Is Mario a generic character?

[Saltman]

So the other day looking at mario boards in internet and stuff I found out that some people don't really like Mario as a character because he's "generic" in the sense that he's just your average hero who's always happy and ready for adventure. Also found out some people don't like how all what he does is "scream stereotypical italian sounds" all the time, and nothing else.



But do you think this is true? Is Mario generic ?

[Syaxamaphone]

Mario is built with the intention that he appeal to the widest possible range of audiences.

So yes, that would make him somewhat generic. That's how you make a character that can be relatable to such a wide range of people.

He's still a good boy tho.

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[Saltman]

Mario is built with the intention that he appeal to the widest possible range of audiences.

So yes, that would make him somewhat generic. That's how you make a character that can be relatable to such a wide range of people.

He's still a good boy tho.

But, so many characteristics of his aren't that generic.


He's short, he wears gloves, he jumps high, he has a moustache, he's italo-american, He likes tasty italian food, he has had over 30 jobs, eating mushes makes him bigger... right?

That... that isn't so generic. A normal italian dude working as a pluber wouldn't be the one who wants to save a whole kingdom from a ginat fire breathing lizard, amog other things .


If you think about it, Superman is more generic than him even.

[Evil Yoshi Toes]

I like him because he's silly and cute, but yes as he's an extremely generic hero aside from his physical design. Mario has no flaws as a character, he's just your generic everyman. That said I don't think he's a bad character at all, as he fulfills his purpose very well which Syaxamaphone pointed out. He isn't meant to be a fleshed out dynamic character.

EDIT: As a reply to your comment above mine: A fleshed out character would have flaws, but Mario has none at all. He's fun, but he's not a complex character at all.

[Saltman]

I mean an italian dude who has lots of jobs isn't generic, right?


And the RPG supposedly give him more personality, too.


EDIT: @Syaxamaphone you said he is "somewhat" generic. Why somewhat?

[Evil Yoshi Toes]

He's not generic in the sense that he's a blonde-haired blue-eyed handsome muscle-man who saves the princess, but his personality is very bland. He has no flaws, no inner conflict, he's just not an interesting person. He's definitely fun and charismatic, but that alone doesn't make a fleshed out character.

The RPGs don't really flesh him out in that regard either. In Paper Mario he's basically just a bland avatar. In the M&L games he's a little goofier, but he's still not a fleshed out character at all. It's not a bad thing given his purpose, but it does make me wonder how on Earth a movie about him that stays true to the character will be interesting.

[Mariotroid]

I'm guessing the movie will work outside the laws of a typical film and not make Mario an interesting character, but everything else interesting. And no he's not very interesting and is a bland character as it stands

(He's far more interesting being portrayed as an overweight broke plumber like in the original film. That film is way more interesting than any other Mario interpretation.)

[Yrr]

can you even describe mario's "Character" ignoring his occupation and physical appearance?

[OssieTheOstrich]

Maybe the new Mario movie will flesh him out.

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List of projects I eventually plan to finish after the indefinite hiatus is over, assuming I don't abruptly cancel them:

Spoiler

Mario's Rather Unusual Trilogy (Mario's slightly unusual Boss Rush (Completed), Mario vs. Some Unusual Foes (In development), Mario's VERY Unusual Final Frontier (In development))
Sonic's Foray into Random/Unusual Zones (spin-off of Unusual Trilogy, in development)
Angry Birds Slingshot Frenzy (In development)
Super Mario Flashback: Really Good Edition (In development)
Super Hilda DX (In only conceptual phase)

Yes, I am aware that I have about 6 or so fangame projects currently in development at the same time. And yes, I am also aware that all of this is very ambitious.

+ List of projects I'm helping out with in some small capacity during my hiatus:

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Super Mario Bros Dimensions 2 (as a spriter, only for Mario's sprites)
MFGG Community Fangame Project 3 (as a spriter)
WordGirl ReWired (as a artist)

[Saltman]

Maybe, but it would be so weird to even hear him talk for some people.

Maybe that's what's going on? that the only way Mario can be less "bland" is by... making him talk? He's already not generic in all the other aspects so that could fix the problem.

It sounds strange but it has worked with other Mario characters and fleshed them out a lot, like Bowser. He didn't talk at all before but one could say he's the most developed one now thanks to this. Peach also talks a lot now too, and it has made her less generic.

It could be a good idea considering how Classic Sonic didn't talk at all while modern sonic does now.

It would be kind of sad, still. Mario beig silent is part of his charm somehow. I wouldn't be too annoyed still because it's not like he doesn't talk at all ever.

[Evil Yoshi Toes]

A good studio could probably come up with something very creative and beautiful that doesn't require Mario to talk, though it'd be very hard, but that's really not Illumination's.... style. They favor marketing over the actual substance of the movie.

[Saltman]

A good studio could probably come up with something very creative and beautiful that doesn't require Mario to talk, though it'd be very hard, but that's really not Illumination's.... style. They favor marketing over the actual substance of the movie.

I'd be a bit more optimistic if I were you. Their movies aren't the worst ever. From what I know, only one of them has been received horribly.

[Evil Yoshi Toes]

A good studio could probably come up with something very creative and beautiful that doesn't require Mario to talk, though it'd be very hard, but that's really not Illumination's.... style. They favor marketing over the actual substance of the movie.

I'd be a bit more optimistic if I were you. Their movies aren't the worst ever. From what I know, only one of them has been received horribly.

The minions movie, hop, the lorax and the despicable me sequels are all pretty bad. Despicable me 1, secret life of pets and sing were not awful but they're definitely not good either which is why I doubt they'll pull off anything unexpectedly amazing with this movie. Mario is hard to make all that interesting in movie form so they'd have to do something unconventional, but all their films are extremely conventional and take almost no risks. If they do it'd be a first for them, and I'd be very happy. I just don't think it's likely given their mediocre to poor track record.

[Briraka]

yes.

i mean, i love his games and all, but he's about as intriguing to me as a piece of stale bread.

[Saltman]

It's pretty sad to hear that, after playing Mario for I don't know how long in my life, people start saying he's generic and bland... I never thought about that even . I never cared about it at all until now.


Well, the other guys who aren't Mario I find to be quite developed (except for peach, maybe). Do you guys agree?

[Evil Yoshi Toes]

Even Princess Peach has more character than Mario. Don't be sad about it, he's intentionally that way. I still love him, but he's meant to be relatable to all so we can all enjoy laying as him.

[Briraka]

Even Princess Peach has more character than Mario. Don't be sad about it, he's intentionally that way. I still love him, but he's meant to be relatable to all so we can all enjoy laying as him.

dude, tone it down with the r34. there are, like, children here.

[VinnyVideo]

Mario is more of an "avatar" than the kind of character who gets a lot of character development. That's not necessarily a terrible thing - it's just a product of being the main character in a lot of different games. It's difficult to add a lot of complexity to a character who's usually an upbeat everyman.

Course clear! You got a card.

[Pedigree]

Yup... unlike his brother, Mario is a bland character who's just good at everything.

 

[Saltman]

Wow. Are you guys gonna say that even everyone but Mario is developed?