If I say “ChuChu,” can you hear the distinctive yet incomprehensible rabble they make as they slowly waddle toward Link in The Wind Waker? Perhaps it even sounds cute or endearing to you. But, did you know that this enemy is actually insulting you as it lumbers down its path of destruction? That’s right: ChuChus aren’t afraid to talk trash, even to the Hero of Winds.
Thanks to Did You Know Gaming?, we know the familiar sound of ChuChus’ high-pitched, fast-paced babbling is actually sped up and reversed audio of two men arguing in Japanese. When played normally, the dispute appears quite heated. Two clearly audible statements are, “At least I’m not balding” and “And looking like you are, people will think you’re a monster.” Being a child, I certainly hope Link isn’t balding (his flowing golden locks suggest otherwise), but being compared to a monster is never enjoyable. That’s especially true if the thing saying it is a three-legged, google-eyed, animated lump of gelatin.
The Wind Waker sound design team really deserves a medal for ingenuity. I recently wrote about the unique sources they used for seagulls and sand, but it is clear that their creativeness didn’t stop there. On my next playthrough, I’m not sure I will be so nice to ChuChus, knowing that they are so disparaging of Link’s appearance. Who’re you calling bald? Have you looked in a mirror?
