Mario as Crockett

Something I have never understood was why Mario as Raccoon Mario or Tanooki Mario worked so well. A plumber is absurd enough let alone with ears and a stripe tail coming from his rear.

Other power ups never really meshed as well. Mario and the water backpack just looked bad. Metal Mario never caught on. Mario with rabbit ears or dove’s ears from the hat never worked. Mario with a cape somewhat worked because of the Superman analogy. But even that seemed pale.

Mario with a raccoon tail truly worked. Why?

Then I realized something. It is a fashion statement in Texas to wear a raccoon tail, likely probably something you don’t find anywhere else in the world. And this is all due to the coonskin cap made famous by Davey Crockett.

Davey Crockett was famous for being there at the Alamo. Since I know a global audience watches this site, they may not know what the Alamo is. The Alamo is the Western Hemisphere’s equivalent of the Spartans in the movie “300” where fortified soldiers, hopelessly outnumbered, ended up perishing but wiped out vast armies one after another. The fall of the Alamo would lead to Texas becoming its own country. It is the Alamo, essentially, which pretty gives Texans their fierce state pride you don’t see in any other state. It is also why the current governor, order to push up his poll ratings, would say “Texas might need to become its own country again.” This is typical here. Both parties in this state speak this language. Even the Mexicans become part of it. It is as common as barbecue down here.

 

My point is that there is a historical standard of a person wearing a raccoon tail. Now, I know Miyamoto did not put it in because of this. I am only saying Mario’s raccoon tail works for the same reason that Crockett’s raccoon tail works.

So let us paraphrase a quote from Crockett on the day that Super Mario Brothers 5 is released (addressed to the “game industry”):

“You guys can go to hell, but I’m going to the Mushroom Kingdom.”