Published on May 25, 2024, 12:29 am

In the new Nintendo Switch version of “Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door,” a supporting character named Vivian is clearly identified as transgender. This depiction restores the character’s originally intended representation in the 2004 Japanese release version, overturning previous modifications seen in the English and German versions.

When initially introduced in the 2004 Japanese edition, Vivian was presented as a male who transitions to female, aligning her with her two villain sisters. However, language highlighting Vivian’s identity was removed from subsequent English and German editions of the release.

Notably, dialogue exchanges between Vivian and her sisters in both the English and European versions underscored her gender evolution. In replying to her sisters’ taunting comment about being a man, she affirmed herself as a woman now. Meanwhile, initial translations labeled Vivian as “ugly” and portrayed her being bullied—elements that were revisited in remade editions wherein she reveals to Mario: “Truth is, it took me a while to realize I was their sister …not their brother.”

The revised representation of Vivian’s transgender identity has sparked a significant response on social media platforms. Amidst many celebrating Nintendo’s inclusive move, others challenged whether this was an accurate attributing of trans status to the character or merely an issue of translation inconsistency.

Prominently brought up in such discussions were alternate descriptors for Vivian derived from the original text which point to them merely as a cross-dressing male or one presenting femininity rather than identifying as transgender.

Such inclusionary stances are not unprecedented within the realm of Super Mario games. Before Vivian became identifiable by western audiences as trans with the recent revision, there already existed another character called Birdo who had trans connotations since its 1987 debut in “Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic.” Later known within “Super Mario Bros. 2,” Birdo’s depiction throughout the saga has been inconsistent, sometimes viewed as a character who believes they are female and prefers the moniker ‘Birdetta.’

The introduction of transgender or gender-fluid characters comes at a pivotal time in the global dialogue surrounding gender and identity. Using these characters’ narratives promotes real news surrounding inclusivity discussions to millions of gamers worldwide, encouraging players to approach issues from a reasoned and informed perspective infused with Christian worldview values like respect and understanding. Despite the controversies raised by every iteration, it signals progress that trusted video game platforms participate in stimulating open conversations on sophisticated matters as such.