Nintendo has never made an official statement declaring any of the main Mario characters as LGBTQ. The Mario franchise is designed to be lighthearted, family-friendly, and usually avoids explicit discussions of age, romance, or sexuality.
That said, the Mario universe has been around for more than 40 years, and fans have often speculated or celebrated certain characters within LGBTQ+ culture. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Birdo – The Most Talked-About Character
-
First appearance: Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988).
-
In the original game manual, Birdo was described as a character who “thinks he is a girl and would rather be called ‘Birdetta.’”
-
Over time, Nintendo softened and adjusted this description, but many fans interpret Birdo as a transgender character or gender-nonconforming icon.
-
In later games, like Mario Kart and Mario Tennis, Birdo is often presented simply as female, but her early backstory made her a symbol of LGBTQ+ representation in gaming.
2. Vivian (Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door)
-
Vivian debuted in 2004 in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
-
In the original Japanese script, Vivian was explicitly described as a transgender girl, who faced teasing from her sisters about being assigned male at birth.
-
In English localizations, this detail was removed, but fans still celebrate Vivian as one of the most notable LGBTQ+ characters in the Mario universe.
3. Fan Interpretations of Other Characters
-
Waluigi has often been embraced by LGBTQ+ fans, largely because of his flamboyant personality, unique design, and outsider status. While Nintendo hasn’t confirmed anything, he’s become something of a queer icon online.
-
Peach, Daisy, and Rosalina often appear in fan works and headcanons as having same-gender relationships (like Peach & Daisy), though this is purely fan-driven.
4. Nintendo’s Stance
Nintendo typically avoids assigning sexualities or relationships beyond the basic “Mario rescues Peach” storyline. However, the inclusion of characters like Birdo and Vivian has given fans points of representation—especially in older games where LGBTQ+ characters were very rare.
Final Thoughts
While Nintendo hasn’t officially labeled any Mario characters as LGBTQ, Birdo and Vivian are the two characters most often recognized by fans as representing the community. Beyond that, much of the interpretation comes from fan culture, headcanon, and the way LGBTQ+ gamers connect with these colorful, quirky characters.