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Tokyo Olympics Rings in Parade of Nations With Japanese Game Tunes

The Tokyo Olympics launched its more subdued opening ceremony just over an hour ago, and if you're getting a nostalgia hit during the athletes' Parade of Nations, you're not alone. The ceremony is playing a medley of tunes from Japanese role-playing games, sports and fighting games, and ... Sonic the Hedgehog?

According to Nikkan Sports, here's the full list:

• Dragon Quest "Overture: Loto's Theme'
• Final Fantasy "Victory Fanfare"
• Tales of Series "Sorey's Theme ~Purity~"
• Monster Hunter "Proof of a Hero"
• Kingdom Hearts "Olympus Coliseum"
• Chrono Trigger "Frog's Theme"
• Ace Combat "First Flight"
• Tales of Series "Royal Capital ~Majestic Grandeur~"
• Monster Hunter "Wind of Departure"
• Chrono Trigger "Robo's Theme"
• Sonic the Hedgehog "Star Light Zone"
• Winning Eleven (Pro Evolution Soccer) "eFootball walk-on theme"
• Final Fantasy "Main Theme"
• Phantasy Star Universe "Guardians"
• Kingdom Hearts "Hero's Fanfare"
• Gradius (Nemesis) "01 Act 1-1"
• NieR "Song of the Ancients"
• Saga Series "The Minstrel's Refrain: Saga Series Medley 2016"
• Soul Calibur "The Brave New Stage of History"

Update: Not incidentally, Ghost in the Shell Arise composer Keigo Oyamada (also known as Cornelius) resigned on Monday as the composer of the opening ceremony, just four days before its start. Dragon Quest composer Kōichi Sugiyama himself dealt with controversy over a 2015 television program in which he agreed with politician Mio Sugita's comments against the LGBTQ+ community.

Notable in their absence was any music linked to Nintendo, despite the former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cosplaying as Mario at the Olympic closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro five years ago. That closing ceremony also featured appearances by Doraemon, Captain Tsubasa, Pac-Man, Doraemon, and Hello Kitty, all of whom were absent (along with The Pokémon Company) at Tokyo's opening ceremony.

Also missing in action is AKIRA — although given what happens in the lead-up to the Olympics in that manga and anime, that's understandable.

According to the organizers, the placard signs announcing the entrance of each team used word balloons and speed lines to invoke the motifs of manga.

One of the songs that played after the Parade of Nations was Michio Yamagami and Kunihiko Murai's folk song "Tsubasa o Kudasai," as covered in Evangelion, Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan, K-ON, Nichijou, and other anime. The song accompanying the Olympic torch's entrance was Maurice Ravel's "Boléro" — a famous classical piece long before anime such as Legend of the Galactic Heroes: My Conquest is the Sea of Stars, Digimon, and Sound! Euphonium The Movie - Our Promise: A Brand New Day used it. Tennis player Naomi Osaka lit the Olympic flame.

Source: Nikkan Sports