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Maruo Maruhige is a character from the Card Hero series, first appearing in Trade & Battle: Card Hero for the Game Boy Color. In the game he was the card dealer, dealing cards to the playable character Hiro and his primary rival Masaru Kado. The character would later appear once again in the Nintendo DS game Kousoku Card Battle: Card Hero. His only appearances outside of Japan is in Super Smash Bros. Melee, where he appeared as a trophy, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where he appeared as a Spirit.
Appearances
Card Hero series
Maruo Maruhige was the oldest son of card merchant who was the employee of a taxi service and a convenience store. Eventually he would become involved in the card business like his father, and would manage the Maruhige Card Shop as well as become a card dealer.
Super Smash Bros. series
The character appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee as a trophy.
Trophy description
"His name is Maruo Maruhige. He has a splendid moustache, and he's the eldest son of a long-established card merchant. After stints as a taxi driver and convenience store clerk, he settled into his role as heir to the card business, which has been in his family for five generations. He manages the Maruhige Card Shop."
Nintendo references
While not confirmed, it can be said that various things about Maruo are references to Nintendo. For one, he is involved in the card business, just as Nintendo was with their hanafuda cards. Second, before becoming a card dealer he drove taxis. Years before Nintendo entered the video game business they too had owned a taxi company in the form of the Daiya taxi service. It can also be said that the character is a reference to Mario. Not only does he sport a stylish mustache, but Maruo has a very similar name. In fact, if you replace the "u" with an "i" is spells "Mario".
