Petey Piranha´s gender

Easmo

Bob-omb
I can see you all coming "his name is Petey, a guy´s name, so he´s a guy".

I´m asking this question to see if we can have a talk about that huge plant. Let me explain.

To my eyes, Petey has always been female. And this theory is suppoted by some languages. For example, in japan it´s called Boss Pakun which would mean boss flower or something similar. However, because Japanese as well as other languages, tend to genderify nouns, flower being a female name, makes it ... well, female. This does NOT happen in english, a language that does not genderify names.

Still doubting, I played Mario Power Tennis among other games yesterday, and decided to switch languages:

-In French, Petey is called Flora Piranha (the "flora" meaning flower, again, a female noun, as in romanic languages like French or Spanish, nouns which end in "a" are usually female).

-In Spanish (my own language as I´m from Spain), it´s called Floro Piranha. Again, Floro comes from the noun flor, which in spanish, is a female noun despite not ending in "a" (flor ends in "r", it´s an irregular case).

-In German it´s called Mutant Tyranha. The name sucks, I know, but still, the games and manuals describe it as female.

-Italian would be the only exception, in which it´s called Pipino Piranha, the Italian equivalent for Petey.

The fact that the original source, in this case, the japanese versions, put Petey as female, would make it female in my opinion, but I understand that the version most widely played around the world is the english one as a lot of countries are either not localized or do not have their own language in the game (for example, Argentina, Mexico and some other American countires that speak spanish, have to play the games in ENGLISH because for some reason NOA doesn´t seem to count them).

But, aside from all the localization and language controversial, the first time I saw that huge piranha plant, I saw it as female: come to think about it... the petals are usually asociated with feminity (although some people do see them as a crown, but then again, the word gender in my language may be a reason to see them as a female atribute and not as a "crown" made of petals). Petey´s diaper... to me, the first time I saw it, it looked sorta like women´s underwear or a swimsuit (I´m not mentally perverted, it´s just that it looked like that to me). And the way it laughs and growls, despite being a huge plant monster, it still sounds like more feminine than for example, Bowser´s growls and roars.

In my eyes, Floro Piranha, I mean... Petey, has always been female. But then, the internet came and slapped me in the face lol.

So, what do you think? I do not mean to start an argument, just sharing an opinion for the sake of curiosity.
 
I believe Petey is, in fact, male. Looking at the language we are speaking here, Petey Piranha is a male name. So, some other countries could have him female. But in the English countries, we have him male. It's actually pretty impressive how much thought you put into it. This will have me wondering....
 
As far as I'm concerned, Petey is genderless. Hes just a mutant carniverous plant. We wouldn't give plants genders, would we?
 
"his name is Petey, a guy´s name, so he´s a guy".xD
Giygas said:
As far as I'm concerned, Petey is genderless. Hes just a mutant carniverous plant. We wouldn't give plants genders, would we?
Per
 
Well scientificly speaking :posh:, I think most plants are usually both male and female, probably it's the same thing with Petey Piranha, it's a system of male and female parts working together probably.
 
Kracken said:
As far as I'm concerned, Petey is genderless. Hes just a mutant carniverous plant. We wouldn't give plants genders, would we?

Well, yeah, that´s the thing I say to avoid confusion when I think too much lol.

Still, I can´t help but call it Flora Piranha :koopa:
 
I used to think it's name was Patty Piranha when I was like 7, so I thought it was a female. But then after I played SMS, and it was spitting out goo and fat and stuff, so then I changed it to a guy, but I'm not entirely sure.
 
Count Bleck said:
I used to think it's name was Patty Piranha when I was like 7, so I thought it was a female. But then after I played SMS, and it was spitting out goo and fat and stuff, so then I changed it to a guy, but I'm not entirely sure.
He's a guy difently, either that or one heck of an ugly lady.
 
Jeff said:
Count Bleck said:
I used to think it's name was Patty Piranha when I was like 7, so I thought it was a female. But then after I played SMS, and it was spitting out goo and fat and stuff, so then I changed it to a guy, but I'm not entirely sure.
He's a guy difently, either that or one heck of an ugly lady.

These quotes made me think. I don´t know if it´s a case of audience putting clichés but now that I remember, in general, the female characters in Mario games are kinda predictable. I even read somewhere on Youtube that it was rude for Nintendo to put Rosalina as a heavy character! This forum too, the guy who said that Petey looked female to him but when he saw it puking goo he inmediately switched the image to male.

I mean, come on, do all the females have to be either princesses or cute beings like Toadette? Even Birdo still has the tranny image from that damned SMB2 manual quote just because she does not fit in the typical female image. I don´t find that weird for Petey to be female... yup, it pukes and roars.... so what? it´s still a monster, not like it´s a human female doing all that. But no... the moment it does anything gross, let´s better put it as a male so nobody can see a female character who can do something out of the female limits in Mario games...
 
Easmo said:
Jeff said:
Count Bleck said:
I used to think it's name was Patty Piranha when I was like 7, so I thought it was a female. But then after I played SMS, and it was spitting out goo and fat and stuff, so then I changed it to a guy, but I'm not entirely sure.
He's a guy difently, either that or one heck of an ugly lady.

These quotes made me think. I don´t know if it´s a case of audience putting clichés but now that I remember, in general, the female characters in Mario games are kinda predictable. I even read somewhere on Youtube that it was rude for Nintendo to put Rosalina as a heavy character! This forum too, the guy who said that Petey looked female to him but when he saw it puking goo he inmediately switched the image to male.

I mean, come on, do all the females have to be either princesses or cute beings like Toadette? Even Birdo still has the tranny image from that damned SMB2 manual quote just because she does not fit in the typical female image. I don´t find that weird for Petey to be female... yup, it pukes and roars.... so what? it´s still a monster, not like it´s a human female doing all that. But no... the moment it does anything gross, let´s better put it as a male so nobody can see a female character who can do something out of the female limits in Mario games...
Cackletta was a gross female. But you could tell she was female. Shadow Queen was evil, yet you could tell she was female. Birdo has little rings and is pink so she has hints to being female. Petey Piranha has no hints really. I think it's a guy, but I could be wrong.

And Rosalina being heavy I didn't really get. Petey wasn't in that game. They could have easily switched Rosalina for Petey. They could put Diddy Kong as small, put Rosalina as medium, and take out Dry Bones. He's too generic anyway. And how did Dry Bowser get in there?
 
Count Bleck said:
Easmo said:
Jeff said:
Count Bleck said:
I used to think it's name was Patty Piranha when I was like 7, so I thought it was a female. But then after I played SMS, and it was spitting out goo and fat and stuff, so then I changed it to a guy, but I'm not entirely sure.
He's a guy difently, either that or one heck of an ugly lady.

These quotes made me think. I don´t know if it´s a case of audience putting clichés but now that I remember, in general, the female characters in Mario games are kinda predictable. I even read somewhere on Youtube that it was rude for Nintendo to put Rosalina as a heavy character! This forum too, the guy who said that Petey looked female to him but when he saw it puking goo he inmediately switched the image to male.

I mean, come on, do all the females have to be either princesses or cute beings like Toadette? Even Birdo still has the tranny image from that damned SMB2 manual quote just because she does not fit in the typical female image. I don´t find that weird for Petey to be female... yup, it pukes and roars.... so what? it´s still a monster, not like it´s a human female doing all that. But no... the moment it does anything gross, let´s better put it as a male so nobody can see a female character who can do something out of the female limits in Mario games...
Cackletta was a gross female. But you could tell she was female. Shadow Queen was evil, yet you could tell she was female. Birdo has little rings and is pink so she has hints to being female. Petey Piranha has no hints really. I think it's a guy, but I could be wrong.

And Rosalina being heavy I didn't really get. Petey wasn't in that game. They could have easily switched Rosalina for Petey. They could put Diddy Kong as small, put Rosalina as medium, and take out Dry Bones. He's too generic anyway. And how did Dry Bowser get in there?

Well, agreed with that, although I already explained why Petey could be seen as female, just like Birdo has the bow and is pink, petey has the petals, the growls, etc... what I already explained.

Also, yes, same character taking 2 character spaces (Bowser-Dry Bowser, just like Mario-Metal Mario in MG64) is a no-no.
 
I've always thought Petey was a male. Although Easmo does make good points. Maybe it is female, but I still sort of doubt it. In Super Mario Sunshine, didn't Petey do this roar? It sounded like male to me. If it's not male, I'd think it is genderless.
 
I think that unless it's specifically stated, the creatures in Mario games are genderless.
 
In my opinion, plants don't really need genders. That said, I always got the idea Petey Piranha was a girl, and I always pronounce it's name as "Petty".
 
Piraka Wario said:
In my opinion, plants don't really need genders. That said, I always got the idea Petey Piranha was a girl, and I always pronounce it's name as "Petty".

Now that I think about it, you now how "ette" and "a" are both use in female names, well in the U.S., "ey" is another letters use in female names so probably Petey is female, although my scientific explanation up there is something to go to also.
 
First of all, Petey isn't female just because the genders of the word flower in other languages is feminine. To me, that's totally irrelevant. Secondly, you can't just say stuff like that anyone who's got a less "masculine" roar than Bowser is female.
 
Upper Class Twit of the Year said:
First of all, Petey isn't female just because the genders of the word flower in other languages is feminine. To me, that's totally irrelevant. Secondly, you can't just say stuff like that anyone who's got a less "masculine" roar than Bowser is female.

Ok there's a difference between the two, we know Bowser is Male because of every appearence he made, on the other hand Petey never said if its male or female.
 
Zero777 said:
Upper Class Twit of the Year said:
First of all, Petey isn't female just because the genders of the word flower in other languages is feminine. To me, that's totally irrelevant. Secondly, you can't just say stuff like that anyone who's got a less "masculine" roar than Bowser is female.

Ok there's a difference between the two, we know Bowser is Male because of every appearence he made, on the other hand Petey never said if its male or female.
Petey can't talk. -_-
 
Jeff said:
Zero777 said:
Upper Class Twit of the Year said:
First of all, Petey isn't female just because the genders of the word flower in other languages is feminine. To me, that's totally irrelevant. Secondly, you can't just say stuff like that anyone who's got a less "masculine" roar than Bowser is female.

Ok there's a difference between the two, we know Bowser is Male because of every appearence he made, on the other hand Petey never said if its male or female.
Petey can't talk. -_-

I mean like subtitles, plus if the game refer to Petey as a male more thern several times then we know its male, because one time can be an error.
 
Zero777 said:
Jeff said:
Zero777 said:
Upper Class Twit of the Year said:
First of all, Petey isn't female just because the genders of the word flower in other languages is feminine. To me, that's totally irrelevant. Secondly, you can't just say stuff like that anyone who's got a less "masculine" roar than Bowser is female.

Ok there's a difference between the two, we know Bowser is Male because of every appearence he made, on the other hand Petey never said if its male or female.
Petey can't talk. -_-

I mean like subtitles, plus if the game refer to Petey as a male more then several times then we know its male, because one time can be an error.
-_-

I don't even feel like responding to this, no offense.
 
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