Taizo Hori (ホリ・タイゾウ Hori Taizō), originally known more commonly as DIG DUG, is the protagonist of the DIG DUG video game series, and a major character in the Mr. Driller spin-off series. He is the chairman of the Driller Council and the founder of Team Star Trigon, and is also a member of the United Galaxy Space Force organization. Originally married to Masuyo Tobi, the protagonist of Namco's Baraduke, he would since divorce with her, but not before having three sons - Taiyo Tobi, Ataru Hori and Susumu Hori, the last of which would become the main protagonist of the Mr. Driller series.
Physical appearance[]
Taizo has fair skin and wears a white and blue helmet with red studs on the sides. On his white suit are red chevrons, alongside with blue gloves and red boots. He is almost always seen with his drill.
Character biography[]
Digging for the first time[]
Taizo's first adventure was in the Namco video game, DIG DUG. His main objective was to reach the very bottom of the Earth to destroy all Pookas and Fygars. He was always interested in the ground anyways, and always wondered what lived beneath it.
Returning to action[]
DIG DUG comes back to the screen in DIG DUG II. His objective is very much similar, however, he only stays above ground. He promises to defend the above world from ever being invaded again by the Pookas and Fygars.
Other appearances[]
Wreck-It Ralph[]
Taizo Hori's cameo in "Wreck-It Ralph."
He made a brief cameo appearance with Frogger at the scene where Wreck-It Ralph walks through Game Central Station after finishing his session with Bad-Anon. Pooka and Fygar appear later.
PAC-MAN World[]
Taizo, (under the commonly known alias DIG DUG), was meant to be one of the captured friends PAC-MAN had to rescue from Toc-Man shown in the storyboards for the cutscenes of PAC-MAN World. But was scrapped for reasons unknown, in the final game, Pooka is one of the friends PAC-MAN has to rescue.
PAC-MAN Adventures[]
Taizo appears in concept artworks, both colored and line art, intended for the cancelled game PAC-MAN Adventures. It's unknown what role he would've assumed of.
Gallery[]
Character Artwork[]
.png "Taizo Hori (Dig Dug Official Artwork).png (303 KB)")
.jpg "Taizo Hori (Dig Dug Atari 2600 Official Artwork).jpg (710 KB)")
.jpg "Taizo Hori Surprised (Dig Dug Atari 2600 Official Artwork).jpg (408 KB)")
.jpg "Taizo Hori (Mr. Driller A Official Artwork).jpg (333 KB)")
Group Artwork[]
.png "Taizo Hori Inflating Pooka (Dig Dug Official Artwork).png (488 KB)")
.png "Taizo Hori and Fygar (Dig Dug Famicom Official Artwork).png (940 KB)")
.jpg "Taizo Hori Inflating Fygar (Dig Dug Atari 2600 Official Artwork).jpg (299 KB)")
References[]
| Characters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protagonists | Taizo Hori • Ataru Hori • Susumu Hori • Masuyo Tobi • Wataru Hoshi • Chuta Bugbang | |
| Side Characters | Player-2 • Takky • Puchi • Dr.Z • Chuta Bigbang • | |
| Monsters | Pookas | Pooka • Neo Pooka • Boss Pooka • Plastic Pooka • Black Pooka • Scuba Pooka • Blue Pooka • Pac-Man Pooka |
| Monsters | Fygars | Fygar • Neo Fygar• Boss Fygar • Ghost Fygar • Skeleton Fygar • Knight Fygar • Blue Fygar • Swimming Fygar • Magma Fygar • Pac-Man Fygar |
| Monsters | Robo • UniDuck • Dark DIG DUG • Jammer • Dodongadon • Living Rock • Tipar Minion • Nautilus Minion • Octo Minion Bat Minion • Penguin Minion • Lizard • Purple Sleepy Snake • Red Ant Miner • Sacker • Sleepy Snake • | |
| Bosses | Pink Mega Fygar • Rock Dino • Mega Penguin • Giant Ant Miner • Jumbo Purple Sleepy Snake • Ms.Sacker • | |
| Others | PAC-MAN • Mappy • Undergrounders • President or Horinesia • | |