Mario and Luigi's family
- Not to be confused with Mario Family.
Mario and Luigi's family has been seen and referenced several times in the Super Mario franchise. Many of the family members were only ever seen or referenced in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, particularly during the live-action segments.
Shigeru Miyamoto once joked in an interview that a new third brother may be created for Mario and Luigi if needed.[1]
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mario and Luigi’s family "of Italian immigrants"[2] consists of their mother and father, two paternal uncles, an aunt, a niece, and a grandfather,[3] who all live in Brooklyn in the same building. According to the film's directors (Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic) and Shigeru Miyamoto, the designs of some of the family members are based on character sketches that were created by Yoichi Kotabe[4] decades prior to the movie's production.[3]
Aunt Luigeena[edit]
- Main article: Aunt Luigeena
Aunt Luigeena is an aunt of Mario and Luigi's who was only ever seen at the end of "Mama Mia Mario". Although her appearance was small, she came off as being a very bossy woman towards Mario. Given her name, there is a good chance that Luigi was named after her, much like Luigeena. Although never stated, it is likely that Aunt Luigeena is Mama Mario's sister, given their similar attitudes.
Aunt Maria[edit]
Aunt Maria is an aunt of Mario and Luigi's who has yet to make an appearance. Despite this, she has been referenced on two separate occasions. However, her personality remains a mystery. The first mention was during the events of "Crimes R Us". While looking at clouds with Mario, Luigi noted that one of them resembled their aunt Maria.
The second mention came from Doors to Doom, in which Donkey Kong Jr.'s yell was compared to a cross of Tarzan's cry and the screech Aunt Maria makes when the Mario Bros. walk on her newly waxed floor. However, given that the Nintendo Adventure Books were produced separately from The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, these two references may be a coincidence given that the name Maria is very similar to Mario.
Aunt Marie[edit]
- Main article: Aunt Marie
Aunt Marie is an aunt of Mario and Luigi's. She is presumably the wife of Uncle Arthur. She appears in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, only speaking a few lines including greeting Mario and Luigi and saying "Hey!" when she scolds Uncle Arthur.
Ima no Mario[edit]
- Main article: Ima no Mario
In an alternate timeline explored in Super Mario-kun Volume 13, Bowser won against the Mario Brothers, following their retirement, and took over the Mushroom Kingdom. During this "Koopa Empire" era, Mario's descendants ended up working low-level jobs for the Koopalings. The one met by Mario and his friends, is a janitor in Ludwig's museum. Despite him helping Mario defeat Ludwig, he is left behind in the museum, nailed to the wall like a painting.
Luigeena[edit]
- Main article: Luigeena
Luigeena is one of Mario and Luigi's cousins, who is somewhat similar in appearance to Luigi. Along with her sister Marianne, Luigeena only ever appeared during "Marianne and Luigeena".
During the segment, Luigeena and Marianne arrived at Mario Brothers Plumbing upon learning that Lyle Alzado was coming over for lunch. After flirting with Lyle for a while, Marianne sent Luigeena to look for Mario and Luigi, who had gone out to buy some groceries. After meeting up with Marianne afterwards, the two sisters returned to Mario Brothers Plumbing to announce that they were going to follow Mel Gibson home.
Mama Mario[edit]
- Main article: Mama Mario
Mama Mario is the mother of Mario and Luigi. She has had a few minor appearances and mentions throughout the Super Mario franchise. Her most prominent appearances were during two live-action segments of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!; "Mama Mia Mario" and "Little Marios", both of which portrayed her with a bossy demeanor and the tendency to assign her sons endless chores. She also appears in The Super Mario Bros. Movie living in Brooklyn along with Papa Mario and other members of Mario's family.
Marianne[edit]
- Main article: Marianne
Marianne is one of Mario and Luigi's cousins, who is somewhat similar in appearance to Mario. Along with her sister Luigeena, Luigeena only ever appeared during "Marianne & Luigeena".
Accompanied by Luigeena, Marianne travelled to Mario Brothers Plumbing to meet up with Lyle Alzado, who was visiting Mario and Luigi for lunch. Since Mario and Luigi had left to buy groceries, Marianne and Luigeena flirted with Lyle for a while. Marianne eventually sent Luigeena to look for Mario and Luigi as an excuse to flirt with Lyle by herself, until Luigi came home and stopped her. Marianne then left to look for Luigeena and Mario, only to later return with her sister to announce that they were going to pursue Mel Gibson.
Marilyn[edit]
- Main article: Marilyn (The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!)
Marilyn is a wild niece of Mario and Luigi's. She appeared during "Wild Thing", in which she invited several of her friends over to Mario Brothers Plumbing to party for a weekend without Mario and Luigi's consent. By the end of the segment, she and her friends left to party at her Uncle Troy's home in California.
Marilyn's mother[edit]
Marilyn's mother is the mother of Marilyn, who was briefly mentioned by her during "Wild Thing". It is not known if she is related to the Mario brothers by blood or marriage. According to her mother, Marilyn stated that she was allowed to have her friends party at Mario Brothers Plumbing.
Marīo[edit]
- Main article: Marīo
Marīo is a descendant of Mario from the year 2159, only appearing in the Solar Striker story arc in the Super Mario Land 4 manga. Due to Dr. Areku's time machine, he and his partner Pichi-hime (Princess Peach's descendant, but it is unclear if she is also related to Mario, considering his relationship with the princess) are transported into the present while their ancestors are dragged into the future to guide the SolarStriker in their place. Aside from his clothes, he is identical to Mario, but while he is stuck in the past, Marīo falls in love with the food of the XX century, to the point of becoming fat.
Mario Joe and Luigi Bob[edit]
- Main article: Mario Joe and Luigi Bob
Mario Joe and Luigi Bob are brothers and the bumpkin cousins of Mario and Luigi who appeared in "Mario Hillbillies". They are identical in appearance to Mario and Luigi, but come off as being rather dim and absent-minded.
In "Mario Hillbillies", Mario Joe and Luigi Bob arrived at Mario Brothers Plumbing to go on a fishing trip with their cousins, only to learn that they had left without them due to their tardiness. Waiting around for Mario and Luigi, Mario Joe and Luigi Bob met up with Ellie Mae, a potential customer of Mario and Luigi's who ultimately befriended their cousins.
Mario and Luigi's grandfather[edit]
GPoppy[edit]
GPoppy is Mario and Luigi's grandfather, who was only ever seen in Nintendo Power. On page 93 of issue 7, a photograph of him can be seen hanging on a wall of Mario and Luigi's house labeled "GPoppy". GPoppy is similar in appearance to Mario and Luigi, except that he has white hair, beard, eyebrows, and mustache and his clothes are yellow and blue. He is also depicted smoking a pipe.
A variant of this image is used for a TV tray, also dating from 1989. This one is unlabeled.
Grandpapa[edit]
- This section is about Mario and Luigi's grandfather from the game universe. For the character from the 1993 film, see List of implied characters § Grandpapa (film character).
Grandpapa is Mario and Luigi's grandfather. Mario briefly mentioned him at the San Diego Comic Con 2012, and his full name is implied to be Grandpapa Pio Mario.[5]
The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]
- Main article: Mario and Luigi's grandfather
An unnamed grandfather appears in The Super Mario Bros. Movie in a non-speaking role. Co-director Aaron Horvath implied that he used to be a boxer.[3] It is unknown whether he is Mario and Luigi's maternal or paternal grandfather, or if he is Grandpapa, GPoppy, or a separate character.
Mario and Luigi's grandmother[edit]
Grandma Mario[edit]
- Main article: Grandma Mario
Grandma Mario is a late grandmother of Mario and Luigi's. Her own name was stated by Mario to be his namesake. However, it is unclear as to whether she is Mario and Luigi's maternal or paternal grandmother. She came off as being somewhat stubborn.
Grandma Mario's only "appearance" was during "The Great Hereafter". Leading into the events of this segment, Mario had been having nightmares in which Grandma Mario kept scolding him, although Luigi always woke Mario up before they could finish on their own. After enlisting the help of The Old Psychic Lady with the Evil Eye Who Reads Fortunes and Knows Everything Before It Happens, Grandma Mario was able to temporarily possess Mario's body so that she could tell her grandsons to clean up their apartment.
Grandma Mia[edit]
- Main article: List of implied characters § Grandma Mia
Grandma Mia is briefly mentioned during by Mario in "The Fire of Hercufleas" where he compared her garlic chip cookies to the strength of Hercufleas. She is possibly the same character as Grandma Mario as the Mario in Real Time exhibit at the San Diego Comic Con 2012 mentioned a grandmother with the name "Grandmama Mia Mario."[5]
Other versions[edit]
A grandmother is mentioned in the Nintendo Comics System story "Vote Mario for Man of the Year", when Mario tells Toad his secret pasta recipe, and he says that only he, Luigi, and "Grandma" know it.
A grandmother is also mentioned in the narration of the Club Nintendo comic "Super Mario Klemp-Won-Do: Muskeln sind nicht alles!" when Mario is fighting Blanka. Mario defeats him by throwing Bananas into the ring, making Blanka slip and fall, while the narration states that Mario's grandmother used to tell him not to leave banana peels on the ground, and that it is good that Mario did not listen to her.
Mario and Luigi's niece[edit]
- Main article: Mario and Luigi's niece
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a little girl, defined as "Mario and Luigi's niece"[3], appears in the dinner scene, constantly looking down at her phone. She does not have a speaking role. A photo in the background shows her with Uncle Arthur and Aunt Marie, implying that they are her parents. Although she is called their "niece," she is more likely a cousin. In the United States, it is common to refer to one's first cousin once removed by terms such as "(second) nephew" and "(second) niece" for the sake of convenience.
Mario's mother-in-law[edit]
Mario's mother-in-law is mentioned by Mario in Super Mario Bros.: Favorite Mushroom Party Hits!!! during the transition between "Mockingbird" and "Mother-in-Law," saying that the listener needs to watch out for her, whom he calls a "jive Goomba", despite the fact that he is not known to be married. Ernie K-Doe then sings "Mother-in-Law," a song about her, suggesting that he knows her.
Ojīsan and Obāsan[edit]
- Main article: Ojīsan and Obāsan
Ojīsan and Obāsann are an elderly Hammer Bro couple and the adoptive parents of Mario, as well as Princess Peach. They only appeared in the Amada Anime Series adaptation of Momotarō.
Other descendants[edit]
Aside from Ima no Mario, there are other descendants: as Ludwig explains, following the Mario Bros.' defeat, all of their descendants had to work in low-level jobs for the Koopa family.
Papa Mario[edit]
- Main article: Papa Mario
Papa Mario is the father of Mario and Luigi. He has made only a few minor appearances across official Mario media and, as such, little about his personality was actually known until the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, where he is shown expressing disapproval for Mario and Luigi leaving their steady jobs to start their own business. However, at the end of the film, after Mario and Luigi defeat Bowser, the father embraces his sons and is shown to be proud of them. He, along with Giuseppe, is voiced by Charles Martinet in the film, and was his last role in the Mario franchise before he stepped down from voice acting in the franchise and became the Mario Ambassador in August of 2023.
Uncle Arthur[edit]
- Main article: Uncle Arthur
Uncle Arthur is one of Mario and Luigi's uncles. He is a brother of their father. He appears in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, voiced by John DiMaggio.
Uncle Harry[edit]
- Main article: List of implied characters § Uncle Harry
Uncle Harry is one of Mario and Luigi's uncles. In the 1991 Nintendo Adventure Book Koopa Capers, Luigi dreams of spaghetti, orange juice and ice cream being served on a raft in his Uncle Harry's pool.
Uncle Tony[edit]
- Main article: Uncle Tony
Uncle Tony is one of Mario and Luigi's uncles. He was briefly mentioned during "Glasnuts", and was described as a big eater by Mario, who feared that he would eat all of their pizza if he came to Mario Brothers Plumbing.
Uncle Tony makes a physical appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, portrayed by Rino Romano. Like Uncle Arthur, he is from the father's side of the family.
Uncle Troy[edit]
- Main article: List of implied characters § Uncle Troy
Uncle Troy is an uncle of Marilyn's who lives in California. His relationship to Mario and Luigi, if any, remains a mystery. As such, he may not even be a relative of theirs.
References[edit]
- ^ http://mariopartylegacy.com/2013/03/a-third-mario-brother-miyamoto-explains/
- ^ https://www.gamesradar.com/super-mario-bros-movie-chris-pratt-casting/
- ^ a b c d McWhertor, Michael (April 8, 2023). The Super Mario Bros. Movie drew on unused Nintendo designs to build out Mario’s family. Polygon. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/the-super-mario-bros-movie-shigeru-miyamoto-koji-kondo-nintendo-interview-easter-eggs-1234706449/
- ^ a b Patterson, Patrick Scott (July 17, 2012). Mario reveals his last name & other tales - San Diego Comic Con 2012. YouTube. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
| Mario and Luigi's family |
|---|
| Luigi • Mama Mario • Mario • Papa Mario |
| Non-game relatives |
| Aunt Luigeena • Aunt Maria • Aunt Marie • GPoppy • Grandma Mario • Grandma Mia • Grandpapa • Ima no Mario • Luigeena • Marianne • Marilyn • Marilyn's mother • Mario and Luigi's grandfather • Mario and Luigi's niece • Mario Joe and Luigi Bob • Marīo • Ojīsan and Obāsan • Uncle Arthur • Uncle Harry • Uncle Tony • Uncle Troy |
