Who else hates how Bub's and Bob's designs have changed for the worse in recent Bubble Bobbles?

You may not be aware of this, but the dynamic dragon duo known as Bub and Bob--or Bubblun and Bobblun, if that's how you roll--haven't always looked like they single-handedly inspired the "herp derp" meme.

Yes, they've always been a bit cross-eyed. And, yes, they've always had buck teeth. Still, Bub's and Bob's earliest designs (see flyer below) were pretty darn cute, if you ask me.

Sadly, they weren't that cute for long. In fact, Bub and Bob somehow caught a serious case of the duhs between the release of the Famicom version of Bubble Bobble and the NES version.

Bubble Bobble Part 2 wasn't any better, with Bub and Bob appearing the definition of "dorky" both on that game's box art and within its gameplay.

You've just got to love Mighta's beady little eyes (and hands and feet and everything else)

Mighta isn't the only Bubble Bobble character with beady eyes and other features in the photo below, of course. Bobblun (Bob), Bubblun (Bub), Monsta, PulPul and Zen-Chan are all a bit beady, too--thanks to the Perler Beads that make up their bodies.



The creations above were made by artist and blogger Kasey Tararuj, by the way. Check out her wonderful blog here, and check out a post about one of her previous creations--a three-dimensional Bubble Bobble-themed painting--in "For once, Bobblun gets the spotlight."

For once, Bobblun gets the spotlight

How many folks actually refer to Bubble Bobble's second fiddle as Bobblun rather than Bob, I wonder?

Anyway, whether he's called Bob, Bobblun or "blue player two," the character is often ignored, even by those (like myself) who claim to be fans of Fukio Mitsuji's arcade classic. As such, the following piece of art, produced by Kasey Tararuj, is (to me, at least) as refreshing as it is adorable:



The image above doesn't give you the whole picture (pun intended) of Tararuj's piece, by the way. Looked at from the side, good ol' Bob--or Bobblun, or whatever you want to call him--and the bubble that encases him pop from the canvas in oh-so-au-currant 3D.

See what I mean, and read why Tararuj chose Bubble Bobble as a subject rather than Circus Charlie, by checking out the artist's blog, kaseytararuj. blogspot.com.