The Hotaru^{[1][note 1]} (ホタルメカ^[2], Hotarumeka^?, lit. "Firefly Mecha") is an enemy that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is a mass-produced, firefly-based Badnik model created by Dr. Robotnik.

Appearance[]

The Hotaru is a firefly-type Badnik with a yellow and pink-colored head, small antennas and front legs. Their abdomens is mainly a blue electric light bulb with wires inside it, while they have red thick thoraxes.

Game appearances[]

Sonic the Hedgehog CD[]

In Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Hotarus appear as enemies. They come in two types that depend on their Rounds.

In Stardust Speedway Zone 2, Hotarus fly around in pairs for a short while facing either left or right. When they detect the playable character however, they will straighten up and follow the playable character closely by locking themselves onto a stationary position, where they appear to be attached to a single spot on the screen. During this time, they charge their bulbs. After a while, they will then stop up and fire a downwards pillar of electricity, which can deal damage to the playable character. After performing this attack, they Hotarus will fly upwards and off the screen, never to be seen again. However, the player can destroy them with a Spin Jump before they make their escape. In the Bad Future or sometimes the Present timeframe of Stardust Speedway, these Badniks will be worn down from age, showing broken light bulbs. They also do not follow the player and their attacks cannot harm the playable character, being only capable of creating harmless flashes across the screen before they fly away.

In Metallic Madness Zone 3, there are three Hotarus that will appear in the room immediately before the boss fight with the Egg Spinner. When entering the small room before the boss arena, the player will be locked inside them with a Hotaru. This Hotaru attacks by shooting a beam of electricity downwards towards the ground. After that, it turns into a flashing orb of light and flies to another location in the room in a linear line. This kind of Hotaru can only be destroyed when its fires its beam or does not move. After destroying this Hotaru however, two more will appear to take its place, which the player has to destroy too. After destroying them too, the passage will be unblocked. These Hotarus are always present in this room, even in the Good Future for Zone which would ordinarily remove the enemies.

Like every Badnik in the game, Hotarus are powered by Little Planet flower seeds which will pop out of them when they are defeated.

Three Hotarus also appear during the game's ending cinematics. Here, they attack Sonic with their lasers, only for Sonic to jump up and destroy them with a midair Spin Attack.

Sonic Mania[]

In Sonic Mania, and its expansion Sonic Mania Plus, Hotarus are enemies found in both Acts of Stardust Speedway Zone. In gameplay, they fly around in pairs for a short while facing either left or right. When they detect the playable character however, they will straighten up and follow the playable character closely by locking themselves onto a stationary position, where they appear to be attached to a single spot on the screen. During this time, they charge their bulbs. After a while, they will then stop up and fire a downwards pillar of electricity, which can deal damage to the playable character. After performing this attack, they Hotarus will fly upwards and off the screen, never to be seen again. However, the player can destroy them with a Spin Jump before they make their escape.

The boss fight of Stardust Speedway Zone Act 1 is a Hotaru Hi-Watt, which is basically a larger Hotaru. When this boss flies off-screen during the battle, the player has to avoid several regular Hotarus. These Badniks comes in two waves based on their attack patterns: the first includes one Hotaru who behaves much like those faced throughout Stardust Speedway Zone, and the second includes a pair of Hotarus which appear high above the player and form a chain of electrical chain between them, before lowering themselves and the chain to damage the player. The latter wave's chain can be broken by destroying one of the Hotarus however. While the player can destroy these Hotarus to speed up the boss battle, they are not required to be killed in order to progress.

Upon their destruction, Hotarus will release an Animal and award the player with 100 points.

Sonic Superstars[]

Hotarus reappear in Sonic Superstars, where they can be exclusively encountered in Act 2 of Press Factory Zone. In gameplay, Hotarus will swoop down towards where the player is before continually flying around them. After a while, the Hotaru will come to a complete stop before shooting an electric laser underneath them. After they shoot their laser, the Hotaru will go back to flying around and repeat it's attack pattern until the player leaves (in which case they will fly away). A Hotaru can be easily destroyed by most attacks, though it is recommended for the player to wait before or after they shoot their laser before attacking (otherwise they could possibly take damage). Upon destruction, a Hotaru releases an Animal and awards the player with 100 points.

Powers and abilities[]

Hotarus are capable of flight and can move at speeds rivalling Sonic's. With the aid of their bulbs, they can emit electrical lasers. In addition, they can disappear and take the form of glowing light balls that render them immune to attacks. Hotarus also have the ability to join together with other Hotarus to form a Hotaru Hi-Watt.

Variants[]

Hotaru Hi-Watt[]

Main article: Hotaru Hi-Watt

The Hotaru Hi-Watt is a giant version of the regular Hotaru. In addition to being able to fire larger laser beams, it can assemble itself from regular Hotarus or split itself back into them. It first appeared in Sonic Mania.

Trivia[]

• "Hotaru" (ホタル, "Hotaru"^?) is the Japanese word for firefly.
• Hotarus in Metallic Madness Zone 3 are the first notable enemies in the Sonic the Hedgehog video games that are required to be destroyed in order to pass through the room to proceed through the stage. This game mechanic is utilized much later in future games (mainly in the 3D titles), where some groups of enemies have to be defeated in order to proceed through the stage (ie. open closed doors or sealed Cases).
  • Despite that, the Mecha Hiyokos from the Hiyoko Master fight from the 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 are technically the first ever enemies that the player is forced to kill in order to progress through the game.
• Hotarus have some similarities to the Flasher Badniks from Mystic Cave Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as both share the same species and use electricity for their attacks.

Gallery[]

Concept artwork[]

Sonic the Hedgehog CD

Sonic the Hedgehog CD

Screenshots[]

Three Hotarus, from Sonic the Hedgehog CD

Sonic the Hedgehog CD

Notes[]

References[]