Thanks to Hamada for helping with edits. Also, thanks to the Precise Museum for translating Puyo Puyo~n and other franchise materials; this article would not exist if not for their work.
I’m not very good at Puyo Puyo, though I still deeply appreciate the series. Originally developed by Compile, the SEGA property has a fun, jovial personality supported by an eccentric cast. Arle Nadja is one of my favorite characters, and as its main character, she attracts a lot of attention. Much of that comes from several ne’er-do-wells, some of whom are her mirror images.
Doppelganger Arle (or “Doppel,” as fans affectionately dub her), seen in 1999’s Puyo Puyo~n (Image: SEGA)
Since Arle was a tyke, she’s been harassed by numerous doppelgängers across the Madou Monogatari series, Puyo Puyo’s dungeon-crawling predecessor. The SEGA Genesis Madou Monogatari I remake introduces Warle, a singular troublemaker. The Shin Madou Monogatari novels and, presumably, Madou Monogatari: Chaotic Final Exam feature another Arle lookalike, Lilith. Spin-off Nazo Puyo: Arle no Roux and other media feature Doppelganger Arles, too. Finally, Puyo Puyo~n starts with the series’ recurring antagonist, the Dark Prince (also known as Satan), opening a box, unleashing Arle’s definitive doppelgänger…
Doppelganger Arle’s History
One seemingly carefree day, the Puyo Puyo Circus visits Arle’s town. A harlequin, Pierrot (who acts as the opening opponent in Pocket Puyo Puyo~n), greets Arle and her longtime companion, Carbuncle, before they enjoy the festivities. Later, the ringleader, a thinly disguised Dark Prince, performs a disappearing act on Carbuncle — and after the show ends, Arle’s unable to locate him. So our heroine searches for her yellow blob, eventually confronting the Dark Prince. Strangely, after beating him, he’s completely unaware of where he is, spurring Pierrot’s entrance. She explains she brainwashed him to retrieve Carbuncle and unmasks herself, shocking Arle. They battle, and after winning, the blue-hued Arle asks “just who are you?” While fading away, Doppelganger Arle simply asserts she’s the genuine article.
Puyo Puyo~n Party, the game’s Nintendo 64 version, features its own intro. Its final frame shows Pierrot ominously watching her anathema. (Image: SEGA)
Over a year after Puyo Puyo~n’s release, Doppelganger Arle nabbed an encore in Box, Compile’s final Puyo Puyo title. Since then, Doppel has made occasional appearances throughout SEGA’s titles. She’s available in her default look, a “Dusklight” variant, and as Pierrot in Puyo Puyo!! Quest. The smartphone game also implies she monitors Arle’s friends, though still hasn’t quite worked out who’s who. A dimension-hopping adventure told via Drama CD reunites both Arles. Finally, an icon sporting Doppel’s mug is among those players can use in Puyo Puyo Champions and Tetris 2.
So, what’re my thoughts on Doppel?
This medium has no shortage of evil clones. Several of them are merely obstacles to beat, though others rise above that baseline, playing with their role in interesting ways. Dark Pit laments his status as an imperfect ectype. Badeline is a crippling anthropomorphization of Madeline’s anxiety, not a sincerely malevolent force. Still, my eyes are usually drawn to more offbeat, distinct foils. Wario, for example, functions as a Mario counterpoint, but has also grown into a richer, self-sufficient character. Altogether, I’m never opposed to inimical palette swaps, but only those who do something genuinely novel stick with me.
Doppel incessantly clutching her mask conveys her struggles with identity. Swapping out Arle’s bold blues for a murky burgundy, meanwhile, implies her sinister, otherworldly power. (Image: SEGA)
A sizable chunk of Puyo Puyo content, including ~n, has never officially left Japan. Consequently, there’s a mystique to the greater Puyo and Madou mythology, a sense of wonder concerning who these characters are. Fans, thankfully, have been translating older media, and a particularly attention-grabbing one is Shin Madou Monogatari’s Chronology. This timeline of very dubious canonicity covers the “Age of Turmoil,” a war where Arle — a transcendent being who exists above the “cycle of reincarnation” — rebels against her world’s creator(s). Although she emerges victorious, the aftermath seemingly leaves her realm inhospitable, spurring the immortal Dark Prince to recreate it five centuries later (what was he doing during all of that time, anyway?). Allegedly, this serves as the transition between Compile’s two series.
Tying into that is a backstory for Doppel that was conceived for Pocket Puyo Puyo~n, presumably, by its producer, Ken’ichi Ina. In the aftermath of her apocalyptic victory, Arle’s soul was split in two. Oblivious to this, the Dark Prince only retrieved one half, which was reborn as the Arle of Puyo Puyo. The other, meanwhile, drifted aimlessly through the dimensions, able to observe the Puyo world but never enter it. After some time, the dark deity noticed the Madou refugee. Unfortunately, a restriction prevents two of any one person from existing simultaneously. Using a loophole, the Dark Prince gave the vengeful outcast the Pierrot costume, which technically gives Doppel her own identity while limiting her power (notably, Pierrot lacks a super move in Pocket, and Doppel’s spells tie into the recreation theme). Ina notes, however, that he was only responsible for ~n’s Pocket version, not the console one. Plus, Ina stresses that this backstory is “unofficial,” something unacknowledged by Compile. Thing is, it doesn’t entirely feel unofficial.
Fittingly, both Arles share their voice actresses, though their performances as Doppel are traditionally colder and more commanding. (Image: SEGA)
Altogether, Puyo Puyo is unapologetically irreverent, flaunting slapstick humor and jokey banter. Hell, ~n’s predecessor, Sun, is about the Dark Prince enlarging the star so he can get a tan to attract women. Though certainly not devoid of goofy moments, Puyo Puyo~n marks a stylistic break for the blob-popping property. It gives the cast more detailed designs, uses a more muted color palette, and is overall more serious in tone. Its opening seconds show a dreary, gothic castle at nighttime, invoking Castlevania. Forsaking the usual gag plots, ~n is about an abduction. Arle’s distraught — rightfully so; I would be if one of my best friends went missing — and grows progressively more impatient throughout the game. Given their history, she naturally assumes her longtime nemesis is to blame. In actuality, the nuisance is a victim himself this time.
Then Pierrot emerges, unveiling herself as… a second Arle and ~n’s final boss, usurping a role typically held by the Dark Prince. The mimic’s motifs are contemplative and somber, a stark change from the series’ traditionally energetic tunes. Defeating Doppel isn’t a triumphant or throwaway scene, either; she simply… disappears, leaving lingering questions and unease. And this all becomes far weightier if this double truly is a remnant of Arle, a lost soul trying to salvage some semblance of her former life. ~n, additionally, was Compile’s final mainline Puyo Puyo; them closing their reign with a corrupted version of their protagonist brings their long-running continuity full circle.
And frankly, I empathize with Doppel for wanting this Arle’s life; it rocks. She has fun adventures, is popular, and things generally work out for her. (Image: SEGA)
Of course, this cold copycat isn’t merely some dusty, forgotten relic. Conceptually similar dark counterparts to other Puyo characters keep her memory alive, as do Doppel’s sporadic cameos. And regardless of its validity, Ina’s concept for Doppel is compelling, a tragic confluence of the “dark doppelgänger” and “fallen hero” archetypes. Through zero fault of her own, she spent centuries alone, forgotten. Coming from that angle, it’s nice knowing Arle’s twin not only survives ~n, but scores a safe home and an adoring friend.
Congratulations, Doppel! There’s no need for two Arles…
I have no attachment to Shin, but I do headcanon that Doppel is a fragment of her namesake that splintered off somehow. That buttresses ~n‘s more melancholic tones, furthering their significance and distinctness. (Image: SEGA)
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