It has been some years since the Super Mario Bros hit up theaters, but that has all changed. Nintendo and Illumination just put their big Mario movies into theaters, and the Mushroom Kingdom is taking over. The hype is high for Mario’s comeback though mixed reviews from critics have deflated some fans. If you fall into that category, there is another little-known Mario flick to binge, and the 1986 feature is streaming for free to boot.
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And yes, you did read that right. Super Mario Bros put out a movie in 1986 well before the live-action adaptation dropped. If you want to check out the Super Mario anime, the old-school film is streaming on YouTube, and it has been redone in full 4K.
As you can see above, the Super Mario Bros looks pretty gorgeous. Femboy Films managed to remaster the classic anime from a 16mm reduction print used years ago. As for the audio, the studio found a VHS of the anime from decades ago, and Femboy Films was able to clear up the dialogue. The VHS was originally released with 2-channel Dolby Surround, which is preserved in the audio capture here,” the team shared. “This reflects most accurately how the film would have sounded in cinemas, as it was released with 4-channel Dolby Stereo there.”
For those curious about how this Super Mario anime began, it dates back to the earliest days of Nintendo’s hit franchise. Super Mario Bros – The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach is an adventure comedy that follows all our favorite heroes. The story, however, is loose to put it lightly. The movie follows Princess Peach as she escapes a video game and arrives in Mario’s world before King Koopa kidnaps her. Peach is returned to the Mushroom Kingdom but not before her beloved Dumpling Dog breaks free. It is there the pet finds Mario and Luigi who work as a local grocery store, and Dumpling Dog brings the brothers into Peach’s game to save the princess.
The wild anime feature is filled with Nintendo craziness, but its animationis solid. We definitely recommend checking out this Mario movie if you are any sort of anime fan or just love the Nintendo IP. It can cleanse your palette after seeing the latest Mario film if it didn’t meet your expectations at the very least. And at best, well – you might find yourself a new favorite flick!
Have you gotten the chance to check out this Super Mario anime? Will you binge this or the new Mario movie this weekend? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
