#but i do love how this makes the relationship between peach and the toads so much more emotional and meaningful | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

gingergari · 21 hours

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Ooh for Toad Peach AU how did the first meeting go with the officials of the Beanbean Kingdom? Ohh maybe more on Peach and Peasley's becoming friends. Does he help her feel a little more confident in her true form? Gimme all of the dynamics hehe

idk why i thought i dreamed this ask but i forgot you sent it 😭 here ya go!

the beanbean and mushroom kingdoms have an extremely close relationship that’s rather old, and as such the births of both heirs were highly celebrated by both families.

here, peasley is roughly 1 year older than peach, and the betrothal between the two was set up very early so the two do not remember their first meeting as they were infants at the time. but still, they visited peach many times before her debutante.

peach’s parents died in a horrific incident i still haven’t detailed when she was around 3-4, which did result in queen bean reaching out more often as peach grew older to offer additional guidance and support :]

but back to peasley and peach, they were thick as thieves and peasley introduced her to fencing! toadsworth wasn’t a fan at first but eventually relented (whatever endears her to peasley, plus any experience with a weapon could come in handy if the mushroom kingdom were to ever leave the peacful era). she’s quite adept in both forms, but prefers to fence in human form. it isn’t something she practices often in current day but it’s something she treasures the memories of alongside trying his bean pillow and learning about beanbean allies and his travels :]

though, as they got older, the two became more aware of their betrothal and what would follow, but things weren’t clicking so they decided to experiment a little (read: they kissed and neither of them liked it. sad!) but neither have brought up calling anything off as both are quite fine with something contractual if it came down to it (but peach would call it off if peasley asked)

at peach’s debutante, they danced together first as a show of the kingdom relationship, and when the first attack/kidnapping happens, the beanbean kingdom offered aid and refuge (little fungitown)

re: her appearance and peasley—she initially meets the beanbean family in toad form, but as she got older this became rarer as experience (and her self image) became priority. peasley makes sure to praise her toad form’s beauty when he sees it, and when mario does come into the picture is of the firm opinion alongside daisy that he does not deserve her if he doesn’t like her true form. on most days she agrees with him

as for superstar saga, he still arrives to the mushroom kingdom ahead of time and toadiko volunteers to take peach’s place instead of birdo (the effect is later undone before peach arrives in the beanbean kingdom)

post superstar saga, the two meet (peach crownless) to discuss their love interests, and their betrothal is officially called off. consequent meetings with the beanbean kingdom are held in her toad form :]

#gari’s asks #nintendo #smb #toad peach au #princess peach #prince peasley #ty key ily 🩵#oh my god i hate tumblr no i did not click on that notification i was working on a draft 😭#for clarification: mario and luigi know about her toad form by superstar saga #i’m not sure if peach ever publicizes their relationship but they are more explicit/open after superstar saga #but overall peasley is a treasured confidant before daisy enters the picture #and i imagine that peasley would give her gifts from other kingdoms since between her preparations and toadsworth she never left the castle #so peach has a healthy love of travel #i feel like peach wouldn’t have wanted to call off the betrothal first and foremost bc of how much she loves queen bean #like she knows that it wouldn’t change but still #also after the debutante and the bowser thing that’s the only thing saving her from a marriage plot working #kind of. you know what i mean #peasley visited a few times after her debutante but he did not meet mario or luigi until superstar saga #(they weren’t isekai’d yet or mario was away or sick)#half wrote this off the seat of my pants but it is mainly based of what i wrote about their relationship in my notes #i did write that she was gonna get married at like. age 23-25 but im still figuring out the timeline so rn superstar saga happens when shes #a lot later than that i think. i don’t want everything to be so compressed but if i want everything to fit in a certain timeline i need #to do some adjustments on timeframe and make make peach younger when smb happens #peasley and daisy have a lighthearted rivalry 👍🏽

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crookednachogalaxy · 1 year

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im kinda thinking about bowser being a simp and i cant help but think how would that translate to luigi?

im not gonna take the movie's plot into consideration, but i will be using bowser's characterization as a starting point.

so, we know bowser is a simp for peach, and a big one at that. his style of showing affection is not only loud but downright aggressive, and while it absolutely fits him, it didnt work on peach and definitely wouldnt work on luigi. so where do we go from here?

i'd imagine they start off as begrudging friends. bowser still loves peach, but he doesnt want to shake the peace that has been established. and most of all, the rejection still stings and he's being sorta lost and mopey. luigi, having a heart too kind for his own good, hangs around the koopa king offering his comfort - and while he isnt too keen on having the younger mario brother buzzing around him, its better than being alone.

over time, he gets over the rejection. he is able to form a genuine friendship with peach (with no resurfaced feelings!), and even mario sees him more as a sports rival than a threat nowadays, allowing for some light-hearted banter. when those two toad-heads announce their relationship, bowser is genuinely happy for them. luigi, in the meantime, really grows on bowser as a friend. he invites the plumber over to his castle regularly to spend time together, conversation flowing naturally between them. when he's with luigi, it's so easy to forget about the world.

physical affection, too, starts becoming the norm without either realizing it. it starts off small, simple fist bumps and head pats. laying an arm over the other's shoulder to pull them close while joking, hugs hello and goodbye. eventually, they sit together, sides touching, bowser's tail curling around them.

it's during one of those sit-togethers that bowser first realizes his feelings for the plumber. luigi is fast asleep, cuddled up to bowser's side without noticing, and the koopa king is nothing but enamoured. as he goes to gently pet luigi's hair, he freezes. since when was he so gentle with him? since when were they so close? what he was about to do was something he did for his children often, but they were his family. when did luigi become part of that circle? it left him wondering about what to do.

bowser is loud. he is confident, he is shameless. if he likes someone, they will know. but peach hated his aggressiveness, and luigi would like it even less. so how could he show luigi he loved him without overwhelming him? being subdued and talking around the bush is not his style, but for his new beloved he'd find a way to be true to himself and honest at the same time.

from that night onwards, bowser approaches their interactions differently. he is more openly affectionate, not just in the way of who he allows to see them be affectionate but also what types of affectionate gestures he shows. he cups luigi's cheek, he nuzzles his snout into his head. their hugs become longer and tighter, he freely purrs when luigi runs his fingers through his hair, he gives him flowers. he rushes to pull out the chair when luigi's sits down at the dinner table, and he has his private study adjusted to fit luigi's sensory needs and allow him a space to relax and make his own. bowser is so obvious in his affections that the troops and caste staff start saluting luigi as if he were a person of importance in the castle (much to his confusion).

luigi, as touch starved as he is, takes the new affection in stride. he doesnt realize what it's supposed to mean, but he loves the way bowser is becoming so comfortable with him. he, too, opens up in turn, and it becomes hard to believe that he once lived a life without someone so important to him.

luigi's realization happens a while later than bowser's. the koopa king was asleep on the floor, belly down and head in luigi's lap, with luigi running his hand through the king's hair. it's in that vulnerable position that he comes to terms with his feelings for the koopa king, and he questions himself and their every interaction upon it. the next day, when bowser makes another big gesture of affection towards him, is when he realizes that bowser feels the same way, and has been telling him for a while. when luigi reciprocates, romantically, bowser cannot stop his tail from wagging hard.

and that's where it continues. bowser is still loud and obvious in his affection for luigi, but he makes sure that it is private, for them, and luigi appreciates it immensely. peach, observant as ever, knows immediately when things changed between them, whereas mario stays oblivious until they officially announce their relationship. he is supportive tho (you know, im not even surprised. if anyone can tame that overgrown lizard, of course it'd be weegie).

#bowuigi #luigi #bowser #bowser x luigi #fic idea #the super mario bros movie #they are just so cute together #mario #princess peach #kinda longer than expected im sorry but not actually

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elitadream · 2 months

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Hey Elita!

I'm so sorry for reaching out a bit late. I really hope you're feeling a bit better <3<3<3. Sending you all the love and hugs your way <3<3<3

I have been thinking about some bonding time between Mario and Toadsworth (since Toadsworth would probably be Mario's father in law at some point xD). I like to hc that after the events of the galaxy event, Mario becomes quite interested in astronomy. Toadsworth acutally knows a lot about it and catches on on Mario's interest. So they would sit together, star gaze together and Toadsworth would teach Mario the things he knows.

(I don't know if this makes sense but I just wanted some bonding time with those two :) )

Thank you very much for the support! 💕 My overall state has been improving and I feel a bit lighter today, which is good.^^🌱

OMG YES MARIO AND TOADSWORTH BONDING FTW!!! 🤩👌Astronomy is such a good idea for a common interest, I could very well see them spending time together in the castle's observatory and conversing privately at night when all the other citizens (and the princess) would be asleep; talking about life, duty, future aspirations and family. 🌌 The same way Luigi and Peach would primarily bond over their immense affection for Mario, Toadsworth and Mario would bond over their devoted love for Peach, and the two would thus develop a very fond relationship. 💖

There was this fun scene I wanted to draw a while back, in which Mario meets Toadsworth for the first time. The man would be terrified at the thought of being introduced to the princess' trusted steward and very wise mentor (and beloved father figure); wanting to make a good first impression above all else and somehow let him know that he means absolutely no harm whatsoever to Her Highness Peach Toadstool.

After a formal interview upon which the old toad would take notice of Mario's fumbling but unequivocal benignity - as well as obvious nervousness -, he would give him a friendly smile and say: "My boy, I have no doubt that someone who knows how to maintain such a sumptuous mustache is as judicious as they are deft, and will do most finely around the castle. What do you say?"

That would be very effective in breaking the ice. Delighted by the offer, Mario would promptly return the compliment, and the exchange would rapidly turn quite jovial. Slightly worried by the prolonged duration of the meeting, Peach would enter Toadsworth's office only to find him engrossed in a lively conversation with her new friend about facial hair, and she would quietly leave again without being seen; very pleased to see them getting along so well. 🤭

The thought of them instantly taking a liking to each other is one that I really like, and I'd love to eventually make another piece where they're seen directly interacting with one another. ^_^

#asks #mario #princess peach #toadsworth #concept #headcanon #family #romance #partnership #mutual appreciation and regard #hobbies #astronomy #mustaches #good tastes 😏😄#thoughts and ramblings

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legobiwan · 8 months

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do you have any thoughts on powerups/how the bros use them?

You have no idea what you have just unleashed, anon. :D I am super into world-building and lore when it comes to Mario stuff, so here's a random list of ideas that may or may not bear fruit for anyone who reads this. (Also, part of this is me sketching out concepts for solus creatura, so I thank my followers in advance for their patience here).

The vegetable/fruit/foliage powerups are naturally occurring. The Mushroom Kingdom has the most fertile conditions for these plants to grow, although other kingdoms have done a decent enough job of genetically engineering their own powerup plants.

This makes the powerups an integral part of the Mushroom Kingdom economy, and one of the reasons they're able to survive so long without any real standing army or defense system outside of Mario and Luigi. It's also one of the reasons they get invaded so often.

The Darklands, centuries before Bowser's reign, used to also cultivate powerups. They were overfarmed by a corrupt agricultural council, however, and in combination with a once-in-a-lifetime drought, the vast majority of their land and crop was ruined.

Luckily for the Darklands, their native species is capable of fire and they still retain a strong tradition of magical culture through the Magikoopas (although this was briefly wiped out during Bowser's father's reign, as he thought the Magikoopas were planning a coup. They, in fact, were, but for good reasons).

Now, the Mushroom Kingdom is wary of magic, due their own history and complicated relationship with the Darklands (this may be in part linked to an old civil war that caused the split between the Mushroom Kingdom and the Darklands). Their species is also just not that magically adept (something having to do with Toad physiognomy?) The powerups are a decent compromise - they afford magic-like abilities without rendering their user permanently superpowered.

There was some contention in the royal court when Mario and Luigi first arrived in terms of allowing them access to the powerups. Ultimately, it was decided the safety of the kingdom would supersede any worries about abuse of power. (This being said, Peach had to argue long and hard for this).

Mario and Luigi receive a monthly allotment of powerups and if they find any "in the wild," they're supposed to record each instance. Neither brother bothers with this and every month they get a nasty letter from Porcina in accounting, which has led to a years-long feud between her and Mario. Luigi has learned the better way to circumvent the system is bribery by brownie. It usually, although not always, works.

The non-vegetative powerups are created in Mushroom Kingdom labs. Because the Mushroom Kingdom is like a Times Square Station for warp-pipe travel, the dimensional crossroads makes it easier to cross-pollinate powerups with characteristics of other species and lands (cats, penguins, etc.)

Back in the day, E. Gadd was involved with a lot of this research, but ultimately left to pursue his own interests in the paranormal. It's also rumored that he and the governing scientific committee at the time had a spat about the limits of experimental ethics.

When Mario and Luigi are first introduced to the powerups, they think this is the coolest thing in the world. They have powers, which was an impossibility back in New York.

It takes them a while to get the hang of using the powerups. Mario set fire to a Mushroom Kingdom stable one time. Luigi crash landed into someone's wedding as a kitsune. The citizens, by and large, were relatively forgiving of these incidents, although it did make for a wild few days in the press.

At first, Mario and Luigi both love the fireball ability. That is, until the events of Super Paper Mario, after which they go a solid few months without coming NEAR a fireflower. Mario can't help flashback to that terrible moment in Merlon's house while Luigi experiences the oddest phantom pains if he as much holds a fireflower, although he can't say why exactly. (Mario, of course, has no idea Luigi was boxed and bombed twice by Dimentio).

Luigi loves flying and may steal a few extra Tanooki leaves to go out and experiment with aeronautics/aviation concepts in the dead of the night. This, subconsciously, directly influences his Brobot designs in his time as Mr. L.

Mario's favorite powerup is the classic mushroom. Finally, he gets to be as tall or taller than his younger brother.

They both think the Invincibility Star is incredible until they're faced with a situation in which the invincibility wears off at a dangerous moment, which almost turned fatal for Mario. It's a sobering moment, and brothers learn the lesson that no one is invincible forever.

The Mushroom Kingdom allows Mario and Luigi to use the powerups under the assumption that the "magic," as it were, never lasts. What they don't know, however, is that Luigi has a strange penchant for magic, which is why on more than one occasion, the effects of the powerups take longer to wear off on him. (One day, Luigi shows up to meet his brother looking a little...furrier than usual. "You look hairy, bro," Mario says, furrowing his brow. "I'm Italian." Mario rolls his eyes at his brother's quip. "Not that Italian. What, did you forget to shave again?" Luigi just shrugs, not wanting to admit this isn't the first time he's woken up with more hair than he's used to).

They tease each other mercilessly when they are introduced to some of the animalistic powerups. Luigi puts a litter box in his brother's room and buys him a collar with the name tag, "Fluffy." Mario cooks Luigi fish for five days straight after the penguin incident. He also starts singing the "Walk Like a Penguin" jingle every time his brother comes into the room.

#hello there #ask legobiwan #i...uh...i got a little too involved with this one #luigi #mario #powerups #smb meta

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heloflor · 2 months

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Unpopular opinion: The ending of Mario Odyssey is amazing and one of the best Mario games endings.

First off, it’s hilarious. Between Mario being pushed out of the way, Peach low-key considering Bowser when he gives her flowers, Mario and Bowser fighting like idiots, their faces when Peach rejects them, Mario comforting Bowser, Peach trolling Mario with the Odyssey, Cappy and Tiara just watching the chaos unfold, all while there’s a music playing that doesn’t even sound like a Mario song... All of it is just so good!

Second, about the way Mario acts, it actually makes sense. Something random I noticed a while ago is that, when Mario and Bowser are shouldering each other, Bowser barely looks at Mario and remains focused on Peach, while Mario looks more pissed and glaces at him more than once. And in general, that’s the whole vibe of this scene. Bowser is still genuinely trying to court Peach, while Mario is instead fully focused on his rivalry with Bowser, completely forgetting to consider Peach’s feelings as a result. It was definitely a shitty move from Mario, but he’s not doing it to impress Peach, he’s doing it to one-up Bowser.

On that note, this scene is great because it helps in giving the headcanon of this game taking place very early on in the Mario timeline (or is that just me?), I’m talking a year and a half into Mario and Luigi being in this world. As a result, you could see Mario being a bit too caught up into the fantasy of being the hero saving the princess, and this game would give him a reality check. You could also imagine that, once they get back to the Mushroom Kingdom, he and Peach have a talk, basically starting their friendship all over again but this time on better terms, with Mario having no expectations of a romance and Peach being more open to him about who she is as a person rather than keeping up her royal appearances around him.

Third, I love that Peach is allowed to be angry at the situation. She has every right to say no. She doesn’t owe Mario a romantic relationship, especially when he’s acting exactly like her captor does. I especially like how we see her take a breath when she gets on the Odyssey before bringing her smile again. It shows that she’s still angry but willing to put it on the side for now.

This scene also shows what I talked about in previous posts with Peach being sassy in a playful way. It’s obvious she has no intentions of leaving Mario behind, but also she’s mad at him so she only calls for him after starting the Odyssey, forcing Mario to run and jump to get on. And she does it all with her usual smile, showing even more that it’s playful rather than petty.

Oh and for those worried about Bowser “being left behind”, he literally came to the Moon by airship, airship he spent the whole game in and that Mario never destroys in any way. He’ll be fine. I’ll be more concerned for all the kidnapped guests who have no way home and were inside the church when shit went down. Speaking of which, are the guests the characters looking at the Earth at the end? No because that also implies they don’t really have a way home unless the Toad Brigade helps them. Or the taxi.

#Super Mario #Super Mario Odyssey #Mario Mario #Princess Peach #Bowser Koopa #Flor talks #got thinking about this ending while working on a fic and felt the need to talk about it #I actually wonder if this is really an unpopular opinion #it feels like most of the people who dislike this ending are either shippers who are sad Mario got rejected #along with being disappointed in how he acted #or are this brand of gamers who just don’t like Peach’s character #or this minority of assholes who see her as an ‘ungrateful b’ bc god forbid women do anything #personally I love Peach taking the Odyssey and forcing Mario to make a run for it as a small revenge #she was so real for that #(intended on posting this in december but then I got sick)#(and then I kept pushing back posting things on my blog for over two months for literally no reason...again)#(gonna start posting and reblogging a bunch of stuff since I never use the queue thing; putting stuff in bookmarks instead)

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seandwalsh · 11 months

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If it’s not too much to ask, could you provide a rundown of Mario and Peach’s relationship throughout the history of the games — any developer insights and supporting material included if applicable? Their interactions have never failed to make me smile; I feel like every moment between them, no matter how simple, elevate my enjoyment of the games.

Do you have a favorite moment? For me, I think the ending of the first Paper Mario is my definitive Mario and Peach moment. Everything from the music to the scenery to how innocent it plays out perfectly encapsulates their relationship.

While other series, like Splatoon or The Legend of Zelda tend to have a greater focus on their worldbuilding and backstory, I think Mario’s greatest strength when it comes to its lore is its rich characters and how their relationships come together. You don’t follow the same main cast in The Legend of Zelda for more than a game or two at a time. With Mario, well - he’s always the same Mario. He’s familiar, and his personality is so strong that he continues to be the Mario we know, no matter the medium. It seems that Mario’s current primary developers, Yoshiaki Koizumi and Kenta Motokura, feel the same way:

"No matter what worlds he takes on, Mario remains Mario. Maybe this is strange but I find that fact very comforting,"

[Source: Yoshiaki Koizumi, Director and Producer of the Super Mario series, CNN Business, September 2020]

“…you can take Mario, or a Mario franchise character, and put them in pretty much any situation and it makes it okay. […] Mario carries it off.”

[Source: Kenta Motokura, Designer and Director of the Super Mario series, GameInformer, June 2017]

“Mario himself is a very strong character, so wherever he is he is strong enough to stand alone and be a good character. And even if he's next to a dinosaur, he's Mario!”

[Source: Kenta Motokura, Designer and Director of the Super Mario series, Metro, June 2017]

That’s not to say that Mario doesn’t have quite in-depth worldbuilding and backstory as well, but I think these characters are greatly understood by the people who work with them while largely being overlooked, misunderstood or written off by fans.

This is why relationships, like the one shared between Mario and Peach, can be such a highlight for players.

Mario and Peach, while not explicitly dating, are absolutely smitten with each other.

In fact, it seems that Mario instantly fell in love with Peach the moment he saw her, when she kissed him in Super Mario Bros.. Mario was so in love with Princess Peach that, according to the team behind Donkey Kong (Game Boy), it’s what caused Mario to break up with Pauline:

“Apparently the land of mushrooms is somehow in the vicinity of Donkey Kong's stomping ground that appears at the end [of Donkey Kong (Game Boy)]. Around that point, he meets Peach, and probably starts to have a change of heart [about Pauline] (laughs).”

[Source: Shigeru Miyamoto, Producer of Donkey Kong (Game Boy), Game Boy Donkey Kong Wonder Life Special - APE Inc. Official Nintendo Guide, June 1994]

“After that, Mario became famous, so Pauline must have gotten dumped (laughs).”

[Source: Masayuki Kameyama, Director of Donkey Kong (Game Boy), Game Boy Donkey Kong Wonder Life Special - APE Inc. Official Nintendo Guide, June 1994]

Paper Mario in its entirety is certainly a great example of Mario and Peach’s relationship. While the ending where they watch the fireworks is a highlight, the intro also showcases her attempts to spend time with Mario, eagerly awaiting him in the upper parts of the castle and wanting him to accompany her to the balcony.

“Oh! By the way, Princess Peach has been waiting for you.”

[Source: A Green Toad Girl, Staff of Princess Peach’s Castle, Non-player Character in Paper Mario (Nintendo 64), February 2001]

“I think Princess Peach has been looking forward to seeing you since this morning, Mario. She's been restless... hee hee hee... How cute...”

[Source: A Pink Toad Girl, Staff of Princess Peach’s Castle, Non-player Character in Paper Mario (Nintendo 64), February 2001]

“Oh, Mario! You came to the party to see me! You're so sweet! Thank you!♥ I was just resting a bit. It gets tiring, greeting all those guests out there! Nobody will bother us here. Shall we relax and chat, just the two of us? It was a lovely day today, so I'm sure it's comfortable out on the balcony right now. Would you accompany me, Mario?”

[Source: Princess Peach, Ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, Non-player Character in Paper Mario (Nintendo 64), February 2001]

She gets worried about him while she’s kidnapped:

“I wonder what Mario is doing right now... I wonder if he's hurt... I'm so worried about him!”

[Source: Princess Peach, Ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, Non-player Character in Paper Mario (Nintendo 64), February 2001]

Later on, we even learn that Princess Peach keeps a photo of Mario beside her bed, which she reacts to with a heart emoticon:

“A photo of Mario.♥”

She even gets embarrassed about it when Twink points it out.

Generally, the game makes an effort to highlight Mario and Peach’s love for each other beyond most other games in the series:

“Do you know of a place called Shooting Star Summit? It's near this castle. It's such a romantic place... It's definitely the best place for a date. Trust me. Maybe you ought to, you know, ask the princess to go there...”

[Source: A Toad, Resident of the Mushroom Kingdom, Non-player Character in Paper Mario (Nintendo 64), February 2001]

“Does Princess Peach have a special man in her life? She's such a lovely lady... Whoever she loves must be very special indeed...”

[Source: A Green Toad, Resident of the Mushroom Kingdom, Non-player Character in Paper Mario (Nintendo 64), February 2001]

Princess Peach has a very specific view of love, which she has actually expressed before in-game:

“Love... How do I explain? Love tells you when you want to be with a person forever. It makes you feel happy just to see that person happy, smiling...having fun. When you love someone, you will do anything to help when he or she is in trouble.”

[Source: Princess Peach, Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Playable Character in Paper Mario: the Thousand Year Door, October 2004]

It’s pretty clear that when she says this, she’s thinking about Mario, between his obvious outwardly happy nature or his willingness to do anything to help her when she’s in trouble. This is reflected in Peach’s own actions in Super Princess Peach, when she saves Mario from Bowser’s clutches. It’s clear from her actions across various games that Peach would do anything to help Mario, and she’s comforted by him even in times of peril.

From taking Mario on a romantic vacation in Super Mario Sunshine, to talking about how caring he is with her paper counterpart, to her team name with him being “Cutest Couple” in Mario Party 5 and Mario Party 6, it’s clear that these two have a strong, devoted and loving relationship with one-another.

But when it comes to my personal favorite moment between them, I feel that my answer is quite a controversial one.

My favourite moment between Mario and Peach is the ending of Super Mario Odyssey.

Now, now. Put your pitchforks away. The main issue with this is that people tend to completely misinterpret the meaning behind this ending, and while I’m not going to go into too much detail here, I think it’s important to understand the intended themes of Super Mario Odyssey.

“[Super Mario Odyssey] is a journey following Mario to save Princess Peach, one of his most [beloved], so we wanted to make this an epic journey.”

[Source: Kenta Motokura, Director of Super Mario Odyssey, Vice, June 2017]

“Mario and Peach's relationship has been a big part of the games for a long [time], and in this game we're getting deeper into it!”

[Source: Kenta Motokura, Director of Super Mario Odyssey, GQ, October 2017]

“I've always thought that Mario carries a bit of a torch for Peach. I think that's true even back in the 2D Mario games. If not, he wouldn't be wasting his time rescuing her over and over again. [As for if Peach feels the same way,] The heart of a woman is a mystery.”

[Source: Yoshiaki Koizumi, Producer of Super Mario Odyssey, GameInformer, June 2017]

It’s clear that Super Mario Odyssey’s story exists to highlight the intricacies of the relationship between Peach and Mario in ways that hadn’t been explored previously. This is why the ending of Super Mario Odyssey is so excellent to me.

“The ending of Super Mario Odyssey is the culmination of an adventure both magnificent and personal. An upbeat song plays in the background while the scene unfolds: the joy of being reunited with someone you've missed, the slight embarrassment that comes with thinking of the one you love, Mario and Bowser's open honesty, and Peach's independence. Through the theme of marriage - which had never been addressed in the series before we see another side of Mario, Peach, and Bowser. The relationship between the three looks like it'll continue for years to come. The odyssey they've embarked on is far from over!”

[Source: Kenta Motokura, Director of Super Mario Odyssey, The Art of Super Mario Odyssey, September 2018]

Mario finally makes his feelings known to Peach, through a proposal, but he does so in the worst possible way. Peach refuses to marry Mario because he was acting immaturely. Mario cannot handle losing control of a bad situation and often makes rash decisions. While the latter is sometimes a positive trait for him, in this instance it’s a flaw which caused him to fight Bowser for Peach’s hand. You can hear Mario grunting while attempting to push Bowser out of the way and get Peach to accept him.

This is not the Mario that Peach knows. It is not the Mario that she loves. Peach had just been kidnapped from her home, dragged around the world and almost forcefully married to a man she’s romantically repulsed by. She was rescued by the man she loves in the nick of time who was finally about to make his move and propose to her, before Bowser barged back in and ruined the moment, and Mario started acting irrationally. She was fed up, and rightfully so.

So she turns down Mario’s proposal, and leaves. Peach does not turn down Mario’s proposal because she doesn’t love him - it’s abundantly clear that she loves him very much - she turns him down because it was the wrong place, at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons.

However, her love for the Mario she knows still rings true. Their relationship is so strong that even after all of that, they quickly recover, as is illuminated through Peach’s forgiveness. She takes a breath and calls out to Mario, inviting him to come home with her. It’s a showcase of the love they share for one-another, one more potent than we’ve seen before anywhere else. A truly well-crafted study of these characters and the intricacies of their interwoven lives.

#super mario #princess peach #mario lore #paper mario #super mario odyssey

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bloodpen-to-paper · 1 year

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Movie Review Blurbs: The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The Highlights

-The brothers were the most endearing part for me, they had a wonderful dynamic that not only made me like them as a duo, but as individuals (from the Mario media I know, there wasn't much focus on their personality so it was nice watching something that gave them more character)

-Jack Black got to sing his silly songs and honestly that's all that matters

-The movie making fun of the egregious Italian accents in the beginning was a good gag, especially considering the two are still Italian in the movie and are given more accurate accents (also I love that they're canonically from Brooklyn lmao)

-Mario was a fucking crack head before the isekai and I enjoy that fact very much

-Yoshi avengers end credit scene

-Surprisingly decent voice acting, they all delivered (especially Charlie Day and Jack Black)

-The penguins, the Dry Bones, SHY GUYS

-Toad is a fucking criminal apparently who helps outsiders break into the castle and goes outside the Mushroom Kingdom to do god knows what

-Off the top of my head, my favorite part of the movie was Luigi running from the Dry Bones and ending up in Luigi's Mansion; great horror scene for a very PG movie

-Whatever the fuck was going on between Kamek and Bowser

-SHY GUYS SHY GUYS SHY GUYS SHY GUYS SHY GUYS-

-Mario and DK's frienenemy relationship was great, especially with how they butt heads but also understand (daddy issues) and respect each other (they're a good ship ngl)

-I liked Cranky Kong as a character, I feel like he was a character made to appeal more to an older crowd now that I think about it

-The implications? Of Bowser's entire fucking ship coming to the human realm? And totaling the city? Magic is real? What's gonna happen there is the U.S. government gonna try and harness the power of the magic realm and capitalize on it like there is so much left unanswered

-simp bowser lmao (many dudebros were mad about this one which automatically makes it the best plotline in my book)

-Mario and Peach weren't shown to have romantic feelings for each other, giving them time to actually get to know each other first

Criticisms

-Ok so let's address the main issue; the pacing. The movie severely lacked transition, bridging and buildup, and it felt less like a movie and more like a bunch of individual scenes thrown together (cause it kinda was). It was frustrating cause the movie was genuinely very engaging, and there was some real lost potential with how rushed it was. It definitely needed to be longer; I think the people working on it were on a time constraint, and it showed

-Pigging-backing off the previous note, a lack of build up to big moments made those moments feel like they came out of nowhere. it also lacked an after math period for those big moments, which makes them feel unsubstantial

-Ok rant time: I saw people having this concern for Peach being a dull #girlboss character that lacked substance, and... yeah, it happened. I think the issue of female characters being sidelined and not given any character depth is being acknowledged, but in a way that still doesn't give them depth. Basically, male creators have realized they've been making female characters useless love interests in the background, so they're fixing this by making said characters hyper-competent, and in the forefront of the fight. However, its had this adverse effect where these hyper-competent characters are now just serving as plot devices to push the narrative rather than being given their own character narrative. They are at the forefront, and fight, but are still lacking in depth and development (what's worse is they still just serve as aides to male leads most of the time, just now in a repackaged way that usually would be held by a side male character). The Mario movie was rushed so none of the characters got much development, but Peach in particular was not given any character development, only plot development (she got isekai'd and is wondering where she's from, but we don't see how this idea effects her emotionally or drives her because... it really doesn't. She's just kinda like "oh hey I'm from another universe... ok cool! Anyway-"). So yeah, that needs work. Male creators need to humanize their female characters like they do the male ones, and actually give them flaws and struggles (Peach literally has a gag about being so perfect she mastered the super hard parkour course they practice on in one go, while we see Mario work on it and improve over time; its lazy ass writing cmon now). Hence why I like consuming media that's actually by female creators, and I encourage all of you to do the same

-Mario and DK were great but again needed more fleshing out, they had this whole bonding moment about their daddy issue but it happened so fast that you couldn't really stew in it much

-Mario/DK's daddy issues were not handled the best, they only got their father's approval when they did something cool and not for actually being themselves; didn't like the messaging there very much

-Though I mentioned Mario x Peach didn't happen, the movie still very intrusively pushes the idea in your face by having side characters comment on it; I imagine this is what homophobes think they're experiencing when queer character exist in media, except this movie didn't even try to be subtle with the push

-Why did Toad just decide to help Mario find Luigi? Why did Peach decide to train Mario so she could take him with her to Donkey Kong Island? Just cause he's a fellow human? And why did she just decide to take Toad along too? Again, pacing

-Rainbow Road being a "secret path" that was literally out in the open and Bowser found it almost immediately lmao (it was also never narratively explained how Bowser found the path if I'm remembering correctly)

-The Luma gag was overdone imo, but the "finally, mercy" part was very funny

-no bowuigi sex scene -∞/10

Final Thoughts

Overall, the movie was very fun, but the time constraint really did bring it down from being a better ranked movie. Its frustrating because the movie had so much to offer, I wanted more from it, and that's why the pacing is something I'm hammering on so much. And for anyone saying "its a kid's movie, who cares?"... sorry I want kid's to have good movies? And not just the kind of drool that comes from Minions-type productions? Movies are art, and art should have the people behind it putting the best into their work that they can, kid's movie or not, so if something is bringing down that art (a time constraint for example) it should be criticized in my opinion. Plus lets face it, a lot of the people going in to see the movie were teens/adults who grew up on Mario.

Despite all this though, I genuinely enjoyed it, and my low expectations for what is an Illumination movie were pleasantly subverted. There was clearly a lot of love put into this film, and I can't wait to see if there will be a sequel. Thanks for reading!

#lemme know what you all thought #review blurbs #illumination #super mario bros #super mario bros movie #mario movie #mario #luigi #princess peach #bowser #toad #donkey kong

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i-restuff · 1 year

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a personal Mario movie review from yours truly.

ok, so, I'm very natural over Mario franchise. I don't love it, but I don't hate it either. so this review is mainly from someone who is there only for the animation (also for Jack Black ofc). cool? cool. alright.

spoilers below

I'm going to be super upfront with the "good stuff", and sorta detailed with the "meh stuff". mostly because the good stuff is very self-explanatory while for the negative ones I feel like at least I should give a little bit of reason why I feel that way.

good stuff

I love the world-building, everything is very well-detailed and the environment is insanely rich

character designs? love it. they look absolutely alive and expressive

the casting. I think they're all really good???? I personally think Chris Pratt is alright too ig? I mean I kinda don't care, I was distracted with everything else in the movie. but he's fine.

Jack Black. nuff said.

I love Toad. I love Peach. DK. BROWSER??? everyone's very likable damn.

I'm obsessed with the 3d models ngl. there are times when I was focused more on the models than I was on the story. It's really distracting in a good way.

Storywise, I think it's decent but also fun!

love love love the dynamic between Mario and Luigi. Peak dynamic, really.

Such a nostalgia trip. I for one who doesn't know much about Mario had such a blast listening to all the soundtracks and looking at the itsy bitsy references and such.

obsessed with Lumalee. let em die :(

/////////////

the credit animation is super colorful I wish I could eat it.

^ I was watching this with a friend who is obsessed with Mario. there are times when he went absolutely insane and explained some stuff that I didn't know. which I think it's cool! it's crazy how there are literally easter eggs and fan service everywhere, it doesn't feel forced too. I really could see why people love it so much.

meh stuff

ok, imma be honest. I'm just gonna complained about the plot holes here,, It didn't really effect the story, but it did confuse me a bunch of times. again, this is coming from someone who doesn't know much about Mario. I might miss some stuff.

the transition when Mario/Luigi got teleported from Brooklyn to the Mushroom Kingdom. like, why? what's so special about that specific pipe?

also before that. why's Brooklyn drowning all of a sudden lmaoo. that part kinda felt forced just so Mario and Luigi had a reason to go below the sewer. it sorta makes sense I guess? but the pacing is pretty dang weird.

how does Peach know her own kind? "you're a human!". she was a literal baby when she first got to the Mushroom Kingdom

I love love love Toad character. I just don't understand his presence? I mean sure, he's bringing the comedy, but you could find the "comedy" elsewhere too. so his character is a bit useless despite him being the protector. long story short, the movie would be fine with or without him < this is how much his character matters imo.

the pacing after Mario agreed to fight with DK and then suddenly he's on the stage. tbf this isn't really a big deal? but the transition kinda bugged me.

I don't know what exactly they wanted to do with Mario and Peach relationship. do they like each other romantically? it doesn't feel like it despite being teased a few times.

my dude Luigi has to sit in the cage for how long now? kinda suck. I wanna know more about him, I wanna see him more in action.

that being said. I wish they did more with Luigi, give him something to develop on. because seeing him fighting Browser doesn't feel as rewarding as how we see Mario. all he did most of the time was get caught and sit in a cage while Mario had to go through all those bullshit. but I get it though. storytelling wise, Luigi is supposedly Mario's goal. to get him back and all that. I get that.

I can't feel sad for Mario for some reason??? (this has nothing to do with Cris Pratt btw). his supposedly "emotional" scenes didn't impact me at all. in fact, I felt awkward. I honestly don't know why though.

the final fight scene is also awkward? I mean it's cool, don't get me wrong. I think it has to do with where they're fighting? I guess imma blame Brooklyn for this.

the 80's pop songs felt out of place, but maybe that's just me.

personal rating? 7.

but I genuinely get why people love this movie.

#mario spoilers #mario movie spoilers #mario movie

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randomrabbidramblings · 1 year

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Random's "The Super Mario Bros Movie" Review

My quick toughts on the fly weren't enough so his is a longer, more "serious" review.

Obviously, SPOILERS!

So let's start with the negatives since there are so few of them.

The pacing feels kind of rushed, sometimes we jump from scene to scene too quickly and the interactions between the characters are also a bit too fast (like Mario and Donkey Kong becoming friends so quickly in a "I saved you, you saved me" kind of thing). As a lot of people said: the movie really needed an extra 15 minutes.

Some of the characters are very plain, especially Toad. He is very underdeveloped compared to the others and only serves as the funny side character. There's no explanation about who he is or why he behaves that way (Nintendo fans will correctly guess he's Captain Toad, but an outside viewer might not get it). This doesn't mean I didn't like him, his comedic timing was good and never annoying and he never tried to steal the scene for a gag. Luigi comes close to having little characterization, but it's mostly because he didn't have a lot of screen time. We do get to see his relationship with his family and Mario, we get his personality quite well and he gets to be a hero by helping Mario at the end.

End of negatives. Yes just that, lol. Now the positives!

The plot. Even if very simple, it just works. It's a movie about the beginning of the Mario Bros adventures, they couldn't tell a completely different story without twisting everything. Plus it's a movie made by Illumination and we know their main target audience are kids and so they mostly focus on simpler plots and not very deep stories (unlike Dreamworks or Pixar for example). And since it's a movie about a 40 year old chracter, the movie has to appeal to more aged viewers as well. Everyone knows Mario games aren't so deep with lore (not counting the various RPGs and spinoffs, I'm only talking about the mainline games!).

The atmosphere is perfect. "Normal looking" (but never plain) in Brooklyn and "super bizarre" in the Mushroom Kingdom. There are a lot of things taken from the games, but even if they are never explained they don't feel out of place because the universe is so odd and everything feels so unnatural they make sense for themselves, even for someone not used to Mario things. The floating blocks? By themselves they would look out of place, but with everything going on, the question isn't "Why is that block floating?", but "Why wouldn't that block float?". And this goes for every "strange" thing we see.

The characters are well distinguished even if in a simple way. Mario and Luigi are the ones with the deepest characterization with their wholesome relationship and family problems. Peach is simpler, but it's ok it's that way because we don't know anything about her past, just that she came from the same place as the Bros and the Toads took her as their Princess. Bowser is quite funny: he's presented as a ruthless tyrant, but in his speech to his troops we learn that he stole the power star and they're heading to the Mushroom Kingdom because he wants to marry Peach. Even his own army can't believe it! The viewers go "What??" the same way as they do! Donkey and Cranky Kong have a simple but effective relationship as well with Cranky being embarassed by his boisterous vain son who's supposed to be the prince, but instead he just likes to show off.

References. As much as I don't like too many refences to things in movies here they work! If they aren't relevant to the plot, like the powerup blocks and Rainbow Road, they act as very good background props and they are never constantly shoved in your face. A lot of them are even very well hidden, so the movie is worth a rewatch to catch all of them.

And now some things I enjoyed!

The mario Bros sitting at the table with their family. I love how they made them so different, yet so similar. Dad being voiced by Charles Martinet is poetic.

The Blue Spiny Shell scene in general. I knew it was gonna happen, but still surprised me.

The Donkey Kong vs Mario scene was one of my favourite scenes. Animation, pacing and dialogue was perfect there!

Bowser and Kamek piano duet. "Jam with me." *underground theme* *coin sound*. It was so unexpected, lol. Also Bowser's practice wedding with Kamek. Basically all scenes with both of them.

Mario's training course was also one of my favourite scenes. Peach stuffing the mushroom in his mouth was funny. Mario throwing up in between shots of the montage was even funnier. Mario and Peach little talk after it was sweet too.

Luigi in the Dark World. Everything about this scene. The Luigi's Mansion references, the Dry Bones behaving like stock movie zombies and the surprise Shy Guys at the end. Not gonna lie, I was expecting some Boos too in the Fortress.

Bowser's ehm... passionate singing lol.

Totally unexpected, I called the swearing. But not in the Mario Kart part where I expected it. And just in the Italian dub, I suppose as I really haven't seen it mentioned for any other languages. Mario and Luigi swear once each (or Luigi swears twice, I can't remember now) with a nice placed "Are you fucking with me?". Yes the Mario Bros officialy said "fuck". Twice.

Lumalee. Dark humor at its finest. The funny thing is that he could easily fit trough the cages' bars, but he just didn't want to, lol.

And finally a couple of missed opportunities (in my opinion).

The 1-up mushrom. Maybe they could have made Mario eat one someway and then let Bowser defeat him in the final battle. Everyone is grieving the poor plumber, Bowser is gloating in his victory, but Mario comes back to life thanks to the 1-up he ate before. Too much for Illumination?

I still haven't understood why they replaced Toadsworth with a generic Toad. He could have explained something on why Peach became the Princess.

After this review, I think I'm gonna change my previous 8/10 with a 9/10 (because this time I took in account the Nintendo fan in me, lol).

#the super mario bros movie #the super mario bros movie spoilers #mario movie #mario movie spoilers #random talks

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keylovesstuff · 5 months

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16, 54, 67? 😃

16. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Share one of them?

Ok so you remember this little baby:

Well, the first bullet point is already completed. But look what I started at 1 am before I went "wtf am I doing?" and went back to sleep.

(Ugh, I should've cropped this better before I put this here 😣 ) Anyway, Coronation chapter, yaaaaaay!!! This one is gonna be so fun I am looking forward to see how this will come out. I know you guys missed my beautiful friendship moments with Bowser and Peach, so that'll be there. If you remember my "Finding the Balance" fic you know I kinda touched upon Peach and Toadsworth relationship shifting a bit as they transition from that father/daughter to advisor/ruler dynamic so to speak so a little bit of that in there. I feel like the second point can also relate to all the other toads as well seeing as they all had a hand in raising her and now she's going to be the one over them now. I think I have her age here set around 16-17 ish and it's that struggle of being seen as someone they can trust and taken seriously despite her age vs how they still maybe see her. I'm leaning towards making her give this cringy speech during the process, which is where this screenshot is surely leading. Gotta remember this is where her and Bowser's alliance is officialized. I'm gonna do my best to make it really good for you all 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾☺️☺️☺️.

54. What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

When it's done 🤭. I feel like I've written what I've wanted to the best I can, and it's another thing done . It's ready to be shared on the internet, and I love that for me. Also, I'm able to go indulge and treat myself to other fun activities for a while.

Anon also asked me this so thanks for that hehe!!

67. Do you prefer prompts and challenges, or completely independent ideas?

For now definitely independent ideas and those formed from conversing as you (Spocky) really would know (AO3 comments between me and Spocky 👌🏾). I feel like I would do so good with prompts if I tried them but there's also a little part in my brain that's like....no 🤣. When I think of the prompts I see here and people sending them, I'm like "Ok if I did this, what if it's not what they were expecting it to be 🤔 and they just don't like it" or something along those lines... it might sound crazy but that's just how I think about it and heck It's already a challenge to make my own stories how I want them to be. Oh and if the prompt/challenge is combined with a deadline to submit...ugh that's something else 😳

#Key answers #funny story about the ask I linked here I was so happy I put these ideas on here and I didn't have none of them written in my notes app #maybe a week after I slipped on the floor I was mopping at work and broke my phone screen...I couldn't transfer anything over cause of that #so I lost maybe 2 years worth of my rare selfies other pictures memes omg and tik tok videos I saved!!! 😭😭😭 I also had some screenshots #of spicy manwha panels...I mean I just gotta read to get those again but there's so many chapters 😫😫😫#sorry for the trauma dump... looking at that ask just made me 😤 remember but also made me remember 🥰 ah such good ideas

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chloecherrysip · 1 year

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Hey, i'm just gonna do some musing on the last scene of the Mario Movie under the cut and how long I think it takes the brothers to get to that point, because I feel like my opinion on this is sort of at odds with others I've seen?

(spoilers, obviously!)

This is just my own opinion, no ill will intended to anyone who's done this, but every time I see a fanwork that's basically like "Mario and Luigi literally make the decision to move to the Mushroom Kingdom THE VERY SAME NIGHT AS THE FIGHT WITH BOWSER" or that they even go back to the Mushroom Kingdom immediately afterwards with everyone else and don't even have to think about it too hard, I am BEWILDERED and CONFUSED??????

I know that Mario saw a lot of beauty and wonder in the world, but the brothers were only there for MAYBE two to three days at most (if we're assuming the traveling montage wasn't longer than it seemed). I would assume they've lived their entire lives in Brooklyn, maybe even in that very same apartment/house we see, considering all the photos on the walls. Like, they GREW UP there. And while their family has its problems and general dysfunction like all families do, there's clearly a lot of love there as well! I just always think to that moment where they come home and everyone looks very happy to greet them/welcome them in. They clearly have relationships here and connections, and after maybe even thinking they'd never see their family again for a while there in the Mushroom Kingdom, you'd think they'd want to spend a little time after all that whirlwind just being close to their mom and dad and other loved ones, helping rebuild the street block from all the damage, etc.

(Maybe that's just really boring and other people don't care about the family stuff, they KNOW Mario and Luigi eventually end up as residents of the Mushroom Kingdom so just skip all the in-between already, but it matters to me, OKAY)

I like to imagine the eventual decision to live in a different world as one that takes weeks, if not months to figure out. And during that time, they still visit the Mushroom Kingdom plenty, of course! They have tea with Peach and explore Toad Town and visit the Kongs and go on little adventures and help out with conflicts and Luigi gets to have a good time and see the nice parts of the world, FINALLY, and all of this strengthens the friendships they've made. And as time goes on, they start to realize that they want to stay more and more until eventually, it's an easy choice to make. :)

And during this in-between part, I want Peach to come visit them in the regular world too!!! CONSIDERING SHE IS LIKELY FROM THIS WORLD AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT HER ORIGINS, WHY WOULDN'T SHE???? She probably can't steal away TOO much considering her position, but I just have the biggest smile on my face imagining Mario and Luigi taking her to all their favorite shops/restaurants and her being endlessly fascinated by the silliest little things and the parents trying to AGGRESSIVELY matchmake every chance they get, lol. I just love the Mario & Peach & Luigi dynamic and want to see both brothers becoming closer with her in their own ways, what can I say. <3

Also, it's kind of funny to imagine that what pushes them over the edge re: moving is Peach's offer to build them a house for free. A WHOLE HOUSE??? FOR FREE??? WHILE THE GOING RENT IN BROOKLYN IS OUT OF CONTROL??? This may be the only chance the brothers get to move out of their parents' house without it costing an arm and a leg and by god, they're going to take it and run with it

(Yes, that last point is a little TOO real, sob)

#mario movie #mario movie spoilers #super mario bros movie #super mario bros movie spoilers #again nothing wrong with having that interpretation! just sharing my own thoughts :)#i am stepping on the toes of the fanfic i'm writing with some of this lol #not sure how long that will take to share but i'm working on it!#cherrysip hc's & rambling

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roninkairi · 1 year

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Quick Review- "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" (SPOILERS ALERT)

Anyone who knows me already knows how much of a Mario fan I am. Hell, my family could probably tell you some wild tales about my Super Mario Bros. addiction during my grade school days. But even the announcement in 2018 that Nintendo was going forward with Illumination to make an animated feature length film based on their flagship franchise made me more that a little overly cautious; after all their previous effort (the live action 1993 film) did not exactly do them ay favors either (and while were at it, the TV shows, while memorable, still leave much to be desired). This also is not the first time that the Mario Bros. would be in an animated film (Back in 1986, there was an anime called “The Great Mission To Rescue Princess Peach!”, which never got a US release. Doug Walker actually reviewed it so if you want you can look it up)

Fast forward to now. The movie has now made about $600 million at the time of this review and has yet to be released in Japan. I have a feeling though that after it is released it will make a lot more. And I’m not just saying that because I’ve personally seen this movie twice. That’s something I very rarely do as far as my movie theater habits go and if I do that its most assuredly a sign the movie in question is worth my time.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” serves as an origin story for the two Brooklyn born plumbers, the plot being straightforward and simple much like the mainline Mario games: the two siblings somehow find themselves whisked away into another parallel dimension and get separated, with Luigi ending up in the Dark Lands and Mario landing in the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario enlists the aid of Princess Peach and, along with Toad, sets off to save Luigi from Bowser, the king of the Koopa tribe, who just acquired the Super Star. The group journey to the Jungle to enlist the aid of the Kong Army, led by Cranky Kong and his son, Donkey Kong.

As I mentioned before, the plot is pretty straightforward and to the point: at 92 minutes there is quite a bit going on and it comes at you fast. Not too much time is spent on character development for certain individual members like Luigi and DK. We get a revelation about Peach’s backstory (not being from the Mushroom Kingdom is certainly an eye raising reveal) and hints about the relationship between DK and his dad, but its not really a focus. You get the sense that Nintendo wanted to play it safe with the story, but at the same time you want just a little bit more. Thankfully the story is enjoyable as it is, and has enough humor, action and equally touching moments to sustain itself. A lot has been said about the choices for casting in the film and for me, while the choice of Chris Pratt was very questionable when I first heard about it I was glad I took a wait and see stance to it. He did quite a good job in the role and so did Jack Black as Bowser in all of his evil, kinda hammy. Scene chewing role. Of course, his demeanor changing whenever the subject of Princess Peach being brought up is also VERY notable. I mean dude practically sung a love ballad about her (TWICE) and stole the damn Super Star just to try to impress Peach. I can understand that though, given how she is in the movie. Princess Peach, voiced by Anya-Taylor Joy, serves as Mario’s guide and possible love interest in the movie and instead of being the person who has to be saved for most of the adventure, is the more action oriented and confident character accompanying Mario. If the prospects of Peach jump kicking Bowser, using power ups and generally willing to throw down with a gang of Koopas at a wedding reception seem to be alien to you or out of character, I will assume you have never played Super Mario Bros. 2…

…or Super Mario RPG…

…or Super Paper Mario…

…or any Mario Party games…

…or Mario Strikers…

…or Super Smash Bros…

…or the Mario + Rabbids games.

You’re lucky I didn’t even mention the stuff she did in the Super Mario Adventures manga! Anyway the point is, she is pretty darn awesome in this film. Fred Armisen’s take on Cranky is…well…ok why does he sound like Larry David? I half expected to hear "Frolic" by Luciano Michelini play when he got caught oy the Para Koopas on Rainbow Road.

Visually, the movie is animated very well and does a great job of animating the worlds in great detail, including familiar locations from across the games that you may immediately recognize. There are also TONS of audio and visual easter eggs and references not just from Mario history, but Nintendo history as well. (Quick show of hands, who found the Wave Race reference? The Hidden N64 Controller? Who found Mr. Game and Watch or recognized Disk Kun) The movie happily, and with no shame, throws in all of these nods to Nintendo’s past and I have no issue trying to find them all. Which says a LOT about my attention span. There are 4 different licensed songs used in the movie though but their inclusion doesn’t really detract from the enjoyment. (Ok 5 songs. One of them is directly tied to Chris Pratt and another certain movie series he is involved with.)

The movie is not exactly perfect and that’s ok. I was not expecting a huge scale thought provoking movie that makes me question the motivations of humanity (I’ll save that for whatever DC movie comes out next) I just wanted a fun adventure anyone and everyone can enjoy. And this movie certainly delivers on that.

#the super mario bros. movie #movie review

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mocacheezy · 1 year

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Finished watching The Super Mario Bros. Movie, (there's a good quality version on soap2day.to) so here are my thoughts:

🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄

Good stuff:

The animation is super fun!

It's very colorful, but not in the way that it will make your eyes burn

Music I love the remixes of different songs from the games (especially the super star one at the end). There are also quite a few songs that are older and meme-y and they were so cool to hear!

I enjoyed the characterization of pretty much all characters

No Forced Romance I absolutely fucking ADORE that there was no on-screen forced chemistry when it came to Peach. Yea, Bowser is madly in love with her (or the concept of marriage, jury is still out on this one), but Peach? Nah. She has a bit of a rosey tint to her eyes when she first sees Mario, and Mario also likes her, but the movie doesn't force it past this. There's no "Saving the other", or "Victory kiss" or the like. They are traveling together to save the Mushroom Kingdom and Luigi, not to find a romantic partner. DK also pokes fun at Mario for a bit, and Toad also banters about it, but Peach doesn't confirm or deny anything, and Mario just says he's being friendly... Like, I genuinely think these two have a 'good friends that might become more' kind of relationship in this movie. And I love it, and I adore that we didn't have an animated kiss of any kind. It was so refreshing, and I was pleasantly surprised there wasn't any hand holding in that field of flowers.

The brotherly affection between Mario and Luigi

It was so good to see. It was wonderful to see them both excited, both of them supporting each other, and the reunion had me feel such joy. This is the kind of sibling love I sometimes wish I was capable of experiencing with my siblings. AND THERE WAS NO FIGHTING AND HURTFUL WORDS OR ACCUSATIONS HURLED AT EACH OTHER!!! This, this is so rare in the movies or shows I've seen before. It does make sense, siblings do stuff that annoys the other, but these two really stick together and care for eachother and rely on eachother.

Luigi not being just a scared incompetent guy He was terrified in that forest, got kidnapped, and when faced with a terrifying turtle looking creature that was very ready to start torturing him, he STILL denied knowing Mario for as long as he could. His line about "not knowing every guy with a mustache" made me smile a bit because it's TRUE, it's a GOOD POINT and EXCUSE, even if it didn't work. And he doesn't give up, he doesn't break down and think how hopeless everything is. Hell, he sees things and remembers Mario and how he always comes to his aid. I was also ecstatic that he ALSO BEATS UP BOWSER WITH MARIO. This movie isn't Super Mario, it's Super Mario Brothers!!!

Bowser. Jack Black did an amazing job. The animators and script writers have my undying gratitude. Bowser is now permanently on my Blorbo List. I will now stop talking or this post will be all about Bowser appreciation and gushing over the character and animation.

THE CREEPY ELEMENTS I had a Mario game for my Nintendo DS, and I could never play it because the water level with the eel scared me too much. I was terrified then, and seeing the eel now had me freeze up. A big NOPE. And not just that either, the skeleton Koopa, the masked lil guys, the creepy parts were very creepy. I adore it. And the bats looked adorable :> Meh stuff:

I didn't really like Toad at the start. I found him pretty darn annoying even. But his bravery as a sharp contrast to everyone abandoning their Princess is admirable, and he did grow on me as the movie progressed.

Seems that every situation requires an exclamation of "mamma mia". Now both folks on the internet and folks I've met irl do use it, and say they use it quite often, but there are also other phrases that could be used. Every mother in Brooklyn has hiccups at this point. And yes, I know it makes sense because this is one of the catchphrases Mario has. But still, I personally found it a bit meh/repetitive. I am not Italian tho, so my opinion on the matter can be discarded.

... honestly, there weren't many things I didn't enjoy about this movie, it was a nice one!

I give it a 10/10 + a golden star because THEY GAVE BOWSER A MINI PIANO!!!!

I also now have at least a few story ideas, because listen... I need that Koopa Wizard pinning after Bowser, I need this in my life-

In conclusion, 10/10, it's a nice time.

#moca watches #the super mario bros movie #smb spoilers #super mario bros spoilers #moca screeches #No but for real I might be reblogging alot of Bowser now bcs this movie was TOO FUCKING CUTE WHEN HE WAS GUSHING OVER PEACH #AND WHEN THAT IS NOT A THING HE IS RUTHLESS AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA #Basically I am losing my shit over this

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spheresr4cubes · 1 year

Text

Thoughts on the Mario movie

THE PROS

--Stunning animation! I mean, Jesus Mohammad Christ, the lighting?! The facial expressions?! The textures?! The weight of things falling and hitting and cracking?! The translation of 2D side-scroller to 3D world?! J'adore!!

--Genuinely horrific intro to the Darklands. Like, I was actually terrified for Luigi, especially the last shot with the Shy Guys in the castle.

--The world designs! If there's anything Illumination excels at, it's funky little societies, and the Mushroom Kingdom is no exception.

--The Battle with Francis the Dog, not only for the fantastic facial expressions of Francis himself, but for showing off how Mario and Luigi interact when faced with a problem (Luigi holding up a mirror as a shield mirrors [ha] how he protects Mario at the end of the movie). Also, the placement of the opera music over the madness happening when the plumbing goes haywire was *chef's kiss*.

--Hair flippies <3

--"Peaches"

--The voice acting: Charlie Day strikes a very interesting balance between Luigi's game voice and a real person, which makes him feel familiar at the same time as adding depth. And of course, Jack Black sounds like he had a lot of fun as Bowser, and I got chills twice during his lines.

--Existential luma

--Mario and Luigi apparently dress the way they do as a way to brand the look for their new business, and I love that. They feel out-of-place in their world somehow and fit better into the Mushroom Kingdom (which may just be the fact that their designs were meant for that world, but ce la vie, that's how it felt).

--THE HUG. I did not want to see this movie at all until I started hearing people talk about the relationship between Mario and Luigi as actual brothers. I haven't played any of the games with story, so I don't know how the film's take compares, but I do have a little sibling whom I love dearly and would absolutely learn the physics-bending rules and fight the same battles as Mario does if it meant getting my sister back. Does it feel a little fanficky? Sure. But it works.

--Actually, the whole Mario family's dynamics work, and there were so many little details and interactions I caught just on the first watch that build so much character with only a few scenes of dialogue. Mario being athletic before the events of the movie, never knowing when to quit, being defensive about his career choices and how they affect Luigi, who would follow him anywhere; Luigi being the most supportive person, even singing Mario's praises in the face of a big scary monster, never losing hope even when things are looking dire; their parents being more concerned than outright disappointed in their choices, trying to be supportive but missing the mark.

--Speaking of Mario never knowing when to quit and Luigi being a supportive person, no one in this movie really learns anything... and that's okay! The feelings that everyone has about how things should be end up being what keeps them going until the world(s) agree with them. Peach, for example, cares tremendously about the Toads and will do anything to keep them safe, which she does!

--Bowser is actually terrifying! Sure, he has his silly moments, but the badassery absolutely outweighs them. I had no doubt that he would actually commit mass murder, especially toward the end of the movie when the anger from being turned-down really comes out.

--Peach running the obstacle course in heels and a full gown (I have done something similar in a full skirt and bodice, and it was fun to watch on screen).

--FUCKIN TEAMWORK, YA'LL

THE CONS

--How many times do they have to title-drop? After seven, I was really getting tired of it. Like, yes, we know it's the Super Mario Brothers, we are aware.

--Illumination has a brand of comedy, and it is not absent from the movie.

--I'm not too familiar with the lore of anything, much less Donkey Kong, but... he never struck me as the fratboy type?? Like, sure, the dynamic kind of works when he interacts with others, but it felt... off.

--The voice acting. I saw this one coming, honestly, and I think I blame the studios more than the actors (I can't help but have sympathy). Seth Rogan as Donkey Kong felt wrong to me. Same with Cranky Kong, as if something in the voice did not match the character somehow. I'm not sure how to describe it. There were times where the same issue arose with Peach, Mario, and the main Toad as well, like there's a disconnect.

--Lots of very bright colors in both Brooklyn and the Mushroom Kingdom, which softens the blow of actually arriving in another world. I get that this is more of a children's movie, and children love bright colors, but do you know the feeling you got when first seeing Dorothy step out of the sepia-tone house into the technicolor Land of Oz? That feeling was missing here.

--Someone used a lot of the budget on copyrighted songs, and it gets distracting. ("Mr. Blue Sky" is already intrinsically linked with a complete other fandom in my mind, so its addition really threw me out of the story).

OVERALL

The Mario movie was good! I enjoyed it, even with its faults, and I would buy the DVD if only to admire the artistry that went into the animation and screenplay. There were still times I absolutely would have screamed "HELL YEAAAHHH!" had I not been in a public theater.

10/10 visuals

10/10 foley

6/10 voice acting

7/10 plot execution

8/10 characterization

Judgement: Would recommend, even if you don't know lore!

#mario bros #Mario movie #mario #luigi #peach #bowser #animation #2023

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