Lava Piranha
| Lava Piranha | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork from Paper Mario | |||
| First appearance | Paper Mario (2000) | ||
| Latest appearance | Super Mario-kun Volume 26 (2002) | ||
| Variant of | Fire Piranha Plant | ||
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- “WE MAKE THINGS HOT FOR YOU! WE BEAT YOU, MARIO!”
- —Lava Piranha, Paper Mario
The Lava Piranha is a large Venus Fire Trap capable of living in lava. It serves as the boss of Chapter 5 in Paper Mario, and is the master of the Putrid Piranhas found in the area.
Despite only one individual appearing in the game, Goombario and Koopa Koot refer to the Lava Piranha as a species. Given its Japanese name, this is likely referring to Venus Fire Traps in general, with Goombario expressing slight surprise one could even survive in lava in that version.[1] In the English version, however, he treats the ability to survive in lava as a defining trait of the species, but still keeps the slightly surprised wording.
History[edit]
Paper Mario[edit]
The Lava Piranha is the ruler of Mt. Lavalava on Lavalava Island. It resides in a small lava pool at the bottom of the volcano. Upon approaching the pool, the Lava Piranha emerges to confront Mario for the fifth Star Spirit, Misstar, whom Bowser ordered it to guard.
In the first phase of its battle, its attacks consist of its Lava Buds spitting Petit Piranhas at Mario as projectiles and its main head spitting a fireball at Mario. In order to damage the boss, Mario and his partner must target its main head, as attacking the Lava Buds will only deal damage to them. However, depleting the HP of a Lava Bud will temporarily disable it for a few turns before it recovers.
After Mario seemingly defeats the Lava Piranha, it suddenly re-emerges from the lava with its HP fully recovered and its head and Lava Buds now on fire. In the second phase, its Lava Buds will summon Petit Piranhas as independent enemies that will fly into Mario and explode while the Lava Piranha itself attacks by breathing a powerful stream of fire that deals 7 damage to Mario. Using ice or water-based attacks, such as the Snowman Doll or Sushie's Squirt or Tidal Wave moves, will stun the Lava Piranha and/or its Lava Buds for two full turns. Upon its true defeat, it flails around before collapsing and sinking back into the lava, relinquishing the Star Spirit.
The Lava Piranha makes an appearance in the credits of the game, where it is seen poking its head out from behind Lavalava Island, alternating with Raphael Raven.
Super Mario-kun[edit]
- “Enough messing around... Nipper Plants, attack!”
- —Lava Piranha, Super Mario Manga Mania, page 17
In Volume 26 of Super Mario-kun, the Lava Piranha is encountered after Sushie destroys a Spiny Tromp. Mario and his partners attempt to attack it by using a Snowman Doll, but it results in Kooper getting crushed. The Lava Piranha then spews Nipper Plants that attack Mario and his partners. Sushie then encases Mario in Water Block and squirts the Lava Piranha. Mario walks out of the water block and shouts, distracting Sushie. The Lava Piranha then burns and injures Sushie. Despite this, Sushie inflates Mario with water and pushes him to the Lava Piranha. Mario bursts, spraying the water over the Lava Piranha and thus defeating it.
Profiles and statistics[edit]
| Paper Mario enemy | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lava Piranha (1) | |||||||||
|
Max HP | 40 | Attack | 5 | Defense | 0 | |||
| Role | Boss | Type | Elevated | Level | 45 | ||||
| Strong | Fire | Weak | Ice (+2), Water (+2) | Moves | Flame Spew (5) | ||||
| Sleep? | 25%, -1 | Dizzy? | 25%, -1 | Shock? | 40%, -1 | ||||
| Shrink? | 0%, -1 | Stop? | 40%, -2 | Fright? | 0% | ||||
| Air Lift? | 0% | Hurricane? | 0% | Coins | N/A | ||||
| Items | N/A | Run | N/A | Location(s) | Mt. Lavalava | ||||
| Tattle | This is a Lava Piranha. Lava Piranhas are plants that can somehow survive in lava. Max HP: 40, Attack Power: 5, Defense Power: 0 They blow out huge balls of fire to attack. That is one big flower! Wow! | ||||||||
| Paper Mario enemy | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lava Piranha (2) | |||||||||
|
Max HP | 40 | Attack | 7 | Defense | 0 | |||
| Role | Boss | Type | Elevated, Fiery | Level | 45 | ||||
| Strong | Fire, Egg Missile | Weak | Ice (+2), Water (+2) | Moves | Fire Stream (7), Ignite (becomes fiery again) | ||||
| Sleep? | 25%, -1 | Dizzy? | 25%, -1 | Shock? | 40%, -1 | ||||
| Shrink? | 0%, -1 | Stop? | 40%, -2 | Fright? | 0% | ||||
| Air Lift? | 0% | Hurricane? | 0% | Coins | N/A | ||||
| Items | N/A | Run | N/A | Location(s) | Mt. Lavalava | ||||
| Tattle | This is a Lava Piranha. Lava Piranhas are plants that can somehow survive in lava. Max HP: 40, Attack Power: 5, Defense Power: 0 Since their bodies are on fire, you'll take damage if you step on 'em. Don't worry if you're fireproof. They'll try to burn you with their fire breath. They're creatures born of fire, so water attacks will work extremely well against them. | ||||||||
Gallery[edit]
Lava Piranha emerges from the small lava pond
Sushie using Tidal Wave on Lava Piranha
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ファイアパックン[1] Faia Pakkun |
Fire Piranha; shared with Fire Piranha Plant | |
| Chinese | 火焰食人花[?] Huǒyàn Shírénhuā |
Fire Piranha Plant | |
| French | Piranha-lave[?] | Lava-Piranha | |
| German | Lava-Piranha[?] | Lava Piranha | |
| Italian | Lava Piranha[2] | - | |
| Spanish | Piraña Lava[?] | Lava Piranha |
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- The Lava Piranha resembles Naval Piranha from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Both are large Piranha Plants with multiple head-like buds, are covered in thorns, and inhabit a body of liquid. The Petit Piranhas summoned by the Lava Piranha also resemble the Nipper Spores summoned by Naval Piranha.
- If the player uses the Double Dip badge and then uses an Egg Missile on the Lava Piranha, the game will crash.
- In the Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online port, exclusively in NTSC releases, there is an inexplicable frame cap during Lava Piranha's battle, causing slowdown.
References[edit]
- ^ a b 「ファイアパックンだよしょくぶつなのにようがんの中でもへっちゃらなんだ」 (That's a Fire Piranha. This plant is even in lava, somehow.) – 2000. マリオストーリー (Mario Sutōrī). Nintendo (Japanese).
- ^ Colombo, Alessandro (March 9, 2022). Super Mario Mangamania. Edizioni BD (Italian). ISBN 978-88349-07122. Page 10.
