Prinny
Encyclopedia
are a fictional race of creatures in Nippon Ichi
's video games. First appearing in Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
, they have appeared in all later titles by the company, as well as on various merchandise such as hats and plush toys. With a few notable exceptions, they are voiced by Junji Majima
in Japanese releases and Grant George in the English releases from Disgaea: Hour of Darkness to Disgaea Infinite
, and by Dave Wittenberg
in Trinity Universe
, but it is unknown if either Grant George or Dave Wittenberg will reprise the role in the upcoming Disgaea 4
.
while he was trying to come up with a character whose thoughts players could not try to envision. He began by choosing to make it animal-based, eventually deciding on making something similar to a penguin
. He was told that he could use this character as much as he wanted. While it initially started out as looking somewhat realistic, it eventually gained a doll-like form.
In Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, humans who have led a worthless life, such as thieves or murderers, or have committed a mortal sin such as suicide, have their souls sewn into the body of a prinny upon their death. Due to the unstable soul of a human, regular prinnies will explode when they hit something with great force, such as when thrown. However, Prinny suits filled with demon souls, as seen in Makai Kingdom or in the case of recurring boss Baal, will not. After being reborn, the newly created prinny will serve as a soldier
, slave
, or servant in the Netherworld or Celestia. The prinny remains until it has earned reincarnation by redemption through good deeds or earning enough money, and leaves its servitude in a ritual involving the Red Moon. In Celestia, prinnies mostly act as maids and domestic servants. The good deeds they perform there lead to their reincarnation. In the Netherworld, depending on the lord they serve, they spend their difficult after-lives doing excessively hard labor for very little pay, and are often thrown around just for the amusement of their lords. The pittance of money they earn in the Netherworld goes towards their reincarnation.
Some prinnies live in Prinny Land, their own world in which prinnies do not explode when thrown. Some prinnies flee there to escape their lives in the Netherworld, and some may have rebelled or have been banished there. Another place prinnies can be found is the Land of Carnage. These prinnies live for battle and look down on newcomers. While prinnies manage all shops and such, an old friend can be found here too. Prinny Kurtis makes a comeback as a Land of Carnage only character. The player can summon Kurtis with cell phones and pass some bills from the Earth Defense Forces to aid him, it is not needed to gain access to Kurtis. In the Land of Carnage, the prinnies call warriors who fight hundreds of thousands of battles "Shura." Rumor has it, there is a prinny who has lived in the Land of Carnage longer than anyone else and is the master of the land.
Prinnies have appeared in almost every major Nippon Ichi
video game; their first appearance was in the game Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
. Prinnies follow a ranking system, starting at Private Prinny and moving up to Prinny God. The "Uber Prinny", which is the prinny form of Baal, cannot be utilized by players. Prinnies are usually under Etna's control. In Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories
they lead the Dark Court and are responsible for judging the party's crimes, of which a guilty verdict will always be passed. In general the felonies applied by the Dark Court are to the player's benefit but if one wants to remove them from a character for various reasons then the character must reincarnate as a Prinny to atone for their sins. Unlike most other incarnations, prinny gods do not have immunity to status effects. In Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice
, a special Prinny under the title Hero Prinny appears as part of special downloadable content. The Hero Prinny claims that he has come to make a guest appearance from Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero?, but Mao doesn't believe him. It ends up that Mao defeats and captures Hero Prinny, and turns him into a hero. The Hero Prinny then becomes playable. Prinnies star in their own game Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?
for the PSP
handheld console.
In Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome
, prinnies are said to possess the soul of a demon, rather than that of a human. Their bodies are manufactured in Ruskan factories, located in another dimension, by inventor demons. In order to create Prinny units in Makai Kingdom, the player must first make a wish to create Prinnies in The Sacred Tome. Then the first Prinny class will become available to create. The weaponry available to a prinny is expanded to include expertise with shovels and wrenches. The Prinnies do not explode when thrown. Prinnies appear in Phantom Brave
, which does not use a subclass system, and are able to use all weapon types, but have a smaller role in the game's plot. Pringer X serves as the final challenge of the bonus storyline. Phantom Brave' s Prinnies cause explosions upon being summoned or unsummoned, these explosions do not injure the Prinny itself. Airborne prinnies make an appearance in Tori no Hoshi: Aerial Planet, a game similar to Pilotwings
, used to add a "Nippon Ichi flavor" to the title. The crossover role playing game Cross Edge
features a prinny and Etna. They also appeared in Trinity Universe, a crossover game with characters from Idea Factory
, Nippon Ichi
, and Gust. Nippon Ichi's characters include the Prinny as well as Etna and Flonne. A giant Prinny will appear as a special attack in the upcoming company-collaborative RPG, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2, where the in-game character Nisa (named Nippon Ichi in the Japanese version) throws a bunch of kunais at enemies, then throws the giant Prinny at the enemies, which results in a nuclear bomb type explosion. Nisa is also designed to resemble a Prinny. A Prinny is unlockable and playable in the upcoming remake of Cave Story, Cave Story 3D, once the game is completed. Cave Story 3D is being published by NIS.
to promote the release of Prinny: Can I Really be the Hero? in Akihabara
. A Prinny stylus was featured as a pre-order bonus for people who pre-ordered Disgaea DS. Additionally four Prinny avatars for the PlayStation 3
's PlayStation Home
were also released for sale, modeled after the different unique Prinnies in the original Disgaea.
Prinnies have been described as one of the most notable characters in the Disgaea series. RPGamer
called them the "much-adored penguin mascots" of Disgaea, while Wired.com called them "adorably snarky." IGN
editor Dave McCarthy praised Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice
s humour, citing the Prinnies as an example. In a preview of the upcoming game starting the character in PlayStation: The Official Magazine
, Chris Hudak asked "What better sign that you've warmed the cold hearts of videogamers worldwide than to have your own beloved, signature character?", additionally comparing in great detail the Prinny to fellow video game mascots Mario
, Sonic the Hedgehog
, and Dragon Quest
's Slime
. PSX Extreme described them as "one of the most recognizable – and curiously lovable – characters" in the Disgaea series. Webcomic Penny Arcade
featured a Prinny in their comic to mark the release of Disgaea 2
, adding in the commentary "You've probably heard that penguins are great fathers or whatever, you saw that Goddamn penguin movie and you bought into their whole thing. When faced with one of these hideous creatures, there is only one recourse: be stern for two panels, and then give in." GamesRadar
listed the Prinny as one of the 25 best new characters of the decade, describing it as "heartwarmingly pathetic," calling the act of creating an army of "nigh-invulnerable Prinny wimps" is one of the greatest accomplishments in role-playing games. They also listed it as one of the most impractical video game characters, describing it as "incredibly stupid."
Nippon Ichi
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. They are responsible for such titles as Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Phantom Brave, La Pucelle: Tactics and Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure.-History:Nippon Ichi Software was founded in September 1991 in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, as an entertainment...
's video games. First appearing in Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
is a tactical role-playing video game developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by Nippon Ichi Software in Japan, Atlus USA, Inc. in North America, and Koei in Europe for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
, they have appeared in all later titles by the company, as well as on various merchandise such as hats and plush toys. With a few notable exceptions, they are voiced by Junji Majima
Junji Majima
is a Japanese voice actor who is contracted to I'm Enterprise. He was born in Nagoya, Aichi. His favorite hobby is singing karaoke.-Anime:2002*Midnight Horror School - Borocca2003*Scrapped Princess - Prince Forsythe...
in Japanese releases and Grant George in the English releases from Disgaea: Hour of Darkness to Disgaea Infinite
Disgaea Infinite
Disgaea Infinite is a visual novel for the PlayStation Portable that was released on the 1st November of 2009 in Japan, the 8th June of 2010 in North America and the 17th November of 2010 in Europe...
, and by Dave Wittenberg
Dave Wittenberg
David Richard Paul "Dave" Wittenberg is a prolific South African-born American video game and anime voice actor with nearly one hundred titles to his credit. While Wittenberg was born in a hospital in South Africa, he was primarily raised in Boston...
in Trinity Universe
Trinity Universe (video game)
is a 2009 console role-playing game, co-developed by Nippon Ichi Software, Idea Factory and Gust Corporation exclusively for the PlayStation 3. The game is published by Idea Factory in Japan and NIS America in North America and Europe and was released in Japan on October 1, 2009 and in North...
, but it is unknown if either Grant George or Dave Wittenberg will reprise the role in the upcoming Disgaea 4
Disgaea 4
is a 2011 Tactical role-playing video game for the PlayStation 3 and is the fourth in the Disgaea series by Nippon Ichi Software. The game tells the story of Valvatorez, a former tyrant leading a party to rebel against the president of the Netherworld...
.
Concept and creation
The Prinny was created by Takehito HaradaTakehito Harada
is a chief executive officer of Studio ToOefuf and video game artist employed by Nippon Ichi whose art has been featured in video games such as Disgaea, Phantom Brave, and Makai Kingdom. His art style has been described as "crazy and bizarre" and features everything from cute pre-teen demons, to...
while he was trying to come up with a character whose thoughts players could not try to envision. He began by choosing to make it animal-based, eventually deciding on making something similar to a penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
. He was told that he could use this character as much as he wanted. While it initially started out as looking somewhat realistic, it eventually gained a doll-like form.
Appearances
A prinny is a small, usually blue, pouch-wearing penguin-like creature with disproportionately small bat wings, two peg legs where feet would normally be and stitches next to the mouth. When thrown, they explode on impact. A common trait of prinnies is their upbeat attitude and frequent use of the word "dood" as an interjection. They constantly end their sentences with "-ssu" in the Japanese game versions' dialogue. Prinnies stand roughly three feet, three inches (100 cm) tall, though the weight can vary. Prinnies attack with knives, bombs, and occasionally other weapons stored in their bags. While rarely mentioned in the game, prinnies have been known to dispense a beverage known as prinny juice, which according to a Nippon Ichi Software America interview is produced from "the most flavorful and delicious parts of our fresh, vine-grown Prinnies".In Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, humans who have led a worthless life, such as thieves or murderers, or have committed a mortal sin such as suicide, have their souls sewn into the body of a prinny upon their death. Due to the unstable soul of a human, regular prinnies will explode when they hit something with great force, such as when thrown. However, Prinny suits filled with demon souls, as seen in Makai Kingdom or in the case of recurring boss Baal, will not. After being reborn, the newly created prinny will serve as a soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, or servant in the Netherworld or Celestia. The prinny remains until it has earned reincarnation by redemption through good deeds or earning enough money, and leaves its servitude in a ritual involving the Red Moon. In Celestia, prinnies mostly act as maids and domestic servants. The good deeds they perform there lead to their reincarnation. In the Netherworld, depending on the lord they serve, they spend their difficult after-lives doing excessively hard labor for very little pay, and are often thrown around just for the amusement of their lords. The pittance of money they earn in the Netherworld goes towards their reincarnation.
Some prinnies live in Prinny Land, their own world in which prinnies do not explode when thrown. Some prinnies flee there to escape their lives in the Netherworld, and some may have rebelled or have been banished there. Another place prinnies can be found is the Land of Carnage. These prinnies live for battle and look down on newcomers. While prinnies manage all shops and such, an old friend can be found here too. Prinny Kurtis makes a comeback as a Land of Carnage only character. The player can summon Kurtis with cell phones and pass some bills from the Earth Defense Forces to aid him, it is not needed to gain access to Kurtis. In the Land of Carnage, the prinnies call warriors who fight hundreds of thousands of battles "Shura." Rumor has it, there is a prinny who has lived in the Land of Carnage longer than anyone else and is the master of the land.
Prinnies have appeared in almost every major Nippon Ichi
Nippon Ichi
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. They are responsible for such titles as Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Phantom Brave, La Pucelle: Tactics and Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure.-History:Nippon Ichi Software was founded in September 1991 in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, as an entertainment...
video game; their first appearance was in the game Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
is a tactical role-playing video game developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by Nippon Ichi Software in Japan, Atlus USA, Inc. in North America, and Koei in Europe for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
. Prinnies follow a ranking system, starting at Private Prinny and moving up to Prinny God. The "Uber Prinny", which is the prinny form of Baal, cannot be utilized by players. Prinnies are usually under Etna's control. In Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories
Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation 2 video game console. Disgaea 2 is the sequel to 2003's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness for the PlayStation 2 and was released in Japan on February 23, 2006 and North America on August 29, 2006...
they lead the Dark Court and are responsible for judging the party's crimes, of which a guilty verdict will always be passed. In general the felonies applied by the Dark Court are to the player's benefit but if one wants to remove them from a character for various reasons then the character must reincarnate as a Prinny to atone for their sins. Unlike most other incarnations, prinny gods do not have immunity to status effects. In Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice
Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice
is the third video game in the Disgaea series by Nippon Ichi. It was released on January 31, 2008 in Japan for the PlayStation 3 video game console. The North American version was released by NIS America on August 26, 2008...
, a special Prinny under the title Hero Prinny appears as part of special downloadable content. The Hero Prinny claims that he has come to make a guest appearance from Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero?, but Mao doesn't believe him. It ends up that Mao defeats and captures Hero Prinny, and turns him into a hero. The Hero Prinny then becomes playable. Prinnies star in their own game Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?
Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?
, is a 2D side-scrolling adventure video game for the PlayStation Portable, developed by Nippon Ichi Software. It is a spin-off title in the Disgaea series.-Gameplay:...
for the PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
handheld console.
In Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome
Makai Kingdom: Chronicles Of The Sacred Tome
Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome, released in Japan as , is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was released in 2005...
, prinnies are said to possess the soul of a demon, rather than that of a human. Their bodies are manufactured in Ruskan factories, located in another dimension, by inventor demons. In order to create Prinny units in Makai Kingdom, the player must first make a wish to create Prinnies in The Sacred Tome. Then the first Prinny class will become available to create. The weaponry available to a prinny is expanded to include expertise with shovels and wrenches. The Prinnies do not explode when thrown. Prinnies appear in Phantom Brave
Phantom Brave
is a tactical role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software. It was released on January 22, 2004 in Japan, on August 31, 2004 in North America and on February 4, 2005 in Europe...
, which does not use a subclass system, and are able to use all weapon types, but have a smaller role in the game's plot. Pringer X serves as the final challenge of the bonus storyline. Phantom Brave
Pilotwings
is a video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . It was developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division, led by producer Shigeru Miyamoto. The game was originally released in Japan on December 21, 1990, shortly after the launch of the SNES...
, used to add a "Nippon Ichi flavor" to the title. The crossover role playing game Cross Edge
Cross Edge
, is a role-playing video game for the PlayStation 3. The game was developed by Idea Factory with characters from games by Capcom, Nippon Ichi Software, Namco Bandai and Gust Corporation...
features a prinny and Etna. They also appeared in Trinity Universe, a crossover game with characters from Idea Factory
Idea Factory
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher founded on October 26, 1994 headed by company president Koichi Ota and vice president Shingo Kuwana.-Games published:-Games developed:-External links:* * * * from IGN* from GameSpot...
, Nippon Ichi
Nippon Ichi
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. They are responsible for such titles as Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Phantom Brave, La Pucelle: Tactics and Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure.-History:Nippon Ichi Software was founded in September 1991 in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, as an entertainment...
, and Gust. Nippon Ichi's characters include the Prinny as well as Etna and Flonne. A giant Prinny will appear as a special attack in the upcoming company-collaborative RPG, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2, where the in-game character Nisa (named Nippon Ichi in the Japanese version) throws a bunch of kunais at enemies, then throws the giant Prinny at the enemies, which results in a nuclear bomb type explosion. Nisa is also designed to resemble a Prinny. A Prinny is unlockable and playable in the upcoming remake of Cave Story, Cave Story 3D, once the game is completed. Cave Story 3D is being published by NIS.
Promotion and reception
Prinnies are regarded as mascots for the Disgaea series, featuring strongly in Nippon Ichi's marketing such as the annual Tipsy Prinny press events. The third event, held in the Zebulon Bar San Francisco on June 5, 2008, featured green Prinnies suspended from every banister and light fitting. Nippon Ichi Software's online store sells various merchandise such as several different Prinny plushies, and in Japan Nippon Ichi has released several pieces of Prinny merchandise and has used the characters in cosplayCosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
to promote the release of Prinny: Can I Really be the Hero? in Akihabara
Akihabara
, also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to in Japan...
. A Prinny stylus was featured as a pre-order bonus for people who pre-ordered Disgaea DS. Additionally four Prinny avatars for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
's PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social gaming network developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network . It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar under PlayStation Network. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN...
were also released for sale, modeled after the different unique Prinnies in the original Disgaea.
Prinnies have been described as one of the most notable characters in the Disgaea series. RPGamer
RPGamer
RPGamer is a media and news website dedicated to covering computer and video game RPGs. Its coverage includes North American game news, European game news, Asian game news, gaming industry news, game reviews, game previews, hands-on game impressions, gaming conventions, game merchandise, release...
called them the "much-adored penguin mascots" of Disgaea, while Wired.com called them "adorably snarky." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
editor Dave McCarthy praised Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice
Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice
is the third video game in the Disgaea series by Nippon Ichi. It was released on January 31, 2008 in Japan for the PlayStation 3 video game console. The North American version was released by NIS America on August 26, 2008...
s humour, citing the Prinnies as an example. In a preview of the upcoming game starting the character in PlayStation: The Official Magazine
PlayStation: The Official Magazine
PlayStation: The Official Magazine is a magazine originally known as PlayStation Magazine . After Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine was canceled, Sony Computer Entertainment announced on October 1, 2007 that PSM would become "PlayStation: The Official Magazine"...
, Chris Hudak asked "What better sign that you've warmed the cold hearts of videogamers worldwide than to have your own beloved, signature character?", additionally comparing in great detail the Prinny to fellow video game mascots Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
, Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
, and Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest
, published as Dragon Warrior in North America until 2005,Due to the inconsistent usage by sources since Square Enix obtained the naming rights to Dragon Quest in North America. Dragon Quest has been used by sources to refer to games released solely under the Dragon Warrior titles...
's Slime
Slime (Dragon Quest)
The Slime is the mascot of the Dragon Quest console role-playing game franchise. Designed by Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball fame, the basic slime resembles a water drop with two large eyes and a big smile...
. PSX Extreme described them as "one of the most recognizable – and curiously lovable – characters" in the Disgaea series. Webcomic Penny Arcade
Penny Arcade
Penny Arcade may refer to:* Penny arcade, a venue for coin-operated devices* Penny Arcade ** Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, a series of video games based on the webcomic...
featured a Prinny in their comic to mark the release of Disgaea 2
Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation 2 video game console. Disgaea 2 is the sequel to 2003's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness for the PlayStation 2 and was released in Japan on February 23, 2006 and North America on August 29, 2006...
, adding in the commentary "You've probably heard that penguins are great fathers or whatever, you saw that Goddamn penguin movie and you bought into their whole thing. When faced with one of these hideous creatures, there is only one recourse: be stern for two panels, and then give in." GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
listed the Prinny as one of the 25 best new characters of the decade, describing it as "heartwarmingly pathetic," calling the act of creating an army of "nigh-invulnerable Prinny wimps" is one of the greatest accomplishments in role-playing games. They also listed it as one of the most impractical video game characters, describing it as "incredibly stupid."