Nintendo has recently announced the cast and release date for its upcoming animated Super Mario movie, a collaboration with Illumination Entertainment. While many fans are excited to see their favorite characters on the big screen, some are also disappointed by the absence of one important character: Princess Daisy.
Princess Daisy is the princess of Sarasaland, a kingdom that was invaded by an alien named Tatanga in Super Mario Land, the first game where she appeared. She was rescued by Mario and became his love interest for a brief period. Since then, she has mostly appeared in spin-off games such as Mario Kart, Mario Party, Mario Tennis and Super Smash Bros., where she is usually paired up with Luigi.
However, Daisy has also been featured in a previous Super Mario movie adaptation: the 1993 live-action film starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo. In this film, Daisy was portrayed by Samantha Mathis as a paleontologist who discovers that she is actually from an alternate dimension where dinosaurs evolved into humanoids. She is kidnapped by King Koopa (Dennis Hopper), who wants to merge both worlds and rule them. She is saved by Luigi (Leguizamo), who falls in love with her.
The 1993 film was widely panned by critics and fans alike for its dark tone, poor plot and unfaithful representation of the source material. However, some fans have appreciated its creative risks and cult status over time. One of the aspects that some fans liked was Daisy’s character development and role in the story. She was not just a damsel in distress, but an active protagonist who helped Luigi and Mario (Hoskins) defeat Koopa and restore balance to both worlds.
Daisy’s appearance in the 1993 film also established her as a core part of the Mario universe, even if it was not canon to the games. She was shown to be brave, smart and adventurous, traits that fit well with her tomboyish personality in later games. She also had a connection to Yoshi (a baby dinosaur) and Toad (a rebel leader), two characters that are confirmed to appear in the new animated movie.
Why Did Nintendo Exclude Princess Daisy from the 2023 Super Mario Movie?
The official reason is unknown, but some speculate that it could be due to her lack of popularity compared to other characters such as Peach or Rosalina. Some also argue that having two princesses would be redundant or confusing for casual viewers who are not familiar with the games.
However, these reasons are not convincing enough for many Daisy fans who feel that she deserves more recognition than being a minor character in a few spin-off games. They argue that Daisy is a core part of the Mario universe and has a loyal fan base that supports her. They also point out that Nintendo has teased Sarasaland before but never delivered on it.
Sarasaland is Daisy’s home kingdom that consists of four regions: Birabuto (based on ancient Egypt), Muda (based on Atlantis), Easton (based on Easter Island) and Chai (based on China). It was first introduced in Super Mario Land but has never been revisited since then. However, Nintendo did include a reference to Sarasaland in a promotional image for Super Mario Odyssey, where it appeared as one of the destinations on Cappy’s map.
This image sparked hope among Daisy fans that Sarasaland would finally make an appearance in Super Mario Odyssey or another future game. However, they were disappointed when they realized that Sarasaland was not included in Super Mario Odyssey, or any other game so far. They were even more disappointed when they learned that Sarasaland would not be featured in the new movie either.
By ignoring Sarasaland and Daisy’s role in it, Nintendo is missing out on an opportunity to explore a rich and diverse world that could add more depth and variety to its franchise. It could also appeal to more audiences who are interested in different cultures and settings than just Mushroom Kingdom or Galaxy.
Daisy fans are not asking for much: they just want their favorite character to get some respect and attention from Nintendo. They want her to have more appearances in mainline games or at least have her own game where she can shine as a heroine. They want her to be included in projects like movies or shows where she can interact with other characters and show off her personality.
Unfortunately, it seems like Nintendo does not share their vision. Instead of giving them what they want, Nintendo has dashed the hopes of fans everywhere. Likely won’t deter people from still watching the movie though.
