Character of the Week #13

Metal Mario · 10-11-2009, 12:22 AM

Birdo

First Appearance: Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES, 1988)
Latest Appearance: Mario Super Sluggers (Wii, 2008)*

Birdo made her debut as a recurring mini-boss in SMB 2, then, like most characters from that game, faded away into relative obscurity. She reappeared as a protagonist in 1994's Wario's Woods and as a boss character in 1996's Super Mario RPG, but it was with 2000's Mario Tennis, in which Birdo took up a racquet and joined the all-star roster of players, that she really made her comeback. After this, she would go on to appear in various Kart, Party, and sports titles, including (but not limited to) Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Superstar Baseball, and Mario Party 8. She is portrayed as flirtatious and highly amorous, and is often linked romantically with Yoshi, which makes sense, I suppose, since they're both squeaky-voiced dinosaurs who use eggs as projectile weapons.

Much has been made of Birdo's gender over the years, ever since the SMB 2 instruction manual described her thus. Though Birdo has been represented unambiguously as a female ever since those confusing, faraway days that made up the 1980s, Nintendo still enjoys poking fun at the ancient controversy. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, for example, Birdo's trophy description describes the character's gender as "indeterminate", and in Captain Rainbow (a Japan-only Wii game in which various minor Nintendo characters make guest appearances), Birdo is arrested for using the ladies' room after she is unsuccessful in convincing a police officer that she is female.

*A Birdo-like character appears in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, but it can't honestly be said to be Birdo.

Luigiman7 · 10-11-2009, 12:26 AM

You didn't mention her Mid-Boss stunt in Superstar Saga. I guess that's noteable.

Metal Mario · 10-11-2009, 12:37 AM

Ah, yes indeed.

Random User · 10-11-2009, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xX~Luigi_Man~Xx

You didn't mention her Mid-Boss stunt in Superstar Saga. I guess that's noteable.

Also with the gender thing, Popple gave it some thought before calling her a dame. Also notable.

10-11-2009, 12:26 AM	#2
Luigiman7 ヽ(◔ ◡ ◔)ノ.･ﾟ*｡･+☆ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ~)´◡｀(~ Gender: Posts: 17,605 Thanks: 1,134 Thanked 1,012 Times in 713 Posts Blog Entries: 8	You didn't mention her Mid-Boss stunt in Superstar Saga. I guess that's noteable. __________________ ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ＷＯＮ’Ｔ　ＹＯＵ　ＢＥＣＯＭＥ　Ａ　ＭＡＧＩＣＡＬ　ＧＩＲＬ？

10-11-2009, 12:22 AM	#1
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	Character of the Week #13 *Birdo* First Appearance: Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES, 1988) Latest Appearance: Mario Super Sluggers (Wii, 2008)* Birdo made her debut as a recurring mini-boss in SMB 2, then, like most characters from that game, faded away into relative obscurity. She reappeared as a protagonist in 1994's Wario's Woods and as a boss character in 1996's Super Mario RPG, but it was with 2000's Mario Tennis, in which Birdo took up a racquet and joined the all-star roster of players, that she really made her comeback. After this, she would go on to appear in various Kart, Party, and sports titles, including (but not limited to) Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Superstar Baseball, and Mario Party 8. She is portrayed as flirtatious and highly amorous, and is often linked romantically with Yoshi, which makes sense, I suppose, since they're both squeaky-voiced dinosaurs who use eggs as projectile weapons. Much has been made of Birdo's gender over the years, ever since the SMB 2 instruction manual described her thus. Though Birdo has been represented unambiguously as a female ever since those confusing, faraway days that made up the 1980s, Nintendo still enjoys poking fun at the ancient controversy. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, for example, Birdo's trophy description describes the character's gender as "indeterminate", and in Captain Rainbow (a Japan-only Wii game in which various minor Nintendo characters make guest appearances), Birdo is arrested for using the ladies' room after she is unsuccessful in convincing a police officer that she is female. A Birdo-like character appears in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story*, but it can't honestly be said to be Birdo.

10-11-2009, 12:37 AM	#3
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	Ah, yes indeed.