As 2020 kicks off, the real countdown to Tokyo’s Summer Olympics begin. And the organizing committee isn’t wasting any time. Today, they unveiled a series of official Olympics and Paralympics posters designed by renown artists from both Japan and abroad.

One of our favorites is “The Sky above The Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa” (above) by Hirohiko Araki for the Paralympics. Araki, who is a manga artist and the creator of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, explains that the compositional motif was inspired by Katsushika Hokusai’s “The Great Wave.” The poster itself depicts sporting gods descending upon Japan from a turbulent sea of clouds.

Our other favorite is the poster below for the Olympics by Asao Tokolo, the creator of the 2020 emblem. In some sense, it is obvious that Tokolo should have one of the strongest posters in the group as it is based on his own emblem, and displays a true understanding of what the Olympics are all about.  Composed of equal numbers of rectangles obtained by connecting the middle points of rhombuses, the mathematical pattern conveys both beauty and science, which are both key elements of athletes at their physical peak.

As a whole, the poster is a “relay baton” to be passed on from 2020 to future generations. “I created the designs as a tribute to the Tokyo 1964 designers,” says Tokolo, “who relied on compasses and rulers for their creations.” 

You can see all of the posters right here. They will also be on display as part of an exhibition from January 7 – February 16, 2020 in the entrance hall of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.