- First appearance
- Mario Bros. (1983), Nintendo
- Created by
- Shigeru Miyamoto
- Also known as
- Mr. L, The Green Thunder
- Universe
- Super Mario
- Appears in
- games, film, animation, television
Who is Luigi?
Luigi began as a palette swap. Mario Bros. needed a second player and the hardware could not spare memory for a new sprite, so Nintendo recoloured the first one green and called him Mario's brother. Everything the character has since become was reverse-engineered from that accident: he is taller and thinner because later hardware allowed a distinct sprite, and he jumps higher with worse traction because the developers needed to differentiate the handling. The nervousness that now defines him arrived properly with Luigi's Mansion in 2001, which cast the second player as a reluctant ghost hunter and gave him an interiority Mario has never had. He is, in a real sense, the more interesting character of the two, precisely because he was allowed to be afraid.
Luigi: the details
- First appearance
- Mario Bros., 1983
- Origin as a palette swap
- Created as a recoloured second-player sprite because the hardware could not accommodate a new one
- Name
- Commonly explained as a play on the Japanese word ruiji, meaning similar, though Nintendo has not confirmed this
- Distinct handling
- Higher jump and lower traction, introduced to differentiate him mechanically once he had his own sprite
- Own franchise
- Luigi's Mansion (2001) gave him a solo series and the timid personality he is now known for
- The Year of Luigi
- Nintendo ran an official thirtieth-anniversary campaign under that name across 2013 and 2014
- Taller since 1993
- The height and build difference dates from Super Mario All-Stars onward
Why Luigi endures
The most prominent example of a technical shortcut becoming a permanent character, and an unusual case of a sidekick developing a richer personality than the lead precisely because less was invested in him initially.
What Luigi looks like on a shirt
Signature motif: Green cap with an L, green shirt, blue overalls
The design is defined against Mario's, so the green is doing all the identifying work — an L-badge in green is unambiguous. Paired sibling designs with Mario are among the most common treatments, and they work well as matching shirts.
Green is the identifier and the L-badge is self-sufficient. This is one of the best characters in the category for paired sibling designs — matching Mario and Luigi shirts sell strongly for siblings and couples. Strong in kids' sizing.
Luigi T-shirts
See all on Amazon →
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Luigi Galactic Jump T-Shirt
$17.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
View on Amazon
Super Mario
Super Mario Bros. Luigi and Mario High Five Portrait T-Shirt
$19.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
View on Amazon
Super Mario
Nintendo Super Mario Luigi Bowser Spray Paint T-Shirt
$19.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
View on Amazon
Nintendo
Super Mario Luigi Mario and Yoshi Group Shot T-Shirt
$19.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
View on Amazon
Mario Kart
Mario Kart Mario and Luigi Good Time Since 92 Vintage T-Shirt
$19.99on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
View on Amazon
Get Trend
Super Mario T-Shirt for Boys, 3-Pack Short Sleeve Graphic Tees, Crew Neck Summer Tops, Mario Luigi Gifts for Boys 5-14 (9-10 Years, Multi)
$19.49on amazon.com · Aug 7, 2026
View on Amazon
Buying from outside the United States? Prices shown are amazon.com in US dollars. Links redirect international readers to their local Amazon, where pricing, sizing and availability are shown in local terms.
Price and availability are taken from Amazon at the time shown and can change. The price on Amazon at the time of purchase applies.
Sizes: kids to adult
Luigi shirts are produced across the full US size range. These links run a live Amazon search filtered to each band, so they show what is genuinely in stock rather than a cached list.
| Band | Ages | US sizes | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toddler | 2–4 years | 2T, 3T, 4T | Search toddler sizes |
| Kids | 4–7 years | XS (4/5), S (6/7) | Search kids sizes |
| Youth | 8–14 years | M (8), L (10/12), XL (14/16) | Search youth sizes |
| Adult | 15+ | S–3XL | Search adult sizes |
US sizing shown. Cut and measurement vary between brands — see the size guide before ordering, especially for youth sizes. Base search: Luigi t-shirt.
Who has played Luigi
| Performer | Production | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Leguizamo | Super Mario Bros. | 1993 | Live action |
| Charlie Day | The Super Mario Bros. Movie | 2023 | Voice |
Luigi T-shirts: common questions
Who created Luigi?
Luigi was created by Shigeru Miyamoto, first appearing in Mario Bros. in 1983 (Nintendo).
What does a Luigi T-shirt usually look like?
Green cap with an L, green shirt, blue overalls. Green is the identifier and the L-badge is self-sufficient. This is one of the best characters in the category for paired sibling designs — matching Mario and Luigi shirts sell strongly for siblings and couples. Strong in kids' sizing.
Are Luigi T-shirts made for children?
Yes — Luigi appears on our kids pages, and shirts are commonly made from US toddler 2T up through youth XL.
Who has played Luigi?
Luigi has been played on screen by John Leguizamo (Super Mario Bros., 1993), and voiced by Charlie Day (The Super Mario Bros. Movie, 2023).
How much does a Luigi T-shirt cost?
Luigi shirts we currently track start from around $17.99 on amazon.com. Every price on this page is dated, because they move.
This profile was compiled from published reference material about Luigi — first appearance, creator credits and production history — and is a secondary source rather than a substitute for the original publication. Where a detail could not be corroborated it has been left out. We do not physically test garments; see how we work for what that means and what it does not.
CharacterTshirts.com is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, endorsed by, or connected to any character rights holder, publisher, studio or network named on this site. All character names and titles are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here only to identify the products described.