Charles Martinet Retires: Original Mario Voice Actor Who Made Our Childhoods Awesome Since 1991
Charles Martinet, the original Mario voice actor who’s been part of Nintendo for almost 30 years, is stepping down from his role. The announcement was made by the video game company. As per them, Martinet would now be Mario’s ambassador at international events, sharing Mario’s joy.
Mario is a universally recognized character in the world of gaming. It has many special characteristics that help differentiate him from the others. However, Mario’s voice remains to be the character’s most prominent feature. All thanks to Martinet, the voice actor, that today the quirky voice lines of Mario have become an iconic part of the mascot of Nintendo. What’s sad is that Mario would no longer be voiced by Martinet.
Charles Martinet Departure Announced by Nintendo
As per the announcement, Nintendo said, “It has been an honor working with Charles to bring Mario to life for so many years and we want to thank and celebrate him.”
It was noted that Shigeru Miyamoto, a Nintendo executive and the designer of Mario, will soon be joining Martinet for the special video message. As stated by Nintendo, Martinet would now be transitioning to the other role.
It’s a relief that the actor isn’t entirely stepping away from Mario and has shifted to be the Mario Ambassador. However, it is also sad, as the fans are going to miss the voice of Martinet in the future games of Mario. A tweet was also made by the voice actor on X, stating, “My new Adventure begins! You are all Numba One in my heart! #woohoo!!!!!!!”
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Well, Charles Martinet’s absence will create some significant impact on the other characters of the Mario universe, too, as he even voiced over for some other characters, including Wario, Luigi, Waluigi, etc. With it, the actor over the years left a massive mark, and after the official announcement, many came forward to express their support and love for the original voice actor of Mario.
Charles Martinet Gave Mario the Differentiation it Needed
To have Martinet as Mario’s voice-over actor was important, and it mattered. It is because Mario is known for the Italian accent and the high-pitched exclamation. The distinct trait of Mario is due to Martinet, who has been voicing the character since the year 1991. It means he became the voice of Mario for 27 years. However, he did not voice the character in The Super Mario Bros. movie.
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What’s best is that Charles Martinet will continue to travel and spread Mario’s love worldwide with Nintendo. While this continues, the fans will await the special message by Shigeru Miyamoto and the actor in the upcoming time. As of now, all we can do is wish Martinet the best of luck for his future and enjoy his works through the voice of Mario.
Source: TECH4GAMERS
