Bowser (Tony Jay, Super Mario Bros.) TTS Computer AI Voice

Bowser (Japanese: クッパ, Hepburn: Kuppa; "Koopa"), also known as King Bowser or King Koopa, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Nintendo's Mario franchise.[6] In Japan, he is titled Daimaō (大魔王; Great Demon King").[7] He is the arch-nemesis of the plumber Mario and the leader of the turtle-like Koopa race. Depicted as a fire-breathing monster with a tyrannical personality, Bowser's ultimate goals are to kidnap Princess Peach and conquer the Mushroom Kingdom.[8]

Bowser debuted as Mario's opponent in the 1985 video game Super Mario Bros.[9] Designer Shigeru Miyamoto initially conceived him as an ox based on the Ox-King from the Toei Animation film Alakazam the Great.[10] However, Takashi Tezuka remarked that the character resembled a turtle more than an ox, leading them to redesign Bowser as the leader of the turtle-like Koopas.[11] Since 2007, Bowser has been voiced by Kenneth W. James.[12]

Following Super Mario Bros., Bowser has appeared in various genres, including role-playing games like Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi, sports games such as Mario Kart and Mario Tennis, and fighting games like Super Smash Bros.[13] He has appeared in multiple animations, including three series produced by DIC Entertainment (voiced by Harvey Atkin)[14] and was portrayed by Dennis Hopper in the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film.[15] Jack Black voiced him in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).[16]

Bowser has received a mostly positive reception, with critics noting that he is one of the most iconic and recognizable video game villains.[6][17] He was crowned the greatest video game villain of all time by the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.[18]