Description from original post (created 2012-09-04 20:23):
Now here's an obscure character!
Pionpis are strange, Jiang Shi-like enemies found in Super Mario Land. Found in the Chai Kingdom, they will constantly try to jump on Mario. They can be temporarily stopped by being jumped on, which will also award Mario with 800 points. However, Pionpis will come back in a darker color and will be a little faster after each resurrection.
Info from Mario Wiki