Mario in Japan

Mario games, like many others, are almost always released in Japan first. The programmers and game designers often base characters and events after their personal experiences, inside jokes, and sometimes even Japanese and American stories and fables. The finished game leaves many interesting things, which become more interesting the deeper you dive into it. Some things go unnoticed, while others leave you scratching your head. For example, "Who is Kuribo?", or "Since when is she 'Peach'?!". Read on, and this page might answer some of your unanswered questions.

Familiar names

Princess Toadstool has always been "Princess Peach" in Japan. The first game in America to use "Peach" was Yoshi's Safari, but the most noticed instance was in Super Mario 64, released three years later.

Goombas are known as "Kuriboo" in Japan. Kuri means "chestnut," and boo could mean "people" (boo has a lot of meanings).

Bowser is always "Kuppa" in Japan. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto revealed in an interview that they were considering naming Mario's nemesis either Kuppa, Yukke (Yukka), or Bibinbap (Bi Bim Bap), all Korean dishes.

Toad's Japanese name is "Kinopio," which comes from kinoko (mushroom).

Hinopio from Super Mario RPG is a combination of Kinopio (Toad's Japanese name) and hi (Japanese for "fire").

Waluigi: Nintendo Power magazine Vol. 135 (August 2000 issue) enlightened us with the fact that Waluigi's name "comes from a rearrangement of the word [ijiwaru]—Japanese for 'someone who's bad.'"

Wario's name is a combination of Mario and warui, which means "bad" in Japanese.

NokNok Shell (SMRPG) and Nokobon (SML) come from "Noko Noko," the Japanese name for Koopa Troopas. Incidentally, the Japanese word nokonoko means "unconcernedly."

Kamek, the Magikoopa, is a not just a clever name. Kame is the Japanese word for turtle.

For explanations of Tanooki Mario, Jugem's Cloud, and Kuribo's Shoe, refer to the Super Mario Bros. 3: From Japanese to English page.

From Japanese to English
Before coming to North America, the games' text and manuals are painstakingly translated into English. When the translated games are finally released, sometimes more than the language has changed! Click a game title below to see differences between the English version and the Japanese version of the game. I also point out the character/item name changes, and any Japanese influences wherever they pop up.

Mario Kart 64 - Nintendo 64
Paper Mario - Nintendo 64
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - GameCube
Super Mario 64 - Nintendo 64
Super Mario All-Stars - Super NES / Super Famicom
Super Mario Bros. - NES / Famicom
Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA) - NES / Famicom
Super Mario Bros. 3 - NES / Famicom
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe - Game Boy
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins - Game Boy
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - Super NES / Super Famicom
Super Mario Sunshine - GameCube
Super Mario World - Super NES / Super Famicom
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - Super NES / Super Famicom

O's and X's
While playing a video game, you may see a circle used to indicate that you did something correctly, or an "X", which, of course, indicates failure. In Japan, a small circle is generally used instead of a check mark as a symbol for "yes" or "correct." Mario games that have used this include Super Mario World, Paper Mario, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Onigiri
The onigiri, a hand-rolled sushi snack, has snuck into a few Mario games. A triangular onigiri appears as a character(!) in Wrecking Crew '98 and as one of many food items in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Swirly glasses
I don't know the reason behind it, but swirly glasses are fairly common in Japan animation (anime). Mario characters with swirly glasses include E. Gadd (Luigi's Mansion), and Professor Frankly (PM:TTYD).

Japan-only Mario games
Some Mario games were not released in America. For some reason, most of them are puzzle games. Nintendo probably thought these games would not sell well in America, and to release them would be a waste of time and money. Then there is the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2, which arrived in America some seven years later (as part of Super Mario All-Stars) because Nintendo thought the game was too challenging. For a list of Japan-only Mario games, please see the Japanese game release list.