Nintendo’s new video game: “Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door” will feature a transgender character, the game’s creators confirmed.
Vivian, a biological male who was bullied for identifying as female, appeared in the original 2004 Japanese version. In the version released in the US, Vivian is bullied for being “ugly” instead.
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The New York Post reports: In the new update of the game, released on Thursday, Vivian — who was born male — initially appears as a villain alongside her sisters, Marilyn and Bedlam.
The trio plot against plumber protagonist, Mario, before Vivian decides to leave her sisters behind due to their nonstop bullying.
“Truth is, it took me a while to realize I was their sister… not their brother,” Vivian states in the game. “Now their usual bullying feels heavier.”
The new version of “Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door” doesn’t appear to be a woke reboot, however.
Interestingly, in the original 2004 Japanese version, Vivian was also transgender and subject to teasing from her sisters.
In the English translation, released that same year, the character was not trans. Instead, she was bullied because she was “ugly.”
The main difference in the new 2024 edition is that the teasing is toned down, with game-makers adopting a more celebratory attitude towards Vivian’s trans identity.
