Nintendo remains one of the leading names in the video game industry. What’s especially impressive with the company is that while their gaming hardware may lack the power that’s present from the competition, Nintendo is able to stay relevant through ambitious innovations to the industry as well as a large stable of memorable video game mascots.
Mario is a household name, but Nintendo has many other celebrated protagonists that have been able to find success outside of the video games where they originated. There’s an interesting relationship between video games and manga and there are some worthwhile adaptations between the two mediums. There are also a surprising amount of Nintendo characters that have manga of their own.
10 Mario’s Manga Finds The Humor Within Him And His Many Friends
If any Nintendo character is going to get a manga series then it makes sense that it would be Mario, the video game company's flagship mascot. Mario has invaded all different sorts of media, but the Super Mario-kun manga has established a healthy volume of content and pulls from the many different Super Mario titles. This manga embraces absurdist gags and short stories, but it features a wide selection of Mario's supporting characters. It's a fun and unique alternate take on the Nintendo character.
9 Kirby’s Manga Explores The Character’s Weird, Wide World
There are a few manga that draw from Kirby for inspiration and there's even a Kirby anime that's been produced. Kirby may not always get the same attention as Mario, but he's remained a vital part of Nintendo's history and growth.
Hoshi no Kirby! Moretsu Pupupu Hour, the more comedic of the Kirby manga, is a thorough delight, both in terms of its art style and its sense of humor.. It honors events and characters from the games, but goes in its own direction and isn't afraid to get weird with the world of Dream Land.
8 Donkey Kong’s Manga Lets The Kongs Loose
Coro Coro Comics is a home for many of Nintendo’s manga adaptations and there are some very entertaining Donkey Kong stories that feature events from the Super Nintendo era titles as well as some love for Donkey Kong 64.
Much like with Super Mario-kun, the Donkey Kong manga is more of a gag novelty that uses the loose framework of the games and characters to take them to a place that’s not possible in the games. It’s a lot of fun to see other members of the Kong family like Diddy, Dixie, and Kiddy also get used in the stories.
7 Metroid’s Manga Lovingly Explores Samus’ Heroic Roots
The Metroid franchise is an acclaimed sci-fi series and the reveal in the original game that Samus Aran is a female protagonist remains a groundbreaking gaming moment. Metroid has gotten a lot of manga love and there are several series that get comedic with the series or directly adapt specific games.
However, the official Metroid manga digs into Samus' fascinating past, her history with Ridley, and her journey to become a deadly and acclaimed bounty hunter. The Metroid manga is atmospheric and mature and it's a rare case where future games could benefit from turning to the manga for inspiration.
6 Spring Man And Ribbon Girl Don’t Take Themselves Too Seriously In The ARMS Manga
ARMS is a creative and playful spin on the fighting genre that debuted on the Switch and could become one of Nintendo’s next big series. ARMS may be new, but it’s already earned itself a gag manga that capitalizes on the ridiculous anatomy of the game’s characters. The ARMS manga is meant to provide a good laugh, not act as a source to flesh out the fighting title’s lore or give characters a deeper backstory.
5 Star Fox’s Manga Fills In The Gaps For A Beloved Character’s Past
The Star Fox games were a vital part of Nintendo’s library during the days of the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64, but the franchise has sadly become less essential.
To help promote the Gamecube’s Star Fox Adventures, a manga titled Star Fox: Farewell, Beloved Falco was released, explaining what happened to Falco between the events of Star Fox 64 and Star Fox Adventures. It’s a short, fun focus on Team Star Fox’s popular character and introduces an entertaining enough new villain, Captain Shears, who Falco helps take down.
4 Splatoon’s Trigger-Happy Inklings Comfortably Translate To Manga
Splatoon is another one of Nintendo's more recent attempts to develop a new property. The fast-paced shooter for the Wii U, along with its Switch sequel, have inspired a decent community in the online scene. Splatoon's visibility has led to a manga that takes the Inklings and puts them in original situations as they enter competitions and face off against new enemies. The Inklings and Splatoon's action aesthetic are a natural fit for manga and there's also a gag manga available where the Squid Kids reign supreme.
3 Ness And The Weird World Around Him Make For An Entertaining Manga
The world of EarthBound (otherwise known as Mother 2) is one of Nintendo's stranger and more abstract properties. It pushes many boundaries and preconceptions of what an RPG should do, which oddly makes it the perfect fit for something like a gag manga.
There's a comedic manga that delivers many short-form doses of Mother-based comedy, but there's also a more traditional manga that breaks down the different areas and pieces of story from EarthBound and brings new dimension to Ness and his friends. It helps make him an even more enjoyable protagonist.
2 The Charming Starfy Is A Perfect Fit For A Manga Series
The Legendary Starfy is an adorable platformer series for Nintendo's handhelds that's especially popular in Japan, but has struggled to find its audience in North America. There are many Starfy games available for those that are interested in a more peaceful style of platformer. There are also a trio of Starfy manga that were published that loosely adapt the events of several of the Legendary Starfy titles. Starfy is a cute character that's able to thrive in manga and it's a little surprising that Starfy's manga didn't catch on and become an ongoing series. It's such a natural fit.
1 Fire Emblem's Roy Rises As The Hero That The Franchise Needs
Fire Emblem: The Champion's Sword adapts the events of Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, but also approaches the Fire Emblem entry as a side-story of sorts. There are an impressive 11 volumes that thoroughly flesh out the events of the Fire Emblem game. Although the manga begins with an original character, Al, it eventually incorporates staples from the franchise, like Roy, who get to celebrate victories and re-experience some of their most exciting battles. It’s a legitimately satisfying medieval war manga even without any preexisting Fire Emblem knowledge.