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I recently had my third eye opened when I realized that Malboros were Square's way of putting Beholders in FF2 after the legal concerns in FF1. Multiple stalks? Big grinning mouth? Inflicts you with a million statuses at once?
Funny you mention that...as I covered this on my Culture Clash! article about Final Fantasy.I've never heard this theory before. It does make a little bit of sense given that so many of FF1's bestiary was ripped right out of the D&D Monster Manual. But I'm dubious since FF1 didn't include a monster that was overtly based on the Beholder. It did have a couple of eyeball beasties, but the closest was this one:
Which has the toothy mouth, but none of the other characteristic features.
Were there actual documented legal issues from TSR after FF1 used some D&D monsters?
I got that from TCRF.The original Eye enemy resembled a Beholder from Dungeons & Dragons, so Nintendo tweaked it into a skullish design instead to avoid litigation. I don’t know if Amano handled the alteration or not, but it blends with his style passingly enough.
Malboros as a copyright dodge seems a bit of a stretch. Malboros are mouths, Beholders are eyes. A mouth can't behold, it can only lick and smooch. Next you'll be telling me a nose is a knee.
Malboros as a copyright dodge seems a bit of a stretch.
Not a knee, but perhaps a mouth...Next you'll be telling me a nose is a knee.
Anyway if Malboros are knockoff Beholders, what does that make Ahrimans?
And I'm amused that Square would avoid one trademark infringement, only to use a name just one letter away from a major cigar company's major product.
just big, beautiful boysAnyway if Malboros are knockoff Beholders, what does that make Ahrimans?
Actually not that difficult to deal with if you know what you're doing, but iconic all the same ~ Kishi
Show me a person who hasn't been knocked into a pit by one of these and I'll show you a person who has never played Castlevania ~ Positronic Brain
The worst mistake was making my masterpiece weak to a weapon from the Robot Master I possessed back then. I won't make the same mistake twice. ~ Mr. X
If you want any sort of context here about our guest:
https://wildcatjfart.wordpress.com/so-this-webcomic-hub/ (search Shi Kurai on this page to jump to the exact area of reference)
Everybody loves sine waves!