Super Mario Brothers character's name Blackie is changed by Nintendo to possibly avoid racism

Posted by Lorie Orum on Saturday, May 18, 2024

Nintendo has announced a change in the Japanese name of Spike, a character from “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” ahead of the film’s release in Japan later this month. The character, originally known as “Blackie” in Japan, will now be called “Spike,” aligning with the name familiar to Western fans for the past three decades. The decision to change the name was not immediately accompanied by an explanation from Nintendo. The new Japanese name will be consistent with the name used in Europe and the United States.

In a tweet from the official Japanese Twitter account, Nintendo also confirmed that the character’s name in the movie will be changed to “Spike”, consistent with the game’s character. The character, Foreman Spike, initially appeared as an enemy of Mario in the 1980s game “Wrecking Crew” and later transitioned to the big screen in this year’s “Super Mario Bros. Movie.” The film, starring Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, has garnered significant box office success in the US, Canada, and worldwide.

Related posts:


ncG1vNJzZmimlazAr7vWp6CgnaKerm%2B6xmiqrqiVp3qurdGipmaaoqTBqbHRrGScoJGnrqTAxKuqZqaRorJursuamqShlWK2tHnCoZinn5WZeqPFjKegp6yVo7GwedOoZKmno6i2o7jYZpivp5mZerOtwqKqpmc%3D