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Fullmetal Hugger

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Fullmetal Hugger
Fullmetal Hugger tt EOM screenshot.png
Echoes of Mana screenshot
First appearance Final Fantasy Adventure (1991)
Latest appearance Visions of Mana (2024)
Location(s) Cascade CavernToM
DragonsmawToM
Dark CastleToM
Species Crab
Counterpart(s) Grim Mortifier
Background music "Nuclear Fusion"ToM
"Metal Crab" redirects here. For information about the common monster in Secret of Mana, see Metal Crab (enemy).

Fullmetal Hugger is a massive crab boss who appears in some of the earlier Mana games. It first appears in Final Fantasy Adventure. Fullmetal Hugger generally has a large rocky body, with the main part having a reddish color and its legs being either light green or dark blue in color, depending on the game. It is among the most recurring and most recognizable bosses in the Mana series, along with the Mantis Ant, appearing in almost all installments aside from Secret of Mana and Children of Mana.

The Fullmetal Hugger usually has an affinity with the Light element and fears Dark attacks. Its signature attacks include eye beams, spitting bubbles, clawing and crushing down its opponents by leaping through the air. This creature is also prone to lose one of its eyes upon losing significant health. This creature is usually encountered in dark, damp caverns.

Appearances

Final Fantasy Adventure/Adventures of Mana

Main article: Metal Crab (Adventures of Mana)
Metal Crab FFA sprite.png

While exploring the Hidden Waterfall in hopes of finding a way to Glaive Castle, Sumo finds himself in front of a huge menacing crab that must be defeated so the young lad can resume his quest.

In the original Game Boy game, the Metal Crab walks left and right and in diagonals in a random fashion, only hurting the hero by collision.

In Adventures of Mana, the Fullmetal Hugger can swipe its claw at Sumo if in range, stomp its pincer on the ground, and jump offscreen in hopes to land on him. The huge crab can also grab the hero with its pincer, temporarily stopping his actions and dealing considerable damage. Defeating it will reward the player with the Crab Crusher achievement.

Trials of Mana

Main article: Fullmetal Hugger (Trials of Mana)
Fullmetal Hugger TOM sprite.png

In Trials of Mana, Fullmetal Hugger is the first major boss, and it is encountered in Cascade Cavern where it holds a seal over Lumina. A stronger variant is also fought when the Chosen is neither Kevin nor Charlotte.

Gameplay

In the original SNES game, the Fullmetal Hugger falls down from the ceiling and walk left and right. It can use its poisonous breath to poison allies. Another attack is to fire an Eye Beam to a single target. It can also defend itself by closing its eye lids, becoming impervious to all attacks. A stronger attack is called Bubble Breath, and pummels the whole party with water bubbles. One of its magic attacks is to use Holy Bolt to a single target. The crab can also heal itself with Healing Light. Its strongest attack is Dive Bomb, which consists of the Fullmetal Hugger jumping high and violently shaking the gound on impact, sending a shockwave. After losing half of its HP, the crab will lose its left eye.

In the HD remake, the Fullmetal Hugger and can use Holy Bolt to a wider area and swipe is pincers to deal physical damage. It its second encounter, the creature can use Lucent Beam instead of Holy Bolt. Additionally, the party members can it different parts of its body, mainly is shell, legs, and backside. When defending, only the body part will be immune to physical damage, meaning the allies can focus on damaging its legs.

Legend of Mana

Main article: Fullmetal Haggar (Legend of Mana)
Fullmetal Haggar LOM sprite.png

In Legend of Mana, its name was changed to Fullmetal Haggar, who is encountered at Madora Beach during the "Summer Lovin'" quest. The creature shows up inside a cave after stepping on 20 crabs.

Fullmetal is a primary material dropped by Pincher Crabs and used to forge equipment.

Gameplay

The Fullmetal Haggar now moves back and forth on the arena, occasionally using its front legs to hurt its target. It will als use its signature Eye Beam attack with either one or two eyes. It can also defend by putting both claws in front of its face. Its Bubble Breath attack can now put characer to sleep instead of inflicting poison. Its Dive Attack has low radius of effect, but will temporarily stun an afflicted target. The Fullmetal Haggar will lose one of its eyes after its HP bar color changes to red.

Sword of Mana

Main article: Boison Vine
Fullmetal Haggar Sword of Mana sprite.png

In Sword of Mana, its name is formatted as Full Metal Haggar, and it is fought in Cascade Cave. When Full Metal Haggar is defeated by the Hero or Heroine, it retreats into the Boison Vine's stomach, and the hero then has to fight Boison Vine.

Dawn of Mana

Main article: Grim Mortifer
Grim Mortifer DOM screenshot.png

A similar-looking boss is fought in the first chapter, where Keldric and Ritzia stumbles into a graveyard at the end of the Great Tree's labyrinth. The Grim Mortifer attacks the maiden, claiming she musn't awaken the echoes of the Mana Tree. Contrary to most of its previous iterations, the Grim Mortifer attacks exclusively with physical attacks.

Heroes of Mana

Main article: Fullmetal Hugger (Heroes of Mana)
Fullmetal Hugger HOM sprite.png

Several giant crabs appear in Cascade Cavern during mission 39 Crabs in the Cascades, where Roget and crew are tasked by Wendel's Oracle to exterminate these dangerous creatures before they grow ever larger.

The Fullmetal Gloves are arm equipment said to be made from slain Fullmetal Huggers. It grants +15 attack power.

Rise of Mana

Main article: Fullmetal Hugger (Rise of Mana)
Fullmetal Hugger RoM screenshot.jpg

The creature reappears inside the Scion World as the first legacy boss battle. The Angel and Demon access the strange dimension via a vortex near Miste Town and team up with several clones of themselves to put the threat down.

Echoes of Mana

Main article: Fullmetal Hugger (Echoes of Mana)
Fullmetal Hugger ch4 EOM screenshot.png

The Trials of Mana iteration is fought as a boss in Chapter 4: Soaramame, itself a corrupted memory of the world seen in the source. It is weak against attacks from Dark-aspected characters, but immune to Light attacks.

Visions of Mana

Main article: Fullmetal Hugger (Visions of Mana)
Fullmetal Hugger trailer VoM screenshot.png

A Square Enix preview briefly shows Val fighting a Fullmetal Hugger inside a cave.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Fullmetal Hugger.

Etymology

The term Fullmetal is probably taken from the Full metal jacket, an ammunition consisting of a soft core (often lead) encased in an outer shell ("jacket") of harder metal. This most likely echoes the tough exoskeleton of real-life crab encasing the soft, fleshy body of many crustaceans.

The Hugger part may come from the fact that crabs use their pincers to ensnare their prey, hugging them.

Names

Game Japanese Meaning English
Final Fantasy Adventure フルメタルハガー Fullmetal Hugger Metal Crab
Trials of Mana フルメタルハガー Fullmetal Hugger Fullmetal Hugger
Legend of Mana フルメタルハガー Fullmetal Hugger Fullmetal Haggar
Sword of Mana BV (フルメタルハガー) Boison Vine (Fullmetal Hugger) Fullmetal Haggar
Dawn of Mana タナトスハガー Thanatos Hugger Grim Mortifer
Heroes of Mana ? Fullmetal Hugger
Rise of Mana フルメタルハガー Fullmetal Hugger N/A
Adventures of Mana フルメタルハガー Fullmetal Hugger Metal Crab
Echoes of Mana フルメタルハガー Fullmetal Hugger Fullmetal Hugger
Visions of Mana ? ?