Chariot, rider, and all

While I wrapped up my level grinding session in Dragon Quest IX (for now), I noticed something peculiar. The enemy known as "Chariot Chappie" is a complete entity unto itself.

First off, there's its magical propulsion. A chariot usually requires some sort of animal to pull it. But this chariot is arcanely animated, complete with a monstrous face across its front.

Then there's the fact that it doesn't appear to be whip-operated in any way. Going back to the usual animal form of chariot power being some sort of four legged animal, a driver would use a whip to control speed and direction. Along the same line, the imp doesn't appear to hold any sort of rein. It's as if the imp inside the magical chariot shares some sort of symbiotic bond with the chariot itself, ala James Cameron's Avatar.

The strangest thing about this monster, though, is that when it's defeated, the chappie falls back into the chariot box as the wheels and poles fall away. What's left before the destroyed enemy fades into oblivion is an imp laying back in a box looking very much like he's ready for a good old fashioned casket burial.

Akira Toriyama may have trouble drawing distinct faces, but there's definitely much more than fine lines at work when so much detail goes into a monster's design.