Hey there! It’s time for the first ever Rising Sun First Impressions! In this small section of the blog, I’ll be saying what I thought of the first episode of each series I listed in my previews post for the Winter 2016 anime season. As luck would have it, the first series is Super Mario Bros. Z Reboot, so let’s a-go!

The Plot
The first episode of the series is a recreation of the first two episodes of the original Super Mario Bros. Z, as writer Mark Haynes originally intended. It opens with Metallix (replacing Mecha Sonic) offing a Goomba who is too confused and terrified to part with the Chaos Emerald he just found, in order to set up the plot for the entire series. The new design makes Metallix look more menacing and dangerous, further giving the feel that he’s a dangerous opponent.

Following that opener, the scene transitions to the final match in the Mushroom Kingdom’s first Smash Tournament, with Mario and Wario duking it out for the title. The Smash Tournament replaced the Mario Kart competition, on the grounds that the former had more of a Dragon Ball Z feel to it, and since this series was inspired by DBZ, it works. Plus, it’s really funny to see how Super Smash Bros. items get added into the mix. After that, Bowser drops in and reveals that he’s been training for months to kidnap Princess Peach and defeat Mario once and for all, and then there’s nothing new for me to say about the episode.

The Aesthetics
Mark Haynes is famous for Super Mario Bros. Z‘s high quality, which justifies the inconsistent release schedule. Even with that, this one episode blows the entire original series out of the water in quality. Not only does everything mesh together well, the special effects give the environments more atmosphere.

There’s variety in the selection for the soundtrack, which ranges from Bruce Faulconer to the actual Mario music to even Scooter. All that really worries me is the voice clips, which are well picked and work very well with the characters, with the exception of a Toad yelling “Boo, you stink!” on three occasions. That really seems out of character to me.

On a separate note, fans should be really happy that Haynes does other kinds of art on the side, because his custom-drawn close-ups look spectacular!

The Fight Scenes
What Dragon Ball Z-inspired series would be complete without over-the-top fight scenes? It’s clear that Mark Haynes has put a lot of thought into how each battle would play out, and Mario and Bowser’s fight, which takes up the second half of the 30 minute episode, is insanely interesting to watch. Even if things get incredibly brutal (by Mario standards). I couldn’t tear myself away from the fight because I wanted to see how it played out. Even then, the phrase “bloody pulp” doesn’t work with Mario. At least there wasn’t any swearing.

My Conclusion
Even when confronted with insanely high standards, Mark Haynes manages to deliver on the first episode of Super Mario Bros. Z Reboot, beginning a stellar trip into a world where Mario and Sonic fought together as heroes.

Returning fans, Dragon Ball lovers and Mario/Sonic fans should go to YouTube to watch Super Mario Bros. Z Reboot if they seek a non-conventional thrill-ride through the Mushroom Kingdom. Note that each episode will be updated as they are completed, and there is no planned release date.

If you wish to support the production of this series, Mark Haynes’s Patreon account is still accepting donations.