Bowser: Difference between revisions

Bowser was created by Nintendo designer and producer [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]. Miyamoto had first envisioned Bowser as an [[ox]], based on the Ox-Ox—like King Gruesome from the [[Toei Animation]] film ''[[Alakazam the Great]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ds.kombo.com/article.php?artid=7373|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917090724/http://ds.kombo.com/article.php?artid=7373|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 17, 2010|author=David Oxford|title=Iwata Asks:The Birth of Bowser|publisher=Ds.Kombo|access-date=August 23, 2010}}</ref> However, Nintendo designer [[Takashi Tezuka]] pointed out that the character looked a lot more like a turtle than an ox. Miyamoto and Tezuka then began to redesign his look to reflect a leader of the turtle-like Koopa Troopas. In his final design, Miyamoto commented that he could make Bowser "look cool now".<ref>{{cite web |title=Iwata Asks Volume 8- Flipnote Studios-An Animation Class 4.My First Project: Draw a Rug |url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/systems/volume_8_14207.html#top |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120525101151/http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/systems/volume_8_14207.html#top |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 25, 2012 }}2009-08-11</ref> Bowser was once imagined as an upright Koopa Troopa with spines on his back and fangs, according to the oldest known design.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/159838163530/concept-art-of-bowser-for-super-mario-bros-drawn|title=Supper Mario Broth|website=Supper Mario Broth|access-date=October 11, 2021|archive-date=October 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011004249/https://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/159838163530/concept-art-of-bowser-for-super-mario-bros-drawn|url-status=live}}</ref> During the development of ''Super Mario Bros.'', Miyamoto contemplated commissioning the game's art to a manga artist or illustrator. However, due to a lack of time, he created the game's original box art himself. Bowser is depicted in this artwork in a way that differs from later renditions, with the most noticeable differences being his gray-blue complexion and lack of horns. Miyamoto received inspiration for the character's appearance from an anime film version of the Chinese novel ''[[Journey to the West]]'', which was renamed ''Alakazam the Great'' during the film's Ameri period.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/ds/dsi/7/3|title=Iwata Asks|website=iwataasks.nintendo.com|access-date=October 11, 2021|archive-date=June 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619204053/http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/ds/dsi/7/3|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Yōichi Kotabe]] based Bowser's final design on the [[Chinese softshell turtle]], which he recognized as highly aggressive, reflecting Bowser's short temper.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2018/12/06/les-confidences-du-dessinateur-historique-des-personnages-nintendo_5393660_4408996.html|title=Les confidences du dessinateur historique des personnages Nintendo|newspaper=Le Monde.fr|date=December 6, 2018|via=Le Monde|access-date=October 11, 2021|archive-date=October 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011004513/https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2018/12/06/les-confidences-du-dessinateur-historique-des-personnages-nintendo_5393660_4408996.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Bowser's original working name was "Boss Creeper" ({{lang|ja|ボス クリーパー}} ''Bosu Kurīpā''), after the Shellcreepers, the predecessors to the Koopa race, from ''[[Mario Bros]].''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thrillingtalesofoldvideogames.com/blog/bowser-vs-king-koopa|title=Bowser Vs. Koopa|website=Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games|access-date=July 25, 2024}}</ref> Miyamoto then named him {{lang|ja|[[wikt:大|大]] [[wikt:魔王#Japanese|魔王]] クッパ}} ''Daimaō Kuppa''. ''Kuppa'' came from the [[Japanese language|Japanese]] name for {{lang|ko|[[wikt:국밥|국밥]]}}, ''[[gukbap]]'', a [[Korean cuisine|Korean dish]]. Miyamoto had also considered the names {{lang|ja|ユッケ}} ''Yukke'' and {{lang|ja|ビビンバ}} ''Bibinba'', also Japanese names of Korean dishes ({{lang|ko|[[wikt:육회|육회]]}} ''[[yukhoe]]'' and {{lang|ko|[[wikt:비빔밥|비빔밥]]}} ''[[bibimbap]]'' respectively).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.famitsu.com/game/extra/special/2000/zelda/zelda04.html|title=独占スクープ！宮本茂最新雑談 [Exclusive Scoop! Miyamoto Shigeru Latest Chat]|last=Yasuhiro|first=Nagata|date=June 2000|publisher=[[Famitsu]]|access-date=November 4, 2016|archive-date=October 10, 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001010214429/https://www.famitsu.com/game/extra/special/2000/zelda/zelda04.html|url-status=live}}</ref> For the later North American release of the game, which also introduced the [[anglicized]] spelling "Koopa", the character was named Bowser. His [[Korean language|Korean]] name is not ''Gukbap'', but {{lang|ko|쿠파}} ''Kupa'', which is essentially a phonetic [[Reborrowing|round-trip translation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.kr/DS/soft/mariokart/mariokart_character.php|title=Characters in Mario Kart DS at Nintendo of Korea's website|publisher=Nintendo|access-date=August 10, 2010|archive-date=July 22, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722041233/http://www.nintendo.co.kr/DS/soft/mariokart/mariokart_character.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> The name was anglicized to Kuppa rather than Koopa in the Japanese versions up until the release of ''[[Super Mario World]]''.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]|developer=[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development]]|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|date=October 23, 1988|platform=[[Famicom]]|language=ja|scene=ending}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Super Mario World]]|developer=[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development]]|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|date=November 21, 1990|language=ja|scene=ending}}</ref>

Within early comics and potentially in the ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' series, Bowser ishas clearlybeen referenced to [[Gamera]], the iconic fictional turtle [[kaiju]] with the abilities to breathe fire as well as fly by hiding in his shell and spinning it; Bowser's ability to perform the latter is called "Gamera Attack" (ガメラアタック, ''Gamera Attakku'').<ref>[[jp:本山一城|Kazuki Motoyama]], 1992, [[jp:スーパーマリオ (本山一城の漫画)|Super Mario]], Vol.7, [[Kodansha]]</ref><ref>[[:ja:沢田ユキオ|Yukio Sawada]], 1994, ''[[:ja:スーパーマリオくん (沢田ユキオの漫画)|Super Mario-kun]]'', Vol.11, [[Shogakukan]]</ref><ref>[https://hissatuwaza.kill.jp/setume/smarioh.htm スーパーマリオワールド（本山版）　[必殺技辞典]] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601215752/http://hissatuwaza.kill.jp/setume/smarioh.htm |date=June 1, 2023 }}</ref><ref>[http://yadayo.g3.xrea.com/eiga/ka.html ●映画　か]{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416114627/http://yadayo.g3.xrea.com/eiga/ka.html |date=April 16, 2022 }}</ref>