Tanooki Mario

Tanooki Mario is a form of Mario or Luigi in Super Mario Bros. 3 when he obtains a Tanooki Suit. When they have this form, they will look like Tanookis and turn into a statue, known as Statue Mario or Statue Luigi, when pressing B and Down at the same time, in addition to temporarily flying like Raccoon Mario. When Mario or Luigi is in a statue form, they are invincible. This makes it an improved version of Raccoon Mario.

When Tanooki Mario is a statue, he cannot be hurt and if he uses this ability in the air, he can slam down like a Thwomp. This can destroy certain enemies and trigger switches. It will instantly destroy all Goombas and enemies with throwable shells (Koopas, Buzzy Beetles, and Spinies). It can also stomp previously unstompable enemies like Piranha Plants, Piranhacus Giganticus, Venus Fire Traps, Spiny Eggs, Thwomps, Podoboos, Fire Snakes, and Chain Chomps. It is also the only way to destroy Roto-Discs and Rocket Engine flames. Statue Mario will sink rapidly underwater and can even oppose the upward currents coming from pipes. This allows him to stomp Lava Lotuses, Bloopers and fish enemies underwater. Boss Bass is the only fish that Statue Mario can't stomp on and the only enemy that can harm him in that form by eating him. In Super Mario All-Stars, Tweester can turn Statue Mario back into Tanooki Mario on contact but he can still turn into Statue Mario while in the Tweester though it will not free him or have any desirable effect. One setback is that while Mario is a statue, he cannot move.

Tanooki Mario is not to be confused with actual Tanookis, who are a species found only on Isle Delfino.

The Tanooki Mario form's name comes from the tanuki, an animal found in Japan and is often depicted in folklore. The form that Statue Mario takes while wearing the Tanooki Suit is Kshitigarbha, who is the protector of travellers and the guardian of souls. In Japan he is known as Jizo-Bosatsu.

Tanooki Mario will return in the new Nintendo 3DS game, Super Mario (Nintendo 3DS). It is unknown what role it will play.

Trivia

 * If Mario beats an Airship in this form, the Mushroom King will say, "Thank you, kind raccoon. Please tell me your name."
 * Although it never appeared on the actual show, concept artwork of Tanooki Mario can be seen on the bonus disc of Shout! Factory's The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 DVD set.
 * According to the comic book story "Tanooki Suits Me", Tanooki Mario's statue transformation is triggered by pressing a button on the front of the suit, and to change back, he has to simply wish he were human again.
 * In Super Paper Mario there is a Sammer Guy called Cloak of Tanooki.
 * In Nintendo Monopoly, Tanooki Mario appears on the artwork of a Brick Block/Coin Block card that charges the player $50 for the purchase of a new suit.
 * A glitch in the original NES version allowed Tanooki Mario to become invincible if he entered a Goomba's Shoe as a statue. He would appear to be a gray Tanooki Mario. This was removed in remakes.