I've played my fair share of Super Mario 3D Land since it released two days ago and, I've gotta tell ya: that Tanooki Suit looks like the most comfortable thing on the planet. It seriously looks like the warmest pair of pajamas you could ever imagine.

But according to People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals, Mario's ultimate powerup is easily linked to mass murder. The animal rights group says the Tanooki Suit promotes the slaughter of the Japanese Raccoon Dog, a claim made ridiculous due to the fact that, well, it really does look like a pair of pajamas made of synthetic material.

PETA has gone so far as to create a superbly boring Flash game where you play as a skinned raccoon chasing an airborne Mario in hopes of retrieving your beloved pelt.

As Kotaku's Brian Crecente points out, PETA's campaign is fueled by a major misunderstanding of Japanese culture. Tanukis are seen as symbols of good luck in Japan and, besides that, they're mythical creatures. How exactly can you mistreat a mythical creature?

And has PETA heard of furries? Besides, if they're going to condemn someone, they might want to try coming after me for sending hundreds of tiny Italian plumbers to their death because I just had to get every single coin in World 4-3.

Just try to look at this guy and tell me there's something sinister about him: