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Mumbo
マンボ・ジャンボ Manbo Janbo
MumboJumbo
Mumbo Jumbo, the skull-faced shaman
GENERAL INFO
FULL NAME Mumbo Jumbo
NICKNAME(S)
Mumbo Dumbo
Bone Brain
Bonehead
Skirt Boy
Hut Boy
Bone Face
Skull Boy
Mask Midget
Short Stuff
GENDER Male
SPECIES Unknown
BIRTHPLACE Mumbo's Mountain
ALIGNMENT Good
PERSONAL INFO
OCCUPATION(S) Shaman
Mechanic
MISCELLANEOUS INFO
CANON APPEARANCES
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge
Banjo-Tooie
Banjo-Pilot
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
VOICE ACTOR(S)
Grant Kirkhope
Bear go off and cry about lack of platforming in game. Oomenacka!
— Mumbo Jumbo, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

Mumbo Jumbo is a major character in the Banjo-Kazooie series. A graduate of the Handsome Shaman Institute, Mumbo is a powerful shaman and the one who taught Gruntilda in the magical arts. Despite his teachings however, Gruntilda still turned to dark magic and turned her mentor's head into a skull.

Mumbo is the namesake of the first world Banjo and Kazooie visit during their quest to rescue the bear's sister Tooty, and he quickly becomes a great ally to the duo. Appearing in his skull-shaped hut, located in most worlds the bear and bird visit, Mumbo will transform the two into a variety of different creatures to aid in their travels.

During the two year period between Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, Mumbo gained a rival in Humba Wumba. Because Humba stole the role Mumbo had in the first title, the skull-faced shaman becomes a playable character in Banjo-Tooie. Using his powerful magic, Mumbo alters the environment in the various worlds Banjo and Kazooie meet him in, allowing the duo to compete objectives they may otherwise have been unable to.

After Banjo-Tooie, Mumbo learned that the next game in the series would feature an emphasis on vehicles, and took up learning to be a mechanic. During the events of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Mumbo works in a warehouse, Mumbo's Motors, and builds the vehicles that Banjo and Kazooie make use of during their adventure.

Physical Appearance[]

Mumbo's physical appearance is somewhat similar to that of a pink Jinjo, barring the skull his face had been transformed into; despite this, it has been confirmed by Ed Bryan that Mumbo is not a Jinjo. He has a pink, humanoid body with a yellow spot on his chest. His hands have three large fingers and a thumb, while his feet are rectangular in shape and have three large toes on the end. His most notable feature is the skull shape that his head has been transformed into, which is yellow in colour and features three red feathers (not unlike those that Kazooie has and can collect) sticking out of the top.

During the events of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Mumbo wears light blue overalls while working at Mumbo's Motors. In the various worlds from the same game, the colour of his overalls change and Mumbo also often wears a hat atop his head as well. Throughout the rest of the series, Mumbo instead wears a simple brown straw skirt tied to his waist with a red string.

Personality[]

Mumbo is a very loyal person, and appears to be equally as stubborn. The shaman enjoys assisting other people, and making friends with those he meets, showing that he is a very kindhearted soul. Despite him always willing to help out his friends, he is never willing to assist those who he considers his rivals or enemies - such people include Humba Wumba and Gruntilda.

The skull-faced shaman is very prideful in his magical abilities, and often compliments himself whenever the results of his spells are just as he intended. In a bit of a silly way, Mumbo is also a very humorous individual who often cracks jokes at Banjo and Kazooie's expenses upon transforming them into different creatures.

English does not appear to be Mumbo's first language, as he speaks roughly and often refers to himself in third person. Mumbo also appears to be bad at remembering the names of others, as he instead uses generic terms to refer to others - Banjo and Kazooie, for instance, are simply referred to as "bear" and "bird" by Mumbo.

Game Appearances[]

Star Team Heroes[]

Mumbo is one of the victims of the Kirthar's Snap Finger.

Jake's Super Smash Bros.[]

Mumbo appears as in Jake's Super Smash Bros. as a playable character. His appearance in this game is heavily inspired by Banjo-Tooie, with the skull-faced shaman using many of the same spells in his moveset as he did in that game. In addition to using the EMP spell for his neutral special and the Levitate spell for his up special, Mumbo can also transform himself into a pumpkin for his down special move. For his Final Smash, players take control of the Golden Goliath and can use it to attack enemies as long as Mumbo keeps it powered up.

Mumbo's doppelgänger from Banjo-Tooie, Mingy Jongo, also makes an appearance in the game as an enemy in Smash Run. Additionally, Mumbo's design from Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts also appears as an alternate costume for the shaman as well.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

Grublin beta design

The beta design of a Grublin (left). Note the similarities between its design and that of Mumbo.

  • Mumbo's design was initially based on that of a Jinjo, just with the head replaced with a skull. Despite this, it has been confirmed that Mumbo is not a Jinjo.
  • Originally, the design of the Grublin enemies present around Mumbo's Mountain somewhat resemble Mumbo's final design. Though they had blue skin, they wore skull masks (with odd feather-like appendages present on the top) and a brown skirt. In their final design, Grublins instead have a much different design though do possess some similar elements to Mumbo namely in the inclusion of red feathers protruding from their heads and brown shorts with a similar texture to the skirt Mumbo wears.
  • Mumbo was originally intended to make a cameo appearance in Viva Piñata, with an updated design that includes tribal patterns across both his skull and body. In the final game, he still makes an appearance as a statue the player can obtain. Mumbo himself appears to have provided the description for the item, which reads the following: "Garden be much improved with statue of handsome character. Don't buy dumb bear statue - it's not as good as this one. All Piñata love Mumbo! Can scare Dastardos so he take longer to come out of home."
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