Batty Koda is the deuteragonist of FernGully: The Last Rainforest. He was voiced by Robin Williams in the first film and by Matt K. Miller in the prequel, FernGully: The Magical Rescue. Batty was designed by Susan Kroyer and his leading character animator was Dan Kuenster.
Character design[]
Batty is depicted as a thin, large headed Australian fruit bat with big yellow and red eyes, large ears, a pig-like nose and a clearly visible antenna in his head. His main body is dark brown, with large black wings and black feet, along with light brown hair on top of his head. During his musical number "Batty Rap", we can see green and red wires hided in his left wing. Koda is a mentally unstable creature, yet is the comical relief character in the film. We also learn that he cares for his friends (he saved Crysta and Zak from being killed by "The Leveler" in the first film). Because of the antenna implanted by human scientists in his head, he often receives electric shocks. During his introduction to the fairies, he describes himself as a "...nocturnal placental flying mammal of the order pterodidae... ", which is the true taxonomic classification of megabats (Giant Bats). Maybe he learned that, and much other information he knows (like the concept of deforestation) in the biology lab, in which he was being tested by cosmetologists and other cruel scientists.
FernGully: The Last Rainforest[]
Batty Koda is seen in the canopy screaming and colliding with trees while flying. When Crysta the fairy is trying to see what's going on, Koda appears as a rabid, angry creature that trys to eat/kill her; until she gives him the "gift of fairy sight", so Batty can see the fairies and understand their language. During his introduction to the rest of the fairies, he says he was the subject of horrible and painful experimentations. The song "Batty Rap", has Koda reciting his frightening experience with the scientists (explaining why he´s got the antenna in his head and why he despises humans). Before the movie was released, Batty Rap was reduced in length because of its frightening and disturbing content. After his song, Batty introduces in Crysta the idea of humans still existing on earth, because fairies believed humans became extinct. While trying to find humans, Crysta and Batty Koda meet Zak, who is helping destroy the rain-forest and is accidentally shrunk to fairy size. While Crysta is trying to show Zak the beauty of FernGully, Batty has a negative attitude towards him. When Batty and Zak's friendship is stronger, they, along with Crysta and the other fairies, battle against Hexxus and his scheme to destroy Ferngully.
FernGully: The Magical Rescue[]
When two human poachers steal three baby animals under Crysta's care, Batty, along with Pips and the beetle boys travel to town to rescue them. Batty and the youngest Beetle Boy eventually locate the stolen animals, and, with help from the rest of the group, battle the evil poachers to win the animals' freedom.