Mario Animated Series: From the 80s to Today

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Between 1992 and 2022, Mario vanished from television screens for thirty years. This article retraces the animated adaptations: The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! in 1989, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 in 1990, Super Mario World in 1991, then the long drought before the return to the big screen with the Illumination movie in 2023.

Before becoming a movie icon and dominating game consoles, Mario also left his mark through several animated series. Aired throughout the 1980s and 1990s, then reinvented in the 2020s through animated film, these adaptations have kept generations of players and viewers company. Here is a look back at how the Mario universe evolved on television… and beyond.

Contents

• 1. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (1989)
• 2. The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990)
• 3. Super Mario World (1991)
• 4. A long absence from television (1992–2022)
• 5. Super Mario Bros. – The animated movie (2023)
• 6. An animated future for Mario?
• Bonus: Japanese versions vs. Western versions
• Comparison table of the Mario series and movies
• FAQ
• Conclusion

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1. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (1989)

The first official Mario television series, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! blended animation with live-action segments. The Mario brothers were played by Lou Albano (Mario) and Danny Wells (Luigi).

• Broadcast: Monday to Friday, September to December 1989
• Format: animation + comedy sketches shot in live action
• Cult moments: “Plumber's log…”, the theme song Do the Mario

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2. The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990)

The second animated series, produced by DIC Entertainment, built around the elements of the game Super Mario Bros. 3.

• Notable change: the introduction of the Koopalings (with altered names)
• Length: 26 episodes

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3. Super Mario World (1991)

A series inspired by the game Super Mario World on Super Nintendo.

• Setting: Dinosaur Land, with Yoshi
• Missing faces: Toad
• Length: 13 episodes

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4. A long absence from television (1992–2022)

After 1991, no more official animated series for 30 years. Mario stayed in the picture through:

• Super Mario-kun: a comedy manga still running today
• Nods: animated commercials, educational segments

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5. Super Mario Bros. – The animated movie (2023)

Mario's big animated comeback happens on the big screen with Illumination and Nintendo.

• Original voice cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Charlie Day
• Success: around $1.36 billion at the worldwide box office

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6. An animated future for Mario?

Some potential projects are starting to take shape:

• Spin-off movies: Donkey Kong, Luigi's Mansion, Princess Peach
• Expected formats: animated series on streaming (Netflix, Prime Video)

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Bonus: Japanese versions vs. Western versions

The animated Mario series of the 1980s and 1990s are mainly American productions. There is no equivalent Japanese Mario cartoon, but several cultural differences stand out:

• Original Japanese voices: very little official dubbing at the time
• Comedy style: more slapstick and packed with references in the West
• Visual style: a Western design far removed from the Nintendo Japan look

Manga such as Super Mario-kun embody a comedic form of adaptation in Japan, with zany plots that still stay faithful to the world of the games.

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Comparison table of the Mario animated series and productions

Title	Year	Format	Number of episodes	Production
Super Mario Bros. Super Show!	1989	Animation + live action	52 animated + segments	DIC Entertainment
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3	1990	Animation	26	DIC Entertainment
Super Mario World	1991	Animation	13	DIC Entertainment
Super Mario Bros. – The Movie	2023	3D animated film	—	Illumination / Nintendo

🍄 Want to keep the adventure going? Discover our Mario figurines in the shop.

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FAQ – Mario animated series

• Is there a recent Mario animated series?
  No, but the 2023 movie could kick-start future series projects on streaming platforms.
• Will there be a Mario series on Netflix?
  Nothing official so far, but rumors are circulating about animated adaptations tied to the movie.
• Why do the Koopalings have different names in the 1990 series?
  The official Japanese names had not been settled yet, so the American producers came up with their own variants.
• Which Mario animated series is the most iconic?
  The Super Show!, thanks to its live-action segments and its legendary theme song.

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Conclusion

From the traditional animation of the 1980s to the sleek 3D of modern cinema, the evolution of the Mario animated series mirrors the history of video games themselves. These productions entertained, made people laugh and, above all, won the loyalty of several generations of fans. In the age of streaming and shared universes, everything suggests that the Mushroom Kingdom will soon be back on the small screen.

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