After conquering multiplexes across the world, "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" made its homecoming to Japan on Friday, in a film the video game's creator says has given the iconic character a more human personality.
"The Mario who was puppet-like in the games has become humanized, and with his varied expressions and flashy movements, he's become a 'person' now," said Shigeru Miyamoto, representative director and fellow at Nintendo, in a recent interview with Kyodo News.
The animated film starring Mario, who made his video game debut in 1981 and appears in numerous titles, including the Super Mario Bros. series, has already been a huge financial success. It is expected to become the first film this year to gross $1 billion at the global box office, according to U.S. media.