Running Man
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The Running Man is a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda series.[1]
Biography
A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past, the Running Man is found standing close to the Sweeping Lady in Kakariko Village. He takes off whenever Link gets too close to him due to believing him to be the villain who kidnapped Princess Zelda. When Link acquires the Pegasus Boots, he can chase down the Running Man to catch up him.[2] The Running Man says he does not look like a villain, and advises Link to dash into objects, such as Trees in the village as he could find various objects hidden in them.[3] He will continue in his cowardly behavior and will always run from Link however. Later in the game, the man cannot be found in Kakariko Village again and does not return until the ending sequence.
Ocarina of Time
The Running Man in Ocarina of Time runs around Hyrule Field during the past after Link has obtained all three Spiritual Stones. Link will only be able to speak with him when he stops for a break at night. He has an obsession with rabbits, and speaks about how Hyrule Field used to be filled with them. The Bunny Hood can be sold to him; he even believes the long ears will help him hear the voices of the gods. He will pay a big sum of Rupees to obtain the mask. The exact amount he pays Link for the Bunny Hood is not set; he will simply give Link as many Rupees as it takes to fill his current Wallet. Once he receives the Bunny Hood, the Running Man will gain a burst of speed, knocking back Link if he runs into him.
During the future, Link can meet him inside the carpenters tent in Gerudo Valley. He will mention that he wanted to try to run through Haunted Wasteland; however, he had second thoughts for undisclosed reasons.[4] To make matters worse, the Gerudo tore down the bridge before he could escape, trapping him.[5] When the carpenters fix the bridge, he will challenge Link to a race from the tent to the bridge outside Kokiri Forest.[6] However, the Running Man will always beat Link by one second.[7] Link's fastest time will be recorded in his house in Kokiri Forest.
Other Appearances
The following section has content which has neither been confirmed nor denied as canonical by Nintendo.
Trivia
- In A Link Between Worlds, there is a reference to the Running Man from A Link to the Past. After he has stolen the Smooth Gem, the Shady Guy runs away whenever Link gets too close to him in Kakariko Village. While the Running Man can only be caught thanks to the Pegasus Boots, the Shady Guy is caught thanks to Wall Merging and is the one who awards Link the Pegasus Boots he was using to run at a quick pace.
- Il Piantissimo from Super Mario Sunshine uses the same head model as the Running Man from Ocarina of Time with an added goatee. However, his head is always covered by a Pianta mask.
Nomenclature
 Names in Other Regions  | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Names | Meanings |
 Japanese | 走る人 (Hashiru Hito)[9] | Runner |
 German | Läufer[10] | |
 Italian | Corridore[8] | Runner |
| This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference. | ||
Other Names
These names, though from official English sources, are not considered Canon by Zelda Wiki as they contradict a name or names from a higher-priority source.
| Name | Marathon Runner[11] |
|---|---|
| Applies to | |
| Source | |
| Superseded by |
| Name | Applies to | Source | Superseded by |
|---|---|---|---|
Marathon Runner[11] |
Gallery
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The Running Man talking to Link in A Link to the Past
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Link challenging the Running Man in Ocarina of Time
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Link defeated by the Running Man in Ocarina of Time
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The Running Man from Ancient Stone Tablets
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Il Piantissimo's head from Super Mario Sunshine
References
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 228 (ALttPA Link to the Past) & 239 (OoTOcarina of Time | OoT3DOcarina of Time 3D)
- ↑ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past—Nintendo Player's Guide, Nintendo of America, pg. 115
- ↑
I can't believe you caught me! With your speed it must have been easy to kidnap Zelda... You don't look like such a bad guy, though... Anyway, because you have such quick feet, it might be a good idea to run and bash into many things... For example the trees in this village have many unseful things hanging in their branches... Well, just try it, ok?!
— Running Man (A Link to the Past) - ↑
I'm the wandering running man! I've run all over this land in search of competitors who have a true killer instinct! I came here to run through the Haunted Wasteland, but it doesn't look like good timing for that.
— Running Man (Ocarina of Time) - ↑
Though I want to go back to Hyrule Field, the bridge is...well, you can see it from here. So I'm stuck here, inside this tent. I don't think I can accept your challenge right now. Heh heh!
— Running Man (Ocarina of Time) - ↑
You're an athletic guy, and you look like you might have a true killer instinct, too. Now that the bridge over Gerudo Valley is complete, I'm looking for a challenger to have a commemorative race against.
— Running Man (Ocarina of Time) - ↑ Jeremy Wishengrad, I beat the Running Man to 0 seconds using debug controls! (Proof Inside!) , YouTube (Video), published September 1, 2011, retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ↑ Enciclopedia di Hyrule, Magazzini Salani, pg. 228
- ↑ Hyrule Encyclopedia, Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd., pg. 226
- ↑ Encyclopedia, TOKYOPOP, pg. 228
- ↑ The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time—Prima's Official Strategy Guide, Prima Games, pg. 138