Mario's mom (also known as
Mama Mario and referred to as
Mama and
Mama Mia by her children; maiden name
Rigassi) is the mother of
Mario and
Luigi and a recurring minor character in the
Super Mario franchise and its spin-offs, particularly on
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, where she is referenced throughout the television series' run and makes two appearances in the live-action segments. A version of Mario's mother makes her first appearance in
Super Mario Issun-bōshi.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! was responsible for the expansion of the character, being the first and, for much of the franchise's history, only source that showed her face or explored her personality, developing her as a strict parental figure who ultimately cared very much for her children. Though Mario and Luigi fear her temper and punishments on the show, both boys return their mother's love. Mario's mom's connection to
Mario and Luigi's father is unclear in some appearances, but the two are shown to live with each other in all of his appearances, and the fact that she has a maiden name implies that she is or was married. Mario's mom's appearance is relatively inconsistent across the series:
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! portrays her as a portly, masculine woman, while the
Super Mario Bros. comics show her as a dainty, blonde-haired, young woman. She also appears in
The Super Mario Bros. Movie, living in
Brooklyn along with Mario's dad and other members of
Mario's family.
