Hunchback

Hoppers
Appearances	Many Games

Probably the most annoying of the original enemies from the Castlevania series, Hoppers (known by a variety of names) are a thorn in the side of heroes and players alike. They generally hop about in erratic patterns forwards and backwards, with small and large hops. Hoppers are often carried by a "dropper" enemy that flies at a certain height in unlimited streams from one end of the screen to the other, pausing to drop a hopper. A different type of dropper is associated with different types of hoppers.

The first Hoppers were small balding men called Hunchbacks, patterned after Igor found in the original Castlevania game. Igor himself was an invincible version who fought alongside Frankenstein's Monster. This variety recurred in Vampire Killer, Haunted Castle, the parody game Konami Wai Wai World, the North American and European versions of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, and Castlevania Chronicles. Hunchbacks would sometimes be dropped by Eagles. Because Hunchbacks were not in the original Japanese version of Dracula's Curse, they are sometimes dropped by Harpy's in that game outside of Japan.

The second type of hoppers are known as Ghoul Rabbits in Japan and Gremlins in North America. They were vicious hopping rabbits with long teeth. They appeared as a replacement for the hunchback in the Japanese version of Dracula's Curse. In the North American and European versions, artwork for these rabbits was created for Nintendo Power and they were dubbed "Gremlins." This artwork was based on the gremlin-like art from the Japanese manual, but the sprite for the Gremlin was actually changed in the game itself to be the same as the sprites for the hunchbacks. Ghoul Rabbits and Gremlins returned in Super Castlevania IV in all regions. They are sometimes dropped by Harpys in both games.

The third type of hoppers are the Flea Men, which first appeared in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. They were further deformed to have a small head and arms and flea-like characteristics. Flea Men are the standard hoppers in the more recent games. These Flea Men are sometimes dropped by large Bats. Many other types of flea men exist.

The games created by KCEK have different type of droppers in them. A skinny green lizard-like Ghoul hopper appears in Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness. A relatively large cross between a Hunchback (has long arms) and a Fleaman (has a small head) simply called a Hopper appears in Castlevania: Circle of the Moon.

Gallery

C1 Hunchback.JPG

Hunchback from the Japanese Castlevania manual

VK Grim Man.JPG

"Grim Man" from the Japanese Vampire Killer manual

Gremlin from Japanese manual for Dracula's Curse

Gremlin from Nintendo Power's coverage of Dracula's Curse

"Goul Rabbit" from the All About Akumajo Dracula guide for Super Castlevania IV

For the canceled Castlevania: Resurrection

Enemy Data

Enemy Data: Hoppers
Image	Name - Game Description	Statistics	Items	Location	Notes
(NES/C64/AMI/PC)	Hunchback (Hunchback/Fleaman) - Castlevania				[ edit ]
	Most of the time he stands perfectly still. But, if you get too close, he leaps at you and then clings to you. Strike him with you Whip just before or after he jumps.(*)	HP: 1 Exp: 500 Atk: 3		3. Outside, 4. Underground, 5. Main Building, 6. Clock Tower
	11. Hunchback  (Grim Man) - Vampire Killer				[ edit ]
	'	Exp: 200		3. Castle Ruins 4. Catacombs 5. Torture Laboratory 6. Castle Keep
	Dwarf (Small Man) - Haunted Castle				[ edit ]
	'	HP: 4 Exp: 400 Atk: 1	Drop: Cross (Stage 3)	3. Banquet Room 4. Basement 5. Clocktower
	12. Hunchback (Pill Bug Beast Man) - Konami Wai Wai World				[ edit ]
	'	HP: 1 Atk: 1		Castle stage
(NA/JPN)	6. Hunchback/Gremlin (Ghoul Rabbit) (Ghoul Rabbit) - Dracula's Curse				[ edit ]
	'	Atk: 3		1. Town, 3. Forest, 6A. Causeway, 7. Mountains, 7A. Courtyard, 9. Inner Tower	Allies: Harpy
	14. Ghoul Rabbit  - Super Castlevania IV				[ edit ]
	'	HP: 32 Exp: 100 Atk: 3		5. Castle Court	Allies: Harpie
	Hunchback  (Flea Man) - Chronicles				[ edit ]
	'	HP: 1 Exp: 500		1. Monastery, 3. Courtyard, 5. Clock Tower
(RoB/DXC)	Flea Man  - Rondo of Blood				[ edit ]
	'	HP: 1 Exp: 100		3. Cathedral, 4. Torture Chamber, 4'. River
	Gremlin  [alt] - Bloodlines				[ edit ]
	'			5. Versailles Palace
	Flea Man  - Dracula X				[ edit ]
	'	HP: 1		4. Dungeon, 5. Courtyard
	23. Flea Man (jpn) - Symphony of the Night				[ edit ]
	Strange human-like creature. Jumps like a flea. (...)	Level: 7 HP: 11 Exp: 17	Drop: Takemitsu, Cheese	Marble Gallery, Long Library
	65. Flea Armor (Armored Fleaman) - Symphony of the Night				[ edit ]
	Flea Man armed with axe and shield.	Level: 16 HP: 18 Exp: 40	Drop: High Potion, Iron Cuirass	Clock Tower, Long Library
	Josh  - Legends				[ edit ]
	'	HP: 3 Atk: 1		2. Inside, 3. Clock Tower, Hidden
	Ghoul  (Flea Man) - Legacy of Darkness				[ edit ]
	'	HP: 5		Forest, Castle Center, Tower of Ruins, Tower of Science, Clock Tower
	Fleaman (Flea Flicker Man) - Circle of the Moon				[ edit ]
	'	Strong: Darkness HP: 60 Exp: 29 Atk: 142 Def: 45	Common Drop: Cotton Clothes (5%) Rare Drop: Arm Guard (1.25%)	Catacomb (after defeating Cerberus), Audience Room, Triumph Hallway
	Hopper (jpn) - Circle of the Moon				[ edit ]
	'	Strong: Darkness HP: 40 Exp: 8 Atk: 87 Def: 35	Common Drop: Cotton Clothes (5%) Rare Drop: Gauntlet (1.5%)	Catacomb
	7. Fleaman (jpn) - Harmony of Dissonance				[ edit ]
	'	Level: 2 HP: 3 Exp: 7	Common Drop: $1 Rare Drop: $5	Castle A: Marble Corridor, Chapel of Dissonance, Luminous Cavern, Clock Tower, Castle Treasury Castle B: Clock Tower, Marble Corridor
	57. Fleaman Armor (Armored Fleaman) - Harmony of Dissonance				[ edit ]
	'	Strong: Fire Weak: Thunder Level: 14 HP: 20 Exp: 55	Common Drop: $25 Rare Drop: Fire Mail	Castle A: Castle Treasury Castle B: Clock Tower, Marble Corridor
	25. Fleaman (jpn) - Aria of Sorrow				[ edit ]
	Creature that hops around like a flea.	Weak: Sword, Poison, Curse HP: 10 MP: 10 Exp: 15 Atk: 13 Def: 1	Rare Drop: Cloth Tunic Soul: Hopping Man	Chapel, Study, Dance Hall
	75. Ripper (jpn) - Aria of Sorrow				[ edit ]
	This fiend enjoys slaughtering people with a knife.	Weak: Sword, Poison HP: 80 MP: 10 Exp: 80 Atk: 42 Def: 3	Common Drop: Crimson Cloak Soul: Scalpel Throw	Floating Garden, Underground Reservoir, Underground Cemetery, Forbidden Area
	22. Flea Man  - Lament of Innocence				[ edit ]
	A humanoid monster that hops in any and all directions.	Weak: Knife, Axe HP: 10	Drop: Heart Repair, Tomato Juice	House of Sacred Remains, Anti-Soul Mysteries Lab (Crazy Mode only), Ghostly Theatre (Crazy Mode only), Dark Palace of Waterfalls
	59. Death Reaper  - Lament of Innocence				[ edit ]
	A Flea Man that has awakened to the pleasures of tearing apart humans.	Weak: Crystal HP: 100	Drop: Heart Repair, Piyo-Piyo Shoes	Garden Forgotten by Time (Crazy Mode only), Dark Palace of Waterfalls (Crazy Mode only), Pagoda of the Misty Moon
	47. Fleaman (jpn) - Dawn of Sorrow				[ edit ]
	A sinister little man that leaps about as if he were a flea.	Weak: Piercing, Slashing, Curse, Stone HP: 15 MP: 5 Exp: 25 Atk: 35 Timestop: Affected	Common Drop: Kung Fu Suit (8%) Soul: Hopping Man (3.52%)	Garden of Madness, Condemned Tower
	87. Ripper (jpn) - Dawn of Sorrow				[ edit ]
	A fiend that takes great pleasure in slaughtering people with knives.	Weak: Piercing, Slashing, Curse, Stone HP: 50 MP: 10 Exp: 80 Atk: 50 Timestop: Affected	Rare Drop: Black Cloak (4%) Soul: Knife Throw (1.95%)	Mine of Judgment, The Abyss
	16. Flea Man Lv.7  - Curse of Darkness				[ edit ]
	An agile, leaping humanoid monster always found in large groups.	Level: 7 HP: 1 Exp: 0	Rare Drop: Milk Steal: $10	Garibaldi Temple, Tower of Eternity
	67. Death Ripper Lv.29  - Curse of Darkness				[ edit ]
	Wields two huge blades, which it uses in a vicious sliding attack. Enjoys ripping human flesh apart.	Level: 29 HP: 7 Exp: 2	Rare Drop: Ice Cream Steal: $100	Eneomaos Machine Tower
	109. Flea Man Lv.40  - Curse of Darkness				[ edit ]
	An agile, leaping humanoid monster always found in large groups.	Level: 40 HP: 5 Exp: 2	Rare Drop: Milk Steal: $10	Garibaldi Temple (Crazy Mode only), Dracula's Castle
	153. Flea Man Lv.75  - Curse of Darkness				[ edit ]
	An agile, leaping humanoid monster always found in large groups.	Level: 75 HP: 11 Exp: 7	Rare Drop: Milk Steal: $10	Garibaldi Temple (Crazy Mode only), Tower of Evermore
	154. Death Ripper Lv.75  - Curse of Darkness				[ edit ]
	Wields two huge blades, which it uses in a vicious sliding attack. Enjoys ripping human flesh apart.	Level: 75 HP: 23 Exp: 13	Rare Drop: Ice Cream Steal: $100	Tower of Evermore
	33. Fleaman (jpn) - Portrait of Ruin				[ edit ]
	A sinister little man who leaps about as if he were a flea.	Weak: Whip, Slash, Curse, Stone HP: 15 Exp: 19 Skill Pt: 1	Drop: Fedora, Pancake	Sandy Grave, Nation of Fools, Dark Academy, Forgotten City
	90. Armored Fleaman (jpn) - Portrait of Ruin				[ edit ]
	A little Fleaman armed with an axe and protected by armor.	HP: 80 Exp: 125 Skill Pt: 4	Drop: Bhuj, Berserker	Forgotten City, Nest of Evil
	114. Ripper (jpn) - Portrait of Ruin				[ edit ]
	A fiend who takes great pleasure in slaughtering people with knives.	Weak: Whip, Slash, Curse, Stone HP: 80 Exp: 127 Skill Pt: 2	Drop: Porkpie Hat, Spicy Shrimp	13th Street, Burnt Paradise, Nest of Evil
	Fleaman  - Order of Shadows				[ edit ]
	'			2. The Bat's Belfry, 4. The Inner Sanctum
	72. Flea Man (jpn) - Order of Ecclesia				[ edit ]
	This sinister little man leaps like a bloodsucking flea.	Weak: Slash, Poison, Curse HP: 30 Exp: 18 Skill Pt: 1 Atk: 50	Drop: Rice Ball (3%)	Oblivion Ridge, Mystery Manor, Castle Entrance, Underground Labyrinth
	Fleaman  - Adventure ReBirth				[ edit ]
	A mischievous, deformed man who is an expert in hopping.(*)			1. Castle Bridge (Hard Mode only), 2. Entrance, 3. Dungeon (Hard Mode only), 4. Chapel, 5. Clock Tower
	8. Fleaman (jpn) - Harmony of Despair				[ edit ]
	A sinister little man who leaps about as if he were a flea.	Weak: Slash, Pierce, Petrify, Curse, Poison	Drop: Paper Airplane (5.30%) Soul: Red (2.30%) Summon a Fleaman.	Chapter 1, Chapter 3, Chapter 4
	74. R. Hunchback (L. Flea Man) [alt] - Harmony of Despair				[ edit ]
	A diminutive foe who perfected the art of leaping long ago.	Weak: Slash, Pierce, Petrify, Curse, Poison Exp: 300	Soul: Red	Chapter 10

Game-Specific Information

Castlevania: The Arcade

Fleamen leap over walls in order to get you in the Rampart section of Stage 4 in Castlevania: The Arcade.

This enemy article may have been created with information obtained from other sources. Please see the Enemy Bibliography page for a list of possible sources that may have been consulted for this article or the source of some of the images used on this page.