official localization.

To Encyclopedia MOTHER contents

Encyclopedia MOTHER: List of Enemy Characters

To Encyclopedia MOTHER contents

[1989: pp. 156–167]

[2003: pp. 160–171]

The Rest of the Cast

LIST OF ENEMY

CHARACTERS

[NOTE: I add to the direct Encyclopedia text here, by including some of the other names each enemy has gone by in the English-speaking world. Enemies are introduced in this structure:

My personal translation

Japanese enemy name as it appears in Battle Mode

Blue text: Enemy name as it appears in Battle Mode in EarthBound Beginnings

Red text: Enemy name as it appears in Battle Mode in Mato's MOTHER 1+2 translation]

How to Read the Data:

HP: No. of Hit Points

OF: Offense Value

DF: Defense Value

[Jump links to come]

HUMANS

ANIMALS

MAGICANT

MONSTERS

THINGS

ROBOTS

HUMANS

YOUNG MAN¹

おにいさん

The Hippie

Hippie

HP: 25     OF: 8     DF: 14

Prowls around from your Home to the Thanksgiving area. He carries a Magic Megaphone, which he uses at every opportunity to persuade you. Also likes to meditate. He'll even flare up in unprovoked anger. A former hippie?

MIDDLE-AGED MAN²

おじさん

Wally

Redneck

HP: 20     OF: 8     DF: 12

Frequents the neighborhood of Mother's Day. He's probably a local farmer, but it seems like he's under something's control. The plow in his right hand is ominous. He doesn't appear to be a bad fellow, but he does get angry and boost his Offense a lot, so you'll want to be careful.

FUGITIVE

だっそうはん

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 60     OF: 32     DF: 45

It's unknown what prison he escaped from, but you run into him a lot in the area around Thanksgiving. For an escapee, he carries an awful lot of money. For some reason, he has a Rope with him when he appears.

MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN³

おばさん

Bag Lady

Bag Lady

HP: 90     OF: 12     DF: 38

A battle-axe is a battle-axe, even beyond Japanese borders. Oh she'll just rip you a new one, dearie, hurling scary language or launching a continuous attack. This enemy is one tough customer. You encounter her frequently around the Thanksgiving area. A very fierce foe.

PSEUDO-ZOMBIE

ゾンビもどき

PseudoZombi

PseudoZombie

HP: 30     OF: 16     DF: 16

Is full of dirty tricks like clawing, biting or bearing down on you. Judging by his appearance, the U.S. may not have been his birthplace. Be extra careful, because he sometimes takes on the form of a person. He's all over the place in the cemetery.

ZOMBIE

ゾンビ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 70     OF: 50     DF: 80

This is no Pseudo-Zombie, he's the real deal and his attacks are all the tougher for it. In addition, he also uses a high-grade, Brainshock-like technique. And, for whatever reason, he'll break into hearty guffaws mid-battle. Many of these guys appear in the Haunted Mansion.

GANGSTER ZOMBIE

ギャングゾンビ

Gang Zombie

Gang Zombie

HP: 34     OF: 18     DF: 20

A gangster who died in the resistance against Prohibition, which was enforced in the 1930s. He then turned into a zombie and now attacks those who trespass on cemetery grounds. He has no unique attacks, but packs a pretty strong Smash Hit. One of the tougher enemies you'll meet in the early stages in the game.

VIOLENT ZOMBIE

ぼうりょくゾンビ

NastyZombie

Mean Zombie

HP: 90     OF: 62     DF: 90

He has no unique attacks, instead specializing, as his name suggests, in that hand-to-hand combat we call violence. For having such strong Offense, he sure can't take much punishment, but it's dangerous to underestimate him. Appears in the Haunted Mansion.

BLOODSOAKED ZOMBIE

ちみどろゾンビ

Shroudley

BloodyZombie

HP: 90     OF: 42     DF: 128

In order to make up for blood loss, he lives by sucking it from humans. People who have had their blood sucked see a sharp decrease in their Offense and Defense. He also packs a Final Blow. Shows up in the Haunted Mansion.

DR. DISTORTION⁴

ゆがみはかせ

Dr.Distorto

Dr. Distorto

HP: 60     OF: 38     DF: 48

Makes his home in Duncan's Factory, and as if possessed by something, goes on creating barbaric robots. Very often appears with a Scrapper, occasionally runs away, or gets mad and boosts his Offense. His face is uncanny.

BLA-BLA GANG MEMBER

ブラブラだん

B.B. Gang

Gang Member

HP: 80     OF: 60     DF: 125

He belongs to a group of hoodlums, officially known as the Black Blood Gang, who loiter around Valentine town. They aren't necessarily being controlled by the aliens, but they are enemies. A short-tempered bunch who typically attack you without warning if you talk to them while you're walking around town.

BB GANG BOSS

BBだんのボス⁵

B.B.'s Boss

BB Gang Boss

HP: 108     OF: 57     DF: 51

Valentine's Live House is a favorite hangout of his. Ever since his parents were killed by some unknown being, he's spent each day brawling. When it's a one-on-one brawl, he'll bring a barehanded fight to the finish, without knives. Apparently, deep down, he's not a bad guy.

ANIMALS

RAT

ねずみ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 10     OF: 4     DF: 8

Try and take just a few steps forward in Mother's Day, the Zoo Curator's Office or the small factory in Thanksgiving, just to name a few, and a rat will immediately show up and block your path. Despite being a rat, it'll also hurl filthy language at you.

CROW

カラス

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 22     OF: 8     DF: 12

A crow that commits considerable craftiness. Just when you think he's going to burst out cackling, he does something else, like swipe your stuff. Even if you're able to defeat him, your stolen goods won't come back, so you come away worse off, without having to. Frequents the area surrounding Mother's Day.

SNAKE

スネーク

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 18     OF: 6     DF: 8

Even if you're the type who heads for the hills at the sight of a snake, you don't have much to worry about: this enemy isn't all that tough. The snakes that pop up in the Mother's Day neighborhood seem to have relatively tame natures.

RATTLESNAKE

がらがらへび

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 100     OF: 65     DF: 128

Unlike the snakes that show up around Mother's Day, this one is surprisingly powerful. It edges closer to victims and is even known to unleash Final Blows. Appears around the Advent Desert a lot.

RED SNAKE

レッドスネーク

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 150     OF: 50     DF: 160

This enemy, which shows up in Easter, is actually a coward and turns tail a lot. Enemies with personalities like this often turn out to be keeping a minor secret of some sort. There's got to be a reason it doesn't want to be defeated.

CENTIPEDE

ムカデ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 12     OF: 4     DF: 12

On the prowl from Home to Mother's Day. For a bug, it has a surprisingly cute, memorable face. It isn't particularly strong though. Since it's an insect, Bug Spray will work.

BIO CENTIPEDE

バイオムカデ

BionicCenti

Biopede

HP: 35     OF: 16     DF: 32

A centipede created by aliens for their invasion of Earth. Infests the areas surrounding Thanksgiving and the Magicant entrance. Attacks you every now and again with a poison sting. Bug Spray is effective.

SCORPION

サソリ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 75     OF: 60     DF: 80

Shows up in the desert. As one would expect from something born in a rough, water-barren place, it launches a variety of rough attacks at you, such as a poison sting, biting and calling for its friends. Bug Spray will work.

BIO SCORPION

バイオサソリ

BionicScorp

Bio-Scorpion

HP: 100     OF: 60     DF: 150

As with the Bio Centipede, this is a unique creature made by the aliens. It's a tough-as-nails foe who attacks with not only a poison stinger but a stone needle as well. Lives in the desert. Bug Spray is fairly effective.

MR. BAT

こうもりさん

Mr. Bat

Mr. Batty

HP: 20     OF: 8     DF: 10

Generally appears in groups. Despite the fact that he enjoys fighting alongside his friends, he'll sometimes put himself in his opponent's shoes and, confused, attack his own allies. Is he a philosophy buff or just a nitwit? Oh well, he is a cute little fella in any case.

BIO BAT

バイオこうもり

Bionic Bat

Bio-Bat

HP: 50     OF: 34     DF: 64

As with the other bio-types, the aliens engineered this enemy. However, if there's one aspect of Mr. Bat they apparently weren't able to change, it was of course his personality, so the side of him that puts himself in others' shoes remains in place. This one, however, attacks with a stone needle. Shows up in the Haunted Mansion.

THIEVING SEAGULL

とうぞくカモメ

Seagull

Gull Bandit

HP: 90     OF: 68     DF: 90

Just like the crows, this bad guy commits theft. Not only that, but he's a real multitasker, as he'll also break out in laughter or survey the situation. Appears frequently, in flocks, around Valentine.

SKUNK

スカンク

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 40     OF: 26     DF: 48

He's an enemy, but somehow you just can't hate 'im. While he'll never actually break wind, he will do things like fall over mid-battle. Appears around the Thanksgiving mountain district a lot. I'm dying to see this guy.

GIANT ELEPHANT

きょぞう

Elephant

Elephant

HP: 70     OF: 20     DF: 34

The biggest enemy you'll encounter at Choux Cream Zoo. He'll get mileage out of his enormous body, which is said to weigh five tons, by bearing down on you and other such things. And not that you asked, but even his face is scary.

TIGER

タイガー

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 35     OF: 26     DF: 24

A tough enemy you meet around the zoo. Not only is he ferocious, he's also agile and launches a lot of continuous attacks at you. Biting is also a strong suit of his. Talk about motivated. You may get a shock when you first encounter him.

ALLIGATOR

ワニ

Alligator

Crocodile

HP: 30     OF: 18     DF: 22

You guessed it, he shows up in the zoo area, but very often in a pack. He edges closer to victims. Nocturnal by nature, but attacks you after sunrise.

TOUGH ALLIGATOR

つよいワニ

Crocodile

Tough Croc

HP: 120     OF: 80     DF: 150

Appearing in the swamp, this gator is markedly tougher than the zoo kind. It looks like there really is a difference in savagery between one that grew up in the wild and one that was bred in captivity. Two or three of them will edge closer to you at a time.

EAGLE

イーグル

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 45     OF: 32     DF: 44

Brainwashed by aliens to attack people. Frequently assaults you in pairs. Another key trait is his swiftness. Appears a lot in the Thanksgiving area. His face is a little frightening, but looks can be deceiving I guess.

WOLF

オオカミ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 50     OF: 30     DF: 46

Almost always attacks you in packs of several. They'll turn up staking their lives on a bite, so they know no fear. They stalk around the Thanksgiving area.

STRAY DOG

のらイヌ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 16     OF: 8     DF: 10

Will bite you as soon as glare at you with a sharp look. You'll want to be careful: the neighborhoods around Mother's Day are crawling with these guys. If you're lucky, when you beat him, you'll get Fleas and Lice.

LONE WOLF

いっぴきオオカミ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 80     OF: 60     DF: 150

As the name implies, he's a wolf who eschews cliques, preferring constant solitude. Because he's (presumably) lived his life alone, his Offense and Defense are pretty high. His specialty is biting. Lurks around Snowman.

SILVER WOLF

ぎんオオカミ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 80     OF: 44     DF: 76

Unlike the Lone Wolf, these guys will appear around Snowman in packs of two to four. They rarely come out alone. Like other wolves, they'll bite you. They're quite formidable enemies owing to their strength in numbers.

BOBCAT

やまねこ

Cougar

Lynx

HP: 42     OF: 28     DF: 40

Being a large wildcat, he'll scratch at you with his sharp claws. Apparently it's his instinct to attack humans indiscriminately when he meets them. Prowls the area around Thanksgiving.

BISON

バイソン

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 160     OF: 70     DF: 160

The American bison. At a body length and weight reaching upwards of three meters and one ton, he's the largest of America's wild animals. Appears around the swampland, and always in herds. He'll charge you using his horns for weapons, and he's known to carry out continuous attacks.

BUFFALO

バファロー

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 150     OF: 68     DF: 150

A water buffalo, more ferocious than the Bison⁶, that makes his habitat in the U.S. Yes, he moves in herds, and appears in Valentine with the swampland as his main concentration. His only attack is to charge you in primitive fashion, but this packs a punch.

GORILLA

ゴリラ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 40     OF: 20     DF: 26

This enemy escaped from the zoo. As one would expect from a primate, he's intelligent, and comes at you with a variety of attacks: becoming angry, dealing out continuous attacks, stealing people's stuff... He has some stamina, too, so watch out.

BEAR

くま

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 80     OF: 42     DF: 64

Comes at you with risky suicide attacks such as scratching or bearing down on you (no pun intended). He isn't all that ferocious, but he is pretty strong. Also occasionally employs an advanced technique that's sort of like diminishing one's own presence so as not to be noticed. Prowls Reindeer.

POLAR BEAR

しろくま

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 100     OF: 52     DF: 180

Appears in the Snowman area. He comes at you with attacks basically similar to the Bear's, but the strength behind his blows is much greater, so don't even think about underestimating him.

GRIZZLY

グリズリー

GrizzlyBear

Grizzly

HP: 340     OF: 160     DF: 340

His ferocity shot to fame overnight with the movie Grizzly. The strongest of all the animals in the game, his Offense is a terror that can't be expressed in words. You can only consider it bad luck if you run into him. Appears on Holy Loly Mountain.

HYENA

ハイエナ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 30     OF: 10     DF: 16

A cowardly animal that almost always appears in numbers. He'll diminish his presence and lie in wait, but will just as soon bite you or run suddenly away. Appears in the vicinity of the zoo.

FLY

フライ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 10     OF: 1     DF: 40

It's that fly, now a household name thanks to his starring role in The Fly. He isn't all that strong, but being small and nimble he's quite tough to beat. He also calls for friends or makes a break for it. Flies around the neighborhood of the zoo a lot.

SPIDER

スパイダー

Spider

Arachnid!

HP: 80     OF: 45     DF: 95

A venomous spider that makes the Americas its habitat. Shows up from Easter to the desert. Calls for friends, uses a poison stinger, lowers your Fight with filthy language. He isn't all that big, but he is an enemy to watch out for.

TARANTULA

タランチュラ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 120     OF: 84     DF: 160

A venomous spider who wound up settling in Easter before anyone was aware of him. He originates from the tropics, but maybe the aliens brought him here for the purposes of their Earth invasion. He's similar to the Spider, but what makes him fearsome is that he launches a steady stream of poison sting attacks. Calls for friends.

MAGICANT

MAGICA SNAIL

マジカスネール

Magic Snail

Magisnail

HP: 50     OF: 20     DF: 90

The mysterious power of Magicant wound up backfiring on itself and producing a giant snail enemy. Protecting himself by his rock-hard shell, he'll edge closer to you.

DRAGON

ドラゴン

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 650     OF: 180     DF: 200

A wondrous dragon who slumbers deep within the Magicant Underflow, he's a strange one who won't attempt to fight while the protagonist is weak. They say he holds some unbelievable secret. Uses PK Fire 𝜷 and PK Thunder 𝜸. Will cry out some kind of mysterious yell.

MASTER OF THE UNDERFLOW

ちかたいがのぬし

The Fish

Cave Master

HP: 65     OF: 38     DF: 60

Deep in the Magicant Underflow, he keeps a keen eye out for prey. His body being covered in hard, iron-like scales, no minor attack will so much as faze him. Always launches continuous attacks.

WOODOH

ウッドー

Woodoh

Oak

HP: 40     OF: 20     DF: 38

An enemy found only in Magicant. Summons identical Woodohs mid-battle by sowing seeds. Also, you'd better watch out, because there are times he'll do some kind of dubious thing and leave you Puzzled.

BIG WOODOH

だいウッドー

BigWoodoh

Territ. Oak

HP: 70     OF: 18     DF: 50

When they say, "you can't take 'im down without paying a price", they're talking about this enemy, I'll bet. Not only is he strong to begin with, but he'll burst into flame in the end and deal massive damage to the protagonist and his party. He'll also Confuse you with Demon Seed and dehydrate you. A mighty Magicant foe.

MIRAKO

ミラコ

Ullrich

Ulrich

HP: 40     OF: 18     DF: 40

Being a thundercloud monster, he dishes out PK Thunder 𝜶. He's strong for something with a face you just can't hate. PSI attacks of the Thunder variety won't have any effect on him, so beware.

SWOOSH

ビューン

Watcher

Swoosh

HP: 30     OF: 16     DF: 24

The eldest son of the Swoosh family that dwells in the Magicant Underflow. Is he the handsomest one in the clan? He does attack, but he's weak when it comes to special techniques, having none. True, he's an enemy, but you just can't hate him.

BONUS SWOOSH

おまけビューン

Groucho

Bonus Swoosh

HP: 35     OF: 12     DF: 40

Is that a mustache beneath those eyes? You'll understand this enemy's reason for being if you pick GUARD in battle with him. He's actually a good guy who'll do something for you, the kind of thing that makes you think: "...whoa."

WOOSH SWOOSH

ビュンビューン

Foureyes

Woosh Swoosh

HP: 40     OF: 22     DF: 32

Just because he's a "double stack of Swoosh" doesn't make him twice as strong. In fact, this guy will also do something nice for you. You want a hint? All I'll say is that it has to do with finances.⁷

PAPA SWOOSH

パパビューン

Dadseyes

Papa Swoosh

HP: 40     OF: 20     DF: 32

The father of the Swoosh family. Pops gets angry at random; maybe he has a short fuse. You think maybe Swoosh pushes his buttons a lot? Either way, there sure is some cute vibe about him.

SWOOSHETTE

ビュビー

Momseyes

Swooshette

HP: 40     OF: 24     DF: 20

The Swoosh mother. Not only is she the strongest of the frail Swoosh clan, she launches continuous attacks. Very often appears alongside Swoosh and Papa Swoosh.

BEARU⁸

ベアル

Raeb Yddet

Raeb Yddet

HP: 40     OF: 22     DF: 38

A variety of bear that lives in Magicant, and an enemy with tough protection. Has a habit of immediately calling for friends, so that a Sky Bearu is quite often thrown into the mix. In those moments, they make for a pretty powerful team-up.

SKY BEARU

スカイベアル

Sky Yddet

Sky Yddet

HP: 74     OF: 24     DF: 50

He won't show up unless called for by a Bearu, but when he does jump into the fray he becomes a deadly support. He'll diminish his presence, but will just as soon unleash an extremely powerful final blow.

MONSTERS

GHOST

ゴースト

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 20     OF: 12     DF: 24

Since he can't be seen by his opponents in well-lit places, he prefers to show up in the dimly-lit cemetery underground or the Haunted Mansion. He's kind of a stylish son-of-a-gun with a taste for the spotlight. He doesn't have any feet, so he's quick when he makes a break for it.

ALARM GHOST

アラームゴースト

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 100    OF: 30     DF: 160

A ghost with greater strength than the regular kind. You guessed it, he shows up in the Haunted Mansion. He's known to call for friends, and when that happens you can bet a Ghost will materialize.

FIREBALL

ファイアボール

Fire Ball

Fireball

HP: 58     OF: 24     DF: 58

He makes his appearance in Duncan's huge factory. You'll be tempted to go easy on him since he's cute, but in honesty, he's one intense enemy. Makes frequent use of PK Fire 𝜶.

DUST GHOST

ダストゴースト

Dust Ball

Dust Ghost

HP: 78     OF: 40     DF: 120

Precisely because he's a ghost born from within garbage, he comes out swinging with spunky attacks. Just when you think he's never going to stop diminishing his presence, he'll suddenly burst into flame and deal massive damage to everyone in your party. Shows up in the Haunted Mansion.

BIGFOOT

ビッグフット

Big Foot

Bigfoot

HP: 90     OF: 50     DF: 90

America's abominable snowman, who lurks around (where else?) Snowman. With a face that makes him look somewhat less than bright, you might be tempted to take him for brawny over brainy, but he's actually a fearsome foe with free command over PK Freeze 𝜶, 𝜷 and 𝜸. On the flip side, he has no attacks where he fights barehanded.

GABILAN

ガビラン

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 100     OF: 62     DF: 100

Shows up in Advent Desert. He looks like a qilin, but he's plainly a space creature. He's a tough one, spitting mucus from his mouth to Blind you, or dehydrating you, or launching continuous attacks.

TITANY

タイタニー

Titanees

Titany

HP: 130     OF: 54     DF: 200

Makes appearances in such places as Easter or the Swampland. It's a space creature made by the aliens through the use of biotechnology. Skilled at using Hypnosis then attacking while you sleep.

TITANIAN

タイタニアン

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 320     OF: 100     DF: 420

He looks a whole lot like the Titany, but inside he's an entirely different being. He's a cyborg the aliens sent to Earth. Launches a variety of attacks such as Petrifying or doing something dubious, with a high attack power to boot. Pops up in numbers around the Holy Loly Mountain area.

MOOK

ムーク

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 85     OF: 50     DF: 110

Appears in the Swampland. His intelligence being pretty high up there, he attacks you with PSI. He specializes in such varied attacks as the PK Freeze family, Paralysis, Brainshock and Hypnosis.

DOMOOK⁹

ドムーク

Oh-Mook

Mook Senior

HP: 160     OF: 60     DF: 140

Appears on Holy Loly Mountain. In addition to the Mook's intellect and PSI, he'll attack you with the PK Fire family. He also specializes in stealing your valuable items. For an alien, he sure does some curiously human things.

GARGOYLA¹⁰

ガーゴイラ

Gargoyle

Gargoyle

HP: 180     OF: 90     DF: 160

Thanks to the wings on his back, he gets around more nimbly than you'd expect. His normal attacks are a force to be reckoned with, but his PK Fire and stone needle attacks are also intense. Makes his appearance on Holy Loly Mountain.

SATURNIA¹¹

サターニア

Rockoyle

Satania

HP: 120     OF: 70     DF: 150

A monster made stronger than the Gargoyla¹², along with a free command of PK Freeze 𝜷, 𝜸 and 𝛺. He also uses Hypnosis. And like the Gargoyla, he appears on Holy Loly Mountain.

BRAINGA

ブレインガ

Cerebrum

Brainger

HP: 200     OF: 60     DF: 280

A space creature who's nothing but a brain and legs. A fearsome foe with a mastery of eight kinds of PSI. Don't even think about letting yourself be deceived by his lightweight appearance. Appears in such places as the Holy Loly Mountain caves.

THINGS

ROPE

ロープ

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 80     OF: 35     DF: 50

For whatever reason, he appears alongside the Fugitive. He'll make the best use of his body (being a rope) by tying his opponents up so that they can no longer move. When you defeat him, if you're lucky, you'll get a Rope. Lurks around Thanksgiving.

LAMPSTAND

でんきスタンド

Lamp

Lamp

HP: 6     OF: 3     DF: 5

This enemy has the honor of being the first one the lead character fights. He flies around the room by way of the mysterious poltergeist activity. He's not that big a deal, but it is super scary to imagine what's to come.

DOLL

にんぎょう

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 12     OF: 4     DF: 5

Runs amok in Mimmie's room (that's the lead character's sister). As with the Lampstand, this is the poltergeist activity's doing. He's also a key enemy who nets you the first melody.

MAD TRUCK

マッドトラック

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 60     OF: 22     DF: 40

It's an enormous eighteen-wheel semi, driving recklessly even though no one's at the helm: it's under the aliens' control. Makes a lot of appearances in Thanksgiving. It emits exhaust fumes at you, so the asthmatic protagonist will especially want to beware of fits.

DEVIL TRUCK

デビルトラック

PsychoTruck

Devil Truck

HP: 58     OF: 20     DF: 40

A demonic truck where they took a Mad Truck and powered it up. It's more incessant even at spitting exhaust fumes. If you get run over by it, you'll be totally flattened. Appears here and there around Thanksgiving.

DEATH TRUCK

デストラック

ManiacTruck

Death Truck

HP: 80     OF: 34     DF: 48

The most fearsome of the trucks is this truck of death. Not only is its impact force intense, its exhaust fume emission is through the roof. This one also shows up around Thanksgiving.

MAD CAR

マッドカー

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 40     OF: 20     DF: 38

This is no time to stop and stare at the pretty blue car. While you're gawking, this jerk is cooking up a scheme to take his opponent down with an exhaust emission. Yeah, it's a hot set of wheels, but it also drives recklessly. Zooms around Thanksgiving.

DEVIL CAR

デビルカー

Psycho Car

Devil Car

HP: 40     OF: 18     DF: 40

A demonic car. It's extra sturdy, having been made with bulkier steel than the Mad Car. And yes, it runs rampant with exhaust fumes for its weapon. Appears in the area around Thanksgiving.

ROBOTS

BOMBER

ボマー

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 60     OF: 10     DF: 64

This is a robot with a funny shape, but it's quite the imposter: contrary to its outward appearance, it comes at you throwing bombs. But it also does things like fall over now and again, so yeah, it's cute. Shows up in the big factory.

STAR MINER

スターマイナー

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 200     OF: 140     DF: 200

A robot made more powerful than the Bomber. As usual, it has the cute disposition where it does things like fall over, but one difference is that it uses many more rounds of bombs. It's pretty intense. Shows up on Holy Loly Mountain.

SUIT OF ARMOR

カッチュウ

Armor

Armor

HP: 120     OF: 68     DF: 150

This is an enemy with an old-fashioned appearance, as though it broke out of a history book, but because it protects itself with its tough armor, it can take a licking; and since it's free with its use of PK Thunder 𝜷 to boot, you're going to have one tough time taking it down. It's also unsettling to know it appears in the Haunted Mansion.

ENERGY ROBO

エナジーロボ

EnergyRobot

Atomic Robot

HP: 80     OF: 60     DF: 90

Appears alongside such robots as the Death Barbot or Jane, and replenishes its accomplice's energy mid-battle. It's a huge pain in the neck in that, should you destroy it, it explodes. Shows up in the desert and Easter.

SUPER ENERGY

スーパーエナジー

SuperEnergy

NuclearRobot

HP: 120     OF: 50     DF: 120

It's basically the same thing as an Energy Robo, except this little guy appears alongside such robots as Suzy. Just as powerful as the partner is the follow-up. Plus, the explosion when you destroy it is that much more devastating. Makes its appearance on Holy Loly Mountain.

JANE

ジェーン

Nancy

Jane

HP: 120     OF: 62     DF: 170

A gynoid. She'll occasionally flash an astonishingly beautiful smile, but there's some hidden secret to that facial expression in which it boosts her Defense. Also uses such PSI attacks as Psycho Block and PK Freeze 𝜸. Makes her appearance in Easter Town.

CAROLINE

キャロライン

Kelly

Caroline

HP: 120     OF: 80     DF: 150

A being who's sort of like an older sister to Jane. In addition to having Jane's offensive ability, she also uses Darkness. She does something dubious, too, which, if successful, will plunge its prey into a dazed state where they end up becoming a rock (read: Unconscious). Makes her appearance on Holy Loly Mountain.¹³

SUZY

スージー

Juana

Susie

HP: 300     OF: 200     DF: 250

A being who's sort of like the eldest sister of the Jane family. Uses the 𝜸 each of Thunder, Fire and Beam. Her destructive force is topped only by the giant robots. And when she appears alongside a Super Energy, you'd better believe she's a nightmare. Makes her appearance on Holy Loly Mountain.

STARMAN

スターマン

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 80     OF: 45     DF: 80

Shows up everywhere from Valentine to Easter to the Swamp. It was the first robot to descend to the Earth's surface for the purpose of invading it. Uses Psycho Shield and PK Beam 𝜶 and 𝜸. The Franklin Badge is effective against this jerk.

BLUE STARMAN

ブルースターマン

BlueStarman

Blue Starman

HP: 100     OF: 74     DF: 120

A robot made more powerful than the Starman. Just when you think it's standing on guard, it launches a sudden attack at you like PK Beam 𝜶, 𝜷 or 𝜸. It's inside the Holy Loly Mountain caves, tasked with making sure no one else gets by.

LAST STARMAN

ラストスターマン

LastStarman

Last Starman

HP: 120     OF: 90     DF: 140

The strongest robot of all the Starmen. Fires powerful light rays such as PK Beam 𝜷 and 𝜸. Appears in numbers on Holy Loly Mountain.

SON OF STARMAN

スターマンのむすこ

Starman Jr.

Starman Jr.

HP: 52     OF: 32     DF: 52

Son though he may be, he is of the Starman line, so he's not easily dismissed. Controlling the zoo animals is a piece of cake for him. He holds the fort on the top floor of the Zoo Curator's Office.

MEGABORG

メガボーグ

Megaborg

Mega-Borg

HP: 160     OF: 80     DF: 170

Originally developed for Far Eastern use, this robot is currently deployed to the U.S. district. Its exterior covering is that of a high-pressure alloy shaped into armor, repelling nearly all PSI attacks. Fires PK Beam 𝜶 and 𝜷 at you. Appears on Holy Loly Mountain.

GIGABORG

ギガボーグ

Giga Borg

Giga-Borg

HP: 180     OF: 100     DF: 180

The upgraded type of the Borg line. Primarily attacks you with PK Beam 𝜶, 𝜷 and 𝜸. One assumes brute strength from its appearance, but it goes in for surprisingly few physical attacks. Appears on Holy Loly Mountain.

LAST BORG

ラストボーグ

Omega Borg

Last Borg

HP: 230     OF: 150     DF: 200

The strongest robot among the Borgs. It's especially diverse with its PSI attacks, using PK Beam 𝜷 and 𝜸, Fire 𝜷 and Thunder 𝜸. Has devilish strength.

R-7037

R・7037¹⁴

R7037

R-7037

HP: 1000     OF: 300     DF: 600

A giant robot that rears its head at the entrance to the ruins in Advent Desert. Measuring more than seven meters and weighing in at 3.5 tons, the attacks its enormous frame continuously dishes out are more than enough to one-shot your lead character. Your attacks won't make even the slightest quiver. Attacking with PSI is pointless too.

R-7038

R・7038

R7038

R-7038

HP: 1000     OF: 600     DF: 1000

A giant robot that makes a sudden assault on Holy Loly Mountain's hut. It's even more powerful than R-7037, the model that appears in the desert. The way it'll feel to fight it, you may as well be an ant up against an elephant. Try whatever you will, however many times, all your efforts will come to naught.

R-7038XX

R・7038XX

R7038XX

R-7038XX

HP: 1000     OF: 900     DF: 1000

The strongest enemy seen in MOTHER. It's nigh impossible to express its strength — or should we say, its dreadfulness — in words. If R-7038XX were to come down from Holy Loly Mountain, you can imagine that towns would be laid to waste overnight.

BARBOT

バーボット

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 60     OF: 24     DF: 36

Despite its slender, easily-broken-looking build, this robot actually has extremely high-density machinery made with a special, pliable metal. Uses PK Beam 𝜸. Prowls around Thanksgiving.

DEATH BARBOT

デスバーボット

UltraBarbot

Death Barbot

HP: 80     OF: 54     DF: 80

A robot that improves even further upon the Barbot, designed with a structure more resistant to external attacks. Comes at you weaponizing PK Beam 𝜸. Appears in the desert and Easter.

OLD ROBO

オールドロボ

Old Robot

Old Robot

HP: 60     OF: 48     DF: 72

A robot that attacks you in Duncan's Factory. The model was made as a prototype during World War II, but it's been taken and resurrected by the aliens. It uses PK Beam 𝜶. The fact that it sometimes does things like stand on guard shows how far back its model year was.

SCRAPPER

スクラッパー

[Same name across the board.]

HP: 70     OF: 26     DF: 76

A robot appearing in the big factory, who, like the Old Robo, was manufactured as a prototype. And yes, it was resurrected by the aliens' handiwork. It'll fire PK Beam 𝜶 at you. It does other things, too, like stand on guard.

LITTLE SAUCER

リトルソーサー

Lil Saucer

Li'l Saucer

HP: 32     OF: 20     DF: 30

A miniature flying saucer whose primary purpose is reconnaissance. PSI attacks like Psycho Block and Psycho Shield are its specialty. Pops up a lot around Thanksgiving, in numbers or with a Barbot.

OMEGA SAUCER

オメガソーサー

OmegaSaucer

Omega Saucer

HP: 65     OF: 42     DF: 50

A model of Little Saucer altered for battle. Aside from ordinary attacks, it uses PK Beam 𝜶 and Psycho Shield. This one, too, makes frequent appearances either in numbers or with a Death Barbot.

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ARTIST PROFILE

These Figures Were Created by Tottori, from the Tottori Prefecture

Creating a solid, three-dimensional figure from one of Shinbou Minami's character model drawings, without any advice, is not as easy as you'd think. But because there is someone who can do it, we're able to show you all this. The figures seen here (made out of paper clay) are the work of a man named Tottori, who spent some ten months pouring his sweat and tears into them, all by himself. After all, he was a child genius at age three, when he was already making figures of Godzilla. So this was one gargantuan feat. By the way, if you're wondering why we're using the "Middle-Aged Man" from MOTHER instead of a portrait photo for Tottori, it's because the man himself is shy. But it's pretty accurate... according to him.

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¹ "Young Man": There is no perfectly satisfactory way I can think of to translate this (I believe this is supposed to be from Ninten's perspective, and a twelve-year-old is not likely to call an adult "young man"). The word used for the hippie enemy is Oniisan, which literally means older brother, but in this case (obviously) is a non-familial term for a young man, or at least a man who hasn't quite yet graduated to the ojisan stage of life ("middle-aged man", see next enemy's name and Note 2).

² "Middle-Aged Man": Ojisan can also be translated as "mister" or "uncle" (though in this case, obviously without literal familial relation to Ninten).

³ Obasan: This is the word for "aunt", but as with the enemies covered in the two above notes, a non-familial term, such as "middle-aged woman", is what's meant here.

⁴ This could also be translated as "Dr. Yugami". Yugami is a real surname, but can also be a homophone for "distortion". The enemy's name from the official translation is possibly inspired by Dr. Demento, whose radio show, made up of weird and comical novelty songs and skits, was especially popular during the 1980s.

⁵ The Encyclopedia uses a slightly different name from his in-game, Battle Mode name: ブラブラ団のボス, or "Bla-Bla Gang Boss".

⁶ The claim that the Buffalo is "more ferocious than the Bison" is a strange one to make, considering its HP, Offense and Defense are all lower than the Bison's, plus it doesn't use continuous attacks while the Bison does.

⁷ "It has to do with finances." I don't know what's meant by this. The Foureyes/Woosh Swoosh only gives out $26 when you defeat him, which isn't much even compared to what the other Swooshes give.

⁸ Bearu: The enemy's name is ベアル bearu, so the English word bear obviously comes into play here, but the problem is, when written in Katakana, that's typically ベアー. That's not to say ベアル couldn't be in some cases a legitimate pronunciation of the word, but this enemy's name strikes me as a two-way pun — in other words, a reference to bear and something else. What that could possibly be has me baffled.

⁹ Domook: It's hard to be sure, but the do- added to the beginning of this enemy's name may be a way of saying "Big Ol' Mook" or "One Heck of a Mook", in the same vein as giving アホ aho ("idiot") a do- prefix to make a harsher insult: どアホ doaho (something like "freaking idiot").

¹⁰ "Gargoyla": Well, it's a gargoyle, and has nothing to do with plants, but it's still worth noting that there is a plant called Lepanthes gargoyla.

¹¹ "Saturnia": Not sure on this name either. Translating it this way could create an unintended connection to the Mr. Saturns in later games. This enemy being a gargoyle monster and all, the clearest option would be a reference to the devil ("Satania", which is in fact the route Mato took). The long vowel however may make it a double pun on both Satan and Saturn. (Who knows, maybe it's meant to be ironic, like a way of saying, "here's a Christian reference, but hey, let's combine it with Paganism just for yuks!" ... Okay, I'm reaching.) And, although unrelated, it's noteworthy that Saturnia is the name of a town in Italy and a genus of moth.

¹² As with the Bison/Buffalo problem in Note 6, this is false. The Saturnia is actually weaker than the Gargoyla.

¹³ Caroline actually appears in the Swamp, not on Holy Loly Mountain.

¹⁴ In MOTHER's Battle Mode, each robot in this line has a nakaguro between the "R" and the set of digits, while the Encyclopedia removes the dash from each name.

Thanks to Biozilla for providing the scans from which these images were edited. Please note the Gargoyla figure is heavily Photoshopped around the claws and right wing, to remove some text present in the actual book.

To Encyclopedia MOTHER contents