Rayman: Difference between revisions

Rayman was originally designed to simply be an athletic character with a full body, but because of complications rendering on game consoles, he was left without arms, legs and a neck – his hands, feet and head float around his body. The manual of ''[[Rayman Origins]]'' gives out a new explanation for Rayman's limblessness: the lack of [[Lum]]s had the consequence of preventing the creation of his limbs. He has a huge round nose, and strawberry-blonde hair which he divides into two fronds (three in [[Rayman 1|the original game]]). He has the ability to use his hair as a [[helicopter]], which lets him glide across large spaces and make soft landings. His eyes are dark blue in colour, though in most official artwork they are coloured black; two pictures in [[Rayman 1|the original game]] showed him with lighter blue eyes. While Rayman is unique in most of the games, other members of [[Rayman's species|his unknown species]] are seen in [[Rayman 1|the original game]], notably [[the Magician]], [[Tarayzan]], [[the Musician]] and the Musician's wife and child.

Rayman is almost always seen in white gloves and a purple torso with [[Rayman's symbol|a mysterious white ring on the chest]], through which he gains new powers from [[Betilla]] the Fairy. [[Rayman's symbol|The symbol]] can also absorb the [[Silver Lum]]s created by the [[Fairy|fairies]], and magically open the pillars containing the [[Four Masks of Polokus]] in ''[[Rayman 2]]''. Up until ''[[Rayman 3]]'', he wore a red neckerchief, which was then replaced with a red hood. He also wears shoes that are typically yellow and white, though the actual designs have changed throughout [[Rayman (series)|the series]]. ''[[Rayman Raving Rabbids]]'' is where he is seen wearing different clothing that has raised a few questions about his ‘limblessness’, as he sometimes looks as if he has knees, such as the [[Skin#Rayman Raving Rabbids|disco costume]] with its trousers/pants. In ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', his ''[[Rayman 3]]'' attire was used, but his hood and shoes are a little different. In ''[[Rayman Adventures]]'', he wears a new attire. He wears a red bandanna around his hair, a sleeveless brown coat unbuttoned around the bottom alongside his red hood, revealing a white shirt, and has a brown belt around his waist with a gold buckle. His gloves are now brown and fingerless, and his shoes are the same kind [[Assassin Ray]] wears.

Because of his limbless nature, Rayman has the ability, known as the [[telescopic fist]], to shoot his fists as a projectile. The power and range of his punches can be increased by charging them. Rayman can also do this with his feet and throw his torso downwards with the [[bodyshot]]. His body parts appear to be sentient, since his fists can move and think on their own, as shown in the endings of ''[[Rayman 2]]'', where his shoe gravitates towards him, and ''[[Rayman 3]]'', where his hands wander off to scare a [[red Lum]].

Rayman begins as a very poor [[Swimming|swimmer]]; in [[Rayman 1|the original game]], he loses a [[life]] the instant he falls into any body of liquid. By the time of ''[[Rayman 2]]'', he has developed this new skill – although all he can do in this game is a simple dog-paddle. In ''[[Rayman Revolution]]'', he is taught to swim by [[Murfy]] and a [[baby Globox]] at the beginning of the game. In ''[[Rayman 3]]'', he is a far more capable [[Swimming|swimmer]]; he can now use his [[helicopter]] hair to propel himself through the water, he can perform athletic underwater backflips, and he no longer seems to require any [[Blue Lum]]s or [[air bubble]]s to breathe beneath the surface. In both ''[[Rayman Origins]]'' and ''[[Rayman Legends]]'', he can [[Swimming|swim]] without needing any air like in ''[[Rayman 2]]'', and without use of his [[helicopter]] hair like in ''[[Rayman 3]]''.

In ''[[Rayman in the Phantom Show]]'', the third DLC of ''[[Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope]]'', Rayman is equipped with the [[Blaster]] and [[Plunger Guard]] weapons, and possesses the [[dash]] ability.

Rayman's true personality is not explored deeply in [[Rayman (series)|the series]], though most of the time he is a cheerful character with a good sense of humour. He is also very helpful, and is willing to take on whatever challenges face him for the sake of the safety and harmony of his world. Sometimes he can be a little childish, especially in [[Rayman 1|the original game]], as he often pulls [[grimace]]s as a form of defence. According to the now defunct '''Rayman's World''' website, he is brave, funny and also highly close to nature. In one interview, developer Natalie Paccard discusses the development of Rayman's personality between the two games: '[[Rayman 1|the original ''Rayman'']] was a platform game, ''[[Rayman 2]]'' is an action game. The universe has also evolved a lot, and so has the character. ''[[Rayman 2]]'' is a bit older, able to do more things, and loves a good fight. He is less childish. The game itself includes more action and more tricks.’ In later games, Rayman becomes somewhat self-absorbed, especially in ''[[Rayman Raving Rabbids]]'', as the [[Rabbid]]s start to treat him like a celebrity during his captivity, though he is seen remembering and worrying about the [[baby Globox]]es that he left behind. That however seems to be put behind him as the [[Rabbid]]s continue to harass him in ''[[Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party]]''. It is revealed through interviews with [[Michel Ancel]] that Rayman was meant to be a bit of a show-off who does not take himself too seriously. This aspect of the character was supposedly overlooked during ''[[Rayman 2]]'' because of [[Ubisoft]]'s focus on the environments of the game. It was in ''[[Rayman 3]]'' that [[Ubisoft]] tried to show Rayman's true personality, giving him an updated look to match his newfound attitude and charisma. A ''[[Rayman 3]]'' press release stated that ‘Like his core gaming audience, Rayman as a character has matured and now has a wilder edge, only hinted at in the earlier games.’

However, in ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', Rayman seems to have recovered part of his childish personality; he bears a more joyful, careless and impulsive attitude, though he keeps the heroic spirit that characterized him in previous games. Rayman appears to enjoy a good joke, as the description of [[Raybox]] states he painted his skin with the help of Voodoo Mama to prank [[Globox]]. While the trailers and other commercial media described him as a "New Crazy", [[Michel Ancel]] explains Rayman and [[Globox]]'s personality: 'They're the kind of characters who look... stupid, really, but they're not stupid, just simple. And all they really want to do is just focus on doing their job, no matter what.' When ''[[Rayman Origins]]'' was still developed as a prequel, the newborn Rayman was intended to bear a more immature, confused and unintelligent personality, blowing [[Betilla]]'s skirt with his [[propeller]] hair and annoying the magic people; the game was initially focused on Rayman and [[Globox]]'s personalities and how they evolved over time to become the heroes of the [[Glade of Dreams]]; the concept was changed when the game became a sequel.

In ''[[Rayman Legends]]'', he is seen with a mostly unchanged personality from ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', although it is presented in a more serious tone.

Rayman also appears to like several sports, such as basketball. In ''[[Rayman 2]]'' he will sometimes take his body off and play with it like a basketball whenever he is left idle. Also, in [[Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)|the Game Boy Advance version of ''Rayman 3'']], if the player decides to continue at the "Game Over" screen, Rayman will throw his body through a basketball net and catch it. In ''[[Rayman 3]]'', he seems to also show interest in football, as when he is left idle, he kicks his body around and can also kick [[Tortoise|turtles]] and [[plum]]s. Other sports that Rayman appears to like are golf, bowling and karting, as ''[[Rayman Golf]]'', ''[[Rayman Bowling]]'' and ''[[Rayman Kart]]'' suggest. One of Rayman's hobbies is painting, which was revealed at a later point in [[Rayman 1|the original game]] and in ''[[Rayman Junior]]''.

===History===