March 10, 2026, 9:54 am | Read time: 5 minutes
In the entire gaming universe, there’s likely no craftsman as beloved as the round plumber with overalls, a mustache, and a red cap. But after more than 27 years of jumping, collecting coins, and racing, Nintendo has bid farewell to Mario’s iconic voice actor Charles Martinet. His successor might already be familiar to some gamers.
“It’s-a me, Mario!” Anyone who has ever played a Super Mario game likely has the cheerful voice of the little plumber in their head. His distinctive way of speaking is thanks to the American voice actor Charles Martinet–and that’s been the case since 1991. “Super Mario 64” was the first pure video game where Martinet could fully explore his vocal talents, turning the turtle-chasing hero into the character we know today. But 2023 marked the end of an era, and Super Mario has received a new voice.
An Era Comes to an End
In interviews, it’s quickly apparent that Charles Martinet is just as funny and energetic as the video game character that made him famous in the industry. But after 27 years of successful collaboration, it came to an end in late 2023.
The reason Martinet stepped down as voice actor is unknown. It doesn’t seem to be about a cozy retirement for the then 68-year-old, as he has since been active as the official Mario ambassador at major Nintendo events. It’s no surprise, given that Martinet not only brought Super Mario to life with his voice but also holds a Guinness World Record since 2019 for the most voiceover performances for the same character. However, it’s fair to say that the effort involved in recording was likely limited, as Super Mario doesn’t have much to say beyond his typical phrases like “Mamma Mia” and “Let’s-a go.”
Attentive fans had already speculated after the first announcement trailers for the games “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” and “WarioWare: Move It” whether Charles Martinet and Mario would part ways. In the highly successful animated film “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023), Chris Pratt (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) had already proven himself as the English voice actor. But for the games, Kevin Afghani now takes over the vacant role.
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Born in the U.S. in 1996, Kevin Afghani has been active as a voice actor since 2018 and, since late 2023, lends his voice to Mario, his brother Luigi, and their arch-enemy Wario. He can already be heard in games like “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” and “WarioWare: Move It!”
Some might find Afghani’s voice familiar, as he has also voiced characters like Raditz in “Dragon Ball R&R,” a fan-produced spin-off, Cuphead in the web comedy series “Mashed,” and Arnold in the English dub of “Genshin Impact.” Kevin Afghani is experienced as a voice actor but relatively fresh. He has already appeared in several commercials for Nintendo.
With the release of the mentioned Nintendo games in late 2023, it’s time for a conclusion. Looking at Kevin Afghani’s performance in “Super Mario Bros. Wonder,” one must say: The new voice hardly stands out–neither positively nor negatively. Admittedly, with Mario’s limited vocabulary, that’s no surprise. Still, it takes exceptionally keen ears to discern a difference from Charles Martinet. Apparently, it’s part of Nintendo’s strategy to build on the existing cult rather than spark a small innovation. If you don’t have the game on hand but want to get a quick impression, you can do so with this mini-trailer.
“It’s-a me” or “Itsumi”?
A debate has recently reignited around Mario’s catchphrase “It’s-a me, Mario”–the “a” comes from the Italian accent. Both on TikTok and Instagram, videos have gone viral in recent days, with users claiming Mario doesn’t actually say “It’s me, Mario,” but “Itsumi Mario.” The first confusion arises when the reels claim “itsumi” is Japanese and means “super.” After all, Nintendo is a Japanese company. These claims have sparked many reactions (stitches) from people who actually speak Japanese, clarifying that “itsumi” is not a real word but a surname that indeed means “super” or “superior” in a broader sense.
Fans have developed a theory that Mario is actually named Itsumi Mario and calls out the Japanese form of his name, which coincidentally sounds like the Italian-inflected “It’s-a me, Mario.” After all, in Japanese, surnames are mentioned first. This theory, which sounds somewhat plausible with a bit of creativity, has never been confirmed by Nintendo or voice actor Charles Martinet. And there’s no further reference to a Japanese origin in Mario’s remaining vocabulary.
Mario owes his name to the American real estate entrepreneur Mario Seagle, who rented premises to Nintendo in the 1980s. After Seagle once loudly and almost temperamentally demanded rent payment, the then-developed character Jumpman was quickly renamed Mario. Mario’s then-adversary Donkey Kong was later voiced by Charles Martinet. Martinet also lent his voice to other popular characters like Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and Toadsworth for many years. Kevin Afghani’s character repertoire initially seems narrower with Mario and Luigi. But what isn’t can still become.