Read more about Tom Nook at: Wikipedia

Official Site: Nintendo

Tom Nook, known in Japan as , is a fictional character in the Animal Crossing series who operates the village store. He first appears in the Nintendo 64 game Dōbutsu no Mori, released in Europe and North America on the Nintendo GameCube as Animal Crossing. Nook sells a house to players at the beginning of each title in the series, giving them a set mortgage for them to pay and allowing them to upgrade it over time after the mortgage is paid off. He has made several appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series as well. Nintendo's Treehouse localization members Rich Amtower and Reiko Ninomiya argued that, in spite of his perceived greed, described him as a nice person due to taking the risk of hiring someone who was new to the town.

Tom Nook is based on the Japanese Raccoon Dog, also known as a tanuki. While Tom Nook is considered to be greedy by 1UP.com, Rich Amtower and Reiko Ninomiya, members of Nintendo's Treehouse localization team disagreed, describing him as a nice person. Amtower described him as "that first boss you ever had", adding that being all business and sometimes not having time for pleasantries, he is not a bad person. He adds that his hiring of someone new to town involved risk, which shows generosity. Ninomiya agreed, and both felt that Nook's greed is diminished by the city's price index compared to that of his shop. Amtower jokingly alludes to an "anti-Nook bias" several times throughout the interview with 1UP.com.

He first appears in the Nintendo 64 title Dōbutsu no Mori, also available for the Nintendo GameCube as Animal Crossing. Nook initially operates a shop called "Nook's Cranny" and as the shop is expanded, he gives it new names. When his shop receives its final upgrade, he hires his two nephews, Timmy and Tommy, to sell stuff on the second floor. Tom Nook also sells players houses after they move into the village, allowing them to pay it off in small installments over time. After players pay off the house and all of its upgrades, they are awarded with a statue. He plays a similar role in subsequent installments Animal Crossing: Wild World and Animal Crossing: City Folk. Wild World introduces an additional shopkeeper who cuts players' hair in his store, as well as telling players that he and another shopkeeper called Sable were childhood friends who grew apart when Nook left for the cities. He returned to the village after attempting to open a store, and was more bitter than before.

Tom Nook has made several minor appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series of video games; appearing as various collectibles in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. as well as a background character on the Smashville stage, which is based on the Animal Crossing series. Tom Nook's shop music also features in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as part of "Town Hall and Tom Nook's Store". Tom Nook has also been featured in several promotional items, including plush toys.

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