View source for User:Mister Wu/Cute Features in the Reptiles

The ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' games have a lot of reptiles in them, also thanks to [[Bowser]] and [[Koopa Troop|his army]]. One interesting thing about these reptiles is that often their design presents features that can be related to '''cuteness''', ('''{{wp|kawaii}}''', 「 かわいい」), a fundamental concept of modern Japanese culture. It's no surprise that the reptiles seen in the ''Super Mario'' games have many cute features, but it's interesting to see the common and recurring ones to better understand how in the design of the characters a fine balance between cuteness and other traits such as fierceness (manifested through claws) is obtained through these features, allowing the cuteness to effectively cohexist with said traits. Without further ado, let's begin!
==Features related to softness==
===Fat===
This is not a specific feature but rather a '''general design direction''' and it must not be taken too literally, as by design only a few characters are meant to be fat, e.g. the [[Sledge Bro]]s.
<gallery widths=600px heights=600px>
SledgebrosNSMBW.png|A [[Sledge Bro]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''
</gallery>
Still, most reptiles in the ''Super Mario'' games, even if they are not meant to be fat in that their design doesn't exaggerate the traits linked to fatness, still presents '''traits typical of characters who are not slim''', such as wide legs, muscles not being visible with arms presenting straight lines, rounded borders where the skin is found. This makes them cuter, as it gives more an impression of softness rather than brute force.
<gallery>
Koopa Troopa Artwork - Super Mario 3D World.png|A [[Beach Koopa]] in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
Bowser2D.png|[[Bowser]]
LudwigNSMBU.png|[[Ludwig von Koopa]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''
Yoshi's Safari - Yoshi Artwork.png|[[Yoshi]] in ''[[Yoshi's Safari]]''
SMW Art - Dino Rhino.png|A [[Dino Rhino]] in ''[[Super Mario World]]''
MP8 Birdo.png|[[Birdo]] in ''[[Mario Party 8]]''
</gallery>
In the case of [[Plessie]] this fatness is even '''exploited to create a pleasant animation''' while outside of the water, as the dinosaur '''slides on its belly'''.
<gallery widths=640px heights=360px>
SM3DW Plessie Sliding.jpg|[[Plessie]] sliding on its belly in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
</gallery>

===Padded feet===
This is one of the most widespread features of the reptiles in the Super Mario games. The '''foot pads''' referred to in this section are a soft part of the {{wp|Paw|paw}}s of some mammals and are used for various purposes, such as increasing friction and acting as cushions. Reptiles are not meant to have them. Yet it's impressive to see how many characters feature them, this being just a selection:
<gallery>
KoopaParaSMBGreen.png|A green [[Koopa Paratroopa]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
SMBDX Hammer Pic.png|A [[Hammer Bro]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros. Deluxe]]''
Spiny Artwork - New Super Mario Bros. 2.png|A [[Spiny]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
BuzzybeetleNSMBU.png|A [[Buzzy Beetle]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''
Spike - Mario Party 10.png|A [[Spike]] in ''[[Mario Party 10]]''
NSwitch ParentalControls Japanese Bowser Bowser Jr Playing Cropped.png|[[Bowser]] and [[Bowser Jr.]] playing the [[Nintendo Switch]]
Birdo MP9.png|[[Birdo]] in ''[[Mario Party 9]]''
</gallery>
Since they are typically distinguished through a different color and in recent artwork they are shown to display a different pattern with repsect to the scale-based pattern of the rest of the skin, I guess their aim is creating variety as well as cutesy by indicating an area meant to be soft - as mammals' foot pads are.<br/>Some characters, such as [[Larry Koopa]], feature '''quite a few artwork images displaying said trait''':
<gallery>
LarryKoopa2 SMB3.png|[[Larry Koopa]] in ''[[Super Mario World]]''
NSMBU LarryKoopa.png|[[Larry Koopa]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'' and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''
Mk8larry.png|[[Larry Koopa]] in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]''
Larry SSB4 Artwork.jpg|[[Larry Koopa]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]''
</gallery>
Not to say that '''even some characters who were initially designed with shoes on their feet and are almost always seen with them''', such as [[Yoshi]], '''feature foot pads''', showing their importance in terms of design:
<gallery widths=580 px heights=400px>
SMSQPB5 Shoes.png
</gallery>

===Bright underbelly aera===
This trait presents itself as a '''bright (typically white) area that spans the lower part of the body, covering at least the belly''' but typically spanning the whole lower part of the body, from the lower part of the muzzle until the lower part of the tail:
<gallery widths=540px heights=600px>
Yoshi2 MP9.png|[[Yoshi]] in ''[[Mario Party 9]]''
</gallery>
[[Glydon]], a lizard featuring said trait, revealed that '''the skin of said area indeed has a different pattern which doesn't feature the scales seen in the upper part of the body''', showing that again this trait is linked to softness, while also creating variety and also acting as a pleasant way to underline the layout of the body if it spans the whole lower part of the body.
<gallery widths=640px heights=360px>
SMO Mario Glydon.jpg|[[Glydon]] with [[Mario]] in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
</gallery>
While the various turtles often don't feature this trait possibly due to the shell covering the belly, defeating its aesthetic purpose, it's still '''not uncommon among the other reptiles''':
<gallery>
SMAGPB6 Dorrie.png|[[Mario]] on [[Dorrie]] in ''Super Mario Adventure Game Picture Book 6: Three Treasures''
Plessie Artwork - Super Mario 3D World.png|[[Plessie]] in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
ReznorNSMB2.png|A [[reznor]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
Birdo Artwork - Mario Party 7.png|[[Birdo]] in ''[[Mario Party 7]]''
</gallery>

===Big and round upper end of the muzzle===
This trait was made famous by [[Yoshi]] who has a '''distinct big and round upper end of the muzzle that covers part of the face''':
<gallery widths=540px heights=600px>
MH3on3 Yoshi.jpg|[[Yoshi]] in ''[[Mario Hoops 3-on-3]]''
</gallery>
Still, other reptiles feature it, in particular '''the friendly ones''', [[Dorrie]] and [[Plessie]]:
<gallery widths=320 heights=180>
SM3DW Plessie Greeting.jpg|[[Plessie]] in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
SMO Dorrie Lake Kingdom.jpg|[[Dorrie]] in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
</gallery>
Considering the friendliness of all these reptiles, I think it might be again related to the impression of softness that a big, round object confers.

==Features related to the body proportions of newborn babies==
===Big head===
This is a '''very common trait''' used in the design of fictional characters to '''relate them to newborn babies by making their head bigger in proportion with the rest of the body''', so it will be dealt with briefly. Even tall men like [[Luigi]] have an head which is around a third of the body height tall, while [[Princess Peach]] and [[Rosalina]] have an head which is around a fifth of the body height tall:
<gallery>
Mariofistup.svg|[[Mario]]
Luigi vector art.svg|[[Luigi]]
Artwork - PEACH.svg|[[Princess Peach]]
Rosalina2DArtwork1.svg|[[Rosalina]]
</gallery>
It therefore comes as no surprise that '''the head of most of the reptiles of the ''Super Mario'' games is very big with respect to the rest of the body''', even in the case of '''individuals who are stated to be adults''', like [[Yoshi]] and [[Bowser]] whose head is around a third of the body height tall:
<gallery>
Bowser vector art.svg|[[Bowser]] in the 30th Anniversary of Super Mario Bros. (2015)
Yoshi - Nintendo Character Manual.png|[[Yoshi]] in the 1993 Nintendo Chracter Manual
</gallery>

===Short legs===
Most reptiles in the ''Super Mario'' games have '''short legs''', likely due to most real life reptiles (e.g. lizard, crocodiles, turtles) having short legs as well. This trait is '''observed even in reptiles that are supposed to be tall''':
<gallery>
SMO Glydon PRIMA Screenshot.png|[[Glydon]] in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
Iggy.jpg|[[Iggy Koopa]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''
SM3DW Plessie's Plunging Falls E3.png|[[Plessie]] in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
Bowser colouring book1.png|[[Bowser]]
</gallery> 
Beside being linked to real life reptiles, short legs are also a typical trait of newborn babies and as such they can also be linked to cuteness.

===Big oval-shaped tall eyes===
'''Eyes which are big and tall with an oval shape in their upper part''' are common in the reptiles of the Super Mario games and it's also one that affects the face significantly, '''often accompanied by a lack of eyebrows''':
<gallery>
SMBLL Red Koopa Troopa Artwork.png|A red [[Koopa Troopa]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]''
</gallery>
Big eyes are typical of newborn babies and are used to enhance the cuteness of the characters, being '''seen in various friendly reptiles''':
<gallery widths=250>
MPDSYoshi.png|[[Yoshi]] in ''[[Mario Party DS]]''
SM3DW Plessie Greeting 2.jpg|[[Plessie]] in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
SMO Dorrie Lake Kingdom.jpg|[[Dorrie]] in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
</gallery>
but also '''in those that are meant to be enemies of Mario''' (but often are more or less implicitly cute as well):
<gallery>
PMCS Hammer Bro.png|A [[Hammer Bro]] in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''
PMCS Iggy Wand.png|[[Iggy Koopa]] in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''
PMCS Larry Wand.png|[[Larry Koopa]] in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''
PMCS Lemmy Wand.png|[[Lemmy Koopa]] in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''
</gallery>

==Other features==
===Protruding teeth===
'''Teeth that are protruding and are visible when the mouth is closed''' are one of the few traits which are officially acknowledged to be cute.<ref>On page 65 of the ''Super Mario Pia'', the bio of [[Ludwig von Koopa]] states 「出っ歯のような牙がかわいい。」 which means ''His overbite is cute''.</ref> Among the most famous characters who feature protruding teeth there are of course the [[Koopalings]]:
<gallery>
Ludwig colouring book.png|[[Ludwig von Koopa]] in the ''[[Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.]]''
Roy colouring book.png|[[Roy Koopa]] in the ''[[Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.]]''
Iggy colouring book.png|[[Iggy Koopa]] in the ''[[Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.]]''
Morton colouring book.png|[[Morton Koopa Jr.]] in the ''[[Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.]]''
LarryKoopaArtwork.png|[[Larry Koopa]] in the ''[[Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.]]''
</gallery>
Said trait is so relevant that it '''appeared even in their preliminary sketch''':
<gallery widths=300 heights=400>
SMC NOG page 65 sketch Morton.png|Preliminary sketch of [[Morton Koopa Jr.]] found on page 65 of the ''Nintendo Official Guidebook'' of ''[[Super Mario All-Stars|Super Mario Collection]]''
SMC NOG page 65 sketch Iggy.png|Preliminary sketch of [[Iggy Koopa]] found on page 65 of the ''Nintendo Official Guidebook'' of ''[[Super Mario All-Stars|Super Mario Collection]]''
</gallery>
Curiously, despite the prtotruding teeth being acknowledged to be cute, '''many friendly reptiles lack them completely''', possibly to display friendliness as the teeth are still related to bites:
<gallery widths=250>
SMO Glydon Lake Kingdom Screenshot.png|[[Glydon]] in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
Yoshi Artwork - Mario Party Island Tour.png|[[Yoshi]] in ''[[Mario Party Island Tour]]''
SM3DW Plessie Final Greetings.jpg|[[Plessie]] in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
SMO Purple Dorrie.jpg|A purple [[Dorrie]] in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
</gallery>

===Blue eyes===
Even though they might be related to ice and thus a cold personality, blue is also the color of the sky and thus a sign of positivity. [[Mario]], [[Luigi]] and [[Princess Peach]] have blue eyes, i.e. '''eyes featuring blue or light blue irises''':
<gallery widths=250 heights=300>
Mario-2D waving.png|[[Mario]]
Luigiart4.png|[[Luigi]]
Peach 2d shaded2.png|[[Princess Peach]]
</gallery>
But so do '''enemies''' like the [[Hammer Bro]]s:
<gallery widths=512 heights=468>
Hammer Bro-NSMBU.png|A [[Hammer Bro]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''
</gallery>
Two interesting cases are those of '''[[Bowser]]''' and '''[[Yoshi]]'''. The former '''was given blue eyes after his first redesign and maintained them until the American release of [[Super Mario World]]''', where the eyes were reverted to red:
<gallery widths=250 heights=300>
Bowser SMBLL flyer cropped.png|[[Bowser]] in the [[Family Computer Disk System]] version of ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]''
Bowsersmb3.png|[[Bowser]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
BowserSMW1.png|[[Bowser]] in the American manual of ''[[Super Mario World]]''
</gallery>
Three [[Koopalings]] too '''have this trait''', and maintained it even after Bowser's eyes were changed to red again:
<gallery widths=250 heights=300>
LarryKoopaAirshipArtwork.png|[[Larry Koopa]]
Wendy colouring book.png|[[Wendy O. Koopa]]
IggyNSMBU.png|[[Iggy Koopa]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''
</gallery>
In the case of Yoshi, he '''initially featured completely black eyes and his hand-drawn artwork still depict him with black eyes''':
<gallery widths=300 heights=400>
SMW Art - Yoshi.png|[[Yoshi]] in ''[[Super Mario World]]''
Yoshi colouring book2.png|[[Yoshi]] in a 2015 coloring book
</gallery>
However, with the new computer graphics artwork images, '''a light blue iris started to appear and the pupil itself started having a blue color in the center''' revealing that the eyes are indeed blue:
<gallery widths=480 heights=734>
Yoshi - Mario Party 10.png|[[Yoshi]] in ''[[Mario Party 10]]''
</gallery>
Blue eyes is also '''one of the two traits that appear in the captured creatures''' in [[Super Mario Odyssey]], showing its importance in terms of character design:
<gallery widths=194 heights=234>
SMO Glydon Capture.png|[[Glydon]] [[capture]]d by [[Mario]]
</gallery>

===Feline mouth===
This trait is characterized by the '''upper part of the mouth being shaped like a "3" rotated by 90° to the right and centered on the nose''':
<gallery widths=256 heights=256>
MK8 Larry Emblem.png|The emblem of [[Larry Koopa]] in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]''
</gallery>

'''It is likely borrowed from cats''' and as such it can be considered a form of cuteness through relation with common pets, it's nonethless '''featured in some reptiles''', notably [[Bowser]] and four [[Koopalings]]:
<gallery>
SMB3 Bowser.png|[[Bowser]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
LarryKoopa SMB3.jpg|[[Larry Koopa]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
SMB3 MortonKoopaJr.jpg|[[Morton Koopa Jr.]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
SMB3 RoyKoopa.jpg|[[Roy Koopa]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
SMB3 LudwigVonKoopa.jpg|[[Ludwig von Koopa]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
</gallery>

==Final notes==
I started thinking about this review of cute features of the reptiles when I recently saw a [[Pokémon]]-themed jigsaw puzzle who had right in the center this popular Pokémon, who also happens to be my favorite one, [[Charizard]]:
<gallery widths=686 heights=600>
CharizardSSB4.png|[[Charizard]] in [[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]
</gallery>
Looking at his design, even in this artwork that slightly enhances the aggressive apsects, in particular the muscles of the arms, with respect to the current hand-drawn artwork, reminded me of '''many cute features I had already seen in the ''Super Mario'' games''', and now I can even list most of them:
# Fat
# Short legs
# Padded feet
# Bright underbelly area
# Protruding teeth
# Blue eyes
This shows that indeed, while Charizard's design might enhance the aspects related to mightiness (wings, horns, big size) and fierceness (claws, sharp teeth, ability to breathe fire), '''it actually retains cute elements''', allowing it to reach what I find a delicate balance between cuteness, mightiness and fierceness. Surely, Charizard is mainly meant to be mighty and also fierce, it being a bipedal fire dragon with a burning flame on the tip of its tail, but this doesn't prevent it from being cute as well, as surprising as this apparent contradiction might be.<br/>
Indeed, it turns out that Charizard was one of the Pokémon designed by Atsuko Nishida, the designer of [[Pikachu]] and Raichu, Charmander and Charmeleon, [[Squirtle]] and Wartortle, among many.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/19980121112202fw_/http://www.gamefreak.co.jp/POKEMON/INTER/ATSUKO/INTER_AT.HTM Interview with Atsuko Mishida on Game Freak's website].</ref> She was actually brought into the design team of ''Pokemon Red and Green'' because there was a need of cute Pokémon she was meant to design.<ref name="Pikachu"/> Her care for cute traits was very evident in the case of the original Charmander line, with Charizard actually being the design on which Charmander was based, not the contrary.<ref name="Pikachu">[https://www.pokemon.co.jp/corporate/en/pikachu/ Interview with the creators of Pikachu].</ref><br/>
More importantly, this shows how '''some design features typical of the [[Mario (franchise)|Mario franchise]] are actually used also in other franchises''', indicating how relevant they can be, possibly because they are indeed linked to the Japanese concept of cuteness and as such, rather part of a broader cultural phenomenon that led to the addition of said cute elements.<br/>
As a side note, the most recent ''Super Mario'' game, ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'', presents two reptiles that '''don't feature most of the aforementioned cute features in their design''', the [[T-Rex]] and the [[Ruined Dragon]]:
<gallery widths=640 heights=360>
SMO T-Rex Chase.jpg|[[T-Rex]] in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
</gallery>
<gallery widths=640 heights=640>
Ruined Dragon Artwork SMO.jpg|[[Ruined Dragon]] in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''
</gallery>
<gallery widths=640 heights=360>
SMO Ruined Dragon Resting.png|Ruined Dragon in ''Super Mario Odyssey''
</gallery>
It's interesting to note how their design stands out with respect to the design of the other reptiles in the ''Super Mario'' games, in that it could be considered more '''realistic''' due to the higher detail of every part of their body and, indeed, the aforementioned traits not being followed in favor of designs that recall restorations of the {{wp|Tyrannosaurus|Tyrannosaurus rex}} of around twenty-five yers ago and {{wp|European dragon#Modern dragons|modern Western dragons}}, respectively.

==References==
<references />