The Super Leaf (Japanese: スーパーこのは, Hepburn: Sūpā Konoha), also referred to as the Raccoon Leaf or the Tanooki Leaf, is a power-up item that appears in the Mario franchise, being introduced in the 1988 video game Super Mario Bros. 3. Depending on the game, the power-up can transform the player character, typically Mario or Luigi, into either a raccoon form or a tanooki form, typically granting the player the ability to attack enemies using a tail and fly or glide. The raccoon form gives the wearer brown ears and a striped tail, while the tanooki form has the ears and tails as part of a tanuki-inspired suit.
Concept and creation
The Super Leaf is a brown leaf that, in some incarnations, has eyes. Depending on the game, it is able to turn the user into either a Raccoon form, which has two ears and a striped tail, or a Tanooki form, which puts them in a brown furred suit. The tail found on both Raccoon and Tanooki forms is based on the Japanese raccoon dog, also known as tanuki, though the Raccoon tail has a ringed tail more similar to a North American raccoon. The Tanooki Suit takes on a certain form depending on the wearer; in Super Mario 3D Land and World, Mario, Princess Peach, Toad and Rosalina have similar outfits to each other, while Luigi transforms into a kitsune instead. When asked why Mario was given a raccoon tail, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto explained that it felt both practical and in keeping with Mario's style. The idea for a tail first came up when Super Mario Bros. 3 was designed to have a top-down perspective, with designer Takashi Tezuka saying that he wanted to include the ability for Mario to spin and hit enemies with a tail. When the perspective switched to sidescrolling, they added the ability to fly to the Super Leaf power-up's capabilities, as Tezuka had wanted flight in the series since the first game. In English, the forms granted are called Raccoon or Tanooki (depending on whether it is the ears and tail or the full suit). In Japanese, the forms are called "Tail" and "Tanuki" respectively.
Appearances The Super Leaf made its debut appearance in the 1988 platform game Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System. In the game, it appears in the first level, World 1-1; the level is designed to teach the player how to use the power-up. Using the power-up, the player is capable of making Mario or Luigi fly, a first for the series, after achieving enough speed through running. It can also be used to hover in the air by mashing the jump button. A special variant called the P-Wing is also featured that provides the player infinite flight for a single level. In addition, the game features an item called a Tanooki Suit. When worn, the user dons a suit based on a tanuki and features the tail swipe, flight, and hover abilities. It also allows the user to turn into a statue, protecting them from damage. The Super Leaf was intended to be included in the sequel Super Mario World (1991), but this was scrapped. Instead, an item called the Cape Feather was added, which gives Mario a cape that allows him to fly. In the platforming games, the Super Leaf did not appear in another game until Super Mario 3D Land (2011), where they were a key item in the plot, used by both the player-character and several enemies. Unlike in Super Mario Bros. 3, this grants a Tanooki Suit outfit to Mario instead of raccoon ears and a tail. Two other leaves are introduced in this game: The Invincibility Leaf, which gives the player invincibility; and the Statue Leaf, giving them the statue power found in the Tanooki Suit in Super Mario Bros. 3. For Luigi, this game introduces a new form, called Kitsune Luigi, which he gains instead of Mario's raccoon form. This version of the Super Leaf returns in Super Mario 3D World (2013). It later returns in New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012), giving Mario a design and functionality similar to what is given in Super Mario Bros. 3. In the Super Mario Maker games, the Super Leaf is usable in levels created using the Super Mario Bros. 3 engine. The Super Leaf appears in the Mario Kart series starting with Mario Kart 7, subsequently appearing in Mario Kart Tour. When used by a racer, it gives them a tail that can swipe nearby opponents and coins until it runs out. In Tour, it allows the user to fly and draws in nearby coins when used. In Mario Kart 8's downloadable content, the character "Tanooki Mario" was added as a playable character. It is also featured in the Super Smash Bros. series, allowing the user to float in the air temporarily and gives the user the ears and tails of the Raccoon form.
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