Hunka Hunka Burnin' Bluster

Donkey Kong Country episode
"Hunka Hunka Burnin' Bluster"
Season	3
Episode	10
Airdate	June 2, 2000[?]
Writer(s)	Bruce Robb Lionel Allaix
Song(s)	"I'm Leo Luster" "Baby, I'm Back!"
Title reference	"Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love"
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"Hunka Hunka Burnin' Bluster" is the thirty-sixth episode of the Donkey Kong Country television series and the tenth episode of season three. It was the thirty-seventh episode to air in North America. Bluster believes that he is going bald, so he mixes all his hair tonics together. However, aside from rejuvenating his hair, it turns him into a tough, smooth-talking ape under the name "Leo Luster." The title is a reference to the Elvis Presley song "Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love," with Leo bearing a passing resemblance to him. This episode is notable for being the only episode where Cranky Kong does not appear.

The premise of a socially inept character using a serum to become handsome is similar to The Nutty Professor, who is a parody of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Plot synopsis

Outside of Bluster Barrelworks, Funky is about to nail a poster into the door but hits his hand instead, his cry of pain attracting Candy's attention. Noticing the poster on the ground, and asking about it before Bluster reminds her of her job, Funky informs them that he is opening "Funky's Bodacious Bistro," and that the grand opening is that night. When Bluster attempts to ask Candy on a date to the restaurant, she simply laughs at him, prompting Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, who are standing nearby, and Funky to laugh as well. When DK asks what they are laughing about, Candy explains that Bluster asked her out, causing everyone to laugh at him again. Candy states that Bluster doesn't need to go with her when DK will be; Donkey Kong assures her that he will take her on the date, though when Diddy reminds him of the "big game," Donkey Kong says that he cannot. Candy is angry that Donkey Kong chose television over her and storms off, while General Klump reveals himself. As Donkey and Diddy enter the factory, King K. Rool orders Klump to return to headquarters, while K. Rool gets an idea to distract Donkey Kong; he explains to Krusha that he is going to write a fake letter from Candy to Donkey Kong to make him think she is breaking up with him, allowing him to steal the Crystal Coconut while DK is distracted with Candy.

Bluster is inside the barrelworks, combing his hair to make himself irresistible to Candy, but when he sees some of his hair in the comb, he becomes paranoid about going bald. He looks through his hair tonics for a solution, but finds none. However, he then gets the idea to mix them all into one.

At DK's House, Diddy Kong tells DK that Candy appeared mad at him, though Donkey Kong assures him that their relationship is okay. Outside, K. Rool, Klump, and Krusha are hiding behind a barrel, the king ordering Klump to deliver the letter they wrote. Diddy reads the letter to DK, who thinks it is an apology from Candy, but they are both surprised to hear that she has broken up with him and found someone else, causing DK to start crying. Under Diddy's advice, however, the two head out to give the newcomer a "banana slamma to end all banana smallas." As they head out, K. Rool determines to head to Cranky's Cabin and steal the Crystal Coconut while they are gone.

After mixing all his tonics together, he becomes less self-conscious about his hair and resolves not to use it on himself. However, when he combs it and finds hair on it a second time, he puts some of the tonic on his comb and puts it in his hair; a bright flash as well as Bluster's cries of pain are seen and heard from inside the factory.

In the jungle, Diddy Kong suggests making up with Candy and then dumping her, though DK simply wants to know who her new boyfriend is. They then run into Candy, DK insisting that she speak first though then asking "how could [she] do this to [him]." Candy believes DK to be talking about the incident at the factory earlier, and he storms off after Candy does not tell him who she is with now. However, they then see King K. Rool and his minions riding in a minecart, K. Rool holding the Crystal Coconut and crowing "I'm the king of the world!". DK chases after them, though they are stopped by Bluster who has been transformed by the mixed tonics and, during song, introduces himself as "Leo Luster"; also during the song, he both hypnotizes the Kremlings to regain the Crystal Coconut and makes Candy fall for him. He then has K. Rool and his minions move along, gives Donkey Kong the Crystal Coconut again, and starts to flirt with Candy, making Donkey Kong jealous.

While riding back to their headquarters, King K. Rool, realizing what had just happened and says "hold it," causing Klump to stop the cart and sends K. Rool flying out in front of it. Running back over to the mine cart, he reminds Klump and Krusha that they lost the Crystal Coconut. Realizing then that they had been hypnotized, K. Rool has Klump find information on the newcomer, though they do not even know his name. K. Rool then sends them off anyway.

While together in the forest, Luster invites Candy on a date to Funky's restaurant. Candy accepts, though when Leo tries to set a time his voice starts to revert back to his normal voice. Realizing that he is about to transform back, Luster is able to escape Candy before he transforms back into Bluster. The serum having fully worn out, Bluster runs off to make more so as to keep his date with Candy. Klump then emerges, surprised to see that Leo Luster is actually Bluster Kong.

At Cranky's Cabin, Diddy announces that it is only twenty minutes until the "big game" starts. Meanwhile, Donkey Kong, putting the Crystal Coconut back in it's proper place, asks what Candy sees in Leo Luster. When thinking of a way to win Candy back, Diddy jokingly suggests that he forget the game and "beg her to take [him] to Funky's." Donkey Kong decides to do this, though Diddy explains that he was just kidding.

Back at Bluster Barrelworks, Bluster is attempting to make the same mix of tonics to transform himself into Leo Luster again. As he is about to test his new serum, both Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong and King K. Rool and his minions are outside; they can hear and see the same flash and scream from earlier. However, the new serum causes Bluster to lose all of his hair, fur included. He tries to add more ingredients to the serum, but during this time the Kremlings sneak into the factory, with Klump and Krusha quietly laughing at Bluster's nudity. Before he can test the serum again, however, Donkey Kong knocks at his door; not wanting to be embarrassed, he keeps Donkey Kong from entering, leaving the potion unattended which results in K. Rool stealing it. DK states that he wants to talk to Candy, though Bluster explains that he gave her the day off "with pay" so as to prepare for a date. Although Diddy is suspicious, they both leave anyway. Bluster then notices that his Leo Luster serum is gone, though K. Rool then reveals himself, holding the serum. K. Rool offers him the potion in exchange for the Crystal Coconut.

At Cranky's Cabin, Diddy is watching TV while Donkey Kong is pacing. Diddy tells him to relax and enjoy the game, though DK states that he cannot while Candy going to dinner with Leo Luster. Bluster then arrives, delivering the message that Candy is waiting for Donkey Kong at Funky's restaurant. He then forces them out of the cabin, stating that he will keep watch over the Crystal Coconut. Outside the cabin, Diddy expresses his suspicion; Bluster has both given Candy the day off and is now helping DK get back together with her, though Donkey Kong simply drops Diddy and continues walking. As they walk off, King K. Rool, Krusha, and Klump climb up and enter the cabin. As he is about to take the coconut, Bluster reminds him of their deal, and they both take what they desire from the other. Bluster then leaves with his potion, to transform again and go off to his date, while K. Rool leaves with the coconut. When Diddy and Donkey Kong return to the cabin, they find that the Crystal Coconut is missing, and believe that Bluster has stolen it.

Funky sees the lights from Bluster's transformation, though believes them to be an approaching storm. Candy is at Funky's Restaurant, saddened that her date has not shown up yet. After turning down Funky's "banana fish," Donkey Kong shows up, stating that Bluster has stolen the Crystal Coconut. At that moment, Leo Luster arrives, telling DK that K. Rool has run off with the Crystal Coconut, then proceeds to go after it himself, Donkey Kong chasing after him. Diddy attempts to follow as well, though becomes sick after eating Funky's "banana fish rolls."

Arriving at King K. Rool's hideout, Donkey Kong attempts to tackle Luster, though he fails. As the two argue, Klump tosses a barrel at them, knocking them out. When DK awakens, he finds himself tied up in a cage in K. Rool's lair. As K. Rool brags about his victory, Donkey Kong tells "Leo" to hypnotize the Kremlings so they can escape and reclaim the coconut, though it is then that Bluster reveals the truth about Leo Luster to him, as well as how Luster came into being. Breaking free of his ropes and freeing Bluster, he suggests tricking K. Rool and his minions into thinking he can hypnotize them. Bluster then reveals a hidden vial of the serum so that he can actually transform into Leo Luster and hypnotize them, though DK accidentally knocks it out of the cage and onto the ground, shattering the vial and spilling the serum. DK then suggests transforming into Luster without the serum; Bluster dismisses this as crazy, though DK convinces him that, somewhere inside, he is Leo Luster, and that the serum just brought it out. Eventually, Bluster is able to turn back into Leo Luster on his own, hypnotizing Krusha to be free before turning back. As K. Rool attempts to escape, Klump having put night vision goggles on him to ensure that Luster would not be able to hypnotize them, Donkey Kong tackles him, causing the Crystal Coconut to fly into the air and land in a moving mine cart. DK and K. Rool chase after it, and while Klump attempts to follow Bluster trips him, though Klump tackles him in return. noticing this, Donkey Kong decides to save Bluster, knocking Klump aside, though this allows K. Rool to enter the mine cart and get the Crystal Coconut, though Donkey Kong stands on the track before him and punches K. Rool, sending him flying while the Crystal Coconut lands in his hand.

At Funky's Restaurant, Candy is impatiently waiting for Leo Luster. Nearby, Bluster, under DK's prompting, walks up to her to admit the truth. When Candy asks where Leo is, Bluster reveals to her that he is Leo Luster, stating that he created a serum that turned him into Leo in the first place. However, when he attempts to hit on Candy again, Donkey Kong knocks him aside and tells her that he is going to have a romantic dinner with her. Candy accepts, though when she brings up the score for the game, he realizes that he is missing the game and runs off to see the rest of it, angering Candy again.

Animation errors

• In one scene, K. Rool, Klump, and Krusha are all in a minecart, but when K. Rool tells Leo Luster to get off the track, Klump and Krusha disappear. The duo reappear the next time they are shown.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	謎のレオ・ラスター Nazo No Reo Rasutā	The Mysterious Leo Luster
French	Un Bluster au poil !	A Hairy Bluster!
German	Blusters unheimliche Verwandlung	Bluster's eerie Transformation
Slovak	Blusterova tajomná premena	Bluster's eerie transformation
Spanish	La blonda cabellera de Bluster	Bluster's blond hair