The Super Mario Bros. Movie finally released, didn’t it!

I watched it and found that it was very interesting!

Video game of Super Mario was created and released in Japan in 1985 and it has been acquiring worldwide popularity since then.

I was also playing it when I was child.

Here I introduce Super Mario in Japan.

What is Super Mario called here in Japan?
What’s the name of the characters in Japanese?

What is Super Mario called in Japan?

Super Mario is literally Called スーパーマリオ in Japanese.

Same pronunciation as English although it is Japanese Katakana pronunciation and Katakana is used.

If I write it in Hiragana, it’ll be すーぱーまりお.

When I was a child, I and some friends sometimes called it スーマリ (Su-Mari) as well.
That’s just a short name for Super Mario we used at the time.

For the movie released this time, Japanese title is ザ・スーパーマリオブラザーズ・ムービー (The Super Mario Brothers Movie).

Yes, same as English title.

Name of Character of Super Mario in Japanese

I introduce names of both main characters and enemy characters separately.

I couldn’t find which they belong to for some characters such as Donkey Kong, Wario, Waluigi so I included them in the main characters.

All the characters’ names are normally written in Katakana but I also added Hiragana just for Japanese learners here.

Main Characters’ Name (Katakana and Hiragana)

• Mario : マリオ (まりお)
• Luigi : ルイージ (るいーじ)
• Princess Peach : ピーチ姫 (ぴーちひめ)
• Rosalina : ロゼッタ姫 (ろぜったひめ)
• Princess Daisy : デイジー (でいじー)
• Toad : キノピオ (きのぴお)
• Toaette : キノピコ (きのぴこ)
• Yoshi : ヨッシー (よっしー)
• Donkey Kong : ドンキーコング (どんきーこんぐ)
• Donkey Kong Jr. : ドンキーコングJr. (どんきーこんぐじゅにあ)
• Diddy Kong : ディディーコング (でぃでぃーこんぐ)
• Wario : ワリオ (わりお)
• Waluigi : ワルイージ (わるいーじ)

Enemy Characters’ Name (Katakana and Hiragana)

• Bowser : クッパ (くっぱ)
• Bowser Jr. : クッパJr. (くっぱじゅにあ)
• Iggy Koopa : イギー (いぎー)
• Koopa Troopa : ノコノコ (のこのこ)
• Bob-omb : ボムへい (ぼむへい)
• Boo : テレサ (てれさ)
• King Boo : キングテレサ (きんぐてれさ)
• Shy Guy : ヘイホー (へいほー)
• Goomba : クリボー (くりぼー)
• Spiny : トゲゾー (とげぞー)
• Hammer Bros. : ハンマーブロス (はんまーぶろす)
• Dry Bones : カロン (かろん)
• Chain Chomp : ワンワン (わんわん)
• Piranha Plant : パックンフラワー (ぱっくんふらわー)
• Lakitu : ジュゲム (じゅげむ)
• Blooper : ゲッソー (げっそー)
• Buzzy Beetle : メット (めっと)
• Wiggler : ハナチャン (はなちゃん)
• Magikoopa/Kamek : カメック (かめっく)
• Thwomp : ドッスン (どっすん)
• Bullet Bill : キラー (きらー)
• Koopa Paratroopa : パタパタ (ぱたぱた)
• Cheep Cheep : プクプク (ぷくぷく)

Summary

When I watched the movie of Super Mario, it was a surprise as クッパ was called Bowser.

If I write Bowser in Katakana, it’ll be バウザー.

Very different name!

Some other characters also have very different names as you know from above characters’ names.

If you learn Japanese, I recommend you to watch the movie in Japanese as well.

It is not very difficult Japanese if your level is middle or above.

You can also enjoy voice of Japanese professional Seiyu such as Mamoru Miyano for Mario, Tasuku Hatanaka for Luigi, Arisa Shida for Princess Peach, etc.

I’m very glad that Super Mario became 3D animation finally!

Many thanks for Shigeru Miyamoto, the original Creator of Super Mario, Nintendo and Illumination!

Tags: Characters, Hiragana, Japanese, Katakana, Super Mario Author : Hiroshi80