Wawario and Wawaluigi are fan-made characters based on Wario and Waluigi from the Super Mario universe. They are strange, exaggerated versions of the familiar Mario rivals. Wawario is usually shown as a large, unusual-looking character, while Wawaluigi is a tall and extremely thin version of Waluigi.
Neither character is official. They were created by fans and appeared online years before becoming widely recognized as a meme. Their recent popularity comes from fan art, character lineup videos, TikTok posts and memes that gave the characters a new audience.
What Are Wawario and Wawaluigi?
Wawario and Wawaluigi are fictional fan characters designed as counterparts to Wario and Waluigi. The joke is based on taking the already unusual Wario and Waluigi characters and creating even stranger versions of them.
Wawario is commonly shown as a large character with no visible eyes, a missing tooth, an orange hat and orange shirt, and green overalls. Wawaluigi has a very different shape. He is usually tall, extremely thin and deliberately grotesque, wearing a blue shirt and black overalls.
What Does Wawario and Wawaluigi Mean?
The names are basically a parody of the naming style used for Wario and Waluigi. The extra “Wa” keeps the connection to the original characters while making the new characters sound like another strange branch of the Mario character family.
There is no complicated official meaning behind the names. The humor comes from taking familiar characters and pushing their designs and names into something much more bizarre.
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Wawario Origin
The earliest known online reference to Wawario dates back to June 23, 2015. YouTuber Theguywhoplaysgames uploaded an animation in which Wario encounters a shadowy rival called Wawario.
The early version was not exactly the same as the Wawario design that became popular later. The character went through different interpretations before the orange-and-green appearance became one of the most recognizable versions.
Another important step came on September 18, 2021, when Fantendo wiki user Cutman1987 created a Wawario page and uploaded a design showing the character wearing orange and green. This design later became strongly associated with Wawario.
Wawaluigi Origin
Wawaluigi also has roots going back to the 2010s. On September 19, 2016, Fandom user JoeTheDerp created a Wawaluigi page on The Amazing Waluigi fandom site.
The character was presented as a lankier and more grotesque version of Waluigi. Another notable Wawaluigi design was uploaded to DeviantArt by savagewaluigi2000 in May 2017.
Like Wawario, Wawaluigi developed through fan-created artwork and online communities rather than through an official Nintendo project.
How Wawario and Wawaluigi Became a Meme
The characters did not become popular overnight. They slowly appeared in different parts of Mario fan culture over several years.
One early appearance came in a November 6, 2017 X post by @kiophen. The post used a “Mario Brother Cube” chart featuring several fan-made rival characters, including Wawario and Wawaluigi.
A much bigger moment came in June 2024, when YouTuber RedMario uploaded a video featuring a lineup of Mario fan characters while their names were read aloud. Wawario and Wawaluigi appeared in the lineup, and the video eventually received more than 800,000 views.
The characters continued appearing in fan art and videos during 2024 and 2026. A July 2026 video by YouTuber A.J.N. also used a similar fan-character lineup format.
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Why Did Wawario and Wawaluigi Go Viral?
A new wave of interest appeared in late August and September 2026. Short clips, fan art and memes brought Wawario and Wawaluigi back into circulation, particularly on TikTok and X.
On September 2, 2026, TikTok user @muddyk1pp reposted part of the earlier lineup video.
Other users began making their own versions of the characters. Some recreated them in a traditional Mario style, while others used them in short videos, drawings and jokes. This helped turn characters that had once been relatively obscure into recognizable internet meme characters.
What Is the Joke Behind the Meme?
The main joke is simple: the characters keep getting stranger.
Mario and Luigi are familiar characters. Wario and Waluigi already turn that formula into something more unusual. Wawario and Wawaluigi take the idea another step further, creating characters that look like bizarre unofficial versions of the Mario cast.
This makes them especially useful in character lineup memes. A creator can introduce familiar Mario characters, move through Wario and Waluigi, and then reveal Wawario and Wawaluigi as the strange final additions.
Wawario vs. Wawaluigi
| Character | Based On | Typical Appearance | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wawario | Wario | Large, eyeless character with an orange hat and shirt, green overalls and a missing tooth | Fan-made rival of Wario |
| Wawaluigi | Waluigi | Tall, thin and grotesque character with a blue shirt and black overalls | Fan-made rival of Waluigi |
Wawario and Wawaluigi Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 23, 2015 | The earliest known Wawario reference appears in a YouTube animation by Theguywhoplaysgames. |
| September 19, 2016 | A Wawaluigi page is created on The Amazing Waluigi fandom site. |
| November 6, 2017 | An X post featuring a “Mario Brother Cube” includes Wawario and Wawaluigi among fan-made rivals. |
| September 18, 2021 | A Fantendo page introduces the orange-and-green Wawario design that becomes associated with the character. |
| June 23, 2024 | RedMario posts a Mario fan-character lineup featuring Wawario and Wawaluigi. |
| December 12, 2024 | A Wawario and Wawaluigi image based on the RedMario designs is posted to DeviantArt. |
| July 9, 2026 | A.J.N. posts another fan-character lineup video featuring the characters. |
| September 2, 2026 | A TikTok repost helps bring the characters to a new audience. |
| September 2026 | Wawario and Wawaluigi experience a new wave of memes and fan art across TikTok and X. |
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Are Wawario and Wawaluigi Official Nintendo Characters?
No. Wawario and Wawaluigi are fan-made characters. They are not part of Nintendo’s official Mario character lineup.
Their connection to Nintendo comes from the characters they parody: Wario and Waluigi. The names, designs and versions circulating online were created by fans and artists over several years.
Why Are Wawario and Wawaluigi Popular?
One reason the characters work so well as memes is that the joke is easy to understand. Anyone familiar with Wario and Waluigi can quickly understand what Wawario and Wawaluigi are supposed to be.
Their unusual designs also make them easy to remix. Artists can redraw them as classic Mario sprites, realistic characters, cartoon characters or intentionally strange meme versions.
Videos can also use their names as a surprise reveal, especially when the characters appear at the end of a larger Mario character lineup.
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Wawario and Wawaluigi Meme Explained
In short, Wawario and Wawaluigi are bizarre fan-made counterparts to Wario and Waluigi. Wawario first appeared online as early as 2015, while Wawaluigi was documented the following year.
The characters developed through fan communities, wikis, videos and artwork. Their appearances in Mario fan-character lineup videos helped introduce them to larger audiences, while social media posts in 2026 sparked another wave of interest.
The basic joke is an escalation of the Mario character formula: take Wario and Waluigi, create even stranger counterparts, and then place them alongside familiar Mario characters. That simple idea is what makes Wawario and Wawaluigi work as internet meme characters.
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Quick Facts About Wawario and Wawaluigi
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Fan-made characters / meme characters |
| Characters They Parody | Wario and Waluigi |
| Earliest Wawario Reference | June 23, 2015 |
| Early Wawaluigi Reference | September 19, 2016 |
| Wawario’s Common Design | Orange shirt and hat, green overalls, large body, no visible eyes and missing tooth |
| Wawaluigi’s Common Design | Lanky, grotesque appearance with a blue shirt and black overalls |
| Major 2024 Exposure | RedMario fan-character lineup video |
| 2026 Viral Platforms | TikTok and X |
| Official Nintendo Characters? | No |
Wawaluigi is a fan-made counterpart to Waluigi. He is commonly shown as a very tall, thin and grotesque version of Waluigi.
No. Wawario and Wawaluigi are fan-created characters and are not part of Nintendo’s official Mario character lineup.
The earliest known online reference to Wawario dates back to June 23, 2015, when Theguywhoplaysgames uploaded a YouTube animation featuring the character.
An early documented Wawaluigi reference appeared on September 19, 2016, when a page for the character was created on The Amazing Waluigi fandom site.
Their unusual appearances are part of the joke. The characters take the already exaggerated designs of Wario and Waluigi and push them into even stranger forms.