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Bowser (Japanese: クッパ, Hepburn: Kuppa, "Koopa"), also known as King Bowser or King Koopa, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Nintendo's Mario franchise. In Japan, he is titled Daimaō (大魔王, Great Demon King"). He is the arch-nemesis of the plumber Mario and the leader of the turtle-like Koopa race. Depicted as a fire-breathing monster with a tyrannical personality, Bowser's ultimate goals are to kidnap Princess Peach and conquer the Mushroom Kingdom.
Bowser debuted as Mario's opponent in the 1985 video game Super Mario Bros. Designer Shigeru Miyamoto initially conceived him as an ox based on the Ox-King from the Toei Animation film Alakazam the Great. However, Takashi Tezuka remarked that the character resembled a turtle more than an ox, leading them to redesign Bowser as the leader of the turtle-like Koopas. Since 2007, Bowser has been voiced by Kenneth W. James.
Following Super Mario Bros., Bowser has appeared in various genres, including role-playing games like Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi, sports games such as Mario Kart and Mario Tennis, and fighting games like Super Smash Bros. He has appeared in multiple animations, including three series produced by DIC Entertainment (voiced by Harvey Atkin) and was portrayed by Dennis Hopper in the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film. Jack Black voiced him in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).
Bowser has received a mostly positive reception, with critics noting that he is one of the most iconic and recognizable video game villains. He was crowned the greatest video game villain of all time by the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.
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