Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as Super Mario in the Closing of the 2016 Rio Olympics
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cosplaying as Super Mario greatly excited the audience in the closing of Rio 2016 Olympics.
Anticipation for Tokyo's 2020 is running high because of the prime minister's unusual but entertaining introduction.
Rio de Janeiro's mayor, Eduardo Paes, passed the baton (in this case the Olympic flag) to the governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, who was dressed in a beautiful, light-colored kimono, fitting for the momentous event. After that, the exciting video introduction of the 2020 Olympics was released.
There was a flurry of sports activity featuring Hello Kitty, Captain Tsubasa and Pac-Man. The prime minister was shown hurrying to the venue, not knowing how he can get there on time. Then his savior Doraemon appeared, opening a portal going to Brazil.
#Tokyo2020 already stepping the game up!!! pic.twitter.com/HBbDZCAztS
— . (@lmfaofa) August 22, 2016
The real Abe emerged from the all-too familiar green pipe loved by many as children. Holding a red ball and wearing the iconic Super Mario cap, Abe looked a lot like the popular video game character but he still wore his black suit as the prime minister. The personification of Super Mario was indeed amusing to many.
@nyarth YO, YOU'RE FAMOUS AF https://t.co/dbK1RWkxMS pic.twitter.com/iR1Vm7poah
— asmyTM (@ihuntmoe) August 22, 2016
Japan and anime enthusiasts surely enjoyed the show. And though some may not be fans of the Olympics, Japan's presentation was indeed eye-catching. Furthermore, it was reported that the International Olympics committee approved the introduction of baseball, Japan's most beloved sport.
President Yoshiro Mori of Tokyo Olympics 2020 said, "The inclusion of the package of new sports will afford young athletes the chance of a lifetime to realise their dreams of competing in the Olympic Games -- the world's greatest sporting stage -- and inspire them to achieve their best, both in sport and in life."
As many may know, baseball has never been an Olympic sport and this big change is indeed a breath of fresh air.
On the other hand, despite the fact that many are expecting great things from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Japanese committee did not escape allegations of corruption. Japan's economy is not doing well at the moment and citizens are expecting the presentation of the 2 trillion yen budget soon.
Well, the interests of international spectators are mounting all the more due to this issue. It is expected that Tokyo 2020 will go off with a bang if people are pressuring the government to properly use all their hard-earned money.