Here’s something that sure escalated quickly: neoGAF user sphinx noticed that at current, there are an absurd number of Spanish websites that report some variation of the idea that Mario and Luigi are gay. Upon further inspection, it seems like it’s dozens of sites who believe this.
So, uh, how did that happen? You’d think this would be the sort of thing that would make a buzz outside of the Spanish-speaking community if it were real, right?
As far as I can tell, the earliest thing related to this mess comes from Ciencia Seminal, who, on July 16, wrote that on July 12, Satoru Iwata spoke of some “investigation results” where players under 10 years tended to think that Luigi & Mario are a gay couple instead of simply being brothers. There is no link or specific reference to where this comes from, although it cites the bear suit as a possible reason why people would think that of the brothers. The site says that Nintendo took this as a sign of kids becoming more tolerant.
Now, looking through the rest of the site, it almost seems like a satire site in the same vein as The Onion. It’s hard for me to tell, because in some ways, satire only works on those who are already in on the joke. I can read spanish, but I’m not really well-versed in the goings-on of Latin American culture. Still, it’s hard to take, say, a headline like “Internet Police Assure That False Information On The Web Is Near Zero” seriously: it’s gotta be a satire site, right? (For those of you rolling your eyes: my time here has taught me to never say something is for certain unless I can verify it with absolute certainty).
In any case, a follow-up article then appeared on July 19, alleging that Shigeru Miyamoto stated that Super Mario Bros was always intended as an allegory for the gay community — and, get this, that they weren’t brothers, but in actuality, gay.
“That was the original intention of the game. It was a game charged with the signs of gay culture, and Luigi and Mario were a gay couple trying to brave a society that rejects them,” Miyamoto supposedly once said.
The site goes on to say that this premise later changed when the game was brought to an international market. Then it goes on show possible “evidence” of gay culture in the game, like how the flagpole at the end of the levels are phallic symbols and Goombas represent balls… or something like that. Seriously! Really, it’s ridiculous and there’s no evidence of Miyamoto ever saying this stuff.
Still, if you do a Google search you’ll find an endless number of spanish sites which aren’t satirical in nature re-reporting the same thing — from newspapers in Mexico to forums from Chile and everywhere in between.
It’s something that The Onion is no stranger to, and while funny for those of us who know this isn’t real, it’s still kind of unfortunate to see happen. Misinformation on the web is so easy to stumble upon, folks! Be smart, be wary. Question when people try to tell you Goombas represent balls.
Comments
17 responses to “A Bunch Of People Got Tricked Into Thinking Mario & Luigi Are Gay. Um.”
And here I thought that Mario was communist
I once read an essay explaining how donkey kong country was an allegory to the struggle between communism and capitalism.
It was actually pretty solid.
what does that make DKC2? Capitalism vs Piracy?
I would read that essay in an instant.
.
How is there any confusion? They’re literally called the Mario BROTHERS.
That’s why it’s high-larious.
This is why I hate gossip and people especially
Maybe they just think it’s a brother from another mother?
Nintendo execs seem to have enough trouble talking about female gender roles in gaming, let alone homosexuality. Silly people with their silly satire articles.
They ain’t moustaches….
My reaction was like:
1. … I … don’t really get it …
2. oh … BAHAHAHAHAHA
3. oh damn that’s actually really gross -_-
I wish someone would just cum on my face and say “oohhh mario”
Then my work here is done *dusts off hands*
Dust all you want you fiend, though I doubt any amount of washing would clean your hands ; )
As if the Mario brothers are fleshed out enough characters to have something like a sexual orientation!
Well it’s pretty obvious that Mario’s constant attempts to rescue Peach are a textbook case of reaction formation. Mario is making everyone think he wants the princess because he thinks its so unacceptable that he actually likes Luigi.