Super Mario!
One of those iconic franchises that only needs an introduction if you are a baby! Let's get a move on!
My Relationship with Super Mario
(An aside; the phrasing of that header makes it sound like I'm in a romantic relationship with Mario Mario himself. Just something I found amusing.)
I'm a fan of both the platformers and several of the RPGs, particularly the Mario & Luigi series! The franchise has a fun atmosphere that I enjoy a lot, and the shenanigans of the M&L series are always a delight! The rest of this section kind of ran away from me and got a bit lengthy, but that's because it's been in my life for so long and I've got a lot to talk about!
I don't remember when exactly I first heard of Mario, nor when my parents got me and my brother's first Mario game for us, but I'm pretty certain the game in question was Mario Kart Wii! It may have come with the Wii itself? I don't remember. But regardless, I was still young when we got it, definitely less than 10 - maybe around 8 years old. Pretty early on, my main was Koopa Troopa. I don't know how much longer it took for the Magikruiser to become my main vehicle, but it did happen.
My love for the franchise really got off the ground when we borrowed (and ended up keeping) my brother's friend's copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii a few years later. I fell in love with the Koopalings almost instantly, though I don't think I could tell you what exactly drew me to them so much. But regardless, they were my creative muses for a number of years, and if I recall correctly, they're what made me take up drawing as a more regular hobby. They also kickstarted my love of villains, if not majorly contributed to it!
We got ended up getting both Mario Galaxy games along the way as well - while I never beat Galaxy 1 (I probably watched my brother play it, though), Galaxy 2 was a birthday gift one year, and the first game I ever beat by myself! I'm sure the Galaxy games had a creative influence on me as well - probably giving me my love of space, if anything!
In 2015, I ended up finding out about Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam through the Super Mario Wiki, and being the Koopaling lover I was, decided to get it solely for them. (Okay, it wasn't solely for them, I'd gotten into Pokemon at that point as well so I knew how RPGs worked and was interested in that aspect as well.) I remember the day I got it fondly - it was the same day as my Year 8 graduation dinner in town, and my excitement + my young face must have delighted the person at the checkout that day, because I also got what I later learned to be the pre-order bonus Papercraft models! I still have them, thought they're dusty and a bit sun-bleached after so many years.
Paper Jam ended up getting me to look further into the Mario & Luigi series, and I fell head over heels for it; or more specifically, its characters. Particularly those from the setting of the first game in the series, the Beanbean Kingdom! Even more particularly Fawful, that little weirdo with the swirly glasses that you may have heard of if you frequent the internet's Mario spaces! He quickly became one of my favourite characters of all time due to his eccentric nature, unique speech patterns and just how successful his plans were in Bowser's Inside Story! (The fact that he appeared in each of the first three games in some capacity also helped.) I started high school around the time I got attached to him, so he ended up becoming very important to me as I made my way through what I could.
Wait, what's the Mario & Luigi series?
I'm so glad you asked! The Mario & Luigi series is a series of JRPGs initially developed by the now-defunct AlphaDream where you play as both Mario Brothers as they adventure through generally light-hearted stories full of weird and wonderful friends and foes alike, using the bros' teamwork both in the overworld and in battle! So far, there's been five original titles and two remakes, with a sixth original title on the way (that, while not being developed by AlphaDream due to going bankrupt in 2020, does have some staff who worked on the M&L games!). It's a lovely series, and one that's close to my heart, so if you're a fan of JRPGs, give it a go!
(The music is done by Yoko Shimomura, if that convinces you any.)