【About the Character】
【Taizo Hori】

[A/N: A good chunk of his lore was left up to interpretation, some of this information disclosed isn't 100% canon, but instead my interpretations. A lot of canon dates are inconsistent as well so I'll do my best to unscramble that here.]
[I will not be discussing lore/characterization relating to Shifty Look Dig Dug from "Mappy the Beat" simply because hes written so differently from canon that I consider him more of an AU counterpart, I still love the lil guy tho]
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Taizo "Dig Dug" Hori is the world renowned hero in the 1982 "Dig Dug Incident" (Dig Dug) as well as the 1985, "Trouble in Paradise Incident" (Dig Dug II)
Taizo Hori is a subterranean warrior/exterminator whose main form of combat being an air pump as well as a rock-crushing drill. He used this form of combat against the underground terrorizers known as the Pooka Clan and the Fygar Tribe in the goal to exterminate them.
[A/N: its noted that not all Pookas and Fygars are evil, but something caused a disturbance within these races during the documented years that have lead UGSF's subterranean scientists to believe that these spiecies were tampered with by man.]
Not long after his achievements, Namco promoted him to be apart of the United Galaxy Space Force (UGSF) to work alongside likewise heroes.
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During the beginning of his UGSF career (1985), he volunteered to be apart of one of their most dangerous missions of the year; Operation Fortress Baraduke. A mission that his crush was leading "coincidentally". His only given goal within this mission was to escort and lead an Aerial Troop to aid and fight alongside Baradukes warriors, Masuyo "Kissy" Tobi and her sister Takami "Takky" Tobi. However, during what was supposed to be a short yielded mission, communications between Taizo and Masuyo got scrambled, leading to a false signal given to Taizo for him to send out the troops.
See, Masuyo found out that the Octi King, the alien inhabiting the fortress and causing distress to the Paccet Planet, was also part of an explosive super weapon, basically making him a suicide bomber. Meaning taking this guy out was a one man job and it had to be done swiftly. That information never got back to Taizo. Taizo heard Masuyo in distress over their intercoms and saw only Takami leaving the fortress, this made him panic and rush out every member of the troop to her aid.
The short story, Masuyo was exiting the back of the fortress before she got caught up in the explosion, meanwhile dozens of men within the Aerial Troop entered the fortresses main entrance and met their demise within the explosion. Masuyo, Takami, and Taizo successfully saved the Paccet Planet, but were the only survivors.
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Between the years of 1985 and early 1990s, Taizo Hori has been MIA. Only thing people knew relating to him during these years is that he blamed himself for what happened at the Fortress that day. Taizo took to the UGSF to have his name and accomplishments stricken from Baraduke records, meaning the only people that knew about his error were those who worked on the mission. He retired from the UGSF to take time for himself.
After many years of hiding underground to cope he not only realizes his life mission, but learns to "get over himself" to salvage a chance with the woman he loves, this was proven success when they got married in 199X.
In the late 1990s, Taizo takes back to the UGSF headquarters and requests a Central Ground Unit for him to found and be head chairman of. The UGSF granted this to him and thus, The Drillers Association was born.
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Later down the line, him and Masuyo have two kids together. Ataru Hori and Susumu Hori. During the beginning of Taizo and Masuyos relationship, after their first born was 5 years old and their second being a newborn, Ataru requested and was denied permission to join his father to become a driller. At the time drillers still dealt with underground monsters and it was a deadly task. Ataru took this refusal too personally and ended up running away from home. After this, Taizo was never home much and instead favored the traveling opportunity his job gave him. But these travels were never really about him, they were a way for him to find his son, but many years proven unsuccessful. They also served as a way to distance himself from his family. His PTSD from the Baraduke Incident haunts him everyday, and ends up making him feel like a burden to his family.

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【About the Character (cont.)】
【Taizo Hori】

Aside from his job and traveling, Taizo likes adventuring for different restaurants! One of his favorite foods is sweet potatoes, he especially has a liking for it as a daifuku dish!
Taizo also likes the attention his title gives him, he expects everyone to know him as a hero and even gets a bit cross when someone happens to be unfamiliar with him! He's shown to get a bit of a kick from fan behavior, even getting a bit flustered from it.
Within his travels, his favorite place to visit is Egypt! The biggest time consumer with his travels here is visiting the camels, they're his favorite animal! (rumor has it he spent the night at some strangers camel farm...)

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【Taizo Hori sports many looks!】
【These are just a few of many he claims as well as some of my favorite pics of him!!】

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