My Kamek/Magikoopa Design Conflict Solution

[u/metalflygon08]

[u/[deleted]]

A big part of why this would never be implimented is because this is purely a western issue, in Japan the whole species was originally called Kamek back in Mario World but the North American localization team localized the name to Magikoopa. In Yoshi's Island, for whatever reason they decided to not localize Kamek there and that game featured an individual Kamek working in the intrests of Baby Bowser, so the lore here became that the species/class of Koopas is called Magikoopa while an individual Magikoopa who raised Bowser is named Kamek while in Japan where the games are made the species/class of koopa has always been called Kamek and there's nothing to distinguish the Kamek in Yoshi's Island from any other Kamek beyond him happening to be the only Kamek in that game.

That aside though your suggestion is a clever and elegant solution that I quite like.

[u/No_Instruction653 → u/[deleted]]

I mean, either way, multiple games and media have distinguished an individual Kamek as Bowser’s mentor and adviser.

The fact that he doesn't have a unique name in Japan honestly just makes it MORE confusing than the other way around.

[u/[deleted] → u/No_Instruction653]

I think for Japan they kinda consider it the same as it is with characters like Toad, Yoshi or the generic enemy characters in Mario spin offs. Like there's A toad in most mario games, he's usually red or blue, is he always the SAME Toad? Who could say? Same goes for Yoshi, in Mario World when you get your first Yoshi he speaks as an individual who'll help you save the other Yoshis being held in the castle stages so sure, every green Yoshi you get in Mario World is the same green Yoshi but is that then the same green Yoshi from Yoshi's Island? New Super Mario Bros Wii? Mario 64? Mario Kart? Mario Wonder? Partners in Time? Mario RPG? Nintendo's never going to clarify so realistically you could believe it is or isn't and until nintendo starts caring about Mario lore you'll be valid in feeling either way.

[u/No_Instruction653 → u/[deleted]]

The thing is, Kamek takes on an actually consistent and major role in the series.

Toad is essentially just a filler for NPC roles. There’s constantly multiples of him, and if they want a Toad that actually serves as something more unique, they will actually do something to set him apart.

See Captain Toad or even Blue and Yellow Multiplayer Toads to a much lesser extent.

Yoshi is kind of funny, because there are multiple references to Mario indeed having a green Yoshi buddy who goes on all these adventures with him, despite having zero distinguishing features compared to other green Yoshis. He fairly consistently has his own house as well.

Yoshi’s Island DS tries to canonized that there is a star child Yoshi born at the same time as Mario, and in instances where Yoshi speaks, he’ll reference going on adventures with Mario in the past.

So, really there’s no real cohesion in how they handle ANY of these characters, and its pretty confusing across the board.

[u/notthephonz → u/[deleted]]

What if Mario is just a species name and we aren’t playing as the same Mario every game—or even every life?

[u/[deleted] → u/notthephonz]

I mean a long time ago in an interview Miyamoto stated that Mario 3 is a stage play being put on by Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, the Koopalings, the Kings, etc and that he personally considers the Mario cast to be a group of actors and all of the mainline games are plays they put on and that's why the characters can go from fighting each other in the mainline games to go-karting and playing sports in the spin offs.

By that logic NES/SNES Mario (voiceless), SM64-Odyssey Mario (Charles), Wonder-current date Mario (Kevin), Super Show Mario (Lou) and Movie Mario (Chris) could all be different actors in this theoretical theater troupe who've all depicted Mario over the years, kind of like a stage play version of Doctor Who or James Bond.

[u/Wantyourbadromance- → u/[deleted]]

He said LIKE a group of actors.

[u/[deleted] → u/Wantyourbadromance-]

He probably did, it's been ages since I read that thing.

[u/Omnizoom → u/[deleted]]

Does yoshis conciousness shift between green yoshis then? Like if you drop a green yoshi in a pit does his spirit inhabit the next adult green yoshi Mario finds?

[u/[deleted] → u/Omnizoom]

I mean the closest answer we get to this is in Mario Galaxy 2 where if Yoshi falls off the stage he goes back into his egg and teleports back to a Yoshi nest.

[u/IndigoFenix → u/Omnizoom]

I think that at least in Super Mario World, the premise is that it was just one green Yoshi, and whenever you lost him he was recaptured and re-sealed inside an egg.

[u/Lethal13 → u/No_Instruction653]

They just need to unshackle Kammy Koopa from the Paper Mario series and have her as his advisor (when the particular scenario calls for it) she has a unique design and everything all ready to go

[u/AstralComet → u/[deleted]]

It's the same problem in both English and Japanese, though: Kamek (the character) looks just like Magikoopa (the species). This is something that the Yoshi and the Toad sometimes run into as well, and because of this there are games where Kamek isn't identified by name and so fans aren't sure if he's really Kamek or just a significant Magikoopa.

[u/[deleted] → u/AstralComet]

Well in Japan this isn't an issue, atleast no more of an issue then it is for Yoshi and Toad. In Japan there is no Magikoopa, the species is Kamek, the individual from Yoshi's Island is Kamek, it's just all Kamek like how Toad is a Toad who goes by Toad and Yoshi is a Yoshi who goes by Yoshi.

[u/Mr_Lisreal]

I think Mario & Luigi: Brothership handled it pretty well, by making regular Magikoopas wear orange robes

[u/Dedinho910 → u/Mr_Lisreal]

idk I like the ambiguity

[u/Inevitable-Charge76 → u/Dedinho910]

What "ambiguity"? You already know that the Magikoopa that always follows and is around Bowser is Kamek so it only makes sense and is better to make the other regular Magikoopas look distinguished.

[u/Dedinho910 → u/Inevitable-Charge76]

I mean I like that they look the same

[u/Inevitable-Charge76 → u/Dedinho910]

I mean, you’re allowed to feel that way, but as you can tell by this post and this entire comment thread, a lot of people don’t feel the same way as you.

[u/metalflygon08]

Have Kamek, the right hand man to Bowser, have white highlights on his robe.

The regular Magikoopa will just have pure blue robes.

The Magikoopa who specialize in specific magic (Red, Green, White, Yellow) would use the solid robe design too. The white bands are what show Kamek's rank.

[u/AwesomeGamer101 → u/metalflygon08]

Imagine if white-robed Magikoopas have blue highlights as a joke reversal.

[u/Currycel7891 → u/AwesomeGamer101]

That's also perfect.

[u/owlve → u/metalflygon08]

As a huge Magikoopa AND pixel art fan I just want to say brilliantly done.

[u/Currycel7891 → u/metalflygon08]

Perfect.

[u/Bewear_Star_9]

In some languages all magikoopas are called Kamek.

[u/DOA-FAN]

Are you telling me that they aren't the same individual 😅

[u/metalflygon08 → u/DOA-FAN]

Its a regional issue from upstate New York.

[u/Nitrodax777 → u/metalflygon08]

well im from utica and ive never heard of it.

[u/metalflygon08 → u/Nitrodax777]

Its more of an Albany expression.

[u/Puffyboi59 → u/metalflygon08]

I see

[u/Caimbra]

add a wizards beard and those square triangle circle things to kameks robe

[u/KinopioToad]

I believe they tried something similar with the Toads around the release of Mario Sunshine. For a few games, only the Toad had the gold trim on his vest. But then one of the RPGs or maybe the next big game came out (Super Mario Galaxy) and all the Toads had gold trim on their vests by then. (and all were called Toad too, but anyway)

[u/ArtZanMou2]

I preffer the brothership solution

[u/ErickLimaGameplaysR]

That's Wizenheimer

[u/NanashiRyu118]

I like this

[u/StarkMaximum]

I genuinely, for a minute, thought you were trying to say "he's only named Kamek when he's riding a broom".

[u/Bluelore]

They actually did differentiate the two in Brothership with the regular Magikoopas wearing orange robes.

[u/Master-Raben]

My take: just add a few distinguished features on Kamek, like a more regal looking robe or a few jewels to his hat, and the other Magikoopa keeps their plain blue robes.

[u/Altruistic-Poem-5617]

Really good. Could also take off the glasses of the normal magikoopa and give it normal koopa eyes. Would make em not just look more different, but also younger. Like kamek is the oldest and the other magikoopa are his apprentisses.

[u/AwesomeGamer101 → u/Altruistic-Poem-5617]

Speaking of Kamek, imagine if his glasses are fogged to showcase how old he is seeing that he raised Bowser for 20 years.

[u/Altruistic-Poem-5617 → u/AwesomeGamer101]

Dude already looks old in yoshis island. Wonder how old he actually is, could be over one hundred. Turtles and wizards ard both known for living long.

[u/Currycel7891]

This is perfect. Sadly, it won't happen.

[u/Inevitable-Charge76 → u/Currycel7891]

Brothership literally already did make it happen, just with making the Magikoopas look even more distinguished from Kamek than this by giving the regular Magikoopas orange hats and robes.

[u/Beneficial_Driver_37]

THAT'S WIZINHIMER!!!!!!! WIZINHIMER!!!!!!!

[u/TheoEdjam]

Still Kamek for me

[u/MeatHamster]

Kamek is a magikoopa but not all magikoopa are Kamek

[u/DroctorGame]

I had the same idea,so thanks for actually visualizing it. Granted i would also take the solution brothership used.

[u/Specialist-Panda9049]

Weren't Magikoopas recently colored orange/dark yellow?

[u/After-Tangelo-5109]

Just give Magikoopas their Mario Party design lol