Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Save Princess Peach! (French dub, 1987)

Super Mario Bros.: Le Grande Mission de Sauver la Princesse Peach! is a French dub of the original 1986 Japanese anime film, Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Save Princess Peach!. The French dubbed version was distributed by SEPP International, S.A. (now-former owners of The Smurfs animated media) and released to theatres in both France and Belgium on March 15, 1987.

Synopsis
The plot centers on Mario and Luigi, who go on a quest to save Princess Peach from King Bowser Koopa.

Plot
The film opens with Mario playing his Family Computer. Suddenly, Mario witnesses a girl on the TV screen crying for help from the enemies attacking her and escapes by jumping out of the TV. After the enemies left, the girl reveals herself as Princess Peach. Just then, King Koopa appears and jumps out of the TV. Despite Mario's battling attempts, Bowser successfully captures Peach, and takes her back into the TV. Shortly afterwards, Mario discovers a small necklace that Peach left on the floor.

The next day while he and Luigi are working at a grocery store, they realize the necklace that Peach dropped becomes a matter of concern for Mario. Luigi then regards it as the "Visionary Jewel from the Country of Treasure". Soon, Kibidango, a small dog-like entity, wanders into the store and snatches the necklace from Mario, prompting he and Luigi to pursue him into the Mushroom Kingdom.

When the Mario Bros. arrive, an elderly hermit admits that Bowser has taken over the kingdom and is turning the helpless citizens into blocks. He also reveals that Friday the 13th is the marriage between King Koopa and Peach. The mushroom advises the Mario Bros. to find the three powers; the mushroom of strength, the flower of courage, and the yellow star of invincibility, in order to defeat Bowser and save Peach.

After a long journey and overcoming the many perilous obstacles, the Mario Bros. eventually acquire all the three powers by Friday the 13th. That night, Mario arrives at King Koopa's castle just as the wedding of King Koopa and Peach started. With the help of the three powers, Mario successfully defeats Bowser, and his magic is destroyed, turning the Mushroom Kingdom back to normal. When Mario gives Peach's necklace back to her, Kibidango arrives in his true form, Prince Haru of the Flower Kingdom. Haru admits that it was King Koopa who turned him into Kibidango. He also reveals to the Mario Bros. that he and Peach are betrothed to each other and are fated to marry no matter what. Heartbroken, Mario decides to leave the Mushroom Kingdom to allow Peach to marry Haru as previously planned. After a tearful farewell from Peach, the Mario Bros. are seen leaving the Mushroom Kingdom, making their long journey home as the credits roll. In the first post-credits scene, the Mario Bros. wave good-bye as they enter a pipe that says, "Grouper Productions".

In the second post-credits scene, a customer who appeared earlier in the film visits the grocery store, only to discover that Bowser and his minions are now working as punishment. She is visibly overjoyed with better service and cries out as the background changes to blue and the words "Game Over" appear while the Super Mario Bros. "game over" music plays.

Production
In late 1986, after its short run in Japanese theatres, SEPP International S.A. made a deal with Grouper Productions and Nintendo to do French and Dutch dubs of their anime movie for releases in France, The Netherlands and Belgium.

Home media
The film was released to VHS on November 17, 1989 and DVD on April 3, 2001.

Trivia

 * In the French dub of the film, both Prince Haru and Kibedango were renamed as Prince Henry and Kevin le Guide-chien.
 * All of the songs have been re-dubbed in French for this version.