White Gloves!

[megamush]

What is up with the white gloves in some series, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Wario, Sonic, Tails etc. Pretty much most characters in the Mario series and the Sonic series and some other series. I was wondering, why? do thay add to their character or something?

[Mr. Wiggles]

They don't want to get their hands dirty.

[Vidgmchtr]

"Anybody ever wonder why we're always, like...wearing gloves?"

Well a lot of very early cartoons, especially Disney cartoons, had characters who wore gloves, I have a feeling it spawns from that.

[ShadowBrain]

The human (or whatever) hand is not necessarily always that... attractive, I suppose. I don't know about anybody else, but whenever I draw fingers, they always look creepy with nails, so I do without. Honestly, I think Sonic's having gloves is just copying Mario, and Mario.... well... I suppose you're right about the Mickey thing, but it might have been part of that whole debacle where 90% of his appearance looks the way it is because of the NES's graphics.

...*Looks over at brother playing SMB2 (the Japanese one)* ...Wait, he didn't have gloves in that game! Nothing makes sense around here!

[Vidgmchtr]

Well, Wikipedia says that gloves were used in cartoons in black and white cartoons to distinguish the character's hands from the rest of their body if their bodies were mostly one color.

Since Mickey Mouse is usually shirtless and is mostly black, it'd be kind of hard to see his hands if he was holding them against himself, so they gave him gloves (he originally didn't have them for awhile).

[penguinwizard]

I'd argue the white gloves also make the character look a bit more interesting, in addition to what was said above (gloves for the sake of distinguishing the hands from the rest of the character).

I've gotten so used to the gloves that I don't really notice them anymore. I always think of the gloves as conforming exactly to the hand, so that if you removed the gloves, the hands would be the same size and shape as the gloves (therefore it'd be easy to imagine what the hand would look like without the glove: just give the glove a different color). I also imagined the gloves would be comfortable and allow full hand/finger movement, since they're wearing gloves all the time, and it seems the hands move as if the gloves weren't there.

I just know when I wear gloves, I expect some restriction of movement. And if they were really gloves, maybe we'd see some subtle creases during finger movement, adding to my theory that they conform perfectly to the hand.

Maybe the gloves allow the developers to approximate a hand and get away with it, whereas quite a bit of detail would be expected for a finger. Well, that argument doesn't hold water when you consider the "block hands" in Goldeneye and Perfect Dark.

[Robert]

My personal theory is that Mario and Sonic are terminators from the future sent to lay the foundation for the Robot uprising. While they were being manufactured, the factory ran out of skin material, so they covered their hands with gloves, instead.

How else do you think Sonic runs that fast, and Mario can jump that high?

In all seriousness, I think it adds personality to the character's looks, making them look more cartoony, like Mickey Mouse.

[Luigalaxy]

I think that it's because it would hurt if Mario or Luigi or anyone else hit a block without gloves on. As for Sonic and the others... doesn't he punch those computer things that have items? If he does, than its the same reason for the others. If not, then hes just copying Mario.

[ShadowBrain]

No, he jumps on 'em (those I suppose that would explain the increasingly extravagant shoes).

[Luigalaxy]

Oh yeah. Then ignore the first Sonic theory

[lanthus]

It's easier to make/draw/see gloved hands.
  If you make 'em to huge or puffy it doesn't matter they're gloves.  and with gloves you can be lazy and make them circles.  (yes I realize they do that gloveless too.)

[blackcat12]

It's probably for the same secret reason they put gloves on Mickey Mouse.

[Chupperson Weird]

That reason being to make sure you notice the characters have hands.

[ShadowBrain]

It's probably for the same secret reason they put gloves on Mickey Mouse.

So there's no fingeprints when he "takes care" of someone.

[megamush]

So there's no fingeprints when he "takes care" of someone.

Mario never leaves finger prints at the scene, he is WAY too smart for that!