Super Mario Manga Mania, a manga published by VIZ Media, is written and illustrated by Yukio Sawada. The manga contains a collection of stories from Mario’s various adventures alongside his friends. The stories included all have tie-ins to the various Super Mario games released over the years. Including many fan-favorite characters and some that others may not be familiar with, each wacky tale is fun for all fans of this franchise. The manga’s final story mentions the death of a parent, which may not be appropriate for kids of certain ages.
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As a long-time fan of the franchise, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read Super Mario Manga Mania. As I read the manga, I was taken back to my childhood playing Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Bros 3. It’s one thing to be playing the video games, but it’s completely different to read an entire manga. Having Mario and his friends’ given dialogue rather than just staying silent is great. I imagine that the dialogue that the characters speak is exactly how they would talk in the games. Sawada’s writing perfectly fits the Super Mario world while also making its own impact filled with hilarity and nostalgia.
The artwork and lettering in Super Mario Manga Mania are fantastic. Sawada did an incredible job at capturing the beloved Super Mario characters’ iconic looks while also not making exact copies from the games. Having only played a few of the games from which these stories take place, I was impressed by how the locations were drawn. The lettering was clear and easy to follow. There wasn’t a moment where I felt lost or couldn’t read anything because of how it was written. I also appreciated the inclusion of background information that was included in characters and settings throughout the manga. I’m glad that space was given for explanations, which will surely help readers who haven’t played all the video games.
Out of all the stories included in Super Mario Manga Mania, I was stunned by the final story, titled “Super Mari-Old.” As mentioned above, this is the one story that parents should read with their kids since it deals with losing a parent. Without going into the story’s specifics, the author includes a personal story about a loss that he experienced in his life. Sawada relates that experience to this chapter in such an impactful way that will surely resonate with many readers. In particular, it will resonate with readers that have also experienced a loss in their life. I was not expecting this sort of emotional connection from reading Super Mario Manga Mania.
Even though I didn’t know what to expect, I really enjoyed reading Super Mario Manga Mania. The writing of each character and their dialogue fit well into the Super Mario franchise while also adding something unique. Both the illustrations and lettering were excellently done. The manga’s final story, which issues a warning before it starts, was one that I formed a completely unexpected special connection with. This is a manga I’ll surely be re-reading in the future.
Super Mario Manga Mania is available now wherever manga is sold.
Super Mario Manga Mania
TL;DR
Even though I didn’t know what to expect, I really enjoyed reading Super Mario Manga Mania. The writing of each character and their dialogue fit well into the Super Mario franchise while also adding something unique. Both the illustrations and lettering were excellently done. The manga’s final story, which issues a warning before it starts, was one that I formed a completely unexpected special connection with. This is a manga I’ll surely be re-reading in the future.
