Danica Davidson
January 21, 2025 
Japan Airlines (aka JAL) has teamed up with Universal Studios Japan to show off some of the amusement park’s iconic characters, like Mario and Donkey Kong! The JAL x Universal Studios Japan Jet 2, which will be around through June 2026, displays characters from the Super Mario Bros. franchise along with Sesame Street, Minions and more.
As to be expected, it’s not just about decorations on the outside of the plane. The inside also has a lot going on. This includes seatback covers that show Mario and Donkey Kong with other characters. The same images are on cups given to customers. The images show up a third time in the form of stickers offered to fliers.
Universal Studios Japan just recently expanded its Super Nintendo World, and this plane will be a great advertisement in the air. And if you’re wondering, no, the plane does not do international flights. In fact, because Universal Studios Japan is in Osaka, this plane will only fly back and forth from that city. It will take people from Osaka to places like Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Sendai, Hakodate, Fukuoka, and Nagasaki.
Other otaku-themed plane rides that have been offered in Japan include homages to Demon Slayer, and Exeggutor and Pikachu from Pokémon.
Mario has also seen renewed interest thanks to the highly successful Super Mario Bros. Movie. Illumination, which created the movie with Nintendo and Universal, gave this description for it:
Super Mario Bros. Plot
“From Nintendo and Illumination comes a new animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros. Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (collaborators on Teen Titans Go!, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies) from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel (The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, Minions: The Rise of Gru), the film stars Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.”
Source: SoraNews24
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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