And the next Mario-themed internet obsession is: indie rock Rosalina
Odyssey.
It's been a busy couple of weeks for Nintendo's characters (and their disturbingly eroticised hybrids) on the internet. First there was Donald Trump's penile Toad, then Bowsette, and now the latest Mario universe star hovering on the brink of meme-dom: indie rock Rosalina.
Rosalina's striking new look began garnering attention over the weekend when concept art from the Super Mario Odyssey art book (the same book that proved Nintendo had invented Bowsette way before the internet thought it did) was posted to the r/Nintendo. Unsurprisingly, fandom was immediately enthralled by the sight of everybody's favourite intergalactic princess dressed down and grunged up.
It's not just Rosalina's new look that's piqued fans' interest, of course - many are curious to know what kind of role the character was originally intended to play in Super Mario Odyssey, given that she's conspicuously absent in Mario's latest adventure, despite the Mushroom Kingdom's other two A-list princesses - Peach and Pauline - getting a plenty of airtime.
Most speculation, inspired by Rosalina's distinctly metropolitan vibe, revolves around the idea that the character was originally intended to cameo in New Donk City, perhaps as a street busker, or even a player in Rosalina's jazz band - but, alas, unless Nintendo offers answers, we'll never know for sure. As always though, fans have stepped up to fill in the blanks, whipping out sketchbooks to immortalise rock Rosalina and her cruelly cut Odyssey role.
Told you guys I'd draw Guitarist Rosalina pic.twitter.com/sscCCi9vl4
— Fran (@franmm127) September 29, 2018
the poor man: "bowsette was almost canon!!!"
— benbeau (@artbenbeau) September 29, 2018
the thinking man: "casual rosalina playing the guitar was almost canon"
just a very quick black&white doodle, might finish up later#cutiesaturday #Rosalina #SuperMarioOdyssey pic.twitter.com/eEyKee1pqN
~Starstruck Strummer~ #CutieSaturday #SuperMarioOdyssey #Rosalina #Nintendo pic.twitter.com/8stPm9lJQg
— Stoic Seraphim (@Stoic_Miiverse) September 30, 2018
So Nintendo just recently revealed a casual concept for Rosalina that didn’t make it into Mario Odyssey, and I like the design so much that I decided to draw it! #Mario #Rosalina #CasualRosalina #Nintendo #Fanart pic.twitter.com/Im3rSokG68
— Andrew Doing Art (@AndrewDoingArt) September 29, 2018
Mario Odyssey concept art shows #Rosalina as a guitarist and I couldn't resist ⭐️🎸#SuperMarioOdyssey #Nintendo pic.twitter.com/hTiqFuUvxy
— 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐉𝐞𝐤 🎃 (@true_jek_art) October 1, 2018
I liked that #Rosalina outfit of the conceptual art of #SuperMarioOdyssey pic.twitter.com/xPJLu2d9sO
— Luzli (@Luzli_moon) October 1, 2018
I was not going to pass this up #Rosalina pic.twitter.com/VuxmCQvxRP
— Cole Ladouceur (@AncoPro) September 30, 2018
Ok Nintendo fans let’s get this costume the exposure it deserves #nintendo #digitalart #tradionalart #nintendofanart #fanart #rosalina #supermariogalaxy #guitar #marioodyssey #kawaii pic.twitter.com/8qnz4gCX6I
— Dood in Japan(Commissions Open October 13th) (@DatwonDoude) September 30, 2018
And of course, the internet still isn't quite over its Bowsette obsession.
Nintendo's Bowsette is so goofy. Jazz hands!#SmashBros #SuperSmashBros #SmashUltimate #SmashBrosUltimate #supersmashbrosultimate #bowsette #クッパ姫 #Peachette #SuperMario #SuperMarioOdyssey #SuperMarioBros #Nintendo #NintendoSwitch#pokemon #PokemonLetsGo #PokemonGO #Rosalina pic.twitter.com/0n861fxoVg
— Archdan (drawing hand injury - getting better) (@ArchdanMiiverse) September 30, 2018
That's all well and good then, but the Super Mario Odyssey art book does have one last surprise reveal. As inspiring as left-handed indie rock Rosalina is, and as inexplicable a hybrid as New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe's Peachette might be, it seems that Nintendo had other... ideas too.
If you listen carefully, you can hear the erotic fan art slowly blossoming into existence right now.
