Games - Klonoa

	Games - Klonoa

Klonoa (クロノア), sometimes referred to as Klonoa of the Wind (風のクロノア) is an anthropomorphic video game character created by Namco, and has starred in several games bearing his name since 1997.

There is much speculation as to what Klonoa actually is, though he most closely resembles a rabbit or cat. The latter is probably the most fitting description, as Namco has stated in various interviews that though he is primarily a fantasy character, they mostly consider him a cat with long ears. Klonoa also has his own unique language, with such exclamations as "Magya!", "Rupurudu!" and "Wahoo!", which have become his trademarks. While it would be easy to label Klonoa's language as cute gibberish based on Japanese, there does seem to be an underlying syntax order. For example, most of the time Klonoa silences the letter N, pronouncing his name as "Klo-oa." In all of his appearences, Klonoa is voiced by Kumiko Watanabe.

Biography

Though a comprehensive account of Klonoa's life is still forthcoming, all that is currently known about him is contained within the various games in the Klonoa series. He lives in the world of Phantomile in a small village called Breezegale with his grandfather, who he and everyone else refer to affectionatly as "Grandpa". It is unrevealed what his parent's status is, or if they simply live somewhere else. Besides Grandpa, Klonoa once lived with a small sprite named Huepow, who also accompanied him on a few of his earlier adventures.

Not unlike Nintendo's character Kirby, Klonoa is described as a "Dream Traveler", who is fated to travel to varous places where the state of dreams is in danger. During his travels to several Dream Worlds, he has met several characters who would later become mainstays in the series, such as Popka and the young priestess Lolo, who would later become something of a love interest, if not just an obligatory damsel in distress. He has also made a rival of a gun-toting mercenary named Gantz (Guntz in the Japanese version, an intentional translation mistake by Namco in order to downplay his use of firearms).

Appearance

Klonoa's appearance has changed since his introduction in his first game, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, though he has retained his most recognizable features such has his large ears, black and white color scheme, and cap depicting an image of Namco mascot Pac-man eating a dot. In Door to Phantomile, Klonoa was much more feline in appearance, with large, yellow eyes and noticeable fangs when smiling. He wore a magenta pants, a light blue cap, and had a large collar around his neck. Later, in Klonoa: Moonlight Museum, Klonoa's appearance was changed slightly, and his eyes were given a more traditional, animated look, as well as making him somewhat taller.

The biggest change to Klonoa's design came in his third appearance in Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil, where he went through a radical wardrobe change, gaining a blue shirt with a large zipper pin, dark blue shorts, and a blue cap. His face was altered a bit as well, and gave more focus to the fur around his mouth.

Abilities and techniques

Klonoa's small yet notable abilities have faithfully been retained in nearly every game he has been featured in, and very little has been changed about them throughout the years, despite changes in game engines and console hardware. Most of his talents come from his particular attributes such as his large ears or his special "Wind Ring" which can be used for a variety of effects.

The Wind Bullet

The magical jewel at the end of Klonoa's ring can fire a concentrated blast of wind known as a "wind bullet" that serves as his primary means of attack. When this bullet is fired against an enemy, their bodies inflate and become rounded, filling up with a light substance that makes them float. Klonoa can then pick them up over his head and either toss them straight forward into other enemies or use them to perform a second jump in the air, allowing him to reach places he normally couldn't (and destroying the particular enemy he is holding in the process). Many of the levels in the Klonoa series of games have been designed with this ability in mind, with large verticals obstacles being a common hindrance.

Floating

Klonoa can often use his large, floppy ears to his advantage by flapping them in order to add a few more inches to his maximum jump height, or to remain in the air for a moment longer. This move has been important in games where precise jumps are needed, and leaves smaller room for error with judging Klonoa's landings.

Board Riding

In addition to Klonoa's other talents, Klonoa has demonstrated the ability to ride a special "Air Board" in several of his titles. Resembling a snowboard that hovers slightly off the ground, this board is usually only availible in certain circumstances, but it allows him to travel over large areas of snow or water. His ears are also usable when on the board, as well as his Wind Ring, allowing Klonoa to make impossibly large jumps and say in the air for an extended time.

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