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How Nintendo's Mario Got His Name
harrymcc writes "In 1981, tiny Nintendo of America was getting ready to release Donkey Kong. When the company's landlord, Mario Segale, demanded back rent, Nintendo staffers named the game's barrel-jumping protagonist after him. Almost thirty years later, neither Nintendo — which continues to crank out Mario games — nor Segale — now a wealthy, secretive Washington State real estate developer — like to talk about how one of video games' iconic characters got his name and Italian heritage. Technologizer's Benj Edwards has researched the story for years and provides the most detailed account to date."
the coin obsession... never met a landlord yet who wasn't in it for the shines
the preceding post was not spell checked... suck it.
It's hard to explain, but the long and short of it is that you have to understand Japanese.
Speaking as an American of Italian heritage who also used to be a plumber, not only am I not offended by Mario, I hold him up as a role model. I mean, I lost count of the number of times I had to chase some damned monkey through the pipes. Happened all the time.
This ain't rocket surgery.
It's hard to explain, but the long and short of it is that you have to understand Japanese.
One day I will find a Westerner who learned Japanese for reasons other than casually dropping the fact into web forums.
For those who don't want to the read full article, here's the summary: "Mario is named after Nintendo of America's former warehouse landlord Mario Segale." It's curious how the article spans three pages, seems to be well researched yet has no new information.
Freedom is drinking a beer in the park when you're supposed to be at work.
This guy did research for YEARS to publish this article ? I like Nintendo/Mario as much as the next person, but somewhere between year 1 and 2 you think he would have thought "Damn, maybe this isn't really all that important..."
The game designers had a few beers, then turned the M upside down.
"Wario" is actually a combination of the Japanese word for "bad" (Warui) and Mario's name. Because he is the "Bad" Mario.
As for Waluigi, if you change the "R" sound to an "L" sound (as often happens in Japanese-English translations) you get "Walui". Combine that with "Luigi" and you get "Waluigi!"
J.D. Salinger, Thomas Pynchon, and Mario Segale were hanging out together at a bar. Salinger says, "I'm sick and tired of these ambitious news people harassing me because I wrote a book." Pynchon replies, "Tell me about it, I just want to be left alone." Segale nods, downs his limoncello in one gulp, and says, "Mama mia! Vito, break-a these-a-guys' thumbs!"
--I'm so big, my sig has its own sig.
-- See?
Really? Seriously, I'm not much of a gamer and I can think of about 15 far more racist characters of the top of my head. Maybe if you're talking n some sort exposure/racism (offensiveness per capita?) you might have an argument that he breaks the top 10. Maybe.
I speak Japanese fluently, lived and worked there for a Japanese company and I'd love to see your explanation of this one.
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong fix.
As someone getting out of the landlording business.... I can tell you that his obsession with coins may explain why he is so successful and still in it. Being a landlord, quite a lot of the job is fronting the cost on bills (or outright juggling them) until people get around to paying up.
Much easier for the penny pincher who holds tightly onto his war chest than someone who "floats" and doesn't stress it. Neighbors complain? Guess who they complain to. Something breaks, you know who fixes it.
I don't mean to sound bitter or anything but, I totally have a lot more respect for those penny pinching, in your face landlords who want the money on time now that I spent a few years in the rental business.
-Steve
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
It doesn't explain how Donkey Kong wasn't named Monkey Kong.
War isn't about who's right. It's about who's left.
I'd think for the racism label to attach, one would need to demonstrate some negativity. Otherwise it is just stereotyping, which while based on race, may or may not reach the stigma necessary to earn the title 'racist'.
At least he's not in the Mafia.
Maybe not the character. But the article is about the man who inspired it. He's a real estate developer who has a tight-knit family circle and avoids media exposure. My first thought was, "Sounds like mafia." Then again, in the origin story, he came in demanding his overdue rent but then left without breaking any kneecaps.
One day I will find a Westerner who learned Japanese for reasons other than casually dropping the fact into web forums.
Are you excluding the completely hopeless anime enthusiasts, and the western guys who learned Japanese in the hopes of snagging a hot Japanese girlfriend (yes, these groups overlap)?
I am officially gone from
That would be me. Just thought I'd mention it.