Hungry Luma

"MORE! MORE!"

- Hungry Luma

Hungry Lumas are pink, slightly chubby Lumas that have visible mouths. Hungry Lumas carry two sticks around, which both have Star Bits on the top. They appear in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, in which Mario must feed them a certain number of Star Bits, at which point they will transform into a new planet or galaxy. Hungry Lumas found in individual galaxies need up to 100 Star Bits, while Comet Observatory or Starship Mario Hungry Lumas need from 300 to 2000 Star Bits, as they create entire galaxies when fed. If Mario feeds a Hungry Luma enough Star Bits or coins while inside a galaxy to make it transform, he does not necessarily have to immediately follow the new path. If Mario completes the stage and secures the Power Star he was originally going for, the new planet created by the Hungry Luma is still there the next time he returns to that stage. The same applies to Hungry Lumas on the game's hub, except Mario has to talk to the now-small Hungry Luma to make the Launch Star reappear.

Most of the time Hungry Lumas will also leave a Launch Star behind for Mario when they transform, allowing him to gain access to the new area. However, in Sea Slide Galaxy a certain Hungry Luma does not leave a Launch Star behind, forcing Mario to use a cannon to reach the new planet. The Sweet Sweet Galaxy and Sand Spiral Galaxy can both be reached without using the Launch Star via a glitch: after talking to the filled-up Hungry Luma to make the Launch Star appear, Flying Mario can be used to access the portals instead.

Hungry Lumas reappear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, serving the same purpose as they did in the original. There is one Hungry Luma in every world that can be summoned to the Starship Mario. After Mario summons them he can feed them a required number of Star Bits to unlock a new galaxy in that world. Hungry Lumas also appear in some of the games galaxies, only now requesting coins instead of Star Bits. These Hungry Lumas will also refuse to be fed unless Mario has the correct number of coins on hand.

Trivia

 * There are a total of seven planet-forming Hungry Lumas as well as seven galaxy-forming Hungry Lumas in both Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel. It is unknown if this was done intentionally or if this is simply a coincidence.
 * If the Hungry Luma carries Star Bits/Coins already, than why does it need some from Mario/Luigi? It could be why the Hungry Luma is called a Greedy Luma in Italian.