News recently broke that Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto rejected a pitch for an evil Princess Peach character in 2008. The pitch, by longtime Nintendo developer Camelot, introduced the idea of a Wario-equivalent for Peach. With Wario and Waluigi being among the most popular characters in the Super Mario series, Nintendo's dismissal of Evil Peach denies its series and leading lady an opportunity for growth.Nintendo has a history of dictating how its Super Mario characters are depicted. However, the popularity of Wario and Waluigi proves that fans embrace wacky additions to the series, making the rejection of a Peach version strange. According to reports, the rejection of Evil Peach had more to do with aesthetics than the character itself. According to Twitter user @gosokkyu, Miyamoto dismissed the pitch for Evil Peach before Camelot could officially present their design. He believed the character would not be cute enough and appear too similar to Doronjo, a female character from the Yatterman anime series. However, Camelot Vice President Shugo Takahashi stated the design resembled a Fallen Angel archetype, bearing no resemblance to Doronjo.
Nintendo's Inconsistent Stance
In the time since this rejection, Nintendo hasn't officially changed its stance. Nintendo appears determined to relegate Peach to the role of "damsel" in the mainline video game series. In contrast, depictions of Peach in SuperMario spin-offs provide a darker take on the character. Though a standalone Evil Peach was rejected, an evil form of Peach appeared in both the Super Smash Bros and Paper Mario series. However, all instances involve an evil entity possessing the Princess, with players effectively "saving" her by the conflict's conclusion.
Fans were recently introduced to the Princess Peach of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and in a step forward for the character, Peach is depicted as an active leader in her Kingdom. With the threat of Bowser looming, she is shown developing a plan of attack, arming herself with a poleax, and training Mario for the fight ahead. Though the movie is technically a spin-off, Nintendo's willingness to present this depiction to a massive audience suggests it is open to new ideas for the character. Perhaps the success of The Super Mario Bros Movie will translate to the same willingness in the mainline video game series.
No Wario-Like Peach is a Missed Opportunity
The rejection of Evil Peach highlights a larger oversight by Nintendo: the opportunity to evolve its plot and leading lady. It is unclear whether Evil Peach was intended to complete a villainous team, but the creation of an "Evil Wario Bros" cast of characters would be a natural and invigorating choice for the franchise. By denying Peach a villainous rival, after granting them to Mario and Luigi decades before, Nintendo not only isolated the character but denied the Super Mario franchise a natural team of adversaries.
Still, there is room for Evil Peach while preserving Nintendo's depiction of the Princess. Evil Peach, as the Princess' inverse, could be the head of a villainous team that sought to capture Mario. With fans already wanting a bigger role for Waluigi, creating an official team of adversaries could help to modernize the franchise and give fans what they want. Unfortunately, the potential presented by this match-up, like the Princess, is stuck in the past. Rumors suggest The Super Mario Bros. Movie could lead to changes in the mainline Super Mario video game series. If true, it's possible Nintendo re-considers the concept of Evil Peach in future titles. Until then, fans await official details for the series' next entry.