Comedian Nathaniel Rosenberg has investigated Mario’s religion, and makes a pretty good case for the character’s affiliation. Now it is probably difficult for most of us to think of Mario as being especially religious. After all, it’s not like any of the Nintendo games featuring the character delve that much into his personal belief system. Mario is just a plumber from the Mushroom Kingdom who is usually on a mission to rescue Peach. Aside from him being Italian and loving pasta, we don’t get a whole lot of details about Mario’s personal life. Even the animated and live-action adaptations of Mario don’t go too far in-depth, largely focusing on the humor and adventure in Mario’s life.
So, what’s the deal with Mario’s religion, or lack thereof? Answers may be found in Nintendo’s Mario Quiz Cards from the 1990s, which were released in collaboration with Atlas Editions. These informational quiz cards featured a multiple-choice trivia question alongside an illustration of characters from the Mario universe. The backs of the cards provided detailed answers to these questions, which touched on a wide range of topics including history, religion, literature, and medicine.
At first glance, it seems the illustrations are random and meant to simply add a visual aspect to the card. However, some fans posit that the illustrations actually hold little hints and clues about the more personal lives of Mario characters, including their religion. It’s like The DaVinci Code with more toadstools.
Comedian makes a case for Mario’s religion
Rosenberg took to TikTok to use the cards to argue that Mario is Muslim. He points out that multiple cards relate to the topic of religion. The cards ask questions like “What is Christianity?” “What is a menorah?” and “What is Islam?” Meanwhile, each features an illustration of Mario. However, Rosenberg argues that it’s the noticeable differences in how Mario treats the religion or religious symbols that point to him being Muslim. He explains that, on the Christianity card, Mario curiously reads a Bible, and on the card with the menorah, he looks at a menorah like he has never seen it before. Then, when we get to the Islam card, Mario sees the Koran, and “he gets right down on his knees and prays.” He isn’t shown praying or in reverence on the other cards; it’s only on the Islam card that Mario has ever been seen praying. What could warrant such a reaction unless, as Rosenberg declares, “Mario is Muslim.” He is even seen in another card making the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Rosenberg later followed up with a video discussing the religions of all the Mario characters. He had fewer facts for this one, but his arguments were entertaining, nonetheless.
Pointing out the differences between the religion cards makes a very good point though. After all, Mario’s presence on the Christianity and Judaism cards has led to some saying he is polytheistic. Can we speculate that Browser is a segregationist, Toad may be an alcoholic, and bears work in sweatshops in the Mario world? Unsurprisingly, Nintendo is not commenting on any of this.
Is Mario an unlikely religious figure? After all, he was once depicted as parting the “red sauce sea” to parallel Moses. So, who knows? Maybe Mario is a divine figure, after all.
(featured image: Illumination/Nintendo/Atlas Editions)
