SuperAngelo64
Banned
This is a half-serious thread in response the Mario Kart 8 racial controversy. Keep in mind that the name 'Mario' is also very commonly used in hispanic cultures just as often as in Italian.
I've always wondered if Mario was supposed to be a Latino. Here are a few points in favor of the idea:
1. Prior to International localization of the Mario franchise, a Mario anime was released in 1985 where he was clearly a Latino, specifically Mexican.
A few screen grabs from this anime movie prove the point.
In the intro of this movie it shows Mario in traditional Mexican garb:
Mario and Luigi's hometown is in a desert with cacti and mesas, both are indigenous only to North and Central America.
When Mario hears the plight of Princess Peach he is impassioned, invigorated, and dons a sombrero, bullet vest, and starts shooting pistols
2. Music. The father of the Mario series' music is Koji Kondo, who has a deep love for Latin music. When asked to arrange the original Mario Bros. theme for Smash Bros Brawl he composed this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u589pvON9nE
This was written about it on the official website:
"The original overworld theme in Super Mario Bros. had a certain, almost Latin flavor to it,"
Mario music has had many Latin-flavored themes. The Starman theme is heavily influenced by Salsa, the NSMB theme's intro has a strong resemblance to "Samba Una Nota So", and the Water Land theme from Mario 3 is so bossa nova it hurts.
3. Stereotypes. The 'Mexican' stereotype is very close to the 'Italian' stereotype. An overweight, short, man with a large mustache. Doing a quick Google Image search of the Japanese Google of 'Mexican" gives us this image:
A Man with brown hair and black facial hair (a trait that I, as a Latino also have) with a large mustache. Just some food for thought.
4. "Grito". You don't know what grito is? Anyone who has been to a Quinceañera knows what this is. I'll explain.
It's a high pitched falsetto cry associated with joy or sorrow that is shouted during latino, especially Mexican, festivities. It's very, very similar to the high pitched "Woohoo"s and "Aaaaahaaa"s that is commonplace in Mario's vocabulary. Here are a few examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpQu5lg9i7Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whmPh9Ucp7I
This thread is mainly just for fun, so don't get too serious here. I'm also incredibly drunk on a weekday (which may add to the 'drunk Mexican stereotype', but who gives a shit!)
I've always wondered if Mario was supposed to be a Latino. Here are a few points in favor of the idea:
1. Prior to International localization of the Mario franchise, a Mario anime was released in 1985 where he was clearly a Latino, specifically Mexican.
A few screen grabs from this anime movie prove the point.
In the intro of this movie it shows Mario in traditional Mexican garb:
Mario and Luigi's hometown is in a desert with cacti and mesas, both are indigenous only to North and Central America.
When Mario hears the plight of Princess Peach he is impassioned, invigorated, and dons a sombrero, bullet vest, and starts shooting pistols
2. Music. The father of the Mario series' music is Koji Kondo, who has a deep love for Latin music. When asked to arrange the original Mario Bros. theme for Smash Bros Brawl he composed this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u589pvON9nE
This was written about it on the official website:
"The original overworld theme in Super Mario Bros. had a certain, almost Latin flavor to it,"
Mario music has had many Latin-flavored themes. The Starman theme is heavily influenced by Salsa, the NSMB theme's intro has a strong resemblance to "Samba Una Nota So", and the Water Land theme from Mario 3 is so bossa nova it hurts.
3. Stereotypes. The 'Mexican' stereotype is very close to the 'Italian' stereotype. An overweight, short, man with a large mustache. Doing a quick Google Image search of the Japanese Google of 'Mexican" gives us this image:
A Man with brown hair and black facial hair (a trait that I, as a Latino also have) with a large mustache. Just some food for thought.
4. "Grito". You don't know what grito is? Anyone who has been to a Quinceañera knows what this is. I'll explain.
It's a high pitched falsetto cry associated with joy or sorrow that is shouted during latino, especially Mexican, festivities. It's very, very similar to the high pitched "Woohoo"s and "Aaaaahaaa"s that is commonplace in Mario's vocabulary. Here are a few examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpQu5lg9i7Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whmPh9Ucp7I
This thread is mainly just for fun, so don't get too serious here. I'm also incredibly drunk on a weekday (which may add to the 'drunk Mexican stereotype', but who gives a shit!)