Blathers

"Our main purpose is to provide a place for the exhibition of items we feel have some significant paleontological, artistic, and/or zoological importance, the collection and classification of which..."

- Blathers

Blathers (フータ, Fūta) is an owl scholar, who first appeared in and has appeared in every  game since. He is the curator for the museum, and accepts donations such as fish, bugs, fossils and paintings. Blathers can also give the player information on the museum, such as exhibitions, what has been donated and by who. His name comes from the word "blather," which means to babble or speak rapidly without making much sense. He is very knowledgeable and informative, usually giving information on any object donated to the museum, and he will often apologize for his lengthy explanation. As an owl, he sleeps during the daylight hours, but can still accept donations by talking to him.

He has a distinct dislike for bugs, and won't hesitate to mention this when one is donated to him. As an owl, it is very odd that he is so afraid of and disgusted by insects, considering that owls usually eat insects. He has a sister named Celeste who appears in and, who manages the observatory. Blathers was seen on the cover of, standing on the roof.

History
Blathers has a surprisingly detailed history in comparison to many other Animal Crossing' characters. As a child, he was brought up in the city, living in his parent's house. After finishing school, he went on to university, completing a number of degrees until reaching the doctorate level. Before he could complete his studies, he was approached by his professor, who recommended that he take up a post in a country museum, as all the curators of the main Faraway Museum refused to move from their posts. Blathers accepted the offer enthusiastically, and despite occasional homesickness, still remains at his post. As a result of this move, Blathers still has not finished his doctorate. Blathers is, as confirmed in Wild World, in his mid-twenties.

Animal Forest, Animal Crossing, and Animal Forest e+
In the original Animal Crossing, Blathers tells the player about a correspondence course in fossil identification that he is participating in (he has expressed wishes of being an archaeologist) which he has not completed, meaning that all fossils have to be sent to the Faraway Museum to be identified.

He will also accept fish and bugs, which go on show in aquariums and insect exhibits respectively.

Animal Crossing: Wild World
In Wild World, he has completed his course in fossil identification and can now identify fossils without having to send them to be identified, giving an immediate result. He still continues to accept fish and bugs, but now accepts paintings which are put up in a painting exhibit. If they are forgeries, he will simply turn them down.

Blathers sometimes talks of his encounters with bugs during his studies. He recalls one time in a library, when he opened a book and maggots fell out. He will also mention his fear of cockroaches when one is donated to the museum. If the player donates a bug that has been donated previously, he will reject it, and beg the player to keep the cage closed until the player has left the building.

When fish are donated, Blathers usually talks about how the fish tastes, like Chuck, the host of the fishing tourney.

Conversation
In, there are certain days during the year in which Blathers will tell you a little about himself. These days are easily noticeable for daytime players, as he is awake all 24 hours of each day, and occasionally will look depressed. During these conversations, the player can talk, either choosing to go along with the conversation or to tell Blathers to stop talking.

December 20th
Blathers: Bah...

Player: What's wrong?

Blathers: Between you and me, I quite detest them. All of them! The bugs I mean...

Player: Conquer fear!

Blathers: Well. Hm. Hoo. Indeed. Easier said than done, of course. Fear is rather robust... Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, eh wot? ...But I do suppose you have a point, after all. I'm making excuses. After all, I am the curator of the (town's name) museum! A noble office! Such dread is irrational! It's unprofessional! Who fears bugs, really? Well, to begin, I shall talk to my sister, Celeste, about this matter, wot? Oddly enough, she is rather comfortable touching them. Bugs, I mean... I've seen her gazing at butterflies before, completely relaxed.

Player: They're cute!

Blathers: They are most assuredly NOT cute!!! Have you gone quite mad?! Be truthful: have you ever looked really closely at a butterfly's belly? It appears quite squishy! It looks like it's waiting to spew something on you! Ugh! Vile...

December 24th
Blathers: Hrmph...

Player: What's wrong?

Blathers: You recall that I declared I'd work on conquering my fears of bugs, eh wot? Yes. Well, I've been doing my own special training!

Player: Training?

Blathers: The means to which I have restored are quite extreme, really... Hoo. Yes. Indeed. Just thinking about it makes my belly burble, but... I lay my Giant Dictionary of Insects before me, fight my gag reflex, and... slowly run my talon over each of the foul images! Ugh.. The thought alone of those furtive caresses makes my gorge rise! The other day, I opened the book to a close-up of a green caterpillar's face... I believe I may have pocket-retched a bit... Ugh. So very vile...

March 10th
Blathers: Pshhh...

Player: What's wrong?

Blathers: I should say, dear Brewster has provided me much entertainment over the years... It's not that the fellow is naive, per se, its just... Well... How to put this?

Blathers: The wonderful pigeon is just rather simple.

Player: Really?

Blathers: Indeed, he is, though I don't mean to say he's daft... He's just innocent.

Blathers: For instance, the other day, a sleazy business-type oozed into the cafe... This wretch was trying to sell Brewster a counterfeit piece of art! Hoo-rrific! "Real Coffee. Real Art. Real Profits. You'd be CRAZY to pass up this deal!"

Blathers: Now of course, most folk would see right through such a charlatan... Not our pigeon, however. Thank goodness I showed up when I did, eh Wot!

Blathers: Indeed, "FAKE!" I cried, and the cad fled from my pique-ruffled feathers!

Animal Crossing: City Folk
"This... Upon close perusal, I see this is most certainly NOT the original! It is a vile, shameless forgery!"

- Blathers He has the same roles as he did in Wild World, accepting donations such as fish, insects, fossils and paintings - as well as identifying forgeries. Blathers usually makes jokes and comments on fish and bugs, and will simply tell the Player of his qualification in identifying fossils

In City Folk, the root of Blathers' entomophobia is revealed: when he was younger, a mantis egg case ruptured on his writing desk. This caused thousands of mantises to fly out. To hear this anecdote, the player must donate a mantis.

Animal Crossing: The Movie
Blathers appears in the film alongside Celeste in the museum, where they meet Ai for the first time after Ai makes a loud scream after she has unexpectedly seen the fossils in the museum. When Ai speaks to Blathers, he typically begins a lecture on a dinosaur skeleton of a T-rex, while Celeste is seen taking Ai away to The Roost to complete a delivery task set by Tom Nook.