Mailbag
01/26/2001

J.J. answers the questions today-day (sorry, couldn't think of anything better).
Got something you want us to answer next week? Send it to tmk_mailbag@usa.net.

Who drew those Super Mario cartoons? Americans Or the Japanese?
Cause they look ugly sometimes.
-Starman Anthony

J.J.: Like most cartoons, the character designing and storyboard work is done in America, but the actual cel drawing is done somewhere in Asia (i.e., China) where labor is much cheaper. Often, small animation companies, like whatever company produced the Mario cartoons, go for really cheap Asian animation studios, so the animation is not very high quality.

P.S. Surprisingly, there has never been an "Anime" style Mario cartoon, not even in Japan.

Did TMK ever consider on every adding SMBhq as a sister site. Even though TMK is the better or the two(I shouldn't be saying that since I have run section at SMBhq), it would be neat if the two more popular Mario sites joined forces.
-Sean Kelly

J.J.: TMK has a button link to SMBhq on the main page, and SMBhq has a link to TMK on theirs. That's about as much "joining forces" as you're gonna see.

Here's something you don't hear every day... Any idea who Dayv (Dave?) Brooks might be? As I recall, his name showed up in the credits for SMW and SML3:WL, and I'm pretty sure it's been in some other Mario games too.
Also, is it true that Miyamoto had no input into any of the Mario (or Wario) Game Boy games?
-Jorpho

J.J.: Never heard of Dayv Brooks myself, which is not a very useful answer, I know. Then again, I couldn't name any producers of SMW if my life depended on it. A lot of Mario games are made by the same little clique of producers/artists/developers, so it's not surprising that Mr. Brooks has made a few return apperances.

As for Miyamoto not being involved with the Game Boy games, you are correct. Although we can assume that Miyamoto approved the games in their final stages, he had no active role in the creation of any part of the Mario/Wario Land series.

Which brings us to this next letter:

Shigeru Miyamoto wasn't responsible for Wario's creation and had never created a game with Wario in it, right?
So would it be safe to say that Wario will never be in a game by Shigeru Miyamoto?

However the Shyguy was not created by Miyamoto but is now a regular in the Mario games he creates. Is it possible that the Shyguy is based upon something in Japanese culture that swayed Miyamoto to bring the Shyguy back?
-Monfriez

J.J.: This is a very interesting point. Since Miyamoto was not involved in the development of Super Mario Land 2, he would have had no part in the creation of the Wario character. However, I think Wario's future with Miyamoto is not necissarily that bleak. Shy Guys are just weird little men, and have no ties to Japanese culture. Neither do Bob-ombs, another character that Miyamoto has repeatedly "borrowed" from Doki Doki Panic. If he was willing to use these two characters, it's just as likely that Wario may appear in one of his games someday, especially considering Wario's current populariy.

hey remember me? I asked about Nintendo buying sega last week. thanks for posting my letter!

besides the thanks, I have one more thing: I know you cant post the WTMK playlist, but can you put just a FEW of those great MP3s up in the MP3 section? I know you have them, how else would you get the music?! my favorites are also the live SMW ending, and the SMB3 world 1-2 (or is it 1-3?) remix ( its the level with the green hills, and the goombas coming out of the pipes.) I love that one! well I'll probably send some more letters your way, so bye for now!
-From the non-biased gamer thats crazy for WTMK, Ca11isto E1vis

J.J.: It's Deezer's position that TMK will never have any full versions of MP3's for download, because of the legal complications that can arise as a result. If you want some of the songs heard on WTMK you should try using Napster to search for them. It worked for me.

At the moment, I have two questions for you to answer. 1.) Has it ever occurred to you that the Warp Whistle in Super Mario Bros. 3 could be considered a cameo from The Legend of Zelda? No, really...I have some evidence to support my theory.

-In both games, the whistle plays the same tune, when used.
-The sprites for the Warp Whistle in SMB3 and Zelda have a similar appearance.
-When activated, a little tornado carries the hero away, in both games.
-The Whistle in both SMB3 and Zelda warp you to different places. (Duh! o^_^o)
-(And, of course, The Legend of Zelda was released before Super Mario Bros. 3, so no one can say that the Warp Whistle is actually a cameo from SMB3 that was featured in Zelda.)

2.) As I have read numerous times, the number of fireworks obtained (and kept) affect the firework's shape at the end of Super Mario RPG: The Legend of Seven Stars...Though, something very peculiar has happened to me. Once, when I won the game, I had received a flower-shaped firework at the end...And I only had one firework! To make sure that I wasn't seeing things, I went against Smithy again, on the same file, and still...instead of receiving a mushroom-shaped firework, I received a flower-shaped firework, even though I had only one firework on hand! (And played it again on a much later date!) I'm dead serious! (If I had a a digital recorder of some nature, I would tape it and send it to you. But alas, I don't.) Is there some other factor that plays a role on determining the shape of firework at the end of the game? Or is this some sort of happy fluke I came across?

Ciao! o^_^o
-BrockLover (a.k.a. Onyx)

J.J.: Ah, a letter from fellow affiliate site Kirby's Rainbow Resort.
1) That's a very interesting theory, and one that I had never considered. It makes sense, too, since blowing a flute and making a tornado appear is not really a widely used video game idea. If it's not a cameo, then it definitely must be some vauge reference to some Japanese folklore.

2) As far as earthly mortals know, the only way to get a big fireworks display is to buy mulitple fireworks. And let me use this opportunity to send a message to all the other potential TMK mailbag writers: Although brilliant, we at TMK are not psychic. Please refrain from sending letters involving bizarre situations in old Mario games, especially if you are not fully sure if your experience took place in a dream or not.

I'm curious, but do you know what system Hotel mario was on?
-Mario Madman SF

J.J.: It was on the short-lived CD-i system, and was produced with zero Nintendo input.

Will the Super Mario Bros. and the Legend of Zelda cartoons ever come back, because I am sick and tired of checking all of my 800 channels on my satelight dish? If they do air I hope it is permanet.
-JCF1110

J.J.: Woah, you're like one of those rich guys that complain about taxes. The Mario / Zelda cartoons are on somewhere in the world, but usually the only stations that show them are regional children's networks, or stations that are some vauge affilate of the Disney Channel.

How old are the Mario Characters? I think I know, but I want to hear what YOU think. Thanx!
-Nicolas 64

J.J.: Miyamoto describes Mario as "middle aged" and the cartoons nailed his specific age at 35. Wario is said to be the same age as Mario, and we know Luigi is the same age, since he and Mario are twins. So basically, we only know one age but it applies to three characters.

This next letter is sorta relevant, too.

This is just a fact that i whated to tell you. Mario isnt really 20 he is 23 because Mr. Myamoto invented him in 1977 but appeared in donkey kong in 1981 so it would be 20 years in video games right?
-andyru

J.J.: This is correct, in video game years Mario is 20, as you can clearly see on our lovely splash page.

Can you play as or fight with Luigi on your team in Paper Mario?
-TK

J.J.: Luigi is definitely in Paper Mario, but he is simply an "NPC", as we say in the RPG world. He will not be playable or fight-able.