Summary

An anime film based on Super Mario Bros. was released in Japan in 1986, but the franchise would benefit from a new anime. Super Mario Bros. Characters has expanded into various spin-offs like Super Princess Peach and Mario Kart, and they would make a great anime cast. Miyamoto's vision of Mario as a normal guy could lead to a Super Mario Bros. anime series.

While Super Mario Bros. mainly known as a legendary game series, it's actually an anime that few people know about and it needs a reboot immediately. Shortly after the release of the first NES Super Mario, an anime film based on the game was created and released solely in Japan.

Shigeru Miyamoto's first characters, Donkey Kong, Pauline and Super Mario, first appeared in 1981. This was followed by the 1983 arcade game, Mario Bros., until Super Mario Bros. was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) on September 13, 1985. Since then, the fantasy world of Super Mario Bros. has reached every corner of the world.

Fun fact: Mario's name in Donkey Kong (1981) was originally “Jump Man”.

Over 30 years, the franchise has expanded into a large game series with many spin-offs, including Super Princess Peach, Luigi's Mansion, Mario Kart, etc. In 1993, Mario was introduced to the big screen in a live-action film and again in 2023 in an animated film from Illumination, starring Chris Pratt and Charlie Day as the iconic brother duo. However, tThis anime was only released in Japan so very few fans know about it and it needs a series reboot as soon as possible.

A Super Mario Bros. manga and anime series. already exist (but they are very old)

Few fans know about the anime and manga film based on the Mario series released more than 30 years ago

On July 20, 1986, the animated film Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!, was released in Japan. Four years later, Super Mario-Kun, a monthly manga on CoroCoro Comic, was serialized in November 1990. Both the anime and manga were translated for audiences around the world to enjoy. However, the Great Mission rescues Princess Peach! did not receive an English dub until 36 years after its initial release, when a group of passionate fans came together to re-dub the Japanese anime. Since the original anime and manga, Super Mario Bros. Haven't received an updated anime adaptation yet.

Illumination Animation Studios produces first major SMB film since 1993 shipwreck starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo. Led by Christopher Melendandri and Shigeru Miyamoto, The Super Mario Bros. The movie became one of Universal Studios' highest-grossing films of all time, earning $146 million in its opening weekend. The project was also nominated for multiple Golden Globe awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. The films' resounding success Ieft fans, both new and old, wanted more expansive stories that explored the fantasy world of Mario's gang.

The complicated relationship between Studio Ghibli and Nintendo

The fascinating history between Studio Ghibli and Nintendo could reveal that a Super Mario anime series makes sense

Super Mario Bros. drew inspiration from Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli, which is one of the main reasons why the anime adaptation reboot is perfect. Yoichi Kotabe, a Japanese animator, played a key role in the relationship between Studio Ghibli and Nintendo. After leaving Toei Animation, Kotabe worked closely with Hayao Miyazaki, who later became director of Studio Ghibli. Together, Kotabe and Miyazaki helped create The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun, considered by some to be the first unofficial Studio Ghibli film.

At the same time, Hiroshi Ikeda, former writer and director of Toei Animation, began working for Nintendo. He hired Kotabe to help Shigeru Miyamoto, then a graphic designer, develop Nintendo's animation techniques and character designs for the iconic Super Mario Bros. franchise. Miyamoto, now a game director at Nintendo, admits that he is often inspired by the storytelling and art style of Studio Ghibli. The fundamental connection between these two admired studios further illustrates why the anime adaptation of Super Mario Bros. is completely reasonable.

The possibilities of expanding the Super Mario Bros. animated series.

Since the first Mario-themed game in 1981, Nintendo has provided plenty of lore to explore.

As seen in the 2023 film, the Super Mario Bros. filled with Easter eggs, fan theories, and classic lore. For example, some of the most famous theories revolve around the original 1981 Donkey Kong game. There are theories that the original protagonists, Jump Man and Pauline, are the parents of Mario and Luigi. On the other hand, since Super Mario Odyssey came out in 2017, some people have speculated that Pauline is Mario's ex-girlfriend.

Other unanswered questions include Wario and Waluigi's true identities in relation to the Mario Bros., Peach's parents, Daisy's familial relationship with Peach, and Bowser Jr.'s mother. Furthermore, some existing canonical legends are somewhat contradictory. In the officially licensed Prima guide for Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart Wii, Daisy is said to be Peach's enthusiastic, supportive cousin. However, in Super Mario-Kun, Daisy is depicted as Peach's rival, constantly vying for Mario's attention. Either way, it's clear an anime series that may provide long-awaited answers to some old fan theories and conflicting classic lore.

Miyamoto's announcement could change the entire Super Mario Bros. genre.

Miyamoto said that he wanted Mario to be seen as more than just a superhero

Credit: Alex J. Berliner

With arduous obstacle courses and iconic fighting sequences, Super Mario Bros. It can best be classified as Shōnen anime, alongside series like One Piece, Naruto, and Demon Slayer. Although Illumination gives the audience a sense of the brothers' daily lives at the beginning of the film, the ending was cut short. As a result, fans were surprised to see the brothers embrace their new life in the Mushroom Kingdom. Miyamoto's statement in an interview with Variety, however, could inspire a whole new exploration of the Mario franchise: a slice-of-life element,

“I don't want Mario to be a superhero who's always looked down upon. I want him to be a normal guy, not looking for too much attention.” – Shigeru Miyamoto

Quintessential slice-of-life anime elements include beach trips, sports games, and holiday episodes. Both action and light-hearted anime with beloved real-life moments are easily loved by viewers, making it the perfect addition to the Super Mario Bros. universe. However, Every slice-of-life series needs a dynamic, memorable cast of characters, and Nintendo has created just that: Brooklyn plumbers Mario and Luigi, and their royal companions, Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom and Princess Daisy of Sarasaland.

Characters of Super Mario Bros. deserves to appear more on screen

An anime series that can bring some worthy characters to the forefront

While the main characters in costume can easily bring an anime to life, the supporting characters capture the hearts of the audience, just like any anime. Nintendo has been surprising fans with new games like Princess Peach: Showtime! and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, both of which feature key female characters. Additionally, the latter marks Daisy's first appearance in a mainstream Mario game. An anime series featuring strong and complex female characters such as Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Pauline and Rosalina could make the Super Mario Bros. anime series. really shines.

Furthermore, one budding romance between two of Nintendo's most underrated characters may be the anime series' greatest asset. The use of Princess Daisy in the franchise has always been sporadic. Competition Princess appears mainly as a supporting character in spin-offs such as Mario Strikers. However, in the 1993 film, chrysanthemumreplaces Peach as the main love interest along with John Leguizamo's Luigi. The most intriguing Easter egg surrounding Daisy and Luigi's relationship is in Mario Kart Wii (2008) and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. On the official route of the orange princess, the Daisy Circuit, a giant statue depicting a dance with her alleged lover, sits in the center.

Finally, one of the defining features of Mario games, boss battles, could take the Super Mario animated series to the next level. Bowser has become one of the most recognizable villains in video game history. However, the SMB universe includes countless villains that will be a big challenge for Mario and his friends to overcome, including Mr. L, Luigi's little-known alter ego. King Boo, Dimentio, Fawful, Foreman Spike and Count Bleck are just a few examples of the many enemies that can be created. legendary fighting scenes in an anime.

Shigeru Miyamoto is the guardian of Mario's legacy, which could help bring his story to life

A Super Mario Bros. anime series. could assuage Miyamoto's concerns, handing creative control back to Nintendo

Credit: Alex J. Berliner

The 2023 Illumination adaptation of Super Mario Bros. was a huge success, but it didn't happen overnight. Chris Melendandri of Illumination Studios worked closely with Miyamoto to secure valuable franchise rights. Since the box office failure of the 1993 film, along with backlash from fans and actors, Nintendo has been hesitant to authorize the production of another adaptation. However, the 2023 film became one of the most successful video game adaptations of all time, exceeding the studio's expectations.

While Miyamoto's fears were alleviated by the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, then an anime series could be a great way for Miyamoto and Nintendo to have full creative control over the franchise. One aspect that Miyamoto was passionate about when negotiating with Nintendo was the film's similarity to video games:

“The reason we resisted and were careful to adapt our game into a movie is because in video games there is always a player who overcomes challenges and fights his way. Their struggle – doing levels over and over again – is all part of it.

An episodic series about Super Mario and his friends that could capture the magic of the Illumination movie and more. Super Mario Bros.Nintendo's crown jewel, there's an anime and manga series that very few people know about, but it needs a reboot more than ever.