Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was unsure he would make it to Rio in time for the Closing Ceremony, so what do you do when you need to speed up time travel?
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That was Japan’s way of saying “Welcome to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan”.
Most had apparently never conceived of the normally blue-suited and politically conservative Mr Abe and the moustachioed Mario merging into one.
Afterward, members of the men’s rhythmic gymnastics club at Aomori University expressed the movements of the 33 sports to be featured in the Tokyo Games with the help of computer graphics.
Abe emerges atop the “pipe” in a big red Super Mario cap and costume, holding a glowing red ball kicked to him by famed manga soccer star Captain Tsubasa.
And during the handover of the mantle to host the Olympics, the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe physically transformed himself into the iconic Nintendo game character Mario.
Nintendo didn’t say much about their involvement in the closing ceremonies, just that the government asked for permission to incorporate Mario into their presentation.
“I was impressed to see a national leader sacrificing his reputation and showing up in cosplay at this world event”, posted a Japanese-language Twitter user.
Cue the surprise Mario morph and the politician dropping triumphantly through a famous green warp pipe straight into the Maracana Stadium.
With the Olympics making their way to Tokyo in four years’ time, it was Japan’s turn to take the stage at the closing ceremony at the Rio Olympics to show off what it had to offer.
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As the party ends in Rio, Tokyo, host city of the 2020 Games, is taking over.
