Huge Hermit: Initial form, as first seen in Metal Slug 3.
While the player receives twice the firepower with the Slugnoid, they have to take care and avoid getting hit or lose a Vulcan per hit. However, if taken the other routes (the Slug Mariner or the sunken ship), they will encounter and fight the crab with a Slugnoid Type-R with invert-controlled Vulcan cannons and fat Iron Lizards. If the player took the Borobune Slug route (through the swamp), they will face the Huge Hermit with an SV-001 Type-R that faces backwards, which is the easier way. Various POWs walk on the screen one by one from the right side of the bridge. After taking enough damage, it will reveal a large cannon, which fires large shells that can destroy parts of the bridge. The Huge Hermit will attack by shooting two fireballs from the tank, while also trying to destroy the bridge. The players have to keep moving right while shooting at the boss. The Rebels later captured the gigantic crab and gave it a hollowed out Denturion tank to use as a shell, allowing the crab to (somehow) operate its still-functional turrets. Kai means "Plus" or "Revised" in Japanese.Originally a hermit crab on Pallas Island before it grew to a huge size due to radiation, the Huge Hermit is one of the mutated creatures born from the nuclear test on Pallas Island.
The color palette for Hozmi and Hozmi 2.0 are similar to the Player 1 and Player 2 submarines in the game. The Hozmi's design is based on the player's submarines from In The Hunt, which was developed when Nazca was still a part of Irem.Several others that are nearly completed can be found in the foreground. Various incomplete Hozmis can be seen in the background of Metal Slug 2/X's final mission, as soon as the building is breached.Snow Hodumi: A white version of the Hodumi+ that can fire a freeze cannon and ice breath on enemies. Hodumi++: A black-grey version of the Hodumi+ that still possesses the series' signature electrocannon, but this time can also send numerous stalactites falling down on enemies. Shares the same attacks as the original, appearing in Metal Slug Attack. Hodumi+: An aerial version of the Hozmi painted blue. Hozmi 2.0: This rare variant of the Hozmi is found only in Metal Slug Universal. Appears in Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug X. Hozmi: The original nuclear submarine built by the Rebel Army. Various Rebels are seen fleeing and swimming on the sewer-infested waters. Once the Hozmi is destroyed, the main cannon is popped out and the submarine sinks. It can aim and fire a deadly electric beam from the hatch's cannon, behaving exactly like Tani Oh's Andro Cannon.It emits red energy balls that are fired above the Hozmi, stop in mid-air and then go horizontally straight in the direction of where the player is standing at.The hatch opens and emits blue energy balls are either shot in an arc spread or one at a time that are aimed at the player.The Hozmi's rotating ball has several attacks. The fight against Hozmi is similar to the fight with Tani Oh in which the boss is placed below the player's floor. After the ship is destroyed, the crew will escape from submarine by jumping into the sewage water, adding insult to injury. Regardless of its origins, it's still no match for good old fashioned Peregrine Falcon violence. In fact Martians can be found in small booths overlooking the construction of other Hozmi-class vessels. It is unknown since when they were able to create such weapons, but since in this game they have relations with the Martians, it is possible that the Hozmi could be constructed with alien technology. It is equipped with a powerful electric cannons with long range. The Hozmi is a nuclear-powered submarine, designed for naval battles. War is always a dirty business, but who would have ever thought you would find yourself in a naval battle while in a sewer?