Hemulens



Hemulens are a species of characters in the Moomin series of books by Swedish-Finnish author Tove Jansson. Hemulens feature in several of the books and almost all other Moomin media. In the Moomin Anime, Hemulens are portrayed only as one character, as seen on the image to the right, called The Hemulen.

Characteristics
Hemulens resemble Moomintrolls and Snorks, but are taller, have darker fur, lack tails or visible ears, and have a more humanoid frame. Their snouts are also much longer, with a mouth that is situated at the tip rather than underneath. Both men and women of this species wear clothes resembling dresses or long tunics, and Moomins cannot understand their reason for wearing so many clothes.

Hemulens tend to have obsessive personalities, devoting themselves solidly to one interest whether it be skiing, stamp-collecting, butterflies, or whatever. They tend also to be oblivious to the feelings and opinions of others. Other characters frequently find the Hemulens annoying or overwhelming as they can be somewhat loud, bossy, abrasive, and insensitive. However, they are well-intentioned and usually have other redeeming qualities.

Perhaps the most prominent member of this species is Mr. Hemulen in the 1990 Moomin anime series. A character exclusive to the TV series, he lives in Moominvalley, presumably close to Moominhouse, is very fond of plants, and often appears to get entangled in the Moomins' adventures, sometimes out of his own curiosity.

Official website description
The Hemulens that live in Moominvalley are great believers in order. They like to boss other people about and expect all rules to be obeyed to the letter. The Hemulens are, however, bad at listening to other people’s opinions and completely lack a sense of humour.

Collecting has become an important hobby for many Hemulens and they don’t have time to think about much else. Once they start collecting stamps or plants, they go to great lengths to acquire the full set. And once their collections are complete, they quickly search for something new to collect.

Hemulens can be rather frightening when annoyed and even though they mean well, their stubbornness can cause a lot of trouble. Yet in spite of these general traits, they still have their own personalities. The Constable that Stinky harasses is pleasant to everyone, while the botanist is completely obsessed with collecting. They are only slightly larger than Moomins.