Bowser Jr.

The sole child of Bowser who fights for his dad while inventing machines and wielding magic paintbrushes.

Bowser Jr., known in Japan as Koopa Jr., is the sole son of Bowser and a recurring antagonist in the Mario franchise. First introduced in the 2002 game Super Mario Sunshine, he is a child prodigy skilled in magic, technology, and inventing machines. Storywise, he acts as the prince of his father's kingdom, often aiding evil plans simply because he wants to make his dad proud and does not know any better. While he appears in many mainline games and spinoffs, his role has evolved from a kidnapper believing Princess Peach is his mother to a complex character navigating growing up in his father's shadow.

Quick Facts

Series: Mario
Creator: Shigeru Miyamoto
First game: Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
Nickname: Junior
Species: Koopa
Family: Bowser (father)

Lore & Background

Bowser Jr. debuted in Super Mario Sunshine, where he kidnapped Princess Peach under the mistaken belief that she was his mother, acting on his father's indoctrination that Mario was a bad man. He utilized a giant robot of his own creation and a magic paintbrush invented by Professor E. Gadd to aid these plans. After losing to Mario, Jr. admitted he realized Peach was not his mother but remained determined to fight again to make Bowser proud. In the 2015 game Bowser's Fury, his role shifted significantly; he accompanied Mario on a journey, using a personally-modified Clown Car and an invented magic paintbrush to help confront enemies, collect coins, break hidden blocks, and retain power-ups for Mario. Development teams later focused on him in Bowser Jr.'s Journey to show his growth from living in his father's shadow to leading a gang he cherishes, rewriting the script multiple times to make him relatable.

Reader's Guide

Bowser Jr. first appeared in Super Mario Sunshine in 2002. He is recognized as the sole child of Bowser, a fact confirmed by creator Shigeru Miyamoto in 2012, who stated that the identity of Bowser Jr.'s mother is unknown. Physically, he is a bipedal, turtle-like creature with a yellow body, beige snout, and a green shell with spikes. His design includes black wristbands and a white bandana around his neck featuring a jagged mouth print. He has been featured in numerous mainline titles including New Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Galaxy 2, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, often as a boss level. In the Super Smash Bros. franchise, he debuted as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Voice actor Benny Safdie portrayed him in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, focusing on his dynamic with Bowser through lines like "Oh, daddy".

Did You Know?

In 2015, Shigeru Miyamoto humorously claimed he was the mother of Bowser Jr.
Bowser Jr. is the only child of Bowser; the Koopalings are not his siblings.
In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, his design features bloodshot eyes to reflect fatigue or emotional instability.