Grand Pianta Statue

"This is a statue of one of our most honored Piantas. Pretty nice, huh?"

- Pianta

The Grand Pianta Statue is a large statue of a Pianta on a pedestal, located directly in the middle of Bianco Square in Delfino Plaza. It appears during the game Super Mario Sunshine. When Mario first arrives at Delfino Plaza, the statue will be buried under all the brown Graffiti. After Mario and F.L.U.D.D. defeat the Polluted Piranha, all the Goop will disappear, making the Grand Pianta Statue appear. However, when it appears, Shadow Mario will be on top of it. Shadow Mario jumps off the statue, runs up to the princess and kidnaps her.

After Mario chases Shadow Mario and gets the princess back, Shadow Mario paints an "M" on the statue. Shadow Mario then jumps into the "M". Mario can later jump in the M that Shadow Mario painted at any time in the game to get to Bianco Hills.

The Grand Pianta Statue also appears in Peach Beach in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and in the background of Delfino Square in Mario Kart DS (as well as DS Delfino Square in Mario Kart Wii). The statue is present in the Delfino Plaza Court in Mario Power Tennis, right in front overlooking the court. In the Delfino Plaza stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Grand Pianta Statue has been removed to provide a more spacious battling area.

The Grand Pianta Statue also appears in Super Mario Galaxy 2 in the Starshine Beach Galaxy, a galaxy based on elements from Super Mario Sunshine. This statue does not look exactly like the one in Delfino Plaza though. For example, this statue does not have a cloak.

Trivia

 * The Grand Pianta Statue is similar in appearance to the large Pianta statue found near the hot spring in Pianta Village.
 * Although Delfino Plaza makes an appearance as a stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Grand Pianta Statue is absent.
 * The statue is also seen in the Super Mario Sunshine end credits; in the last photo Mario and Peach are posing in front of the statue.