Olympic Games closing ceremonies can be dull affairs. All those small children singing and athletes mugging at cameras. The caravan has rolled on.
What was missing, it seems, was Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe emerging from a pipe dressed as Nintendo's Mario – one of his country's best-known exports.
![Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe waves as he stands on the giant plumbing pipe.](/web/20160822083537im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/y/0/j/k/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqy0ho.png/1471845796347.jpg)
The mustachioed Italian plumber, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and famed for his red cap and blue overalls, helped shift millions of copies of Super Mario Brothers for Nintendo Co.
Now Mario – older brother of Luigi and one half of the plumbing duo – has been seared into the memories of millions of Olympics viewers.
![Shinzo Abe's appearance as Mario was a highlight of the closing ceremony.](/web/20160822083537im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/y/3/9/t/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqy0ho.png/1471845796347.jpg)
The Rio Olympics closing ceremony seemed destined to rise no higher than the usual fare when an incognito Mr Abe emerged from a green pipe in Maracana Stadium holding a red ball and raised a peaked red cap.
In the kind of dramatic reveal favoured at suburban dance eisteddfods, Mario's trademark overalls fell gracefully from his shoulders to unveil Mr Abe in more traditional prime ministerial attire.
Social media, inhabited by the odd gamer and meganerd, went into meltdown. Purists pointed out to plebeians that Mr Abe was not dressed as "Super" Mario, the name of the franchise, but simply Mario. Like Madonna.
Tokyo will host the Summer Olympic Games in 2020 and, if Mr Abe's performance is a harbinger, the opening and closing ceremonies may well be worth a look.
Mr Abe has said previously that he believes Japan "can learn" from Nintendo, which has reinvented itself to keep pace with changing consumer demand.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at #Rio2016 closing ceremony is all our Super Mario dreams. pic.twitter.com/IyzWoU21bZ
— Mashable (@mashable) August 22, 2016
![Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the closing ceremony in the Maracana stadium at the 2016 Summer Olympics in ...](/web/20160822083537im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/y/2/a/l/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gqy0ho.png/1471845796347.jpg)
SHINZO ABE JUST TURNED INTO SUPER MARIO EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS AMAZING
— Francis Lam (@Francis_Lam) August 22, 2016
When the Japanese Prime Minister comes dressed as Super Mario, we know #Tokyo2020 is going to be epic!#RiotoTokyo pic.twitter.com/Q5RpnZDRHq
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 22, 2016