- "This is as far as you go!"
- —Birdo, Super Mario Advance
Birdo (キャサリン Kyasarin?, lit. Catherine), self-referred to as Birdetta and the shorthand Birdie, is a recurring character in the Mario franchise. She first appeared in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, a Japanese game featuring Birdo as the first boss, but she has since become a part of the Mario franchise when the game was localized overseas as Super Mario Bros. 2.
Profile[]
Physical description[]
Birdo is a pink Birdo who wears a giant red bow. Birdo looks very similar to a Yoshi. She has bright pink skin, a white belly, and red ridges on her back. She has four fingers and three toes on each hand and foot respectively. Her snout is shaped like a trumpet, for shooting her signature eggs. For accessories, she wears are a large red bow on the back of her head and a large diamond ring on her left hand.
Personality traits[]
Birdo is a feminine and confident. She is often seen striking poses after winning.
Powers and abilities[]
- Egg Throw: Birdo can throw eggs from her mouth. They act like a projectile.
- Vehicular Mastery: In Mario Kart series, Birdo can drive either a kart or a bike.
Gender[]
Birdo's gender has been debated throughout the series. According to the North American instruction manual for Super Mario Bros. 2, "[Birdo] thinks he is a girl and likes to be called Birdetta." However, later versions of the game make no mention in the manual nor the video game itself. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Birdo's trophy description describes the character as one of "indeterminate gender", using the pronoun "it" rather than gender-specific pronouns such as "he" or "she". However, several other sources refer to Birdo as a female. The confusion surrounding Birdo's gender has also been addressed in a light-hearted matter, such as when Popple pauses before settling on calling Birdo a "dame" in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, before Birdo insists he call her Birdie. In Super Mario Advance though, the Birdos feature female voices. In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, the first lyrics of Birdo's serenade allude to the gender confusion by saying, "Heart of a woman, heart of a man... Both can know of love's grace..."
In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Yoshi and Birdo are partners and share a similar Special Item. On the official Japanese site for the game, the description for Catherine states that she "appears to be Yoshi's girlfriend, but is actually his boyfriend!?" (ヨッシーの彼女に見えて実は彼氏!?)[1]
Game data[]
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Timeline[]
[Edit] Game
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Role | Year | Console | Notes |
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Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic | Boss | 1987 | Family Computer Disk System | |
Super Mario Bros. 2 | Boss | 1988 | Nintendo Entertainment System | Same as in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic |
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Behind the scenes[]
Etymology[]
Birdo's name is derived from "bird" even though nothing really resembles a bird on her. The O might also reference their O-shaped snouts. The suffix o is also a masculine suffix in Latin.
Quotes[]
- "Well, hello there."
- —Birdo, Super Mario Advance
- "I'll remember this!"
- —Birdo, Super Mario Advance
- "You may have defeated my darling, but that is as far as you go!"
- —Birdo, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Trivia[]
- The band Horse The Band has a song dedicated to Birdo.
- In the instruction manual for Super Mario Bros. 2, Birdo and Ostro's names are switched.
- The pads of Birdo's feet are similar to that of Bowser Jr..
Gallery[]
To view Birdo's image gallery, click here.
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References[]
- ↑ Nintendo.co.jp Mario Kart: Double Dash!! character page. Retrieved January 27, 2011