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===Powers and abilities===
===Powers and abilities===
[[File:SNW Bowser Jr Magic Paintbrush.png|thumb|Bowser Jr. holding the Magic Paintbrush while riding his Junior Clown Car]]
[[File:NSMBW Bowser Jr Artwork.png|thumb|Bowser Jr. riding his Junior Clown Car]]
{{quote|Bwaha, that was waaaay too easy. I'm too strong for my own good. It's my princely curse.|Bowser Jr.|Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey}}
{{quote|Bwaha, that was waaaay too easy. I'm too strong for my own good. It's my princely curse.|Bowser Jr.|Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey}}
Despite his young age and size, Bowser Jr. is very skilled, powerful, and a formidable opponent to the Mario Bros. From his first appearance, he has shown remarkable talent with mechanics and computers, able to skillfully invent<ref>''"You must fight your way to Bowser Jr.'s last stand and defeat his latest invention, the Boomsday Machine, [...]"'' - ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' [[Prima Games|Prima]] Official Game Guide, pg 204</ref> and pilot vehicles and giant robots as well as hack emails. He is just as acrobatic as Mario and can perform the same jump techniques. He is also able to take on his Shadow Mario form through the use of his [[Magic Paintbrush]] and a bandana that has drawing of Mario's moustache. When using his Magic Paintbrush, he can create [[goop]] and [[graffiti]] infused with different effects, enemies such as [[Gooble]]s and [[Proto Piranha|Gatekeeper]]s, [[Yoshi (species)|Yoshis]], and even bosses such as [[Petey Piranha]] and [[King Boo (Super Mario Sunshine)|King Boo]].<ref>{{media link|ESMB Bowser Jr Graffiti.png|An excerpt of page 107 of the ''Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.''}} The title of the box is 「クッパJr.の落書き!」 which means ''The graffiti of Bowser Jr.!'' and the text says 「本作の敵キャラクターたちは、クッパJr.が落書きで生み出したという設定。そのため、水に弱かったり、デザインが他のシリーズと少々異なっていたりする。ヨッシーも、同様の理由で水に落ちると消えてしまう。」 which means ''This game's enemy characters are created by Bowser Jr.'s graffiti. That is why they are weak to water, and differ slightly in design from the rest of the series. Yoshi also vanishes if he falls in water for the same reason.''</ref> His graffiti also has the power to transport people, as seen in ''Bowser's Fury''. He also has high levels of skill at wielding it. He rotates the Magic Paintbrush with one hand effortlessly and uses it as an offensive combat weapon against his opponents. Bowser Jr. is shown to be fast and skilled, though at times he may be given varied stats. Being the heir to the royal Koopa line, Bowser Jr. seems to have some of his father's traits. He is usually physically powerful like his father in spite of his small frame, and has shown off great levels of durability to the point of being able to survive near-death situations. This is evident in ''Super Mario Galaxy'', where he falls into the gigantic sun after his father's defeat, and is later shown to be alive back in Mushroom Kingdom, as well as ''New Super Mario Bros Wii'', where he survives after being crushed by Bowser's collapsing castle. Like his father, Bowser Jr. can do a normal shell spin, but in some games he has also shown he is able to do a 'reverse shell spin' where he balances on one of the spikes on his shell and spins like a top, usually with his arms, legs, and head outside of the shell.
Despite his young age and size, Bowser Jr. is very skilled, powerful, and a formidable opponent to the Mario Bros. From his first appearance, he has shown remarkable talent with mechanics and computers, able to skillfully invent<ref>''"You must fight your way to Bowser Jr.'s last stand and defeat his latest invention, the Boomsday Machine, [...]"'' - ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' [[Prima Games|Prima]] Official Game Guide, pg 204</ref> and pilot vehicles and giant robots as well as hack emails. He is just as acrobatic as Mario and can perform the same jump techniques. He is also able to take on his Shadow Mario form through the use of his [[Magic Paintbrush]] and a bandana that has drawing of Mario's moustache. When using his Magic Paintbrush, he can create [[goop]] and [[graffiti]] infused with different effects, enemies such as [[Gooble]]s and [[Proto Piranha|Gatekeeper]]s, [[Yoshi (species)|Yoshis]], and even bosses such as [[Petey Piranha]] and [[King Boo (Super Mario Sunshine)|King Boo]].<ref>{{media link|ESMB Bowser Jr Graffiti.png|An excerpt of page 107 of the ''Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.''}} The title of the box is 「クッパJr.の落書き!」 which means ''The graffiti of Bowser Jr.!'' and the text says 「本作の敵キャラクターたちは、クッパJr.が落書きで生み出したという設定。そのため、水に弱かったり、デザインが他のシリーズと少々異なっていたりする。ヨッシーも、同様の理由で水に落ちると消えてしまう。」 which means ''This game's enemy characters are created by Bowser Jr.'s graffiti. That is why they are weak to water, and differ slightly in design from the rest of the series. Yoshi also vanishes if he falls in water for the same reason.''</ref> His graffiti also has the power to transport people, as seen in ''Bowser's Fury''. He also has high levels of skill at wielding it. He rotates the Magic Paintbrush with one hand effortlessly and uses it as an offensive combat weapon against his opponents. Bowser Jr. is shown to be fast and skilled, though at times he may be given varied stats. Being the heir to the royal Koopa line, Bowser Jr. seems to have some of his father's traits. He is usually physically powerful like his father in spite of his small frame, and has shown off great levels of durability to the point of being able to survive near-death situations. This is evident in ''Super Mario Galaxy'', where he falls into the gigantic sun after his father's defeat, and is later shown to be alive back in Mushroom Kingdom, as well as ''New Super Mario Bros Wii'', where he survives after being crushed by Bowser's collapsing castle. Like his father, Bowser Jr. can do a normal shell spin, but in some games he has also shown he is able to do a 'reverse shell spin' where he balances on one of the spikes on his shell and spins like a top, usually with his arms, legs, and head outside of the shell.

Revision as of 09:28, January 21, 2024

Not to be confused with Baby Bowser, Koopa Kid, or Jr. Troopa.
Bowser Jr.
Artwork of Bowser Jr. from Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Artwork of Bowser Jr. for Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Full name Bowser Junior
Species Koopa
First appearance Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
Latest appearance Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
Latest portrayal Caety Sagoian (2007–present)
“Someday...when I'm bigger... I wanna fight that Mario again!”
Bowser Jr., Super Mario Sunshine

Bowser Jr., sometimes simply known as "Jr."[1] or "Junior,"[2] is a recurring antagonist in the Super Mario franchise. As his name indicates, he is the son of Bowser and serves as the prince of the Koopas, heir to the throne to be the future king. Bowser Jr. made his debut in Super Mario Sunshine, in which he is seen assuming the alter ego Shadow Mario. He has since helped his father to kidnap Princess Peach and battle Mario and Luigi in many subsequent games, as well as being playable in various spin-off games. Bowser Jr. has a strong desire to make his father proud, and Bowser's rarely seen emotional side is sometimes brought out by his interactions with his son. Bowser Jr.'s defining traits are his hyperactive and mischievous personality, his frequent use of the Junior Clown Car and the Magic Paintbrush, and the bib-like bandana he wears. He bears a noticeable resemblance to his father as a baby.

History

Main article: History of Bowser Jr.

Bowser Jr. made his debut in Super Mario Sunshine as an antagonist. Since his debut, he made plenty of appearances in the core series and spin-offs as the antagonist alongside Bowser. Like the rest of the main cast, he made appearances in spin-offs as a playable character.

Characteristics

Physical description

The current appearance of Bowser Koopa Jr. in the Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.
Texture of Bowser Jr.'s bib from Mario Party 9
Bowser Jr.'s bandana as seen in recent games

Bowser Jr. has a yellow skin tone that lacks the tan seen on his dad and most of the Koopalings, as well as a light green head, with small horns on each side, each being circled with orange rings (except for his paper appearances), small circular eyes, that are black in color and lack sclera and irises, as well as his father's fiery orange hair and eyebrows; his hair being tied up into a top-ponytail. His mouth is wide, puffy, and con-vexed, with a large snout having one, fang-like tooth in the upper left corner, with the exception of his in-game appearance in Super Mario Galaxy, in which he is depicted as having two fangs, one on each side. Just like most members of his species, Bowser Jr. has sharp claws on his fingers and toes and a rounded, four-ribbed plated belly, as well as chubby, white-padded feet. His shell is green, lined with a white encasing, and the multiple, short spikes are circled with orange rings, similar to his father's shell. He has also been shown with a considerable amount of strength, seen in Super Mario Sunshine and New Super Mario Bros. where he is able to carry Princess Peach with little to no problem.

Bowser Jr. bears a striking resemblance to his father. The similarity is even more apparent in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, with Baby Bowser looking almost exactly like Bowser Jr., but with a different, plain white bandana. In Yoshi's New Island, Baby Bowser looks even more like Bowser Jr., but without the bandana. By contrast, Bowser Jr. typically wears a white bandana that is decorated with drawn-on fangs, in order to depict his father's mouth[3], and worn like a mask, though in his very first appearance, the bandana was blue and had a picture of Mario's nose and mustache drawn on it, having been used with the purpose of disguising himself as Shadow Mario. In some of Bowser Jr's earlier appearances, such as Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Power Tennis, he wears his bandana over his mouth, whereas in later appearances, such as Mario Party: Island Tour and Mario Golf: World Tour, he wears it around his neck. Rather than sporting the same spiked cuffs the male Koopalings have, Bowser Jr. has spikeless, metal cuffs on his wrists, like Baby Bowser since Yoshi Touch & Go.

Bowser Jr. next to Peach in Super Mario Galaxy

Bowser Jr.'s exact size varies from game to game like his father's. He was smallest in Super Mario Sunshine and some spin-offs, where he is half of Mario's size. As of the New Super Mario Bros. series he is roughly Mario's size. In Super Mario Galaxy he has grown considerably, towering over Princess Peach. He usually appears to be larger than Lemmy, and has a chubby frame similar to Ludwig's, though smaller.

Bowser Jr.'s appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series is unaltered when compared to the other Super Mario characters, including his father. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, however, Bowser Jr.'s color scheme is slightly darker and subdued, while his hair, horns, spikes, and shell receive simple detailing, similar to Bowser. However, Bowser Jr.'s scales remain undefined. These details are also expressed by the Koopalings.

In Super Mario Maker, Bowser Jr. receives new designs based off the graphical styles of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World. However, it is the Super Mario Bros. style that changes his appearance the most, since he is depicted with regular eyes, as opposed to his beady ones, while perpetually grinning with a row of visible teeth. In the Super Mario Bros. 3 style, he always has a serious expression on his face.

In Dr. Mario World, Bowser Jr. is given clothing for the first time: he wears dark green pants, a plain white collared shirt with an orange tie on top, and a white lab coat. Additionally, Bowser Jr. sports a stethoscope around his neck; however, he does not wear a head mirror like many of the other doctors, and still retains his spikeless armcuffs.

Because of Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto's preference for left-handed characters like himself, Bowser Jr. is left-handed. Despite this, he plays right-handed, by default, in Mario Power Tennis, and while he is left-handed while fielding in Mario Super Sluggers and Mario Sports Superstars., he appears on the right-handed side of the batting field.

Personality

Bowser Jr. is usually portrayed as energetic, precocious, and driven, yet lonely.
“Good and evil are outdated, simplistic terms! Everything is relative! Is it wrong for me to help my dad try to take over the Mushroom Kingdom?”
Bowser Jr., Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

Bowser Jr. is bold and energetic, but also easygoing and friendly depending on the situation. He often acts as an adversary to Mario and friends and helps his father make trouble for them. This has been the case ever since his father pit him against Mario in Super Mario Sunshine. This continues in several games such as Super Mario Galaxy, New Super Mario Bros. and more. Despite that, he does not mind being an ally to Mario and is seemingly warming up to him overtime, evident in games such as Paper Mario: The Origami King and Bowser's Fury. In Fortune Street and Bowser Jr.'s Journey, he is shown to have a sense of humor, partaking in sarcasm and running gags. Bowser Jr. often looks up to and takes after his father, evident in his motto ("Grin and bear it. When that don't work, grin and crush it.") from Mario Kart Wii. Just like his father, he often hates losing, sometimes believing his opponents cheat or just get lucky. Despite that, they are fairly different. For example, he often has a better attitude than his father, evident in games such as Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games and Super Mario Party where he simply accepts defeat and vows to work harder to do better next time.

He is also quite bright, with his Final Smash trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U stating he is brainier than his father. For example, he is fascinated by machinery that he often invents and employs in his fights against Mario, such as his Boomsday Machine from Super Mario Galaxy 2 and the pinball machine in Mario Party DS. He is described by that game as obsessive about little details in the things that he makes as well as never being quite satisfied with his own work. He also has a habit, when energized or excited, of jumping from one foot to the other. However, this varies depending on the situation as in other cases he is shown to be easygoing and laid-back. It is revealed by his father in Mario Party: Island Tour that Bowser Jr. desires to be a hero. This explains why his father initially had to deceive him to go against Mario in the first place as well as why he often mentions his father as his motivation for being villainous.

It is also stated that he harbors a lonely side that he does not let other people know about, first alluded to in Mario Party DS. This aspect of his personality was explored in greater depth in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam with his friendship to Paper Bowser Junior, and the depths the two go to try to keep Paper Bowser Jr. from being forced to return to his own world. A similar depiction of loneliness was also showcased in the Nintendo Switch Online service trailer's NES portion, where he attempted to ask his dad to let him play his game with him but then nearly walked away dejected when the Koopa King initially ignored him. He also seems more willing to swallow his pride than his father, such as when he convinced Bowser to accept an invitation to a party after their defeat in Mario Super Sluggers, when he apologized to the Koopalings in Bowser Jr.'s Journey, or when he apologized to and begged Mario to rescue his father from the Megabug's influence in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. He is also quite supportive, such as when he is conversing with his father, or with Mario and friends in Mario Party Superstars.

Powers and abilities

Bowser Jr. riding his Junior Clown Car
“Bwaha, that was waaaay too easy. I'm too strong for my own good. It's my princely curse.”
Bowser Jr., Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

Despite his young age and size, Bowser Jr. is very skilled, powerful, and a formidable opponent to the Mario Bros. From his first appearance, he has shown remarkable talent with mechanics and computers, able to skillfully invent[4] and pilot vehicles and giant robots as well as hack emails. He is just as acrobatic as Mario and can perform the same jump techniques. He is also able to take on his Shadow Mario form through the use of his Magic Paintbrush and a bandana that has drawing of Mario's moustache. When using his Magic Paintbrush, he can create goop and graffiti infused with different effects, enemies such as Goobles and Gatekeepers, Yoshis, and even bosses such as Petey Piranha and King Boo.[5] His graffiti also has the power to transport people, as seen in Bowser's Fury. He also has high levels of skill at wielding it. He rotates the Magic Paintbrush with one hand effortlessly and uses it as an offensive combat weapon against his opponents. Bowser Jr. is shown to be fast and skilled, though at times he may be given varied stats. Being the heir to the royal Koopa line, Bowser Jr. seems to have some of his father's traits. He is usually physically powerful like his father in spite of his small frame, and has shown off great levels of durability to the point of being able to survive near-death situations. This is evident in Super Mario Galaxy, where he falls into the gigantic sun after his father's defeat, and is later shown to be alive back in Mushroom Kingdom, as well as New Super Mario Bros Wii, where he survives after being crushed by Bowser's collapsing castle. Like his father, Bowser Jr. can do a normal shell spin, but in some games he has also shown he is able to do a 'reverse shell spin' where he balances on one of the spikes on his shell and spins like a top, usually with his arms, legs, and head outside of the shell.

Bowser Jr. performing his Mega Strike in Mario Strikers Charged
Bowser Jr. using his Mega Strike in Mario Strikers Charged.

Bowser Jr. was, at first, unskilled in breathing fire as shown in Mario Strikers Charged where he attempts to breathe fire like his father in his entrance, only to breathe smoke and a tiny flame. This changes in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, where he can breathe fireballs that can home onto opponents, and creates a large blaze of fire when the fireball is on contact with the ground. In New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, he can breathe fireballs consecutively. In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, he is able to breathe a stream of fire. He can also withdraw and duck into his shell for offensive and defensive purposes and uses Koopa Shells as weapons in New Super Mario Bros. In Mario Strikers Charged, he has a Super Ability that shrinks his opponents called Sonic Roar! where he emits large sonic waves by screaming loudly. He uses this as a Mega Strike as well. Bowser Jr. appears to excel in magic as shown in Mario Super Sluggers where he turned Daisy into a stone statue, as well as in New Super Mario Bros. where he performs necromancy to revive his dad at the end of the game. This is also supported in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, where he can Paperize, create a defensive shield, and heal. Bowser Jr. is also surprisingly strong for his size as demonstrated in Super Mario Maker, where he possesses the ability to ground pound and paralyze any opponents that stay on the ground, an ability performed by most large and strong characters like Bowser, Morton, Roy, and Ludwig. He demonstrates his deceptively vast strength once more in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, where he can easily throw a gigantic cannonball several times his own size at the Mario Bros. and Paper Mario.

Relationships

Family and friends

Official artwork of Bowser, Bowser Jr., and the Koopalings on an airship.
Bowser, Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings on an airship.

Bowser Jr. idolizes his father and strives to be like him. In Mario Party: Island Tour, Bowser Jr. challenged Bowser in Bowser's Tower, and in Mario Strikers Charged, he challenges his father in one of the Striker Challenges, but aside from these instances of father-son rivalry, the two have been shown to share a close bond, appearing as partners in various sports and spin-off titles, and Bowser Jr. aids his father in many of his plots. While he cares for his son, Bowser's selfishness and single-minded determination to defeat Mario occasionally leads him to treat Bowser Jr. like a minion, and when he is wrapped up in one of his plans he has a tendency not to listen to what his son has to say. In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Bowser Jr. claims to have "daddy issues to repress." Initially, Bowser even tried to manipulate the child into helping with the fight against Mario by telling him that Peach was his mother, although he eventually felt guilty and came clean. Bowser Jr. had figured it out by then, but still wants to fight alongside his father regardless of the deception, revealing his deep loyalty and love for his father. Bowser, meanwhile, is very protective of his boy and becomes enraged whenever his son is harmed in any way, as seen in New Super Mario Bros. and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. In the Nintendo Switch Online service trailer in the September 13 Nintendo Direct, during the NES portion, Bowser Jr. attempts to have his father let him play his NES game with him, though Bowser was too busy playing Ghosts 'n Goblins to notice, causing Bowser Jr. to initially walk away dejected, though after Bowser noticed this, feeling guilty, he then provides his son with an extra Joy-Con so they could play Ice Climbers together. As revealed in his Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy, Bowser Jr. was also motivated to kidnap Princess Peach by his own affection for her, and in Mario Superstar Baseball, he continues to call her "mama", suggesting he wishes she really was his mother. In the Nintendo Switch online service trailer in the September 13 Nintendo Direct, during the NES portion showing online gameplay, Bowser Jr. and Princess Peach were shown playing against each other remotely and having a fun time, with Bowser when witnessing this looking baffled. His actual mother has not been revealed,[6][7] although Shigeru Miyamoto once jokingly claimed he was the mother.[8] Although genuinely loyal to his father, he is not above pranking Bowser, which is implied by Bowser, or rather, Dry Bowser accusing him of his transformation into such being another of Bowser Jr.'s pranks on him, although Bowser Jr. denied it, and reminded him that, if anything, he tried to warn his father against ingesting the entire Skeletone container beforehand, and later confirmed in Bowser's Fury, where he painted his dad while the latter was asleep, which ended up causing a lot of trouble when Bowser became Fury Bowser as a result.

As the heir to the throne, Bowser Jr. is naturally a high-ranking member of the Koopa Troop. However, there is some ambiguity about where he stands with respect to the Koopalings, who were originally portrayed as Bowser's own seven children. Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings have been shown working together on a few of Bowser's plots, although they have no formally revealed relationship. His first spoken interaction with the Koopalings has been with Roy in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, where the two seem comfortable enough around each other that Roy was able to casually call Bowser Jr. a 'squirt' (or 'bocchan' in the original Japanese) without angering him. However, Roy was still subservient enough that he was easily intimidated when Junior threatened to tell his father on him if Roy did not give him something he wanted, although Roy's confusion seems to suggest this is not a typical occurrence and the threat itself is only present in the English translation. It is also noted that Bowser Jr. almost always wears his bandana on his face in the presence of the Koopalings in New Super Mario Bros. Wii (an exception being when it is forcibly knocked off in a crash-landing airship), which may suggest that he strives to be higher in their presence. He seems to be comfortable working with them, as they all act as a group at the end of Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition when Bowser calls on all of them for backup (Lemmy is even seen riding with him on his Junior Clown Car)[9] and in their collaboration for his Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U trailer.[10] Bowser Jr.'s Journey seems to highlight more of their relations within the ranks of the Koopa Troop, with the Koopalings regularily referring to him as Lord Junior. However, Bowser Jr.'s selfish and arrogant nature initially lead most of the Koopalings to abandon him; with Roy notably being annoyed with his behavior and leaving as a result, while Larry and Iggy both leave when Bowser Jr. outwardly states he does not need them. The only Koopaling who stood by Bowser Jr. the entire time, despite his selfishness, was Morton, who went as far as to give Bowser Jr. a charred Drumstick out of kindness. This would later serve as one of the bigger points in Bowser Jr.'s turnaround, thinking back to Morton's kindness when realizing how selfish he had been and, coupled with Kamek reminding him that the minion's loyalty to Bowser was out of respect, Bowser Jr. sets out to save the Koopalings. Later in the story, Bowser Jr. starts to show more respect to the Koopalings, going as far as to save Larry and Lemmy from being stepped on by the Tower of Yikk and apologizing to them.

In contrast to his father and his paper counterpart (both of whom worked together out of pragmatism and strongly implied that they would turn against each other once they succeeded in their goals), Bowser Jr. had genuine kinship with his paper counterpart, and was even saddened when his paper counterpart was sucked back into the book for Paper Mario.

In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, he has a complicated relationship with a Rabbid character that he names Spawny. Bowser Jr. asks Spawny to join him on his mission to defeat Mario and take over the Mushroom Kingdom with the power of the SupaMerge headset that Spawny has been bonded to. Spawny accepts, and at first it appears that the two share a mutual friendship. However, the SupaMerge headset seems to take a heavy toll on Spawny with each use, and he becomes reluctant to use it. Bowser Jr., meanwhile, seems enthralled by the power of the SupaMerge and begins to scare and level threats at Spawny to force him to use the headset to create more and more nightmarish minions for his plans. As the game goes on, Spawny's role in Bowser Jr.’s schemes appears less and less as a willing participant. At the same time, Bowser Jr. still appears to care for the Rabbid enough that he seems visibly distraught and saddened on two separate occasions that Spawny seems to fall to his doom, and later angrily confronts Mario and friends when Spawny gets kidnapped by the Megabug while in their custody. At the end of the game, after Spawny is safely recovered, Bowser Jr. personally returns Spawny back to Mario and his friends and lets him go free.

Bowser Jr. befriends Olivia in Paper Mario: The Origami King, generally getting along well with her. Olivia herself regards Junior as a friend, as seen in her dialogue before fighting King Olly. Bowser Jr. is mildly upset when Olivia inadvertently starts complimenting his Junior Clown Car instead of him upon having his colors restored, although later in Hotfoot Crater, he was willing to sacrifice himself so that Mario and Olivia can continue upwards to reach Peach's Castle.

Enemies

Artwork depicting Bob-omb Blast from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
Bowser and Bowser Jr. fighting Mario and Luigi in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Bowser Jr.'s greatest foe is Mario, whom he despises deeply, and wants to defeat in order to prove himself to his father. Bowser Jr. helps his father in nefarious schemes to take over the Mushroom Kingdom or kidnap Princess Peach, but Mario is always there to foil their plans. Bowser Jr.'s animosity towards Mario is greatly shown in Super Mario Sunshine, where he frames him for vandalizing Isle Delfino, thus causing him to get arrested; additionally, he challenges Mario in several levels as Shadow Mario. Later on, Bowser Jr. says that he is trying to "protect his mama from the bad man, Mario." When Mario appears for the final confrontation against Bowser, Bowser Jr. shows disdain for the plumber's presence, and says "You again? Don't you ever give up?" In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Bowser Jr. verbally expressed a desire for Gobblegut to eat Mario alive. After Super Mario Sunshine, Junior's hatred for Mario has been toned down. He doesn't despise him as much as his father does, mostly seeing him as "a thorn in his side" (as stated in Fortune Street) instead of an archenemy as Bowser does. In some games such as Paper Mario: The Origami King, Mario Party: Island Tour, and Bowser's Fury, Bowser Jr. has even shown a willingness to team up with Mario if a greater threat is present, although oftentimes, he is only in it for the sake of assisting his dad, and has stated that he would never enlist Mario's help if he did not have to. In fact, as soon as their alliance is over, he often goes right back to antagonizing Mario without bothering to thank him.

Bowser Jr. has fought Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad in the New Super Mario Bros. games, as well as others in the former's case. Bowser Jr. equally loathes these characters, since they assist Mario in defeating him, as well as ruining his father's plans. Bowser Jr. has also mistreated Toads in general, due to trapping them in ? Blocks in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and terrorizing them during Bowser's many invasions of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Bowser Jr. disdains The BFFs for wreaking havoc and mistreating his father, the Koopalings, and his minions, determined to get revenge and defeat the BFFs. Jr. also loathes King Olly for folding his father, and ravaging the world with origami.

Nicknames and aliases

In some of his appearances, Bowser Jr. has been known to use aliases, or is referred to through a nickname given by others.

  • Lord Jr. (Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey)
  • Lord Bowser Jr. (Super Mario Party)
  • Kiddo (Bowser)
  • Son (Bowser)
  • Young Master (Kamek)
  • Great One (Kamek)
  • Small Bowser (Morton)
  • Bowser's Kid (Starlow)
  • Name Withheld by Request (Super Mario Maker 2)
  • Dearest son of Bowser (Koopa Paratroopa Trio)

List of appearances by date

Title Description Original release date System/format
Super Mario Sunshine Main antagonist/non-playable character 2002 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour Unlockable playable character 2003 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Playable character 2003 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Golf: Advance Tour Mentioned, GCN icon (after using GCN GBA cable) 2004 Game Boy Advance
Mario Power Tennis Playable character 2004 Nintendo GameCube
Mario Superstar Baseball Playable character 2005 Nintendo GameCube
New Super Mario Bros. Main antagonist/boss 2006 Nintendo DS
Mario Hoops 3-on-3 Playable character 2006 Nintendo DS
Mario Strikers Charged Unlockable playable character 2007 Wii
Super Mario Galaxy Secondary antagonist/boss 2007 Wii
Mario Party DS Minor antagonist/non-playable character 2007 Nintendo DS
Mario Kart Wii Unlockable playable character 2008 Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Cameo as a trophy and a sticker. 2008 Wii
Mario Super Sluggers Major antagonist/playable character 2008 Wii
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis Playable character 2009 Wii
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Rival/playable character 2009 Wii, Nintendo DS
New Super Mario Bros. Wii Secondary antagonist/boss 2009 Wii
Super Mario Galaxy 2 Secondary antagonist/boss 2010 Wii
Mario Sports Mix Playable character 2010 Wii
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Playable character 2011 Wii, Nintendo 3DS
Fortune Street Playable character 2011 Wii
Mario Party 9 Secondary antagonist/Boss 2012 Wii
Mario Tennis Open Playable character 2012 Nintendo 3DS
Paper Mario: Sticker Star Boss 2012 Nintendo 3DS
New Super Mario Bros. U Secondary antagonist/Boss 2012 Wii U
New Super Luigi U Secondary antagonist/Boss 2013 Wii U
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Secret boss 2013 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Kart Arcade GP DX Unlockable playable character 2013 Arcade
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Playable character 2013 Wii U
Mario Party: Island Tour Unlockable playable character 2013 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Golf: World Tour Playable character 2014 Nintendo 3DS
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Unlockable playable character 2014 Nintendo 3DS
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Playable character 2014 Wii U
Mario Party 10 Rival 2015 Wii U
Mario Kart 8 Cameo 2015 Wii U
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition Boss/Co-Final boss 2015 Nintendo 3DS
Super Mario Maker Enemy/playable character (Costume Mario) 2015 Wii U
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash Unlockable playable character 2015 Wii U
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Major antagonist/Boss 2015 Nintendo 3DS
Minecraft: Wii U Edition Playable skin in the Super Mario Mash-up 2016 Wii U
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Playable character 2016 Nintendo 3DS, Arcade, Wii U
Mario Party: Star Rush Boss/amiibo playable character in Mario Shuffle mode 2016 Nintendo 3DS
Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS Enemy 2016 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Sports Superstars Playable character 2017 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Playable character 2017 Nintendo Switch
Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition Playable skin in the Super Mario Mash-up 2017 Nintendo Switch
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Main antagonist/boss 2017 Nintendo Switch
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions Unlockable Ally in the Minion Quest mode 2017 Nintendo 3DS
Mario Party: The Top 100 Non-playable character 2017 Nintendo 3DS
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition Playable skin in the Super Mario Mash-up 2018 New Nintendo 3DS
Minecraft (Bedrock edition) Playable skin in the Super Mario Mash-up 2018 Nintendo Switch
Mario Tennis Aces Playable character 2018 Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Party Playable character 2018 Nintendo Switch
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Unlockable playable character 2018 Nintendo Switch
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey Main protagonist/Playable character in Bowser Jr.'s Journey mode 2018 Nintendo 3DS
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Secondary antagonist/Boss 2019 Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Maker 2 Enemy 2019 Nintendo Switch
Dr. Mario World Unlockable playable character 2019 iOS/Android
Mario Kart Tour Unlockable playable character 2019 iOS/Android
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Playable character 2019 Nintendo Switch, Arcade
Paper Mario: The Origami King Ally 2020 Nintendo Switch
Super Mario 3D All-Stars Main antagonist/Non-playable character in Super Mario Sunshine, Secondary antagonist/Boss in Super Mario Galaxy 2020 Nintendo Switch
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Non-playable character 2020 Nintendo Switch
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury Ally/Playable character in Bowser's Fury mode 2021 Nintendo Switch
Mario Golf: Super Rush Playable character 2021 Nintendo Switch
Mario Party Superstars Non-playable character 2021 Nintendo Switch
Mario Strikers: Battle League Playable character 2022 Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Secondary antagonist/Boss 2023 Nintendo Switch

Profiles and statistics

Main article: List of Bowser Jr. profiles and statistics

Mario Kart Wii

Bowser Jr.'s complete vehicle roster
  • Stats
    • Size: Medium
    • Actual Bonuses
      • Off-Road: +1
      • Mini-Turbo: +1

Mario Hoops 3-on-3

Stats

  • Type: Speedy
  • Special Shot: Graffiti Shot
  • Bio: He zigs and he zags! He's powerful like his dad! Better not underestimate Bowser Jr.

Portrayals

Bowser Jr. was voiced by Dolores Rogers until 2006, however from 2007 onwards, starting from Mario Strikers Charged, he is voiced by Caety Sagoian, with some of Dolores Rogers' voice clips for him being reused. However, Tara Strong's official website once claimed that Bowser Jr. was voiced by her in Super Mario Sunshine[11], despite the in game credits listing Rogers as his voice actor.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Bowser Jr.

Quotes

Main article: List of Bowser Jr. quotes
  • "Yahoo! I'm the best!" - Mario Party: Island Tour
  • "Hmph! This ship's pretty classy - you know, cool design and all that. Maybe I'll model my next mecha after it!" - Fortune Street
  • "Ooh, be quiet! I’ll take you all on! C’mon, I challenge you!" - Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
  • "Dad is maaad! If he catches you now, he can steal your hearts in a super-scary minigame!" - Mario Party 10
  • "Bwa ha ha ha ha! Now you're going to have to play a minigame against me! You wouldn't have a chance against me alone, so I'll let you take me on with one of your rivals!" - Mario Party 9

Audio samples

Voice clips

Audio.svg Super Mario Sunshine - "Someday...when I'm bigger... I wanna fight that Mario again!" (Dolores Rogers, 2002)
File infoMedia:QuotBowserJr.oga
Audio.svg Mario Kart: Double Dash!! - Bowser Jr. laughs. (Dolores Rogers, 2003; also used in New Super Mario Bros., and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time by Baby Bowser)
File infoMedia:Bowser Jr. MKDD.oga
Audio.svg Super Mario Galaxy - Bowser Jr. laughs. (Caety Sagoian, 2007)
File infoMedia:Bowser Jr. SMG.oga
Help:MediaHaving trouble playing?

Themes

Audio.svg Meet Bowser Jr. - The theme that plays when Shadow Mario reveals himself as Bowser Jr. in Super Mario Sunshine, which contains a remix of Shadow Mario's Theme.
File infoMedia:SMS Bowser Jr Revealed Theme.oga
Audio.svg Fortress Boss - Bowser Jr.'s battle theme in New Super Mario Bros.
File infoMedia:NSMB-Music-Fortress Boss.oga
Audio.svg Enter Bowser Jr.! - Bowser Jr.'s battle theme in Super Mario Galaxy
File infoMedia:Enter Bowser Jr Super Mario Galaxy.oga
Audio.svg Bowser Jr. Battle - Bowser Jr.'s battle theme in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which is reused in New Super Mario Bros. U and its associated games.
File infoMedia:NSMBW Bowser Jr Battle Theme.oga
Audio.svg Battle with Bowser Jr.! - The first phase of Bowser Jr. Breakdown's music in Mario Party 9
File infoMedia:Bowser Jr Breakdown.oga
Audio.svg Bowser Jr.'s Mad! - The second phase of Bowser Jr. Breakdown's music in Mario Party 9
File infoMedia:Bowser Jr's Mad.oga
Audio.svg Bowser Jr. Battle - Bowser Jr.'s battle theme in Paper Mario: Sticker Star
File infoMedia:Paper Mario Sticker Star- Bowser Jr. Battle.oga
Audio.svg Enter Bowser Jr. - Bowser Jr.'s theme in Paper Mario: The Origami King
File infoMedia:PMTOK Enter Bowser Jr.oga
Help:MediaHaving trouble playing?

Names in other languages

Bowser Jr.

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese クッパJr.[?]
Kuppa Junia
Bowser Jr.; officially romanized as Koopa Jr.[12]
Chinese (simplified) 酷霸王Jr.
Kùbàwáng Jr.
酷霸王之子 (China release of Nintendo Switch games)
Kùbàwáng zhī Zǐ
酷霸Jr. (Super Mario Bros. Wonder)
Kùbà Jr.
[?]
Bowser Jr.

Son of Bowser

Bowser Jr.

Chinese (traditional) 庫巴Jr.[?]
Kùbā Jr.
Bowser Jr.
Dutch Bowser Jr.[?] -
French Bowser Jr.[?] -
German Bowser Jr.[?] -
Italian Bowser Junior
Bowser Jr. (rarely)
Bowsy[13]
-
-
Bowsy
Korean 쿠파주니어[?]
Kupa Junieo
Bowser Junior
Portuguese Bowser Jr.[?] -
Russian Боузер-младший[?]
Bouzer-mladshiy
Bowser Junior
Spanish (NOA) Bowser Jr.
Bowsy (New Play Control!: Mario Power Tennis)
[?]
-
From the European Spanish Name
Spanish (NOE) Bowsy[?] Diminutive of "Bowser"
Ukrainian Боузер-молодший[14]
Bouzer-molodshyy
Bowser the younger

Bowser Jr. (Pirate)

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese クッパJr. (海賊)[?]
Kuppa Junia (Kaizoku)
Bowser Jr. (Pirate)
Chinese (simplified) 酷霸王Jr. (海盗)[?]
Kùbàwáng Jr. (Hǎidào)
Bowser Jr. (Pirate)
Chinese (traditional) 庫巴Jr. (海盜)[?]
Kùbā Jr. (Hǎidào)
Bowser Jr. (Pirate)
French Bowser Jr. (pirate)[?] -
German Bowser Jr. (Pirat)[?] Bowser Jr. (Pirate)
Italian Bowser Junior (pirata)[?] Bowser Jr. (pirate)
Korean 쿠파주니어(해적)[?]
Kupa Junieo (Haejeog)
Bowser Jr. (Pirate)
Portuguese Bowser Jr. (pirata)[?] Bowser Jr. (pirate)
Spanish (NOA) Bowser Jr. (pirata)[?] Bowser Jr. (pirate)
Spanish (NOE) Bowsy (Pirata)[?] Bowser Jr. (Pirate)

Trivia

  • The name "Bowser Jr." predates the character, as it was first used in Prima Games coverage of Yoshi's Story to refer to Baby Bowser.[15][16]
  • While the Koopalings are fought on airships in Super Mario Bros. 3 and Bowser Jr. is fought in towers in New Super Mario Bros., they swapped locations in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, as Bowser Jr. is fought on airships, whereas the Koopalings are fought in the towers and castle of each world.
  • In the New Super Mario Bros. games, Bowser Jr.'s actions, such as running and jumping, create sound effects with a high pitch unique to him. This distinct sound effect was mimicked by Bowser during the ending of New Super Mario Bros. U.
  • In the Collector's Edition of Monopoly Gamer, Bowser Jr. is the "Final Boss" in the Boss Card deck. He replaces his father, Bowser, as "Final Boss" from the Standard Edition, as Bowser is instead a playable character in the Collector's Edition.

References

  1. ^ Super Mario Sunshine English subtitles
  2. ^ Various games after Super Mario Sunshine
  3. ^ Official bio on the Kids section of Nintendo Co. Ltd. site. The last two sentences state 「大きなクチの絵を描いたスカーフがおきにいり。あこがれのパパのクチの絵なんだって!」, whose translation is The scarf with a picture of a large mouth drawn on it is his favorite. It's just a picture of his aspiring dad's mouth!
  4. ^ "You must fight your way to Bowser Jr.'s last stand and defeat his latest invention, the Boomsday Machine, [...]" - Super Mario Galaxy 2 Prima Official Game Guide, pg 204
  5. ^ Template:Media link The title of the box is 「クッパJr.の落書き!」 which means The graffiti of Bowser Jr.! and the text says 「本作の敵キャラクターたちは、クッパJr.が落書きで生み出したという設定。そのため、水に弱かったり、デザインが他のシリーズと少々異なっていたりする。ヨッシーも、同様の理由で水に落ちると消えてしまう。」 which means This game's enemy characters are created by Bowser Jr.'s graffiti. That is why they are weak to water, and differ slightly in design from the rest of the series. Yoshi also vanishes if he falls in water for the same reason.
  6. ^ Interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, taken from Game Informer, issue 234 "Our current story is that the seven Koopalings are not Bowser's children. Bowser's only child is Bowser Jr., and we do not know who the mother is." (Retrieved November 3, 2016)
  7. ^ Snifit or Whiffit in Paper Mario: Sticker Star
  8. ^ Nintendo UK (September 10, 2015). Mario Myths with Mr Miyamoto. YouTube. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  9. ^ NintenU (June 22, 2015). Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition World 8 FINAL. Youtube. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  10. ^ Super Smash Bros. (October 23, 2014). Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U The Future King. Youtube. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  11. ^ tarastrong.com – One could navigate to 'Filmography', and near the bottom in a games section was where this credit was once listed as "Super Mario Sunshine - 'Bowser Jr."
  12. ^ http://www.smashbros.com/jp/characters/secret08.html
  13. ^ New Super Mario Bros. Wii - Album ufficiale, pag. 5
  14. ^ Bowser Jr.'s Clown Car Expansion Set. LEGO (Ukraine). Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  15. ^ Prima Bath. Nintendo 64 Game Secrets, 1999 Edition Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Page 117.
  16. ^ Prima Bath. Ultimate Nintendo 64 Pocket Power Guide, 1999 Edition Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Page 93.

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