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The awesome Nintendo and anime-inspired stairway art of Japanese high schools 【Photos】

Casey Baseel Sep 16, 2015
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Growing up in suburban southern California, my elementary, junior high, and high schools were all single-story structures. As such, my classmates and I went through our K-12 education without knowing the excitement of the romantic rendezvous and bare-knuckle showdowns that so often occur in the stairways of schools in TV shows, movies, and other works of fiction.

Still, we made do, as the student body just had to find alternate locations in which to swap spit or punches. One thing we definitely missed out on, though, was the opportunity to create awesome stairway art, like these students in Japan who decorated their school steps with the cast of Super Mario Bros., Love Live!, and Attack on Titan.

Around this time of year it’s customary for schools in Japan to have a culture festival, or “bunkasai” as they’re called in Japanese. The culture festival is sort of like an open house, except that it’s more of a showcase of the students’ creativity than what they’ve necissarily been studying in their classes.

In recent years, it’s become popular for students to decorate their home room classroom with chalkboard art during the event, which usually stretches over the two days of a weekend. But while chalkboard art can be truly amazing, only those visitors who stop by your specific room get to enjoy it.

On the other hand, if you decorate the steps of the stairway, anyone walking up or past it can see your artistic stylings.

https://twitter.com/060337Kai/status/640516277572767744

Unlike their American counterparts, educational institutes in Japan don’t have a school-wide mascot, which means that stairway artists aren’t locked into painting a Puma, Eagle, or Saint.

https://twitter.com/mappy1510/status/640059510896242689

美術部による階段アート完成しました！！ #kcctfesta pic.twitter.com/45wwRCj3BE

— レーコン (@reekonn) October 25, 2013

But while some opted for murals like the ones shown above, this is Japan we’re talking about, which means no shortage of amateur artists who’re inspired by the worlds of anime and video games.

▼ This looks well-done enough to meet Nintendo’s quality standards.

https://twitter.com/tachibanaART/status/609540904227991552

Ironically, this Splatoon artwork (featuring a cameo by the always-welcome Kirby) required much more precise paint placement than the popular team-based shooter from Nintendo does.

学校の文化祭の階段アートがスプラトゥーンとカービーで発狂した pic.twitter.com/Uim65S6D1T

— とらさん (@yuna0423ura) July 3, 2015

From hit video games to hit anime, apparently this school’s faculty has no problems with Love Live!, unlike some of their stricter colleagues.

https://twitter.com/68arupaka/status/480623609639993345

▼ Like Love Live!, both Haikyu!! and Kuroko’s Basketball are focused on the dreams and ambitions of high school students, making them suitable choices for a culture festival.

https://twitter.com/mappy1510/status/640059510896242689

On the other hand, Tokyo Ghoul’s half-monster Ken, who hungers for human flesh, is a considerably less wholesome choice that this school’s teachers nevertheless let slide.

後輩の階段アートが素晴らしかった...！さすがです(*´｀*) pic.twitter.com/7zEquEHv80

— ずす (@missan14) June 21, 2015

Speaking of man-eaters, the angled perspective on this Attack on Titan scene really helps give a sense of how huge the giant is, plus how creepy his teeth are.

美術部の階段アートがすごい pic.twitter.com/iMTtz1Wc9X

— あき(*・ω・*)にゃん (@pikachan_48) September 3, 2013

But while some of the motifs might have been unsettling, there’s no denying that there’s plenty of artistic talent and passion on display here. We’re sure that upon seeing these creations, plenty of parents told their kids how proud they were of them.

▼ And perhaps some of the parents, who haven’t really kept up on Mario developments since they were in school themselves, asked their children just when the series introduced a blue shell.