An intimate Q&A session with Yoshiaki Koizumi, the Deputy General Manager of Nintendo EPD, has revealed some startling new developments in a long-running saga concerning one of the Mushroom Kingdom’s key guardians. Koizumi has officially confirmed that Toad, a feisty fungi with a long-spanning career working alongside Mario the goomba-slayer, is not wearing a hat. He was tight-lipped about the Mario-Peach-Pauline love triangle, but did share some extra details on Super Mario Odyssey‘s development and inspirations.
Over the years, analysts have extensively researched the true nature of Toad’s anatomy, with some arriving at the tentative conclusion that the red spotted cap is more than just a fashion accessory. Today, that theorem has been proved:
“So that, as it turns out…is actually Toad’s head. I’m going to leave it to all of you to figure out exactly how that works out. Maybe there’s something inside…” – Yoshiaki Koizumi, February 5, 2018
But wait a second. Leave your hats on. If we are striving for continuity, then how does one explain this?
The above screenshot comes from US animated series The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! which ran from 1989 – 1991. In the episode referenced, Toad is besieged with grief after he accidentally falls asleep and Koopas steal money he was entrusted to deliver to an orphanage. This prompts him to remove his hat and use it as a tissue — which naturally contradicts the statement provided by Koizumi. Nintendo seems to be leaving it up to fans to decide whether the incongruous episode counts as canon or not. Classic.
