Bowser Jr., known in Japan as , and also known simply as Junior, is a character from the Mario franchise by Nintendo who was introduced in the 2002 game Super Mario Sunshine. He is the son of the series' main villain, Bowser, and is the secondary antagonist of the series himself. Bowser Jr. is a recurring character in the Mario franchise, having been featured in many of its mainline games, spinoffs, and other media. He is the prince of his father's kingdom, and a misguided yet intelligent child prodigy who is skilled in magic, technology, and inventing or creating machines. Because of his father's influence, he often aids his father's evil plans, but mainly because he is a young child who wants to make his father proud.
Bowser Jr. has also been a subject of critical discussion among video game journalists, with particular focus on his role in the games and his dynamic with Bowser.
Development and design
Bowser Jr. is a bipedal, turtle-like creature with a yellow body, a beige snout and a green shell with spikes. The upper portion of his head is green-colored with small horns. His head is proportionally large and features black eyes, thick eyebrows, and a wide mouth with a visible fang. A tuft of hair extends upward from the top of his head. He wears black wristbands, in addition to a white bandana around his neck displaying a printed design of a jagged mouth. Bowser Jr.'s childlike design resembles that of Bowser's when he was a child, although the major difference between the two is that Bowser was never seen with an artistic bandana.
Originally, Bowser's children were assumed to be the Koopalings. However, in 2012, the creator of the Mario franchise, Shigeru Miyamoto, revealed that Bowser Jr. is the sole child of Bowser, and his mother's identity is unknown. When asked later in 2015 about Bowser Jr.'s mother status, Miyamoto humorously claimed it to be himself.
Retrospectively discussing Bowser Jr.'s Journey, the development team said that they chose to focus on Bowser Jr. because in a previous game Goomba was the protagonist, a character who is faithful to Bowser, and in the earlier game Bowser's Inside Story, where Bowser himself was the protagonist; the team thought Bowser Jr. would match the appeal, in contrast to the aforementioned characters and be a suitable choice for a follow-up. The team wanted to show his development from growing up in his father's shadow to becoming a leader of a gang, whom he cherishes. The team rewrote the game script multiple times to make him relatable to the audience. Game director Shunsuke Kobayashi stated that prior the character had appeared occasionally as a prankster archetype through the Mario franchise, and the story in Bowser Jr.'s Journey was meant to reflect him dealing with growing up while still looking up to his father, and wanted their relationship to be something parents could see themselves reflected in when playing the game with their children. However, since the game was focused on the hardship of Bowser Jr., who is a child, the team experienced difficulties balancing the intensity of his suffering to avoid giving a regretful feeling to players for him.
In an exclusive Fandango interview conducted by actress Nikki Novak with the voice cast of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Benny Safdie discussed his portrayal of Bowser Jr., commenting on how he had approached the idea of playing a spoiled, angry child obsessed with his father. Additionally, Safdie emphasized the bonding scenes between Bowser and Bowser Jr. with dialogues such as "Oh, daddy" and "Oh, daddy, please" as his favourite moments from the film, which he found humorous and rehearsed with his children to make the relationship feel more natural.
Appearances Super Mario series Bowser Jr. first appeared in Super Mario Sunshine in 2002. Using an enhanced bandana bearing the likeness of Mario's mustache, he is able to shapeshift into a duplicate of Mario dubbed "Shadow Mario" in order to frame the real plumber for making messes around Isle Delfino with graffiti and stealing the Shine Sprites that provide sunlight for the island. While Mario is occupied with cleaning up the graffiti and recovering the Shine Sprites, Bowser Jr. kidnaps Princess Peach, having been told by Bowser that she is his long-lost mother and that Mario has kidnapped her. After Mario catches up to the Bowsers at their airborne hot tub and destroys it, foiling their plans, Bowser Jr. reveals to his father that he already knows Peach is not really his mother, but looks forward to fighting Mario again when he is older, thus making Bowser proud.
In Bowser's Fury, Bowser Jr., with his personally-modified clown car and reinvented-on-his-own magic paintbrush, plays the role of accompanying Mario on his journey. In the game, Bowser Jr. can help him in ways like confronting enemies, collecting extra coins, breaking hidden blocks, retaining power-ups for Mario, and uncovering secrets through his paintbrush. Although there are in-game options that can limit his interference.
The character is present in many other Super Mario titles, often as a boss level. The character appeared in New Super Mario Bros., New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2, New Super Mario Bros. U, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Other games Like most of the main Mario cast, Bowser Jr. appears in a number of spin-off series, including Mario Kart, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, Mario Party, and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games.
Bowser Jr. also appears in the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series, first appearing in Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team respectively. The character received a dedicated side story, Bowser Jr.'s Journey, in the Nintendo 3DS remake of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
Bowser Jr. appears as a playable fighter in the Super Smash Bros. franchise, debuting in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.
In Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Bowser Jr. appears as one of the bosses in the game.
Other media Bowser Jr. is voiced by Benny Safdie in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, serving as one of the two main antagonists (alongside his father), and with a mission to rescue his kidnapped father. He also appears in a modernized design inspired by his Super Mario Bros. Wonder look, featuring a mechanized voice, metallic armor, and a transformable paintbrush capable of shifting into a chained morning star.
Critical reception Character portrayal Jenni Lada of Siliconera described Bowser Jr.'s role in the Bowser Jr.'s Journey game as an enjoyable protagonist. Lada felt that he often draws attention with his playful and bratty behavior, motivated by a desire to make his father proud. She stated that he can be mischievous and annoying at times, but is not truly evil, and the game shows him trying to do the right thing. Lada considered Bowser Jr. to be determined and impatient, often insisting on his own way, but showing moments of innocence and naivety that could be amusing. She felt that Bowser Jr.'s "my way or the highway" approach suited the game, which she believed sometimes feel like the player is brute-forcing their way through it, particularly since he realizes that his approach is not effective and would disappoint his father. Ethan Gach, writing for Kotaku, stated that after playing Bowser Jr.'s Journey, he felt the game meaningfully fleshed out Bowser Jr.'s characterization. He observed that the story presents Bowser as a flawed parent attempting to balance the responsibilities of ruling a kingdom with raising a troubled child, while also depicting Bowser Jr. facing challenges following his father's sudden absence.
Nadia Oxford from USgamer offered an assessment of Bowser Jr.'s reputation among Nintendo fans while reviewing Bowser Jr.'s Journey. Oxford stated that, unlike multiple Nintendo characters, Bowser Jr. has often been met with apathy or dislike, particularly from long-time fans who viewed him as a replacement for the franchise's Koopalings following Nintendo's revision of their status as subordinates of Bowser and his son. Oxford started liking Bowser Jr., especially due to the affectionate dynamic with Bowser seen in promotional material like the "Parental Controls" advertising of Nintendo Switch. In reference to Bowser Jr.'s Journey, Oxford suggested that Nintendo appeared aware of the character's contested popularity and set the narrative around him. Oxford praised the narrative for successfully softening Bowser Jr.'s image and cited it as a good example of strong character writing.
Holly Green, writing for The A.V. Club, criticized the depiction of Bowser Jr. in Bowser's Fury, observing how he had to ask his main enemy, Mario, for assistance in order to reach his aggressive father in the narrative. She said that this kind of storytelling is disturbing for a children's game and conveyed that this was not the first time she had felt worried about Bowser Jr., citing a possibility of Princess Peach being his mother, which she described as "logistically is horrifying in more ways than one". She concluded, "I'm rooting for Bowser Jr. No one should have to consult an adult, much less one of their mortal enemies, to reign a parent with an anger problem. You're a brat, Bowser Jr., but you deserve a better father".
In November 2025, the design of Bowser Jr., particularly his bloodshot eyes in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, drew attention. Kotaku journalist Kenneth Shepard, commenting on the film's promotional trailer, observed that the depiction of Bowser Jr. featured bloodshot eyes, contrasting with the franchise's usual stylized designs. Shepard suggested that the exaggerated eye design may serve as an artistic device reflecting fatigue or emotional instability, and noted that viewers found it unsettling. He questioned whether the design would remain unchanged before release, comparing it to the pre-release redesign of Sonic the Hedgehog in Paramount Pictures' 2020 film adaptation. GameSpot journalist Lan Pitts expressed similar concerns. Jenna Anderson of The Mary Sue stated that she possesses maternal instincts towards Bowser Jr. and selects him as her main character to play throughout the Mario franchise games. Ever since the release of 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Anderson said that she was eagerly waiting for Bowser Jr.'s casting in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, with Jack Black's "over-the-top" voice of Bowser in consideration, fan-made concepts for Bowser Jr.'s voice included personalities like Kevin Hart, The Rizzler, and Tim Robinson. In contrast, she said that Benny Safdie was a "great" and "memorable" selection for Bowser Jr., mentioning his filmography and involvement in the Oscars.
In coverage by VG247, writers Hirun Cryer and Nadia Oxford inspected Bowser Jr. in Mario Tennis Aces, focusing on his playstyle and characterization. Cryer was highly critical, classifying him as frustrating to compete against and finding fault in his design, especially with his reliance on a mechanical assistant during matches, which he argued makes his role feel less direct. Oxford, however, took on a more positive view, referencing Bowser Jr.'s personality and his repeated desire to impress his father and noted that their interactions added charm and humor across different appearances.
Competitive play