Tubba Blubba

Tubba Blubba
Artwork from Paper Mario
Species	Spike
First appearance	Paper Mario (2000)
Latest appearance	Super Paper Mario (2007) (mentioned)

“I smell delicious ghosts! Open the door!”

—Tubba Blubba, Paper Mario

Tubba Blubba is a chapter boss and follower of Bowser in Paper Mario. He is a giant, blue-colored Spike with a spiked shell. Despite his fearsome appearance, he is actually very sensitive, frail, and cowardly. His nickname is "The Invincible Tubba Blubba", although he actually does have a weak point: his heart. Tubba Blubba's name is a corruption of "tub of blubber", describing his obesity.

History

Paper Mario series

Paper Mario

Tubba Blubba releases the Boos he ate.

Lady Bow mentions that the Boo inhabitants of Boo's Mansion and Gusty Gulch used to enjoy scaring Tubba Blubba. However, when Bowser obtained the Star Rod and imprisoned the Star Spirits, he made Tubba Blubba completely invulnerable by removing his heart from his body, apparently leaving a crudely stitched patch where it once was, and appointed him as guard of the Star Spirit Skolar. No longer frightened by Boos, Tubba Blubba began steadily devouring all Boos he came across, ironically making them scared of him.

Tubba Blubba battles Mario.

Mario arrives at Gusty Gulch right before one of Tubba Blubba's Boo-devouring excursions. Tubba Blubba does not notice Mario due to him using Lady Bow's Outta Sight technique to turn invisible. Later, when Mario sneaks into Tubba Blubba's bedroom to find out his weakness, he is awoken by Yakkey, an anthropomorphic key which unlocks the door to the Windy Mill, the storage place of Tubba Blubba's heart. Tubba Blubba chases Mario through the castle, but his progress is impeded by a group of Boos holding the castle doors shut.

Tubba Blubba breaks through this barrier while Mario is engaged in combat with his sentient heart. Upon its defeat, it flees from Mario and rejoins with its body, which makes Tubba Blubba feel invincible but actually physically weakens him. After his defeat, he reveals that he is actually quite sensitive and begs for forgiveness before releasing all of the Boos he had consumed. He then retreats, claiming that he does not want to be invincible if it means fighting people like Mario. He is not seen again until the game's ending parade, during which three Boos give him a ride through the air while his heart chases after him.

Super Paper Mario

In Super Paper Mario, Tubba Blubba is mentioned as being the star of an anime based on him known as The Blubbening; it has run for at least three seasons. The Blubbening involves a princess and robots and also happens to be a favorite show of Francis.

Super Mario-kun

Tubba Blubba in Super Mario-kun

Tubba Blubba appears only in chapter 10 of Super Mario-kun volume 25, where he talks only in grunts which are translated between brackets and are (apparently) understood by everyone.

Like in the game, Lady Bow hires Mario, Goombario, and Kooper to defeat Tubba Blubba, in exchange for Skolar's freedom, since he is apparently eating anyone who comes too close to his castle. The trio, accompanied by Bow, reaches Tubba Blubba's Castle, but once inside, they are spotted by the guards. Escaping, the group notices that Kooper has disappeared, and they think Tubba ate him. Tubba then appears and Bow slaps him with her fan, but (without flinching) Tubba attacks her and then Mario, after he tries to save his friend. Unlike in the game, Tubba is not invincible, but he was powered-up by Bowser to be unbeatable, always getting back up after every blow.

In the end, after a combined attack, Mario and Goombario send Tubba flying against a wall, revealing on the other side Kooper and the missing Boos having lunch in his dinner hall. It is then revealed that, even if he is Bowser's minion, Tubba is not evil, and he does not eat his prisoners either: he just offers them to stay for lunch (and not "as lunch"). He simply attacked Mario and his friends because they attacked him first.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

Tubba Blubba's name sometimes appears on the scorecard in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour.

Characteristics

Tubba Blubba shows weakness after being defeated by Mario and his allies, attempting to hold back tears and running back to his castle. He appears reserved, spending much of his time sleeping and nourishing himself on a diet of Boos. His castle is poorly maintained, with visible cobwebs in its corners, cracks in the walls and ceilings, and during his pursuit of Mario, a collapsed bridge that connected the hallways to his room and the stairway. He apparently employs or is in command of several Clubbas who, like him, enjoy dozing off into slumber when they are not active. Tubba Blubba also has several Sentinels patrolling the hallways.

Tubba Blubba apparently feels more powerful when separated from his heart, which controls him from a cave. Despite his new abilities, Tubba Blubba is still afraid of Bowser, and worries about upsetting him, although part of this is because he does not want Bowser to take back the abilities he granted Tubba. With his heart, and according to several Boos in the game, he is very cowardly and sensitive.

Profiles and statistics

Paper Mario

Paper Mario enemy
Tubba Blubba (1)
		Max HP	10	Attack	4	Defense	?
		Role	Common	Type	Ground	Level	1
		Strong	Piercing	Weak	None	Moves	Fist Drop (4), Body Crush (6), Confused Search (Leaves Battle)
		Sleep?	0%, 0	Dizzy?	0%, 0	Shock?	0%, 0
		Shrink?	0%, 0	Stop?	0%, 0	Fright?	0%
		Air Lift?	0%	Hurricane?	0%	Coins	N/A
		Items	N/A	Run	50	Location(s)	Tubba Blubba's Castle
Tattle	This is Tubba Blubba. He is one of Bowser's toughest followers and he's the master of this cursed castle. Max HP: 10, Attack Power: 4, Defense Power: ? Hip Attack Power : 6 I don't know his defense power. Everyone says he's invincible because he has never been hurt. I'd say it's a good idea to run from immortal enemies! If you get in deep trouble, Bow can hide you from him.

Paper Mario enemy
Tubba Blubba (2)
		Max HP	10	Attack	4	Defense	0
		Role	Boss	Type	Ground	Level	70
		Strong	None	Weak	None	Moves	Fist Drop (4), Body Crush (6)
		Sleep?	80%, 0	Dizzy?	80%, 0	Shock?	80%, 0
		Shrink?	90%, 0	Stop?	80%, 0	Fright?	0%
		Air Lift?	0%	Hurricane?	0%	Coins	N/A
		Items	N/A	Run	N/A	Location(s)	Gusty Gulch
Tattle	This is Tubba Blubba, now reunited with his heart. This is finally his true self. Max HP: 10, Attack Power: 4, Defense Power: 0 ...probably. His Hip Attack causes 6 points worth of damage. Be careful, because I'm not exactly sure what his other attacks can do. ...But... I think he's definitely weaker than before...

Gallery

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  Tubba Blubba's sprite

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  Tubba Blubba grabs Stanley the Boo

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  Tubba Blubba eats Stanley

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  Lady Bow uses Outta Sight to hide Mario from Tubba Blubba

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  Mario and Lady Bow running away from Tubba Blubba

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  Tubba Blubba revealed as not evil in Super Mario-kun

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	ドガボン[?] Dogabon	Pun of "dragon" and「ガボン」(Gabon, Spike)
Chinese	图巴·布路巴 Túbā Bùlùbā	Tubba Blubba (transliteration)
French	Tubba Blubba[?]	-
German	Tubba Blubba[?]	-
Spanish	Tubba Blubba[?]	-

Trivia

• Grubba is similar to Tubba Blubba in many ways. Both of them are blue-skinned Spikes with purple shells and orange hair and lips, and both are Chapter 3 bosses. Both of their English names are based on Clubbas rather than Spikes, although neither of them are club-wielding soldiers. Also, both have spikes on their shell, though Grubba only has them after transforming. Lastly, they both have a well-guarded secret to their "invincibility".
• Tubba Blubba (and the later half of Chapter 3) seems to be heavily influenced by "The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body", a Norwegian fairy tale featuring a giant who was invincible because his heart was likewise locked away in the bottom of a well.