Koopalings: Difference between revisions

In their first appearance in ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', the Koopalings were introduced as siblings and Bowser's own children.<ref>{{media link|SMB3 - Japanese Promotional Pamphlet.jpg|A Japanese promotional pamphlet for ''Super Mario Bros. 3''}} The Koopalings are called 「大魔王クッパの子供達」 (Daimaō Kuppa no kodomo-tachi), which means "Great Demon King Koopa's children". The picture of this pamphlet is found in every version of [[Super Mario History 1985-2010]] booklet except North American.</ref><ref name="JFCSMB3manual">In the Japanese instruction booklet of ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', they are called 「<span class="explain" title="じぶん">自分</span>の<span class="explain" title="こども">子供</span>コクッパ7<span class="explain" title="きょうだい">兄弟</span>」 in the story section ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 4 5.jpg|pg. 4}}), and King Koopa's line ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 2 3.jpg|pg. 2}}) reads 「ワッハハ。これから<span class="explain" title="おれさま">俺様</span>の<span class="explain" title="むすこたち">息子達</span>がこのゲームの<span class="explain" title="せつめい">説明</span>をするぜ。<span class="explain" title="むすこたち">息子達</span>の<span class="explain" title="い">言</span>うことをよーく<span class="explain" title="き">聞</span>いてせいぜいガンバルことだな。ワッハハ。」 Note Koopa's use of 「<span class="explain" title="おれさま">俺様</span>の<span class="explain" title="むすこ達">息子たち</span>」 (''ore-sama no musuko-tachi''), which equates to "my children" (or, literally, "my sons") while at the same time referring to himself in an arrogant manner. The children are introduced with the phrase 「そして、これがコクッパ7<span class="explain" title="きょうだい">兄弟</span>だ！！」 ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 2 3.jpg|pg. 3}}). Larry ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 4 5.jpg|pg. 4}}), Morton ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 8 9.jpg|pg. 8}}) and Lemmy ({{media link|SMB3 Japanese manual pages 34 35.jpg|pg. 34}}) refer to King Koopa as 「オヤジ」 (''oyaji''), which is both a Japanese word for "father" as well as a term of endearment.</ref><ref name="SMB3">''Super Mario Bros. 3'' English instruction booklet. In the story section (pg. 5), they are called "Bowser's 7 kids" and "his 7 children", and Bowser's line (pg. 3) reads "Ha Ha Ha! These are my 7 children that are going to help me take over the Mushroom World!" The children are introduced with the phrase "These are Bowser's kids!!" (pg. 4). Larry (pg. 5), Morton (pg. 9) and Lemmy (pg. 34) refer to Bowser as their father or dad.</ref> Most re-releases and remakes of this game as well as republications of the game's story keep this detail intact in Japan,<ref name="SMB33DSJM">[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/data/software/manual/man_tabj.pdf A PDF manual for ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' 3DS Virtual Console release] available on the [http://www.nintendo.co.jp/3ds/eshop/vc/tabj/index.html Nintendo of Japan eShop website], released January 1, 2013. (Retrieved February 15, 2013)</ref><ref name="JSMA4M" >Nintendo Co., Ltd. (2003). [https://www.nintendo.co.jp/data/software/manual/manual_paqj_00.pdf Scans of the Japanese manual of ''Super Mario Advance 4'']. Retrieved December 23, 2015.</ref><ref name="JSMB3M">[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/ja/pdf/CLV-P-HAACJ.pdf Scans of the original Japanese ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' manual, hosted on Nintendo Co. Ltd. site]. Retrieved November 10, 2016.</ref> with the Wii Virtual Console manual omitting direct references to the Koopalings being Bowser's kids<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/vc_smb3/vc_smb3_02.html ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' Wii Virtual Console website], released December 11, 2007.</ref> and the ''[[Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.]]'' using a less strong statement than the one found in the original manual retained only in the French translation, while the German and Spanish translations of said book completely omit that the Koopalings are siblings and Bowser's children.<ref name="Encyclopedia">On {{media link|ESMB page 33.png|page 33}} of the ''Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.'', there is this statement: 「※取扱説明書のものをそのまま掲載しています。」; despite this, the part of the story where the Koopalings are introduced is this one: 「さんざんこらしめたはずの大魔王クッパもマリオのいるキノコ王国からは手を引いたものの今度は子供コクッパ7兄弟を仲間に入れ、ワールドのあちこちでイタズラのやり放題。」; the 「自分の」 between 「今度は」 and 「子供コクッパ7兄弟」, which roughly means "[Bowser's] own" and is present {{media link|SMB3_Japanese_manual_pages_4_5.jpg|on page 4 of the original Japanese ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' manual}}, is absent in this story. The meaning of the sentence is roughly unaltered, as this wording omitting the possessive pronoun has also been used in the ''Nintendo Official Guidebook'' of ''Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2'' and ''Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3'', the latter of which also used the stronger form of the original story of ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' showing the similar meaning of the two wordings, but the new one is less strong and explicit.</ref><ref>{{media link|ESMB German SMB3 Story.png|An excerpt of page 33 of the German translation of the ''Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.''}}, containing the story of ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. The sentence ''Allerdings macht er sieben Koopalinge zu seinen Untertanen'' roughly means ''Indeed he turned seven Koopalings into his subjects''.</ref><ref>{{media link|ESMB Spanish page 33.png|Page 33 of the Spanish translation of the ''Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.''}}, containing the story of ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. The sentence ''Sin embargo, esta vez cuenta con la ayuda de los siete Koopalings, que hacen maldades por todas partes.'' roughly means ''Nonetheless, this time [he] has the help of the seven Koopalings, who cause troubles everywhere.''</ref><ref>At page 33 of the French translation of ''Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia'', in the story of ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' it is told ''Bowser a envoyé ses sept enfants agir comme bon leur semble au sein du Monde des Champignons habituellement plutôt calme.'' (''Bowser sent his seven children to act as they see fit within the usually rather calm Mushroom World''). At page 144 in the general enemy description of ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'' it is told ''Les sept frères et soeurs de la famille Bowser sont également présents''[...] (''The seven siblings of the Bowser family are also present'').</ref> Translations of ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', its rereleases, remakes, official guides and websites have kept this detail to varying degree, with some calling the Koopalings Bowser's offspring.<ref>{{media link|PWPNNC page 169.png|Page 169 of ''Playing with Power: Nintendo NES Classics''}}, containing part of an interview present in the January/February 1990 issue of ''Nintendo Power''</ref><ref>{{media link|PWPNNC page 196.png|Page 196 of ''Playing with Power: Nintendo NES Classics''}}, containing the story of ''Super Mario Bros. 3''</ref><ref name="ENGSMA4M"> Nintendo of Europe. [http://cdn02.nintendo-europe.com/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/game_boy_advance_8/Manual_GameBoyAdvance_SuperMarioAdvance4SuperMarioBros3_EN_DE_FR_ES_IT.pdf Scans of the European manual of ''Super Mario Advance 4'']. ''Nintendo of Europe CDN''. Retrieved March 8, 2016.</ref><ref name="KoopalingsUK">[http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/NES/Super-Mario-Bros-3-279558.html ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' on the official Nintendo of Europe site.] (Retrieved October 16, 2014)</ref><ref name="SMB3IT">[http://www.nintendo.it/Giochi/NES/Super-Mario-Bros-3-279558.html ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' on the official Nintendo of Italy site.] (Retrieved October 10, 2015)</ref><ref name="SMB3DE">[http://www.nintendo.de/Spiele/NES/Super-Mario-Bros-3-279558.html ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' on the official Nintendo of Germany site.](Retrieved October 10, 2015)</ref><ref name="SMB3NL">[https://www.nintendo.nl/Spellen/NES/Super-Mario-Bros-3-279558.html ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' on the official Nintendo of Benelux site]. Retrieved December 10, 2016.</ref><ref name="SMA4guide">{{media link|SMA4 Japanese Guide Page 4.png|Page 4 of the Japanese ''Nintendo Official Guidebook'' of ''Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3''}}. Note how, while in the story they are referred as ''<nowiki>[</nowiki>Bowser's<nowiki>]</nowiki> own children'' (「<span class=explain title="じぶん">自分</span>の<span class=explain title="こ">子</span>どもの「コクッパ7<span class=explain title="きょうだい">兄弟</span>」」), in Bowser's bio the possessive referred to the ''children'' term (「<span class=explain title="こ">子</span>どもたち」) is missing like in the case of the ''Nintendo Official Guidebook'' of ''Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2''.</ref> The cartoon based on the game, ''[[The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', follows this portrayal.

Following the introduction of [[Bowser Jr.]], the lack of major appearances from the Koopalings since ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'' and Bowser Jr. being treated independently from them, there was confusion about the nature of Bowser's parenthood and raised concerns that Bowser Jr. had replaced the Koopalings as Bowser's sole child. This is first seen in Bowser's trophy ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', where Bowser Jr. is referred to as 「ひとり息子」, meaning "one son" or "only son".<ref>{{media link|JSSBB Bowser Trophy.jpg|The first trophy of Bowser in the Japanese version of ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''}}.</ref> While both the Koopalings and Bowser Jr. appear together in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', official websites merely refer to the Koopalings as Bowser's minions rather than his children, and comrades rather than siblings.<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Wii/New-Super-Mario-Bros-Wii-282376.html European ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' website] showing the initial name change to "Bowser's Minions" in Europe (albeit while grouped together with Bowser Jr. as the "Koopa Clan").</ref><ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/smnj/story/index.html ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' story and character page.] Ludwig's bio refers to the Koopalings as 「<span class=explain title="なかま">仲間</span>」, meaning comrades, partners or company. (Retrieved November 17, 2011)</ref> However, the [[Prima Games|Prima]] guide refers to them all as Bowser's eight kids (counting Bowser Jr. among their ranks).<ref>"''Just when Mario and the gang were ready to give the Princess her gifts, Bowser's bratty kids crashed the party!''" - ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii Prima Official Game Guide'', page 18.</ref><ref>"''After you reach Bowser Jr.'s chamber, the bothersome Koopaling hops into his [[Junior Clown Car|flying carriage]].''" - ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii Prima Official Game Guide'', page 129.</ref> In a September 2012 interview, [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], speaking with [[Takashi Tezuka]], went on record to say that their "''current story is that the seven Koopalings are not Bowser's children''", leaving Bowser Jr. as his only child with an unknown mother.<ref name="Miyamoto">[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/09/10/miyamoto-tezuka-interview.aspx 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 September 5, 2016)</ref> During the Japanese Nintendo Direct announcement of the Koopalings as playable characters in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'', they are described as 「クッパ<span class="explain" title="だいまおう">大魔王</span>の<span class="explain" title="こぶん">子分</span>」 (King Koopa's ''kobun''),<ref> ゲーム情報チャンネル (May 5, 2014). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtA40B4o5iM&t=11m5s マリオカート8 Direct 2014 4 30 プレゼンテーション映像]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved January 28, 2018.</ref> wherein the Japanese word "''kobun''" can refer to either underlings or adopted children. Their [[List of Palutena's Guidance conversations#Koopalings|guidance conversation]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' and later ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' lampshades their connection with Bowser and Bowser Jr. by noting the Koopalings' resemblance to Bowser Jr. and calling the relationship between them and Bowser a mystery, although the Japanese version adds that it has been heard that they're Bowser's minions. Nonethless in the latter game, possibly due to them sharing the character slot with Bowser Jr., the name of the Bowser Jr. Route in Classic Mode, "Mama Peach, Where Are You?", is shared with the Koopalings. There have also been hints for Bowser needing to treat them more like his family, suggesting that the family relationship is ambiguous.<ref>[http://play.nintendo.com/activities/polls/bowsers-new-years-resolutions/ An official poll in which the fifth choice for Bowser's New Year's resolution is "''Try to spend more time with the Koopalings.''"] Retrieved May 22, 2015.</ref>