Super Mario creator says new movie humanizes popular game character

Apr 30 (Japan Times) - 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.

Dust Storms Forecast To Hit Tokyo

Rain affected parts of Japan on Tuesday morning as a low-pressure system and front moved through, bringing heavier downpours in some areas. Skies are expected to clear across much of the country this afternoon. However, yellow sand drifting in from the Asian continent is forecast to spread over a wide area, raising concerns over reduced visibility and worsening health conditions.

Japan Gov't Warns of Possible Megaquake

Japan's weather agency and the Cabinet Office issued a 'Hokkaido-Sanriku Offshore Subsequent Earthquake Advisory' after an earthquake measuring upper 5 on Japan's seismic intensity scale struck off Sanriku.

New Shinkansen Reservation Service Lets Users Book in One Minute

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Bear Found in Bushes in Central Sendai Finally Culled

A bear that had remained in a residential area in central Sendai since early Sunday morning was euthanized last night in an emergency cull. No injuries were reported.

Father Admits Killing and Body Abandonment in Kyoto

Police investigating the death of an 11-year-old boy whose body was found in a forest in Kyoto Prefecture believe his father moved the remains between several locations over a number of days in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime.

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