Banzai Bill

Banzai Bills are a larger variety of Bullet Bills that first appeared in Super Mario World. These huge bullets are black-colored and have shark-like smiles. They used to be the largest Bullet Bill sub-species, until King Bills were introduced in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, in 2009.

''Super Mario World
In Super Mario World, Banzai Bills are fired from somewhere off-screen and travel slowly towards Mario. Although they seem impossible to defeat, Banzai Bills are not very strong. In fact, they can be destroyed by simply jumping on top of them (just like regular Bullet Bills), although fireballs are ineffective against Banzai Bills.

''New Super Mario Bros.
Banzai Bills reappear in New Super Mario Bros. These Banzai Bills look like their Super Mario World counterparts, except that their coloring has a slight purple hue, and they have red shadows under their eyes to make them look more intimidating. In this game Banzai Bills are fired from huge Banzai Bill Blasters (unlike Super Mario World, where they are fired from an unknown source), and they seem to appear mostly at the end of the levels. Additionally, these Banzai Bills travel very slowly, twirling in the air. Again, a simple jump is enough to defeat these massive enemies. They also appear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, having a similar role.

''Super Mario Galaxy
In Super Mario Galaxy they appear in the game's last level, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor. They do not home in on Mario's position like Bullet Bills, but they are difficult to avoid because of their size. To avoid them, Mario has to wait until it passes by. If a Banzai Bill touches Mario, he will be knocked down, which may possibly result in falling into the lava, and lose a wedge of health. They are indestructible in this game.

''New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Banzai Bills appear again in the sequel to New Super Mario Bros., New Super Mario Bros. Wii. They are mostly seen in World 7, and are the same as they were in the game's prequel. In the World 7 tower, they are used as obstacles, where Mario and co. must move up on a platform and Banzai Bills are shot at them. They can be jumped on to reach higher areas, therefore, still being just a bigger version of a Bullet Bill. However, just like most enlarged versions of enemies, an Ice Flower only freezes them for a quick moment, and then they will break out. This game introduces a sub-species of the Banzai Bill called the Missile Banzai Bill, as well as the super-huge and indestructible King Bills.

''Super Mario Galaxy 2
They re-appear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, where they behave the same way they did in Super Mario Galaxy. Banzai Bills are first encountered in Sky Station Galaxy, and they later appear in Bowser Jr.'s Fearsome Fleet (during the fight with Megahammer), Fleet Glide Galaxy, and Bowser's Galaxy Generator. They can be defeated using a Rainbow Star or the Spin Drill, and award a large number of Star Bits.

Super Mario World television series
A Banzai Bill makes a minor appearance in the Super Mario World cartoon episode "Mama Luigi"; however, they were renamed Magnum Bills, which is a possible combination of the names Bullet Bill and Magnum Killer, which is the Japanese name of Banzai Bills, for the show. In the episode, Mario, after narrowly dodging an attack by a Koopa Wizard, accidentally leaps into the path of a Magnum Bill. Luckily, Mario manages to avoid being hit by this Magnum Bill, which simply flies off into the distance.

''Super Smash Bros. Melee
Banzai Bills are a major threat in Super Smash Bros. Melee, where they appeared in the Princess Peach's Castle stage, randomly entering the battle, they would collide into the castle. Once burrowed into the wall, a Banzai Bill will detonate, causing massive damage to anyone caught in its explosion. The explosion will also press any buttons in range, activating platforms and ! Blocks. Also in Super Smash Bros. Melee, a Banzai Bill (as it looks like in Super Mario World) appears in the background of the Yoshi's Island stage (this applies to the returning stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl).

''Super Princess Peach
Banzai Bills reappear in the game Super Princess Peach, where they acted the same way they did in Super Mario World. This game also introduced a red, more dangerous variant of Banzai Bills known as Mad Banzai Bills.

''Mario Strikers Charged Football
Banzai Bills make a cameo in Mario Strikers Charged Football, in the Sand Tomb field. In this game, they only appear painted in one of the pillars in the background. Here, they are painted the same way they appear in Super Mario World.

''Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
A Banzai Bill also appears in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. In Dimble Woods, Bowser saw Private Goomp, Corporal Paraplonk and Sergeant Guy carrying a Banzai Bill Blaster. They explain to Bowser that they are going to fire a Banzai Bill to Bowser's Castle, which was taken over by Fawful, as payback. The three, however, hadn't any Banzai Bills, so Bowser has to search one on his own. It seemed that a Wiggler on a farm had a Banzai Bill after Bowser pulled out his Giga-Carrot, which Bowser had to eat. After the carrot was eaten up, Bowser could choose to save or to get the Banzai Bill right now. If he asks for the Banzai Bill, the Wiggler gets mad because Bowser pulled out the carrot and ate it (which was quite ironic, since Bowser had to eat it for the Wiggler). After battle, Bowser finally got the Banzai Bill and gave it to Private Goomp, Corporal Paraplonk and Sergeant Guy. Then the Banzai Bill was shot to Bowser's taken-over Castle. However, Midbus and two other Goombas saw the Banzai Bill, and dodged it via flying.

''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
A Bullet Bill similar to the Banzai Bills appear in both versions of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, being called Big Bullet Bill. This gargantuan Bullet Bill captures the Snow Spirit, Icy in the DS version. The Big Bullet Bill is a rival of the fourth world and is faced in Blazing Bobsleigh (DS Version), Skeleton (Single Festival Wii Version), and Bobsleigh (Team Festival Wii Version). After being beat, the Big Bullet Bill will fly away, but not explode.

Trivia

 * Even though Super Smash Bros. Melee recognizes that there are only Banzai Bills in the game, the trophy is labeled as "Bullet Bill".
 * Enemies named Banzai Bills appeared in the game Hotel Mario. However, these bullets were not giant, and behaved just like Bullet Bills, instead of the Banzai Bills from other games.
 * In "Kirby Super Star Ultra", the boss Kabula (a giant airship with an evil smile and eyes painted on the hull) will sometimes fire a round of 3 to 4 giant missiles with evil smiles on them at once when her health is half-gone. These bullets look similar to like Banzai Bills, and her face itself slightly resembles a Banzai Bill.
 * In the Prima Player's Guide for New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Banzai Bills are mistakenly called King Bills, which are a different enemy.

Gallery
For pictures, see the Bullet Bill gallery.