The Tanooki Suit is a rare item found in Super Mario Bros. 3 and its subsequent remake. It transforms Mario and Luigi into Tanooki Mario and Tanooki Luigi. The suit grants the same abilities as the Super Leaf, with the added ability of turning into a statue when the player presses down and B at the same time. Also, if Mario or Luigi run fast enough to fill the Speed Gauge and jump, they can temporarily fly.
Tanooki suits are named after tanukis, Japanese creatures who, according to mythology, can use leaves to shapeshift and cause chaos.
The Tanooki Suit was prominently featured in a Nintendo Comics System story titled "Tanooki Suits Me"; according to this story, the suit was one of many magical suits made by a tailor named Tanooki whose trademark was to sew a tail on the back of each one. It is revealed in this comic that Mario turns into a statue by pressing a button on the front of the suit, and changes back by wishing to return to human form.
Super Mario 3 cosplay Tanooki Suit costume final shoots by cosplay1.com
Super Mario front
Super Mario side shoot
Super Mario back shoot
