Romani

Not to be confused with Malon, a similarly designed character from Ocarina of Time.

Romani is a character in Majora's Mask and is the Terminan child counterpart of Malon.^[2]

Biography

Romani is a young girl who helps her elder look-alike sister, Cremia, take care of Romani Ranch, the premier supplier of Milk for the Milk Bar. She is kept busy by her dedication to keep the Ranch and the Cows safe from the Ghosts.^[3] However, her older sister does not believe her, forcing Romani to look for help elsewhere. On the First Day, she recruits Link to help her defend the Cows and teaches him "Epona's Song" to help him train for the attack.^[4][5] She is proficient in the use of a Bow like Link, although she does not actually help during the ghost attack as she must stay inside the barn to guard the Cows. Once the Cows are saved, she gracefully thanks Link with a Bottle full of Romani Milk and calls him a "little hero" before heading to bed.^[6] Romani later reveals that she does not tell Cremia about the recent Ghost attack so as to not worry her.^[7] The next day, Romani, impressed by his heroic talent, asks for the young Hero of Time's assistance again for next year, but then quickly comes up with the idea of having Link live at the Ranch with them instead, allowing him to borrow Romani's bed and claiming that her sister will be happy too.^[8]

Romani is shown to have a fun-loving and active personality, constantly jogging outside her house with her pet Dog during the day. She is not afraid to speak her mind, as demonstrated when she calls Link "cute" and "Grasshopper" the first time she meets him.^[9] She also likes to refer to herself in third person, and it is implied by her actions and by Cremia that Romani is not aware of the fate that is about to befall Termina. She wishes to go to the Carnival of Time, an event that she has never attended, but her older sister won't allow her to go until she turns into an adult, much to her dismay.^[10] However, on the night of the Final Day, Romani is excited at the fact that her older sister is finally going to let her try some of the luxurious Chateau Romani, although she is rather confused since Cremia had told her to wait until she became an adult (though it is strongly implied Cremia wanted to make Romani happy before their doom).^[11] Romani will also receive a Mask handmade from Cremia, for her older sister has finally acknowledged her as an adult.^[12]

Romani is last seen during the game's ending showing off her Bow skills as her older sister cheers her on.

Schedule

Trivia

• When Romani first meets Link, she gives him the nickname "Grasshopper" because he wears green and apparently patters when he walks.^[13] This is the same name Agitha gives to the Hero of Twilight incarnation in Twilight Princess.^[14] It is also likely a reference to Malon calling Link "Fairy Boy" due to his Kokiri-like clothing and having Navi the Fairy on his side in Ocarina of Time.

  

• If Link were to fail preventing the Ghosts from reaching the barn where she and the Cows hide on the First Day, they will be abducted and taken to the sky, and disappear. On the Second and Final Day, Romani, somehow alive and sent back from the ordeal, will become very disorientated, to the point she has trouble speaking or remembering anything. It is unknown what the Ghosts had done to her, though it's likely they have erased her memory. In addition, Cremia will be heartbroken not only for the loss of her specially-bred Cows (destroying her business), but also seeing her younger sister in such a horrible, unrepairable condition.
  • Even in her unhealthy state, Romani still allows Link to improve on his horseback archery if he so desires. However, she only refers to it as practice and even questions herself as to what he is practicing for.^[15]
    • Strangely, when Link performs the horseback archery practice and then goes to talk to Romani, she appears completely healthy as if she had never been captured by the Ghosts. This is a developer oversight, as when it is finished, she reverts into her poor state again.
• Romani tells Link that Cremia has a crush on Kafei. Due to this, several characters believe that the reason for Kafei's disappearance is that he had run off with her older sister, despite his approaching wedding with Anju.
• Like her Hyrulean counterpart Malon (as well as Talon), as her model was reused, Romani and her sister Cremia wear brooches of the face of Bowser, the main antagonist of the Super Mario franchise.
• Before doing the Milk delivery quest on the second night, if Link talks to Romani inside the house first, she will offer that Link stays and lives with them (likely due to his heroic actions), saying she will lend the young Hero of Time her bed. She will only do this if he agrees to be her assistant on the First Day.^[16]
• When Romani attempts to shoot with her Bow, of course lacking any Arrows, the sound effect of the "out of ammo" is the one used for the Fairy Slingshot from Ocarina of Time rather than what is actually from Link's own Hero's Bow.
  • Ironically, they are technically the same audio file, but the Slingshot version is slightly sped-up from the Bow's.
• Although Romani is remarkably similar to her counterpart Malon as a child, she can be distinguished by her mouth being slightly open and is even more energetic in behavior.
• In the demo version of Majora's Mask, Cremia refers to Madame Aroma as her and Romani's aunt.^[17] In the final release, she simply calls her a middle-aged woman.^[18]
• Romani and Cremia were supposed to appear in the Majora's Mask manga by Akira Himekawa but were cut, as Himekawa could not fit them in the story. This omission is acknowledged in a side note at the end of the manga adaptation.^[19]

Nomenclature

Romani is most likely named after the Romani people of Europe.

Gallery

• 
  Romani calling Link "Grasshopper" from Majora's Mask
• 
  Romani being abducted by Ghosts from Majora's Mask
• 
  Romani practicing with her Bow from Majora's Mask 3D
• 
  Romani after being abducted by Ghosts from Majora's Mask 3D
• 
  Unused sketch of Romani and Cremia from the Majora's Mask manga
• 
  Unused sketch of Romani and Cremia from the Majora's Mask manga
• 
  Unused sketch of Romani and Cremia from the Majora's Mask manga
• 
  Unused sketch of Romani and Cremia from the Majora's Mask manga

References