The character was considered trans in the original Japanese version, but received changes in the Western version, which have now been corrected in the remake
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was originally released for Nintendo Gamecube in 2004, but is getting a remake for the NintendoSwitch, which will present the game the way its developers envisioned it. This includes an adjustment in the gender of one of the game’s characters, who officially becomes trans in the Japanese and Western versions of the title.
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At first the role-playing game, considered by many to be the best chapter of the franchise Paper Mario, Vivian is one of the villains who works together with her sisters Marilyn and Beldan to find and defeat Mario. However, Vivian is bullied by one of her sisters, forcing her to abandon the mission and join the plumber’s group.
In the original version of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, in Japanese, Vivian is described as a transgender woman, with her sister mistreating her in reference to her gender. When the game was released in the West, the English localization changed this, meaning that instead of referring to her gender, Beldam called her “ugly”.
Fixed issue with Nintendo Switch remake
With the release of the remake, Nintendo corrected this translation, including Vivian’s original story in the English game. When she talks to Mario, she says that it took her a while to realize that she was Marilyn and Beldan’s sister, not her brother. This revelation made the bullying she experienced even worse.
Vivian finds in the respect that Mario has for her a way to combat this bullying and helps the hero in his adventure. The remake work also makes the character’s gender clearer in the dialogues, alleviating some of the bullying involved.
Vivian brothers, we have won pic.twitter.com/gxL9QT7RkF
— In context Super Mario (@SuperMarioOOC85) May 21, 2024
Technically, Vivian becomes the second trans character in the Mario games, reminiscent of Birdo, from Super Mario Bros two, changed genre in the game’s translation, and Nintendo decided to maintain its “undefined” status to this day. Your description in Super Smash Bros. Brawl shows that it is represented by both sexes.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door will be released on May 23 for Nintendo Switch.
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Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
