Hinox

HINOX

As Link journeys across Hyrule to stop Agahnim and free his people, he will discover the existence of a Dark World, a dimension nearly identical to his own, but darker and more twisted. Here he will find different versions of familiar landmarks, and characters and enemies bearing passing resemblances to characters on the other side. Among these stronger enemies, he will encounter large cyclopean beings throwing bombs.

These are the Hinoxes, who would go on to regular appearances across the 2D games, almost never appearing in the 3D series. That would be until Breath of the Wild. Much like their fellow enemies, the Lynels, they’d get an upgrade in that game, transforming them into giants that liked to tear apart the landscape around them to get at whoever disturbed their slumber.

As fighters, they’ll probably be somewhere in between their normal 2D portrayals and their Breath of the Wild versions, not quite as big as the Wild ones, but still bearing a strong resemblance to them. They will be heavy and strong, and their moves will pull from the bombs of their 2D versions and the other attacks of their Wild versions.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause.

Sahasrahla

SAHASRAHLA

Forced into hiding from Agahnim and the soldiers he now commands, Link and Zelda set about trying to stop him. Zelda sends Link out to seek aid from an old wise man living in the nearby village, who has likewise been forced from his home and is now hiding near the Eastern Palace.

This old man is Sahasrahla, something of a spiritual successor to the old man of the previous games and an advisor to Link. Much like his predecessor, he provides Link with many of the unique items used in the game and aids him with magic from time to time. Another version of him would later appear in A Link Between Worlds.

As a fighter, Sahasrahla will be older and slower than most, and will rely mostly on magical attacks to fight. Being the supplier of much of the weapons and Link’s primary advisor throughout the adventure, it seems only right that his moveset pull from all the mechanics unique to this specific game.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen.

Poe

POE

Sneaking into the castle, Link will find Princess Zelda held hostage by Agahnim and free her, sneaking through the castle’s catacombs and into a sanctuary guarded by a sage who has remained loyal to Zelda and the royal family. Outside the sanctuary, Link can visit a graveyard where strange ghostly figures tend to appear.

These ghostly figures are Poes, who will have much larger roles in Ocarina of Time as lantern-carrying spirits who can turn invisible at will, boosting them into series regular status with numerous subsequent appearances, but this is where they truly started.

As fighters, they won’t have much strength but great defense, like most ghostly fighters, and a fair amount of speed. Their moveset will pull from all of their major appearances across the games, including their torches and their invisibility.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause.

Hylian Soldier

HYLIAN SOLDIER

Link will set out from his little hut that he shares with his uncle to help Zelda and overthrow Agahnim. His journey will be troubled, however, as he will find not only standard Ganon followers blocking his way, but the regular soldiers who would have normally been his allies have now turned on him as well.

Hylian Soldiers would appear time and time again throughout the Legend of Zelda, mostly acting as mere NPCs, kicking him out when caught sneaking into the castle in Ocarina of Time or fighting alongside him in Hyrule Warriors. Thanks to their appearance here, however, they would soon prove common enemy types in most of the 2D games, whether it makes sense in the narrative or not.

As fighters, the Hylian soldiers will be pretty much in the generic category, most of their stats about middling, if with a little bit of extra strength and speed. Their movesets will pull primarily from their enemy roles in the 2D games but with a little added from their 3D appearances.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Agahnim

AGAHNIM

Although reception to Zelda II would be . . . complicated, at best, the Legend of Zelda series continued to prove huge and popular enough to see an installment the moment Nintendo launched its next console, the NES. This one starred a new Link, woken by Zelda from his dreams to warn him that the king’s advisor had deposed him and brainwashed the kingdom’s soldiers.

This advisor was Agahnim, a dark wizard who had ingratiated himself into the royal family of Hyrule as a means to betray them and resurrect his lord Ganon, who’d been sealed away centuries before. He would mostly only appear in this game, but similar characters would recur in later games.

As a fighter, he will be a spellcaster first and foremost, with lots of powerful magical attacks at his disposal, most with an underhanded bent to them. His moveset will pull from his two major boss fights as well as his implied actions throughout the rest of the story.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Dark Link

DARK LINK

Though his minions will be an active part of the story, trying to resurrect him, Ganon would not end up appearing in this game. Instead, your final boss will come from the most unexpected of places: yourself. A shadow would rise, taking on your shape and attacking you with all the weapons and skills you had picked up throughout the game.

This is Dark Link, a recurring motif throughout the series. Mostly presented as simply a mirror version of Link who would fight him with all the same abilities the player has, this character would be an easy echo fighter, were it not for his appearance in Four Swords Adventures, where he acted as a henchman to the villain Vaati, with a few distinct moves of his own.

As a fighter, Dark Link will be a near-clone of Link, with all the same stats across the board and most of his moveset copied one to one. The only major differences will be brought over from Four Swords Adventures, shaking him up just a little bit.

Likelihood rating: Already in (kind of).

Thunderbird

THUNDERBIRD

The Legend of Zelda proved a huge success with audiences who loved the openness and freedom to explore the world at their leisure. Soon, a sequel was put into development and released as Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. This game starred the same Link, setting out this time to collect the pieces of the legendary triforce in order to awaken a . . . different Zelda, who had been asleep for several decades. Along the way, he would encounter many familiar enemies and many new faces, including strange bird people with electricity-based powers.

These are the Fokka, Fokkeru, and Thunderbirds. Though technically different, they all share distinct similarities in their appearances and abilities, with the Thunderbird just being a big boss version of them. These enemies would not appear again throughout the franchise, except in a few promotional materials released around the era.

As fighters, they will be quick with shocking attacks that paralyze and wings that allow them to be light and flighty. Their moveset will pull from all three different enemy types.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen.

Princess Zelda

PRINCESS ZELDA

Upon Ganon’s defeat, Link will be able to cross into the chamber behind him and free the princess taken captive at the very beginning of the tale, the princess the entire game was named after.

This is Princess Zelda, the second main character and perpetual damsel in distress throughout the series. Like Link, she would take many forms across many different timelines, but always play a prominent role in the outcome of the fight, often helping Link in his final battles with Ganon and other villains.

As a fighter, she will certainly be a magic user without too much in the way of physical strength. Her moveset in Smash currently pulls from the three gifts granted to Link by the Great Fairies in Ocarina of Time, but across the series, she has demonstrated numerous abilities of her own, and I’d rather build her moveset from those instead.

Likelihood rating: Already in.

Ganon

GANON

Having fought your way across eight dungeons and the entire overworld, you are finally ready to storm the fortress of the game’s evil warlock, set high on Death Mountain. You finally reach the inner chamber and come face to face with a massive pig demon wielding a trident.

This is Ganon, the original representation of the series’s recurring antagonist. Though later games will expand his backstory and represent him originally as a human, by this point in his development, he has become so consumed by evil and dark magic, he has lost his human form entirely. Though his beastly form would make appearances in the 3D games, the pig demon presented here would be his consistent form for most 2D appearances.

As a fighter, naturally he will be big and strong with a lot of power behind his attacks. His trident will act as his main weapon but his moveset will pull from all of his various boss fights across the Zelda series.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Gohma

GOHMA

At the end of the sixth dungeon, you will encounter a giant crab/spider-looking thing with one giant eye that will shoot at you with lasers.

This is a Gohma, a creature that would appear again and again throughout the series, frequently as the first boss of the game. Designs of the creature will vary radically, from more of a crab here in Legend of Zelda, to a giant spider in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, to a lava centipede of sorts in Wind Waker. Through it all, Gohma shares certain aspects, most notably its giant creepy-crawly concept and its single giant eye.

As a fighter, Gohma will combine most of its design aspects and look like some monstrous cross between a spider and a crab. Its moveset will pull from all of its major boss battles, including its laser eyes and its hundreds of eggs.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Wizzrobe

WIZZROBE

Right around your sixth dungeon, should you do them in order, you will come across another enemy who will appear again and again throughout the series, the resident spellcasters of Ganon’s forces.

These are the Wizzrobes, cloaked mages who wield all manner of magic across multiple different elements. They will appear consistently throughout most games in the series, either as basic enemies or as mini-bosses, always using magic and teleportation to screw with you.

As a fighter, naturally they will be mage-types, thoroughly unskilled in physical areas but making up for it with their skill in magic and spells. Their movesets will pull from across their appearances, primarily their spells and teleportation.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Manhandla

MANHANDLA

Once you beat the third dungeon of the game, you will find a giant plant with four flame-spewing heads waiting to fight you as the game’s third boss.

Manhandla is another of the most recurring bosses throughout the series, often taking the form of a four-headed plant with various attacks, Hyrule Warriors even going so far as to flesh out its plant based abilities, and Four Swords making it so its heads can only be harmed by its respective color.

As a playable fighter, the Manhandla will lack somewhat in mobility, but it will make up for it in its reach and its ability to attack in four directions at once. Its moveset will pull from across the series, but most especially from Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen.

Darknut

DARKNUT

Another enemy type you might come across inside the later dungeons will come in the form of large knights clad in heavy armor that the player will have to knock loose if they want to get at the warrior’s softer insides.

These are the Darknuts. Or Iron Knuckles. Or a few other names, but really they’re all the same basic concept. As far as I can tell, the difference in name is simply which name the game developers felt like using for this specific installment. Regardless of what you call them, Darknuts consistently prove troublesome enemies you’ll have to take a few minutes to take down.

As playable characters, their biggest quality will be in defense, their heavy armor protecting them from all but the strongest attacks. That defense will be able to be whittled down by enemy players, but the loss of their armor will grant them a boost of speed in return. Their moveset will pull from across their appearances.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Dodongo

DODONGO

Working your way through the dungeons, you will eventually find your way to the final room, where the boss waits to fight you. The first of these ever fought was a giant lizard-creature that likes to crawl around on its belly and breathe fire.

These are the Dodongos. They often vary between being bosses and regular enemies, the bosses sometimes going by “King Dodongo.” They are often nearly impenetrable, forcing you to use your bombs to blow them up from the inside.

As fighters, Dodongos will be large and slow, but with a lot of power behind them. Their moveset will pull from all of their appearances across the series, including their fire breath, their rolling attacks, and their suction abilities.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause.

Vire/Keese

VIRE/KEESE

As one might expect, bats like to hang out in most of these underground dungeons. Called Keese, they will form only a minor threat, little flying creatures that will swoop at you, sometimes on fire. However, a few times, you might find that these bats like to combine together and form a troublesome little vampire-demon.

This is a Vire, an enemy almost exclusively seen throughout the handheld games, an enemy who won’t truly be killed unless you have also killed all the bats that make them up. One specific Vire would act as a major henchmen of Veran and Onox, the villains of the Oracles games.

As a fighter, Vire will be quick with good aerials, and will have a strong defense in the form of his ability to break apart into his individual Keese. His moveset will pull both from the demonstrated abilities of Keese and his own abilities in his few appearances.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Goriya

GORIYA

Alongside Stalfos, one might also find inside the dungeons strange wolf-like fighters wielding boomerangs.

These are the Goriyas, another set of enemies seen almost exclusively inside the 2D games. They primarily play the role of the boomerang-throwing enemies, but in the animated television series, they did play a prominent role as minions to Ganon, alongside Moblins and Stalfos.

While the boomerang was not enough to get them a playable moveset from the games alone, they played a large enough role in the series alongside enemies that already had movesets, that I’m comfortable enough for their moveset to pull as well from the unique elements used by enemies in that series. They will be agile and strong fighters, befitting their lupine nature.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Stalfos

STALFOS

Whether you’ve explored the full overworld or not, eventually the player will have to plunge into the eight dungeons scattered throughout the map. Inside they will discover even more enemies and challenges, including hordes of reanimated skeletons who tend to come back to life if you take too long slaying their friends.

These are the Stalfos, or at least, Stalfos is the most common name of the enemy type. Many games will include slightly smaller versions called Stalchildren, and games like Breath of the Wild will include variants for all the various enemies. Strictly speaking though, we’ll be mostly focused on the core Stalfos design.

In game, they will be tough and nimble warriors generally able to go toe-to-toe with Link in a one-on-one fight. They’ll be armed with swords and shields, and their movesets will pull from all their game appearances and the abilities of their multiple variants.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Lynel

LYNEL

In the rougher, more wild regions of the Overworld, traversing the foothills and cliffsides of Death Mountain, Link might come across a race of centaur-like creatures a bit tougher than the average enemy.

These are the Lynels. Though they wouldn’t see too much change over the years and find life more or less exclusively in the top-down games, Breath of the Wild would take their concept and crank them up to eleven, turning them from tough but still basic enemy types to God-tier berserkers hellbent on destroying everything in their path and giving more than a few players immediate heart attacks the moment they appear on the horizon.

Naturally, in this game, they will take mostly from their Breath of the Wild version, with all the strength, speed, and general extra-ness that comes with. Likely being a bit OP aside, their moveset will pull from all of their various moves demonstrated with extreme prejudice throughout the game.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Great Fairy

GREAT FAIRY

With all these enemies running around, the player might find themselves quickly running low on health. Luckily for them, they might come across a pond with a few sparkling fairies buzzing around it and a beautiful, mysterious figure waiting inside to bless the approaching hero.

This figure is the Great Fairy, a recurring trope of the Legend of Zelda. They would take many forms, from more or less an abstract figure in games such as Wind Waker to a gigantic voluptuous woman who takes great pleasure in toying with Link for her own amusement in games like Ocarina of Time.

In game, she will be large and floaty, with a lot of magical power behind her various attacks. Her color swaps will take her through her various forms, and her moveset will pull from the healing blessings and other magical gifts she bestows on Link, with a little from her Hyrule Warriors moveset.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Armos

ARMOS

Another common foe frequently seen in the overworld might take you by surprise. Here and there you will approach what looks like an ordinary statue, only for it to come to life and start tromping after you.

These are the Armos, the most prominent of several enemy types built around the concept of an inanimate object brought to life, such as their laser-blasting relative, the Beamos. Although rarely a major part of the series, no Zelda game would ever really feel complete without them.

More or less our Thwomp of this roster, Armos will be big and heavy and slow, with somewhat limited mobility. Their abilities will pull from across the series, including the abilities demonstrated by Armos themselves as well as those like them, such as Beamos and the statues controlled by the dominion rod.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Moblin

MOBLIN

The nature of the original Legend of Zelda meant that there was no set pattern in which one might encounter various enemies, and it could be conceivably possible for a player to have explored the entire overworld before ever entering the dungeons that made up the game’s main levels. Going off of that logic, among the first you might see in the overworld are large pig warriors wielding spears and clubs.

These are the Moblins, Ganon’s primary henchmen throughout this and many other games. Though later games would introduce the Bokoblins, shifting their role from main minion to “bigger, stronger variant of main minion,” they would remain a constant and memorable presence through the series.

In game, they will be big and strong, but a bit on the slow side (except when they are charging at you). Their moves will pull from all across the series, basically everything a Moblin has ever been seen to be capable of.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Old Man

OLD MAN

Though your enemies might cause you trouble, taking them out leaves you free to explore once again. One of the first rewards for your efforts is the discovery of a cave hidden beneath a tree.

Hidden inside this cave, you will find an old man presenting you with a weapon and telling you, “It’s dangerous to go alone, take this.” This old man would recur time and time again throughout the first game and into the second game, with more named individuals such as Sahasrahla and King Rhoam acting as references to the character in years to come.

As a fighter, he will be slow and lacking in power, being a bit less on the fighter side, but his moveset will pull from all of the various weapons he supplies Link with, specifically those distinctly unique to the games he appears in. He will also make use of the shovel he dug the place with.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen.

Octorok

OCTOROK

That first game plopped you down into an open area with little to no explanation of your goal or a clear direction to go, allowing you the freedom to simply start exploring for yourself. You go one screen over, however, and you just might find yourself running into a few enemies out to make trouble.

Among these was the Octorok, the first real enemy ever seen in the Zelda franchise. They are small octopus-like creatures with puckering mouths that fire rocks at anyone they spot. Though initially land-based, they would frequently take the spot of water-dwelling projectile enemy from the Zoras when they became more of an ally race.

In game, they will be a bit on the squishy side without great defense, but will be quick and have lots of good projectiles to make up for it. Their moveset will include their standard attack, but will also pull from other games, especially Wind Waker’s representation of them.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause

Link

LINK

Today, let's begin our character cards. Once again, these are how the characters might be presented on a website for the game, with a stage connected to them in the background. They will be in exact order of appearance as well as I can manage it.

The Legend of Zelda series began in 1984 as an idea by Shigeru Miyamoto for a game that rewarded you for simple exploration. The game then came to life by pulling from traditional medieval fantasy stories and settings, casting you as a young elven boy tasked with rescuing a princess from an evil warlord.

This young boy was Link, the player’s “link” into the game and the destined hero of Hyrule. Link would go on to become one of the most recognizable faces in all of gaming, seeing many different forms and being reborn again and again into new stories with their own line of continuity, but would time and time again prove himself a certified bad*ss.

In game, Link is a core swordsman at heart. He is quick and nimble, but weighed down some by his equipment, with good defense thanks to his iconic Hylian shield. Though he will have wielded numerous different weapons over his tenure, most of his moveset will pull from the core basics: his sword, his shield, his boomerang, his bow and arrows, his bombs, and his hookshot.

Likelihood rating: Already in

Legend of Zelda Merchandise

LEGEND OF ZELDA MERCHANDISE

Today, let's go over all forms of physical Zelda merchandise outside of the games, comics, and books. Starting with the tabletop games, we have three original board games developed by Milton-Bradley and Bandai, titled the Legend of Zelda, Hyrule Fantasy, and Triforce of the Gods respectively, pretty basic games of that type. We also have Nintendo and Zelda-based Monopoly sets, a chess set, various sets of collectible cards, Twilight Princess trading cards, a set of trump cards, a set of trading cards based on five games from the series released in 2016, a Yahtzee set, and numerous jigsaw puzzles.

For our figures and plushies, we have: multiple figures of Link fighting enemies from the first game, a Christmas ornament, promotional figurines from Ocarina of Time features several major characters, a statue of Link from said game, a gashapon set, similar figures from Majora's Mask (including a really nice one of Skull Kid that I kinda want), a gashapon set of the Four Links, a figure of Toon Link, promotional figures for Wind Waker HD, plushies of Toon Link, Toon Zelda, and Tingle, several statue figures from Twilight Princess (including a gold one of Link on Epona), small figures for Phantom Hourglass, a gashapon set for Spirit Tracks, figures for Skyward Sword, and a few figures for Breath of the Wild. Amiibo go without saying.

As for clothing, there are lots of promotional t-shirts, hats, socks, backpacks, belts, a scarf, and of course various cosplay items. Accessories include special holders for various Nintendo systems, special controllers, cover plates, styluses, keychains, pins, and several different versions of the sword and shield, also for general cosplay purposes. Club Nintendo has also put out a few promotional items here and there.

There's a lot to go into, but I think we've covered most of the whole of it, at least those officially sanctioned by Nintendo. Zelda is a big series with a lot of memorable iconography and characters, so I'm sure I missed something, but I think we're good for now.

And now, it is time for our character cards. I don't remember what I did before with Mario, if I took a day's break before getting started or what, but considering how close we are, I think I'll pick it up Boxing Day. Thank you all for reading, and have a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, whichever you prefer.

Image used with the permission of ChaosDrako, my friend.

Legend of Zelda Guides, Manuals, Etc.

LEGEND OF ZELDA GUIDES, MANUALS, ETC.

Today, let's finish off the books by going over everything non-narrative. This means guides, manuals, how-to-draws, and the like. The most famous of these works is obviously the Hyrule Historia, a big old heavy book that I'm pretty sure was 90% of the weight of the box of books my friend loaned me, and the first of three released for the 25th Anniversary called the Goddess Collection, with Art & Artifacts and Encyclopedia being the other two. Basically, they act as one massive encyclopedia full of behind-the-scenes details on the making of everyone's favorite fantasy game series. The most notable features included Himekawa's short Skyward Sword manga, and an official timeline for all games up to Skyward Sword, not including oddballs like Wand of Gamelon. It's neat.

Next up, we have How to Draw The Legend of Zelda, an art instruction book; History of Zelda Art Collection 1, 2, and 3, exactly what they say on the package; Breath of the Wild Explorer's Guide and Creating a Champion, both released for Breath of the Wild; and Link's Awakening Dreamer Artbook, an artbook released for the complete remake of Link's Awakening. Add on top of that multiple manuals for each of the various games, released by Prima Games and others, as well as collections of sheet music (seeing as Zelda is quite known for its music), and we have quite the library.

And that's it. I think tomorrow, we're going to blaze through the entire library of merchandise. Why wait, right?

Legend of Zelda Books

LEGEND OF ZELDA BOOKS

Today, we cover all story-related books, all books with some form of narrative to them. All guides, manuals, Historias, and the like will come in tomorrow's blog. First up is Molblin's Magic Spear, published in 1990 and written by Jack C. Harris. It's a pretty simple story, of Link seeking magical water that will help him dodge a magical spear thrown by the Moblin (typoed as Molblin) guarding Zelda.

Then we have Link and the Portal of Doom, published in 2006 and written by Tracey West. This book takes place shortly after Ocarina of Time, when Link finds a portal in the Lost Woods that threatens to engulf all of Hyrule. Then we have Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, both written by Craig Wessel as companion pieces for the games of the same name. And then we have The Crystal Trap and The Shadow Prince, both installments in the Choose Your Own Adventure series, which are pretty simple to understand. Then there's Ocarina of Time Pathways to Adventure and Zelda Box, both released as companions to Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker respectively.

You are going to have to forgive me on some of this because for quite a few, I have been able to find reference that the title exists, but have not been able to find a good translated version online, the wikis for them are not very forthcoming with a bunch of details, I can't just fill in the gaps on the images like I could with the manga, and some seem like they have original characters in them but I cannot dig deep enough to figure out if they do or not. These include Futabasha's trilogy Battle of Mirage Castle, Counterattack from the Darkness, The Count of Black Shadow, and an adaptation of A Link to the Past, as well as Keibunsha's The Legend of the Hero of Hyrule, and Takarajimasha's The Legend of the Dark Triforce. The best I can do at the moment is say that there are original villains across these named Gaia, Deor, and Jihad. I'm going to have to try and revisit them on one of my refresher runs if I can. I apologize.

Welp, I can't do much on names, so, we don't have much.

Thanks for reading! Next up, all of the various guides, manuals, and other such books throughout the series.

Zelda Multimedia Roster, Updated

SUPER SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE

LEGEND OF ZELDA MULTIMEDIA

And now we have what is probably going to be our definitive Legend of Zelda Multimedia roster, because I don't believe there are going to be any further characters added in.

1.       Manga Link

2.       TV Link

3.       Riruto

4.       Manga Zelda

5.       TV Zelda

6.       Biri

7.       Com

8.       Raska

9.       Tou

10.   Ghanti

11.   Roam

12.   Gonza

13.   Kala

14.   Gump

15.   Shemlon

16.   Sing

17.   Doof & Automaton

18.   Sleezenose

19.   Rouro

20.   Captain Arjuna

21.   Sir Raven

22.   King Harkinian

23.   Queen Seline

24.   TV Ganon

25.   Ganon’s Minion

26.   Ganon’s Heart

27.   Ganos

28.   Haggis

29.   Water Monster

Thanks for reading! Next up, we go through the various books written for the Zelda series!

2D Zelda Roster, Updated

SUPER SMASH BROS. UNIVERSE

2D LEGEND OF ZELDA

Here's our updated 2D roster, adding in Maple, Jolene, Ricky, and Captain Stalfos!

1.       Link

2.       Dark Link

3.       Four Links

4.       Ravio

5.       The Youth

6.       Princess Zelda

7.       Princess Hilda

8.       Toon Zelda

9.       Ezlo

10.   Minish/Picori

11.   Din

12.   Nayru

13.   Marin

14.   Ralph

15. Maple

16. Ricky

17.   Linebeck

18. Jolene

19.   Alfonzo

20.   Madame Couture

21.   Yves

22.   Subrosian

23.   Monkey

24.   Sahasrahla

25.   Oshus & Ciela

26.   Old Man

27.   Hylian Soldier

28.   Great Fairy

29.   Ganon

30.   Yuga

31.   Agahnim

32.   Nightmare

33.   Onox

34.   Veran

35.   Vaati

36.   Bellum

37.   Chancellor Cole & Malladus

38.   Lady Maud

39.   Byrne

40.   Moblin

41.   Octorok

42.  Goriya

43.   Stalfos

44.   Darknut

45.   Wizzrobe

46.   Poe

47.   Vire/Keese

48.   Armos

49.   Thunderbird

50.   Lynel

51.   Hinox

52.   Gohma

53.   Dodongo

54.   Manhandla

55. Captain Stalfos

Next up, we add in all of our newcomers to the Zelda Multimedia roster!

Character Sheet: Haggis

HAGGIS

Alright, so we did have one more semi-big character list in us. Let's get into it! This is all characters I could pull out originating from the Legend of Zelda manga, or were given just enough of a boost by the manga to make it into our rankings. They are:

1. Maple

2. Jolene

3. Ricky

4. Captain Stalfos

5. Manga Link

6. Riruto

7. Manga Zelda

8. Raska

9. Tou

10. Ghanti

11. Gonza

12. Kala

13. Captain Arjuna

14. Sir Raven

15. Biri

16. Com

17. Gump

18. Shemlon

19. Rouro

20. Ganon's Minion

21. Ganon's Heart

22. Ganos

23. Haggis

And now, let's finish our list with the villain of Oath of Riruto, Haggis (so named to match the standard Dragon Ball naming-scheme of random foods). He first appears as a member of four followers of Ganon working to resurrect him a generation after the original Link and Zelda have passed. Giving into his lust for power, he turns on his comrades, killing two and absorbing Ganon's power into himself the moment he emerges from his prison.

Being a Dragon Ball-style villain, Haggis of course has a number of physical and energy attacks, pulling from his own might and Ganon's power. He can punch, flick really hard with his finger, bash with his head, kick, fire off energy blasts, strike with wind and lightning, move at lightning speed, and use a protection amulet to cast an energy shield around himself. He also has a horse he rides around on, and a bow that he uses to strike down Riruto.

Here's the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Flick

He will use his immense strength to flick a character really hard and send them flying off the screen, with an instant KO sweet spot.

Side B: Arrow Strike

He will draw his bow and fire an arrow straight across the stage. If it connects with a fighter straight on, it will do immense damage.

Up B: Lightning Speed

Sort of like Pikachu's Quick Attack move, he will move at intense speed, almost teleporting like a Dragon Ball character would.

Down B: Wind Strike

I figure his protective amulet will just work to give the man a very high defense stat, and we'll instead use this spot for a wind strike. He will punch forward and send a gust of damaging wind across the stage.

Final Smash: Energy Blast

True to his inspirations, he will charge up all of the energy he stole from Ganon and fire it in a massive blast, similar to a kamehameha.

Entrance: He will ride up on his horse and dismount.

Taunts: Up, he will scream and charge up his energy. Side, he will cross his arms and laugh arrogantly. Down, he will stand and stare off into the distance, brooding.

Thanks for reading! Now, let's update our rosters!

Character Sheet: Ganos

GANOS

Alright, so we did have one more semi-big character list in us. Let's get into it! This is all characters I could pull out originating from the Legend of Zelda manga, or were given just enough of a boost by the manga to make it into our rankings. They are:

1. Maple

2. Jolene

3. Ricky

4. Captain Stalfos

5. Manga Link

6. Riruto

7. Manga Zelda

8. Raska

9. Tou

10. Ghanti

11. Gonza

12. Kala

13. Captain Arjuna

14. Sir Raven

15. Biri

16. Com

17. Gump

18. Shemlon

19. Rouro

20. Ganon's Minion

21. Ganon's Heart

22. Ganos

23. Haggis

The Legend of Zelda: An Original Version was a manga that took about as many liberties with the source material as Yuu Mishouzaki's version did. We already covered how Impa was reworked into a little thief that Link believed to be a boy until the final chapter. The manga's version of Ganon was likewise nearly indistinguishable, being a fearsome lion-man instead of a pig who went by Ganos, probably some form of translation error.

This version of Ganon wielded a sword and could spit fireballs from his mouth. He could also spew smoke that would choke out his enemies and leave them unconscious. And, at least somewhat in keeping with the original work, could trap his foes in jewels, as done with Zelda. It's not too much, but more than enough.

Here's the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Fireball

He will spit an intense fireball from his mouth across the stage as a projectile.

Side B: Sword Strike

He will lunge forward with his sword, striking hard for a killing blow.

Up B: Smoke

He will spew a thick cloud of smoke from his mouth, disappearing inside of it and reappearing somewhere else, while it paralyzes any fighter it touches.

Down B: Jewel

He will cast a magical spell and freeze anyone hit by it in a jewel for a few seconds, similar to an ice effect.

Final Smash: Triforce of Power

Just like the Triforce Blast Link and Com used to defeat him, Ganos will stand before his own Triforce and let loose a blast of destructive energy.

Entrance: He will emerge from shadow and draw his sword.

Taunts: Up, he will hold up a jewel containing the Princess Zelda inside of it. Side, he will swing around his sword and sheath it. Down, he will laugh evilly as smoke billows around him.

Thanks for reading! Next up, a villain who stole Ganon's thunder from Oath of Riruto!

Character Sheet: Ganon's Heart

GANON'S HEART

Alright, so we did have one more semi-big character list in us. Let's get into it! This is all characters I could pull out originating from the Legend of Zelda manga, or were given just enough of a boost by the manga to make it into our rankings. They are:

1. Maple

2. Jolene

3. Ricky

4. Captain Stalfos

5. Manga Link

6. Riruto

7. Manga Zelda

8. Raska

9. Tou

10. Ghanti

11. Gonza

12. Kala

13. Captain Arjuna

14. Sir Raven

15. Biri

16. Com

17. Gump

18. Shemlon

19. Rouro

20. Ganon's Minion

21. Ganon's Heart

22. Ganos

23. Haggis

So, in the Mishouzaki manga, Ganon was portrayed as a nearly all-powerful demon unleashed into the world when a human and an elf decided to . . . have intercourse. Alright then. After finally being defeated by Link, the offspring of said blasphemous relationship, a new avatar was created in the sequel, patterning its appearance upon Link, to seek a new way to return to the world. This didn't really have a name, but at one point, it referred to itself as Ganon's heart, so that's what I'm going with.

This avatar could extend its arms, Mr. Fantastic-style, absorb attacks, disappear and teleport, open its mouth wide to eat people, and it stole Link's big old wedge-shaped White Sword. Then there was the big all-powerful demon form that looked like a big cloud with a pig's head (Calamity Ganon before Calamity Ganon was a think), and everything that came with that. I think we can work with all of that.

Here's the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Extending Grab

The heart will extend its hands out across the stage to grab an opponent and pull them toward it, opening its mouth wide to eat them.

Side B: White Sword

The heart will swing Link's White Sword forward and smash it down, dealing heavy damage and launching opponents.

Up B: Teleport

The heart will disappear into shadow and reappear somewhere else, avoiding damage in the process.

Down B: Absorb

A sort of shielding move, it will turn into a liquid if pressed as an attack lands, completely absorbing the energy put into the attack, which can then be added to the heart's next attack.

Final Smash: Demon Ganon

It will transform back into its full demonic form, filling the stage with shadow and then impaling all fighters on the demon's large tusks.

Entrance: Shadow will form and harden into its avatar.

Taunts: Up, Demon Ganon's head will appear and swirl around its heart. Side, it will heft the White Sword and swing it around. Down, it will turn shadowy with glowing eyes and become more of a blob.

Thanks for reading! Next up, a version of Ganon made by someone who I don't think looked at the character's sprite very hard.

Character Sheet: Ganon's Minion

GANON'S MINION

Alright, so we did have one more semi-big character list in us. Let's get into it! This is all characters I could pull out originating from the Legend of Zelda manga, or were given just enough of a boost by the manga to make it into our rankings. They are:

1. Maple

2. Jolene

3. Ricky

4. Captain Stalfos

5. Manga Link

6. Riruto

7. Manga Zelda

8. Raska

9. Tou

10. Ghanti

11. Gonza

12. Kala

13. Captain Arjuna

14. Sir Raven

15. Biri

16. Com

17. Gump

18. Shemlon

19. Rouro

20. Ganon's Minion

21. Ganon's Heart

22. Ganos

23. Haggis

Okay, so this one's . . . a little bit weird too. So, in the Ran Maru adaptation, Ganon was defeated in the first comic. Naturally, following the first game. Then the second game had a bunch of Ganon's followers who were trying to resurrect him. The manga gave them a leader in the form of this mysterious masked man. Then, in short order, we come to learn that he was the magician that cursed the sleeping Zelda from said game. Then, we also learn that he is Ganon before he became Ganon and is doomed to become him. Wibbly wobbly timey-wimey stuff. And then Ganon kills him so that he can be reborn . . . I don't . . . it's . . . weird, but kinda cool at the same time.

In the manga, Ganon's Minion can teleport and disappear, whip up a storm, shock and burn and fire off magic blasts, fly, and shapeshift. There's also a notably gruesome scene where Ganon's hand bursts from his chest and grabs at our heroes. All plenty of good stuff to work with. And I suppose I should add in that sleeping spell too. Seems marginally important to the plot.

Here's the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Magic Blast

He will fire off a powerful blast of magic from his hands, launching enemies that it hits.

Side B: Ganon's Hand

Ganon's skeletal hand will burst from his chest, grabbing at any players in front of him and tossing them away.

Up B: Flight

He will spread his cloak and levitate into the air on dark magic.

Down B: Sleeping Curse

He will cast a sleeping curse that will put any player it hits to sleep for an extended period of time.

Final Smash: Ganon's Rebirth

An altar will appear before him and he will chant, making his sacrifice to Ganon as the dark lord bursts from his body and spreads damaging dark magic everywhere.

Entrance: He will be chanting at his altar.

Taunts: Up, he will fix his mask to make sure it's in place. Side, he will wave his hands over his altar and chant for a moment. Down, he will bow his head and kneel in reverence.

Thanks for reading! Next up, a combination of Dark Link and Ganon from that one really weird comic.

Character Sheet: Rouro

ROURO

Alright, so we did have one more semi-big character list in us. Let's get into it! This is all characters I could pull out originating from the Legend of Zelda manga, or were given just enough of a boost by the manga to make it into our rankings. They are:

1. Maple

2. Jolene

3. Ricky

4. Captain Stalfos

5. Manga Link

6. Riruto

7. Manga Zelda

8. Raska

9. Tou

10. Ghanti

11. Gonza

12. Kala

13. Captain Arjuna

14. Sir Raven

15. Biri

16. Com

17. Gump

18. Shemlon

19. Rouro

20. Ganon's Minion

21. Ganon's Heart

22. Ganos

23. Haggis

This one's . . . weird? The character comes from Himekawa's adaptation of Ocarina of Time, but not even from the story proper. He comes from a bonus chapter written after the story was finished and was just kind of tacked on at the end. The chapter features Link and Navi hanging out at Lake Hylia when a bird person (a Watarara, not a Rito, I guess) falls out of the sky. He turns out to be the prince of his tribe but incapable of flight. Link and Navi try to help him, but he acts like a spoiled brat for half the chapter, until finally he finds the motivation to fly during a thunderstorm and rejoins his flock. I mean, that was a thing, I guess.

Obviously, in the story, Rouro can fly eventually, but he also pecks with his beak and attacks Link and Navi with a flyswatter and bag to trap them in. And then, of course, there's the massive storm that hits the lake during the course of the chapter. I think we can make enough out of that.

Here's the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Peck

He will peck forward with his beak, smacking enemies on the head and doing damage.

Side B: Flyswatter

He will attack with a flyswatter, the attack doing more damage the lighter a fighter is.

Up B: Flight

He will spread his wings and take off into the air. He can also glide for some distance.

Down B: Bag

He will lunge forward with a burlap sack and trap players inside, tying them up and keeping them trapped for a few seconds.

Final Smash: Tempest

The storm he used to fly for the first time will descend upon the stage, blowing strong winds that knock about even the heaviest fighters, all while Rouro flies around inside it.

Entrance: He will fall out of the sky and faceplant.

Taunts: Up, he will swing around his flyswatter as Navi buzzes around his head. Side, he will cross his arms and look petulant. Down, he will sit down and mope.

Thanks for reading! Next up, we cover a few unique offshoots of Ganon!

Character Sheet: Shemlon

SHEMLON

Alright, so we did have one more semi-big character list in us. Let's get into it! This is all characters I could pull out originating from the Legend of Zelda manga, or were given just enough of a boost by the manga to make it into our rankings. They are:

1. Maple

2. Jolene

3. Ricky

4. Captain Stalfos

5. Manga Link

6. Riruto

7. Manga Zelda

8. Raska

9. Tou

10. Ghanti

11. Gonza

12. Kala

13. Captain Arjuna

14. Sir Raven

15. Biri

16. Com

17. Gump

18. Shemlon

19. Rouro

20. Ganon's Minion

21. Ganon's Heart

22. Ganos

23. Haggis

Same disclaimer as I made for Gump, this character's name's spelling is my best guess at it. Shemlon appeared in Ran Maru's adaptation of Zelda II, and unlike so many other characters, he survived the story. Dude was even a big lovable heartwarming character, who had a great loving relationship with his kid, and had a mentor relationship of sorts with Link. The signs were all there, I don't know what happened. He's a blacksmith from a local village and the father of the little boy Link had to rescue from the woods, who then helps Link defend the village from enemy attack.

As a blacksmith, he, of course, has all the implements one would expect from that, all the hot molten steel and bellows and everything. He also knows a little magic that he can use to enchant the weapons he forges to give them more power. He's also no slouch in using them himself, in slashing and reflecting attacks. I think there's enough here.

Here's the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Weapon Enchantment

He will cast a spell on any item he holds in his hands, giving it just a slight boost to its attack or use.

Side B: Molten Steel

He will tip over his forge and spill hot molten steel that will deal heavy burns to anyone it touches.

Up B: Bellows

He will use a bellows pointed at the ground to propel himself up into the air slightly while blowing down anyone underneath him.

Down B: Reflect

He will hold out his enchanted sword which will project a shielding spell before him that will reflect all projectiles back the way they came.

Final Smash: The Townsfolk

He will lead a crowd of townspeople, all equipped with magic weapons, and repel the invaders from their town (the stage).

Entrance: He will step up, looking intimidating before laughing heartily.

Taunts: Up, he will give his son a bear hug and lift him off of the ground. Side, he will hold out a sword before him and mumble some magic words. Down, he will sit and work at his forge for a moment.

Thanks for reading! Next up, the last of our ally characters for this round!

Character Sheet: Gump

GUMP

Alright, so we did have one more semi-big character list in us. Let's get into it! This is all characters I could pull out originating from the Legend of Zelda manga, or were given just enough of a boost by the manga to make it into our rankings. They are:

1. Maple

2. Jolene

3. Ricky

4. Captain Stalfos

5. Manga Link

6. Riruto

7. Manga Zelda

8. Raska

9. Tou

10. Ghanti

11. Gonza

12. Kala

13. Captain Arjuna

14. Sir Raven

15. Biri

16. Com

17. Gump

18. Shemlon

19. Rouro

20. Ganon's Minion

21. Ganon's Heart

22. Ganos

23. Haggis

So, first, disclaimer: This is my best guess with the spelling of the character's name. I read the manga he's from (Ran's Zelda II) through a YouTube video where an English speaker translated the Japanese on the page as he read along. No wiki was detailed enough to mention him on it, so the creator's pronunciation is all I have to go on.

Anyway, Gump is a wolf swordsman appearing in Ran's adaptation of Zelda II, an old mentor of Link's who taught him to wield a sword and who joins Link for part of his adventure. After Link gets part of the Triforce, Gump turns on him, claiming to want it for himself, but also possibly just doing it for Link to prove himself capable of continuing his journey. Either, in true Ran fashion, Gump dies at the end of this battle, and that's it for him.

We do get to see him fight quite a bit in his short time. He wields a sword and knows most of the skills Link does. He can perform a back flip, a quick stab, a sweeping slash, and all the basic sword moves, and he also uses a training staff as well. It's not much, but it's there.

Here's the moveset I came up with:

Standard B: Quick Stab

He will thrust forward with his sword, stabbing quickly at his opponent and dealing moderate damage.

Side B: Sword Spin

He will spin forward with his sword, slashing with a quick slicing movement.

Up B: Backflip

As seen in his introduction to get out of trouble, Gump will perform a backflip and land a few feet back from his starting position.

Down B: Training Staff

He will hold out a training staff as a counter, doling out two hits in response to an attack.

Final Smash: Crowd Control

Just like his introduction when he is surrounded by an angry mob who are apparently racist to animal people, he will leap up into the air, and then attack all enemies in his immediate area lightning fast, launching them all.

Entrance: He will saunter in, carrying a pack on his back.

Taunts: Up, he will hold out his sword and challenge his enemy to fight him. Side, he will heft his pack and look unamused. Down, he will fall to one knee and plant his sword in the ground.

Thanks for reading! Next up, another character original to the Ran manga who somehow escapes the Ran manga curse.