However, this is the first time their characters have been officially associated with the Olympics in a real-world capacity.
However, video game fans got an unexpected treat when it came time for the traditional handover to the host country of the next games — a featured cameo by Super Mario himself to represent Japan’s 2020 games.
Though this year’s games had been plagued by various controversies surrounding the even itself and the behaviors of certain athletes, the official close served as a reminder of the Olympics at their traditional best.
While Mario is traditionally characterized as an Italian-American plumber who battles evil in a fairytale kingdom, he was created in Japan by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and (like Doraemon) is considered a significant icon of Japanese pop-culture globally.