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1Being a {{Crossover}}, there are plenty of Shout-Outs and fanservice in ''Super Mario Bros. Z''.
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4[[foldercontrol]]
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6[[folder:In General]]
7* For starters, it's a WholePlotReference to ''Anime/DragonBallZ''.
8** Basically everyone in the series is an {{Expy}} of a ''DBZ'' character: Mario is Goku, Luigi is Gohan, Yoshi is Piccolo, Sonic is Future Trunks, Shadow is Vegeta, Metallix is Cell, Bowser is sort of a mix between Frieza and Commander Red, the Axem Rangers X are the Ginyu Force, and [[spoiler:Dr. Eggman]] is Dr. Gero.
9** Each of the main cast is shown to have a SuperMode in the intro, which acts as an Expy for Super Saiyans.
10** The Metallix Arc revolving around Metallix trying to find the Chaos Emeralds in order to enter his ultimate form is similar to the Android Saga's plot, where Cell's goal to absorb the other Androids to achieve his Perfect form is the focus.
11** The initial encounter between Metallix and the Goomba is similar to the scene where Raditz meets the farmer.
12** Since Metallix has never appeared in a game that gave him [[TheSpeechless a voice]], Alvin supplied him with the voice clips of Final Form Cooler from ''VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi''.
13** The [[KamehameHadoken Kamehameha]] is referenced countless times, especially the hands-back charging pose. It is usually used by Fire Mario or Mecha Sonic.
14** The Game Boy-style Emerald Radar, which much like the Dragon Radar was designed by a GadgeteerGenius and even used an Emerald to study for its effects.
15** The situation on Mobius ([[spoiler:most main heroes dead, the end of the world being imminent]]) smacks of the Trunks's future in DBZ.
16*** Especially with the creation of Mecha Sonic in general, a direct homage to the creation of the Androids from Future Trunks' storyline.
17* As in their [[VideoGame/PaperMario64 original appearance]], the Koopa Bros. continue to be Expies of the ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''. They are even referred to as "King B's ninja heroes in a half shell" at one point.
18** The reboot doubles down on this by giving the Koopa Bros. the turtles' iconic weapons.
19* Many characters use attacks from ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', such as Mario using his Super Jump Punch and Luigi using his Green Missile and Dash Attack.
20* The characters also sometimes mimic moves from completely separate series.
21** Mario imitates [[Film/TheMatrix Neo]] during the fight with the Yoshi tribe, spinning around a spear and kicking Yoshis away. He later hits an enemy with a Shoryureppa in Episode 8.
22*** He also uses Ryu's [[Franchise/StreetFighter Metsu Shoryuken]] and Kenshiro's [[Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar Hokuto Hyakuretsu-Ken]] RapidFireFisticuffs on Bowser in the reboot.
23** Bowser seems to use some moves reminiscent of {{VideoGame/Pokemon}}, such as [[MeteorMove Seismic Toss]] and [[DeathFromAbove Draco Meteor]].
24** Sonic performs [[Franchise/StreetFighter Ken's Tatsumaki Senpukyaku]] during several different fights in the series.[[note]]It's actually his "Whirlwind" Dash Attack from VideoGame/SonicBattle, but as he also shouts "Tatsumaki Senpukyaku" at least once, it's obviously referring to both.[[/note]]
25** Mecha Sonic performing [[Franchise/StreetFighter Akuma's devastating Shun Goku Satsu]] attack on Axem Red, and his missile arm cannon using the same missiles and effects as [[VideoGame/SuperMetroid Samus Aran's Missile Launcher]].
26** Basilisx owes a lot to ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'s moveset from the ''VideoGame/CapcomVs'' series, and does [[Franchise/StreetFighter Vega's Bloody High Claw]] attack as a finishing move.
27* Before using some special attacks, a TwinkleInTheEye appears as they briefly charge up the move. This effect is taken from the Hyper Combos in ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomClashOfSuperHeroes'', albeit slowed down slightly and with a different sound accompanying it.
28* Overall, the sprites used to animate the series are ripped from a wide variety of video games - too many to list here, in fact. Basically everything you see in the series was borrowed from somewhere else. Some prominent examples include the ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' games, the ''VideoGame/SonicAdvanceTrilogy'', ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'', ''VideoGame/PaperMario'', and various ''Franchise/MegaMan'' titles.
29* The soundtrack is also made up of many recycled songs from other series. These also come from a wide range of media including ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'', ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'', and ''Dragon Ball Z'', but also unrelated series such as ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'', ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'', and ''Webcomic/OnePunchMan'', among others.
30* Again, many sound effects from many series are also reused here - it's a Flash animation, what do you expect? These include every single voice clip, classic gaming sound effects such as Mario's jump, Sonic's "spring boing" when Sonic jumps, cartoony StockSoundEffects for comedic moments, and most famously, ''DBZ'' fighting effects. Because of ''SMBZ'', most Flash fight scenes now contain at least one or two ''DBZ'' sounds.
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33[[folder:The Original Series (2006)]]
34* The [[SpoilerOpening spoileriffic anime-style opening]] uses the second opening theme for ''Anime/MegamanNTWarrior'', namely "Futatsu No Mirai". This is a ShoutOut to ''WebAnimation/TVTomeAdventures'', which also used that song for its opening.
35* The dancing banana (from the Peanut Butter Jelly Time meme) has made several cameos along with a voice clip of [[WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends "I LIKE CEREAL!!!"]] before exploding comically.
36* For the first few episodes, Mecha Sonic had the robotic grunts of Sektor and Cyrax from ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3'' instead of Cooler's voice.
37* When Kamek gets kicked by Sonic, he says "I'M FLYING! WHEEEEEE~!" It's tough to nail down an exact quote, but it sounds like it's from ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'''s Corporal Capeman. In the reboot it was replaced with a classic WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} [[https://youtu.be/bJGFfd6P-pk?t=38 scream]] instead.
38* Bowser lets out a crazed ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' scream when Mario throws him out of the stadium. This was carried over to the reboot as well.
39* The team's search for a Chaos Emerald in the Mushroom Kingdom has a few Shout-Outs:
40** Sonic runs up a [[VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld Triangle Block]], but he's so fast that it carries him too far up the wall and launches him into the sky for a [[GravityIsAHarshMistress fall gag]].
41** Mario enters multiple pipes, and at one point finds himself faced with sprites of himself from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioAllStars'', and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''.
42** Luigi enters a pipe, only to be chased out by a giant Piranha Plant with a Franchise/{{Godzilla}} roar. As it slinks back into the pipe, it grumbles [[WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird Sylvester]] gibberish as well.
43* Yoshi swallowing the red Chaos Emerald in an attempt to keep it from Mecha Sonic in Episode 3 is a reference to when Goku did the same thing with the Four-Star Dragon Ball while fighting Omega Shenron in ''Anime/DragonBallGT''.
44* Sonic indirectly quotes Bender from ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'':
45-->'''Sonic:''' Bite my.... spiney... blue... butt.
46* The Koopa Bros. go to play their theme song on a boom box, but accidentally play the ''Wrestling/{{WWE}}'''s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqxOObIQvzc Spirit Squad theme]] instead for a short gag.
47* One Ninjakoopa spouts the "Smell ya later!" line, after their first encounter with the main team, a la [[VideoGame/PokemonRedandBlue Gary Oak/Blue/Green/whatever]].
48* The Axem Rangers X enslaving the Yoshis and forcing them to get them the Chaos Emeralds is reminiscent of Frieza's army enslaving the Namekians in order to get the Dragon Balls.
49* The new bodies the Axem Rangers X are sporting belong to characters from the ''VideoGame/MegaMan'' games. Red, Green, and Black's bodies are [[VideoGame/MegaManZero Zero's]] (complete with [[LongHairedPrettyBoy hair]]) with the colors switched to match their own, while Yellow's and Pink's are the bodies of [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork Gutsman.EXE and Roll.EXE]] respectively. Their poleaxes (except Yellow's) use the sprite of Zero's Triple Rod with the spearhead replaced by a color-appropriate axehead. Yellow's axe is from a mini-boss in ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''.
50** Axem Red's {{BFG}} was lovingly ripped from ComicBook/IronMan's moveset in the ''VideoGame/CapcomVs'' series.
51* Similarly, Mecha Sonic's final form (and by extension, Metallix's base form in the reboot) is based on the body of Bass from ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass''. This in itself is actually a shout-out to ''WebAnimation/SonicsQuestForPower'', which also had an upgraded Mecha Sonic who used modified Bass sprites.
52* The sixth episode, ''Brawl on a Vanishing Island'', is named after the ''DBZ'' episode ''Duel on a Vanishing Planet''.
53* Wario using Waluigi as a life preserver to get to Yoshi's Island might be a ShoutOut to ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'', where Luigi is used as a surfboard, more or less.
54* Axem Red's [[Main/StatOVision scouter]] is a reference to Frieza's army's scouters used in ''DBZ''. Comes complete with an "OVER 9000!!!" joke too.
55** The HUD for the scouter also shows VideoGame/PacMan being game over'd by Ghosts to represent Mecha Sonic's insane power level.
56* Semi-Super Mecha Sonic's response to Red's "YouMonster" remark is a direct paraphrase to Broly's infamous "I am the Devil" line.
57* Mecha Sonic [[spoiler:[[KilledOffForReal killing]]]] Axem Red afterward parallels how Goku defeated Nappa (catching him with his hand, snapping the man's spine in two) and how Vegeta [[spoiler:[[EtTuBrute disposed of his helpless comrade afterwards]]]].
58* The huge evil energy sphere that Mecha Sonic uses to [[spoiler:destroy Yoshi's Island]] is an awful lot like Frieza's infamous planet-killing Death Ball.
59* Ludwig von Koopa calls Bowser "King Dad", a reference to ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfSuperMarioBros3''.
60** The name "Doomship" used for the Omega Doomship comes from the same cartoon, where Bowser's airships are called Doomships. This is the only ''Mario'' media where they are referred to as such.
61* [[spoiler:Dr. Eggman]] [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion holding his hands in front of his face, with his glasses shining.]]
62* Hal and Jeff from ''WebAnimation/BowsersKingdom'', another popular Flash series at the time made by one of Alvin's friends, have an extended cameo during the HardWorkMontage in the Pipe Maze.
63* A musical ShoutOut to ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is used when Mario gets the white Emerald, immediately {{lampshaded}} by Professor Kolorado:
64-->'''Kolorado:''' Uh, Mario... I think that's [[BreakingTheFourthWall the wrong video game series]], old bean... [''Cue FaceFault'']
65* In an attempt to get out of exploring the Minus World, Luigi tries to hide, putting a cardboard cut-out of himself in his place. Said cut-out is Weegee (aka the [[Memes/VideoGames memetic-mutated]] version of him seen in ''VideoGame/MarioIsMissing'').
66* The sound effect Kolorado's stopwatch makes is [[VideoGame/ChronoTrigger Lavos' roar]].
67* A whole scene in Episode 8 is a direct reference to ''VideoGame/HotelMario'', when the characters find a letter which Bowser wrote almost word-for-word as in that same game (including a crossed out portion about hotels), with an instruction book containing [[LampshadeHanging a lampshading]] and the terms for Peach's release included. There's also an ArtShift where Mario and Luigi briefly mimic the CD-i's awkward cutscenes.
68* Episode 8 also has [[VideoGame/ZeroWing "Main Screen turn on." "We get signal."]]
69* There's a similar shout out to a {{Mook}} with a thick Scottish accent says he can't fire the Omega Doomship's {{BFG}}, because he "jeus' cahn't" push the button, [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries as he doesn't have enough power]].
70* Basilisx borrows the voice clips of [[Anime/DragonBallZ Imperfect Cell]].
71** Basilisx's underhanded tactics, especially using loved ones as a shield, mirror those of Eis Shenron in ''Anime/DragonBallGT''.
72* When breaching the Omega Doomship in season 8, at one point, Sonic and Mario's rampage across the deck is stopped by their reaching a high wall. Sonic promptly curls into a ball and spins around Mario to create a tornado that lifts Mario up to the higher ground. This is based on a similar animation/mechanic that is used repeatedly throughout ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes''.
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75[[folder:The Reboot Series (2015)]]
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77* Mecha Sonic's name in the reboot, ''Metallix'', is the name given to the Metal Sonic robots in the UK's ''[[ComicBook/SonicTheComic Sonic the Comic]]''.
78* Metallix frequently uses sound effects from ''[[VideoGame/KillerInstinct2013 Killer Instinct (2013)]]'''s Fulgore, such as when he first appears in the Mushroom Kingdom.
79** His fight with Yoshi has "Type-03" as the soundtrack, and he even finishes Yoshi off using attacks set to the beat of Fulgore's Ultra Combo.
80* Rawk Hawk serves as the ''SMBZ'' equivalent to Hercule, right down to using his voice clips.
81** The first words out of Rawk Hawk's mouth are [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson "Finally! The Rawk has come back to the Mushroom Kingdom!!!"]]
82* The commentary team also includes [[Wrestling/JerryLawler a commentator addressed as "King"]] and [[Wrestling/JimRoss another one who says the word "slobberknocker".]]
83* Sonic shouts "Teriaaaaa!" as he kicks Kamek away from Peach, referencing his awkwardly-translated {{Battlecry}} from a scene in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2''.
84* After Wario gets into his vehicle with the white Chaos Emerald, there is a quick, close-up shot of his car before he and Waluigi drive off. This is a direct reference to the opening of ''VideoGame/WarioLand4''.
85* When Wario and Waluigi are driving away with the white Emerald, Wario looks into one of the side mirrors and sees [[Film/JurassicPark Yoshi approaching]] behind the car.
86* The BigBallOfViolence as Luigi, Yoshi, Wario, and Waluigi squabble over a Chaos Emerald is accompanied by gratuitous ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' sound effects.
87* When Wario forcibly converts Waluigi into a bat, he’s given voice clips of [[WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead Beavis]] (“Bo-oi-oing! Hee hee heheheh!”).
88* Metallix performs Cooler's signature DivingKick during his assault on Yoshi.
89* Yoshi getting grinded against the cliffside by Metallix is similar to what Broly does to Goku in the ''Anime/DragonBallSuperBroly'' movie.
90* Sonic claims there’s "[[WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures no relation]]" between him and Shadow.
91* During the opening scene of Episode 3, a Clubba accidentelly knocks off two members of the Koopatrol off a platform. One of the screams like [[WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry Tom]] and the other sounds like [[VideoGame/MortalKombat4 Jarek]].
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