Parodius (series) - Features - Characters - Original Characters

Original Characters

• Octopus, Takosuke, Takohiko and Belial, they are octopuses. Octopus (A.K.A. Mr.Parodius) appears in the MSX Parodius and Parodius Da! －Shinwa kara Owarai e－ He appears again in Jikkyo Oshaberi Parodius as a narrator (Oshaberi), his wife "Noriko" respectively narrating the second player at SS & PS1 Ports. Two of his offspring he used as options in the previous games took his place in next games: the first one, named as Takosuke, appears on Gokujyou Parodius along with Belial (a yellow female octopus). Another octopus, Takohiko takes Takosuke's place in Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius. The names Takosuke and Takohiko are both portmanteaus of "tako", the Japanese word for octopus, and common endings of Japanese male names, "-suke" and "-hiko". It also makes cameos: The boss battle in The Legend of the Mystical Ninja, his arms trapped in a giant plastic by Marine World in Ganbare Goemon: Uchuu Kaizoku Akogingu, he disguised himself as a pirate in Ganbare Goemon: Kurofune Tou no Nazo, Several characters from Konami on Print Station in Mitsumete Knight R, The enemy that spits out the snowball in Ganbare Goemon: Tōkai Dōchū Ōedo Tengu ri Kaeshi no Maki, the title appears in New International Track & Field, the enemy like points in Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero and Nou Kaihatsu Kenkyujo Kuru Kuru Lab.
• Hikaru and Akane, two showgirls in rabbit costumes riding on rockets. Their weapons are borrowed from Thunder Cross. They were bosses in Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius, most likely as revenge for not being featured as playable characters. They return as usable characters in Sexy Parodius. The girls have appeared as a cameo in many Konami game, such as Konami Wai Wai World, Quiz Gakumon No Susume, Ganbare Goemon 3, Snatcher, TwinBee RPG, Bishi Bashi Champ, Bishi Bashi Special, Bishi Bashi Champ Online, Shout! Shaberin Champ Mobile, or Eternal Knights TRUST. The cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! are replaced by the Gamble Angel Bunny in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX and changes the name of Ruby and Cobalt in Otomedius Excellent.
• Soitsu, Doitsu, Koitsu, and Aitsu, little stick men flying on paper darts. They are also monsters in the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game whose full power cannot be utilized unless they're played in pairs. Their names are commonly used in Japanese slang terms to refer to people one does not know (Doitsu = who, Koitsu = this guy, Soitsu = that guy — far from the speaker, but near to the listener -, and Aitsu = that guy — far from both chatters). It also makes a cameos: A book, as the game Tokimeki Memorial: Forever With You, as an unlockable character in Speed King NEO KOBE 2045, in the game Super Bishi Bashi Champ and in the two castlevania games: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin and Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
• Michael and Gabriel, two angelic pigs, named after two Christian archangels. They're loosely based on angel pig enemies appearing in Parodius Da! －Shinwa kara Owarai e－. Their weapon sets are constructed mostly from those weapons used in Taito's Darius series. Michael makes a cameo in TwinBee Yahho! appearing as a power-up.
• Mambo and Samba, two goofy looking Ocean sunfish: they're character is inspired from obscure MSX2 shooter Space Manbow. They are named after the music styles of the same names, as to pun the design of the "Space Manbow" ship (Since it looks like a mambo fish). Their weapon sets parody those used in the R-Type series, but the weapons are also implemented with functions from Xexex (such as search laser). Mambo can also use four different lasers at time by using formation options (took also from Space Manbow) to create different combinations of laser arsenal.
• Mike and Ran, a pair of cats with what looks like bandages between their legs, a comical way of suggesting they've been neutered.Mike's weapon set is heavily based on first Darius, while Ran takes her weapons from the R-Type Leo.
• Sue and Memim, two fairy girls. They replace Hikaru and Akane in Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius.
• Ivan and Toby, two tough-looking penguins. Their names together form a pun of Iwatobi, the Japanese name for the Rockhopper penguin which they are intended to be. The long yellow eyebrows of this duo are the most striking feature of this particular penguin species. They replace Pentarou and Hanako in Sexy Parodius. It also in the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game, is replaced by Flying Penguin.
• Black Viper, a new space ship only playable in Sexy Parodius. It has similar weapons to Shooting Star. It's most likely based from Gradius III Vic Viper, as the theme song of Black Viper is named "Departure for Sexy", which is a reference to Gradius III theme song "Departure for Space". The pilot is also female, as seen in the intro of Sexy Parodius.
• General Poti, a Dog Commander only playable in Paro Wars.