Update: The original post contains a minor error stating that Lady Gaga was going to emerge from a Warp Pipe, however, this was a slight mistranslation. Gaga, sporting a Mario hat, was actually going to enter a pipe remotely, while Naomi would emerge from a different pipe in Tokyo. Check out the image below via Bunshun for a more accurate explanation.
As many may have noticed, the opening ceremony to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics included an ensemble of video game music tracks during the Parade of Nations. Featuring compositions from popular franchises such as Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Monster Hunter and Sonic the Hedgehog, there was notably a severe lack of Nintendo representation. As reported by the Japanese publication Bunshun, this was apparently due to some last minute changes.
Leaked documentation reveals plans for the following tracks to have been played at the event; The Legend of Zelda theme, Super Mario Suite, Kirby Super Star Medley, and the Pokémon opening. Alongside this, American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga and Japanese comedian Naomi Watanabe were supposed to emerge from a Super Mario Warp Pipe, similar in style to Shinzo Abe at the 2016 Olympics closing ceremony. Disappointingly, these ideas were scrapped due to the surfacing of offensive and controversial statements by the composition organizer, Keigo Oyamada, and the show director, Kentaro Kobayashi, resulting in their forced resignation. Changes were promptly made “just before the show,” and Nintendo’s original involvement was scrapped. When asked to comment on the situation, Nintendo replied with “we are not in a position to answer.”
WTF does the resignation of the organizer have to do with the scrapping of Nintendo’s involvement in the opening show? If you plan to have a segment featuring video game music and you can’t have Nintendo, you better srap THE WHOLE SEGMENT! Not many people outside Japan would even know what Dragon Quest or Monster Hunter is.
That’s kinda the point though. Showing people parts of their country that others might not know about helps others know more about the country. Sad that Nintendo was excluded, but they shouldn’t scrap the whole thing because of it
I kind of agree. The resignation should have nothing to do with the inclusion of Nintendo in the opening celebration and if they weren’t going to include the most well known video game company in the video game segment of the show then they probably should have just scrapped it and done something else. I mean I’m just a casual gamer and I’ve played Dragon Quest, but I don’t remember what the sound track sounded like. But if you played the theme from the Legend of Zelda or Pokemon or Mario, I would recognize that in an instant!
Idk why but the lady Gaga things feels so Bayonetta like lol
Agreed.
Still dont get the point of this at all. I love games, but wtf did this possibly have to do with the Olympics? Felt like pandering to people outside the country who only know about it via video games.
Opening ceremonies are supposed to be about how the country influences the world or something and it usuallys has a central theme. Japan choosing to focus on video games makes more sense to me than what France choose to do with that house, Idek what that was supposed to be about.
Nvm, it was London. Either way it was a hot mess.
Not even pretending to love Nintendo can make me like Lady Gaga (stupid name too).
Fun fact: Her name is a reference to the song Radio Ga Ga by Queen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azdwsXLmrHE
Even if you don’t like her music (which is crazy, because she is one of the greatest of the last generation) she is an amazing person. Incredibly philanthropic and super kindhearted. She is always touted as being one of the most humble and nicest people in the entertainment industry to meet and work with.
lol…
Fun times.