Love Flounders
"Love Flounders" is a comic of the Super Mario Bros. comic series published as part the Nintendo Comics System brand. This comic features the only appearance of the Frog Suit in the comic series. The title is a pun on "love flowers."
Plot synopsis[edit]
Luigi and Toad enter the royal throne room, telling Mario, who is in a Frog Suit, that he is going to be late for the Bowling for Pasta tournament. Mario states he is not going because he has to get chuckberries for Princess Toadstool's cereal. However, chuckberries are rare fruits, and it could take Mario days to find some. As he wonders what else could go wrong, Stanley the Talking Fish pops out from under the water.
Now underwater, Stanley introduces Mario to his new girlfriend, Smookers, who is not the brightest Jelectro in the sea. Mario wants Stanley to leave him alone, but Stanley has a date with Bertha and wants Mario to help him get out of it. Mario agrees, only because he wants Stanley gone. Unfortunately, Bertha shows up, asking if Mario is her new boyfriend. Stanley apparently told her that Mario begged him to go out with her. Mario then proceeds to flee. Meanwhile, Smookers asks how Bertha took the news of Stanley's breaking up with her. They watch as Mario swims for his life through a pack of Jelectros. Mario hides in some seaweed and is able to escape from Bertha and her Baby Cheep. A Jelectro comes up behind him and asks if he is looking for chuckberries, and tells him not to run away from Bertha. Mario turns to find the chuckberries, but the Jelectro and several other creatures do not want him to have it, as it means one of them will have to be Bertha's boyfriend.
Stanley gives the chuckberries to Smookers, but Mario rushes up behind them and snatches it. Smookers wonders if Stanley really did settle things with Bertha. Mario escapes from the other fish, but comes up to Bertha. She kisses him and takes away Mario's Frog Suit. Bertha is shocked and hurt, assuming Stanley lied to her and that everybody hates her. Mario gets ready to leave, but sees Bertha sulking, and gives her the chuckberries. He tells her he does not love her, but wants to be friends with her. She gleefully accepts, and promises to beat up Stanley the Talking Fish, who had just been dumped by Smookers. Mario returns to the castle, where Princess Toadstool had just eaten Mario's meatball bowling ball. She sends him off again to get some Bi-Carb Crystals, with Mario commenting to the reader that he hopes she will not put him in a "clown suit" this time.
Gallery[edit]
Frog Mario is sad that he cannot join Luigi in playing Bowling for Pasta
Frog Mario finds the Chuckberries
Characters[edit]
- Mario
- Luigi
- Princess Toadstool
- Toad
- Wooster
- Stanley the Talking Fish
- Bertha
- Bertha's Baby Cheep
- Koopa Troopa
- Venus Fire Traps
- Bloopers
- Smookers
- Jelectros
- Fish
Notable mistakes and errors[edit]
- In the original version, "you're" is incorrectly used instead of "your" when Frog Mario says that he is not going to do Stanley's work for him.
Version differences[edit]
- In the German translation:
- In the original version, as Bertha begins to chase after Frog Mario, she says, "Hunka hunka burnin' love," referencing the Elvis Presley song of the same name. In the translation, she instead says that her gills are shaking from love.
- In the Brazilian Portuguese translation, she instead says that she sees Mario, replying to her Baby Cheep's comment of him being "cute."
- In the final panel, in the original version, when Princess Toadstool tells Mario to search for some Bi-Carb Crystals after eating his meatball bowling ball, Mario tells the reader that he hopes that she will not put him in a clown suit this time. In the translation, he instead says that he hopes he will not have to disguise himself as a tablet.
- In the original version, as Bertha begins to chase after Frog Mario, she says, "Hunka hunka burnin' love," referencing the Elvis Presley song of the same name. In the translation, she instead says that her gills are shaking from love.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| German | Die Liebes-Flunder[1] | The Love Flounder | |
| Portuguese | Problemas de amor[2] | Love problems |
Notes[edit]
- As Bertha begins to chase after Mario, she says, "Hunka hunka burnin' love," which references the Elvis Presley song of the same name.
