The Chef Bonju Avatar: A Figment Of Our Imagination?

A plethora of Neopians who have been working day and night to reveal the Blumaroo - Chef Bonju avatar are now asking themselves that question. Is the avatar truly real, or just some fantasy a TNT staff member dreamt up and obliviously added to the News page in the middle of the night? (I would have a hard time imagining Adam sleepwalking, though.) Avatar hunters have tried umpteen methods to unearth its secrets, both logical and slightly odd. After almost a year of searching and testing, people everywhere are becoming doubtful and discouraged. We desperately need something to boost their spirits.

Ever since the avatar’s release on Blumaroo Day last year, (August 8th, 2007) Neopians everywhere have slaved for hours to obtain clues that might lead them to success. All efforts up to this point have unfortunately been in vain. Many people believe that TNT is playing a mean little prank on us and the avatar is simply non-existent. But who knows? Someday, one lucky searcher might stumble upon the key to unlocking the Chef Bonju avatar in all its glory. Let’s be optimistic. Until then, the rest of us will have no option but to wait in pained suspense.

What makes this particular avatar so special? Its record for the longest lapse between release and discovery in Neopian history? Or could it be the devious orange Blumaroo in a fancy chef hat? (To be honest, his hat is quite a spectacle.) Each avatar hunter has their own reason as to its noteworthiness, but all have one thing in common: their desire for discovery.

Who is this Chef Bonju guy anyway?

For those of you who have not met Bonju, he is an orange Blumaroo and so-called master chef living in the peaceful town of Shenkuu. Hidden away in the mountains, the culinary artist waits for curious people from all corners of Neopia to come and pay him a visit. There he will mix three of your items in his magical cooking vessel. So far, his concoctions haven’t turned out too well. They result in a stunned looking Bonju, covered in a nasty paste of whatever he has mixed for you. Most of us know that his cooking skills are not quite up to par, but we try not to focus on this too much.

Chef Bonju played a key role in the Cyodrake’s Gaze Plot, where a sailing vessel made port in Krawk Island’s harbor after it was damaged by a violent storm. During that dreadful bout of weather, one unlucky Aisha on the crew named Hoban mysteriously disappeared. The other crew members each gave their side of the story. It was soon ascertained that Bonju was not as innocent as he seemed. During the storm, Hoban and Bonju crossed paths and engaged in a short but passionate argument. The chef felt a strong hostility towards Hoban, and complained he hadn’t finished the meal Bonju “toiled for hours to prepare.” Hoban became defensive, and soon Chef Bonju knocked him overboard. Clearly the poor Blumaroo’s temper had gotten the best of him.

The crew members of the Cyodrake’s Gaze have long since returned to their homes in the quaint village of Shenkuu. Nevertheless, the ship’s voyage still arouses conversation amongst Neopians who are looking for the Blumaroo - Chef Bonju avatar. A few guilds have devoted their purpose to helping solve this avatar mystery. There is also an official group on the AC who call themselves the Chef Bonju Avatar Hunters (or CBAH for short). Occasionally, someone starts a topic on the Avatars/NeoSignatures board for people striving for new ideas. Every little bit helps. With the assistance of hardworking individuals and groups like these, the goal gets closer every day.

Chef Bonju avatar hunters are trying all sorts of surprising abnormal tests and theories. If it all goes as planned, they could brandish some helpful results. (Knock on wood, or the computer desk, or your Wooden Pull Along Nimmo. Whatever is handy at the moment will do.) But with the elusive nature of this avatar, you never know what could work.

One of the more logical theories has Neopians constantly trying new options. When you stop by Bonju’s magical cooking vessel in Shenkuu, you “seem to recall something about a magical cooking po...” You are then rudely interrupted by the chef as he explains how to use his extraordinary vessel. This magical cooking thing you were trying to remember, some people reckon, could actually be Jhuidah’s Magical Cooking Pot on Mystery Island. Hence the theory. If you mix three items in Jhuidah’s pot to make three new items, then mix those new items together in Bonju’s vessel, you just might get lucky. But how many options does that give us? Thousands. That’s a whole new realm of possibilities that I couldn’t possibly cover in one article.

Some of the hunches that people have come up with happen to be, well, weirder ideas than most. They have all been unsuccessful for the time being, but here are a few that made me chuckle:

- There is a random event in the game Dice-A-Roo where a passing Blumaroo says, “Blumaroos love Nachos. I bet you didn’t know that!” So mixing nachos and cheese with various other types of food has been attempted. I doubt Bonju would consider nachos and cheese gourmet...

- In the actual plot comic, the Kougra Linae complains about Chef Bonju’s horrible anchovy casserole. That being the case, a variety of anchovies and casseroles have been experimented with to no avail.

- Because the name of the ship in the plot involving Bonju was the Cyodrake’s Gaze, people have tried mixing petpets (mainly Cyodrakes, which are quite expensive) in the cooking vessel. One Neopian has tried mixing various combinations of petpets 562 times!

Now it is your turn to get in on the hunt. Detach yourself from the Altador Cup for an hour or two, and give those Yooyus a short break. Explore the pages other Neopians have compiled about Chef Bonju, and add your two cents. You never know what will happen. If we work together, us Neopians can prove that the Bonju avatar is not a figment of our imagination.

This article is chock full of questions that will hopefully be answered someday. All in good time. I hope it is an inspiration to all those sacrificing their hard-earned neopoints and precious time looking for the Blumaroo - Chef Bonju avatar. We salute you! I extend a special thanks to all those maintaining pages on Chef Bonju. You have helped me keep my facts straight, and many others’ as well. To those from TNT reading this article and holding their sides in spiteful laughter, WE WOULD LOVE A HINT. Don’t you think it’s about time?

Author’s Note: Thank you to all who read my first article of all time. Feel free to neomail me with comments or questions, though I might not be able to answer them.