Super Mario-kun Manga May End After 30+ Years of Publication

The long-running manga series Super Mario-kun, which has chronicled the adventures of Nintendo’s iconic plumber for over three decades, may be nearing its conclusion, according to recent reports from Nintendo Everything. First serialized in 1991 in CoroCoro Comic, the manga has served as a beloved companion to the Super Mario video game franchise, offering lighthearted, often comedic interpretations of game storylines, power-ups, and characters. While no official announcement has been made by Shogakukan or Nintendo as of this writing, multiple Japanese manga tracking sites and fan communities have noted the absence of new chapters in recent issues, fueling speculation about the series’ end.

Super Mario-kun, created by Yukio Sawada and later continued by other artists under his studio, has been a staple of children’s manga in Japan, blending slapstick humor with accessible retellings of games ranging from Super Mario World to Super Mario Odyssey. Unlike direct adaptations, the series often took creative liberties — depicting Mario and Luigi in absurd situations, introducing original side characters, and reimagining boss battles with exaggerated physics and visual gags. Its tone has consistently leaned into parody and whimsy, making it a unique cultural artifact within Nintendo’s broader media ecosystem.

The manga’s longevity is notable in an industry where many long-running series conclude after a decade or two. Super Mario-kun’s run spans the transition from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System to the Nintendo Switch, adapting to evolving game design while maintaining its core comedic identity. Over 50 tankōbon volumes have been collected and released in Japan, with select chapters officially translated and published in English by Viz Media under the title Super Mario-kun, though the English releases lagged behind the Japanese originals by several years.

Industry observers note that the potential conclusion of Super Mario-kun reflects broader shifts in how Nintendo approaches multimedia storytelling. In recent years, the company has prioritized direct integration of narrative elements within games themselves — such as the cinematic storytelling in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or the character-driven plots of Super Mario Bros. Wonder — reducing reliance on external manga or anime adaptations for lore expansion. The rise of official Nintendo-sanctioned web comics and short-form digital content on platforms like Twitter and YouTube may have altered the demand for monthly serialized manga in print magazines.

Shogakukan, the publisher of CoroCoro Comic, has not issued any statement regarding the status of Super Mario-kun. The magazine continues to feature other long-running franchises such as Doraemon and Pokémon Adventures, suggesting that the potential end of this specific title may be tied to creative decisions rather than broader editorial changes. Sawada, who passed away in 2021, had entrusted the continuation of the series to his assistants, and it remains unclear whether the current creative team has chosen to conclude the work in his honor or due to declining serialization viability.

For fans, the possible end of Super Mario-kun marks the close of a nostalgic chapter that paralleled their own experiences growing up with the Mario franchise. While the manga never aimed for canonical accuracy, its influence can be seen in fan art, memes, and even certain promotional materials that adopted its playful aesthetic. Should the series conclude, it would join a select group of long-running video game manga adaptations — such as the Kirby manga series — that have endured for multiple console generations before wrapping up.

As of now, no final chapter has been confirmed, and the absence of new installments could still be attributed to temporary hiatus or scheduling delays common in monthly manga publication. However, given the length of the run and the lack of recent activity across official channels, many in the fan community are preparing for an official announcement in the coming months. Until then, Super Mario-kun remains a testament to the enduring appeal of Mario not just as a video game hero, but as a flexible icon capable of inspiring decades of creative reinterpretation across media.