On what date was the Paper Mario series first released in Japan?

The Paper Mario series was first released in Japan on August 11, 2000.

The debut title, Paper Mario, was developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. In Japan it was titled Mario Story, while the international release used the Paper Mario name. The game began as a planned successor to Super Mario RPG before evolving into its own series.

Its paper-like visual style was a major design change during development. Artist Naohiko Aoyama moved the project away from low-polygon 3D models toward flat, charming 2D character designs that looked like paper cutouts. The role-playing structure remained, including party members, timed attacks, experience points, and story-driven exploration.

A common mix-up is confusing the Japanese launch with later regional dates. Paper Mario arrived in North America on February 5, 2001, and in Europe and Australia on October 5, 2001. The 2000 date identifies the series' first release anywhere, not its worldwide launch.