Happy Mask Salesman



The bizarre man known as the Happy Mask Salesman (お面屋, Mask Shop Owner) first appeared in Ocarina of Time within The Happy Mask Shop, offering to let Link work for him as a Happy Mask Salesman. After selling all the masks, Link receives the Mask of Truth, allowing him to understand what the Gossip Stones say.

The Salesman plays a major role in Majora's Mask, as it was his Majora's Mask that the Skull Kid had stolen and was planning to use to destroy Termina. After he meets the transformed Link, he asks him for help in retrieving the mask, and eventually returns Link to human form by teaching him the Song of Healing. When Link finally returns the mask to him, he literally vanishes into thin air. The Happy Mask Salesman is best known for his volatile temper, his wacky theme tune (which is in fact a remix of the Song of Healing) and his eerie ability to change position without moving. This may be to further enhance the character's strange, surreal appearance. This character is considered to be one of the more unnerving characters in the series. In one scene, the Happy Mask Salesman plays on a massive organ that seems to appear out of nowhere. This organ is used to teach Link the Song of Healing, and the scene is considered to be one of the more comical ones in the series.

He reappears in Oracle of Ages, where he owns a mask shop on the outskirts of Lynna Town. He is starving, and will give Link the Doggy Mask in exchange for something to eat, namely the Tasty Meat from the Tokay cook. His appearance is almost identical to previous games, the one notable difference being his ears which are rounded and not pointed.

The Mask Salesman's origins are unknown, as he may either be from Hyrule or the parallel universe, Termina, as he knows how to travel from one to the other. Near the end of Majora's Mask, Link travels to the Moon and meets masked children who somewhat resemble the salesman. One of them indirectly implies that they have either met or will become Mask Salesmen.

One of the more disturbing features of the Happy Mask Salesman is that he never stops smiling at any point. However, if Link does not have enough money to repay him for a sold mask in Ocarina of Time, his eyes will turn red and his expression turns to one of insane rage, before he essentially kicks Link out of the store. He only frowns once for a short period of time during his "rage" scene in Majora's Mask. Another bizarre feature is that he squints very hard, making it appear his eyes are closed.

Masks
In Majora's Mask, the Happy Mask Salesman carries a large pack on his back, upon which can be seen a number of masks. Nine in total can be seen, as shown in the below set of images. They are numbered and described for clarity, along with descriptions of possible similarities. The masks numbered 2-5 can also be seen in the image above right.


 * 1) Humanoid face (shocked expression) - Similarities with the face shown on the Mirror Shield
 * 2) Stone-like face - A similar mask can be seen above Mayor Dotour's chair.
 * 3) Humanoid face (sad expression) - Believed by some to be a reference to Elvis Presley
 * 4) Red/black striped face - Believed by some to be a reference to Darth Maul
 * 5) Mario - Almost certainly a reference to Nintendo's famous protagonist
 * 6) Grotesque face (pale)
 * 7) Grotesque face (red)
 * 8) Red/green/black striped face - Similar to a mask worn by a Luchador
 * 9) Blue/yellow striped face - Believed by some to be a reference Falco Lombardi

Manga
The Happy Mask Salesman is quite different in the Manga. Though his role appears exactly the same as in the game at first, towards the final battle with Majora's Mask, he is shown saying something far more sinister than previously seen of him:

"Heh heh... Looks like they're after the little demon. But this is when the real action begins! Once they bring me back that mask, I will no longer have a purpose in this world. I will scurry away quickly then! Heh heh heh heh...".

After the battle, the Happy Mask Man appears before Link (still wearing the Fierce Deity's Mask) to take his mask. Link, still wearing the Fierce Deity's Mask, strikes out in an attempt to slice the mask in two. He misses and the mysterious man picks up Majora's Mask and fades away laughing.

Character Inspiration
Some people believe that the Happy Mask Salesman is, to a degree, based on Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Zelda series. This is due to the Happy Mask Salesman's hair and constant smile. But in-game, most people say that the Happy Mask Salesman is either insane...or not from this realm.

In relation to the moon
When Link arrives on the moon, there are 5 children, all who resemble the Happy Mask Salesman. All of them mention that they want to grow up to be mask salesmen outright or subtly. It is because of this that the Mask Salesman is theorized to come from the moon. However, since the Moon was also a creation of Majora's Mask, nothing is certain...

Trivia

 * If Link wears a mask in Majora's Mask and talks to the Happy Mask Salesman, he will say something about that mask: what emotion it's filled with, its rarity, or something special about it. Strangely, it appears that he finds the Mask of Truth "frightful" because it can see into the hearts and minds of people. He also says the Mask of Truth is scary in Ocarina of Time.


 * At the end of Majora's Mask, the Happy Mask Salesman seems to suggest that Link should return to Hyrule, saying, "Shouldn't you be returning home? Whenever there's a meeting a parting is sure to follow. However, the parting need not last forever...".