
A Japanese hobbyist spent six months drawing a massive and complex maze on a wall-sized sheet of paper. Thankfully, he filmed the whole thing and set it to some catchy J-Pop for our viewing pleasure.
When we first saw this video of a hobbyist artist drawing up an enormous and complicated paper maze over the course of six months, we fully intended to skip around to quickly get to the finished product. Six and a half minutes later, we realized we’d been so mesmerized by the time-lapse footage — set to some retro game-inspired J-pop — that we watched the entire thing and would have gladly gone back for a second viewing,
Background info is a little lacking on this alternative work of art, but it’s pretty clear it isn’t the artist’s first crack at maze drawing. The huge endeavor, according to the video description and brief intermissions within the video, took six months of constant drawing in the artist’s free time.
The video first debuted on Japan’s Niconico Video a couple of days ago and has since been keeping Japanese viewers entranced ever since, but we went with the YouTube version below because, frankly, embedding Niconico stuff is a headache. Enjoy!
The clear drawing talent of the artist aside, a few questions do remain. Most burning, of course, being: Does this maze actually have a solution, or is it just a bunch of disconnected, maze-like lines? Either way, it’s clearly more productivity over a six-month period than we’ve ever displayed in our entire lives. Plus, the work becomes even more amazing when you consider the way the artist has separated parts of the maze into themed areas; some areas are geometric and squarish, while others are rounded and looping, and still others represent things like continents in their shape.
Be sure to stick around until the very end of the video, by the way. Instead of selling off the maze or framing it, the artist just goes ahead and burns the entire thing. Possibly because the artist didn’t want to have to solve the damn thing his/herself after spending six months just drawing it.
Source: YouTube/nana825763 h/t NariNari
Images: YouTube/nana825763


Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
New Japanese menstrual product seeks to help women spot unidentified iron deficiencies
Creator of Rurouni Kenshin anime/manga admits to possession of child pornography
We try the new Cup Noodle Humidifier from Nissin
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
New Japanese menstrual product seeks to help women spot unidentified iron deficiencies
Creator of Rurouni Kenshin anime/manga admits to possession of child pornography
We try the new Cup Noodle Humidifier from Nissin
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
7-Eleven Japan’s sakura sweets season is underway right now!
Original Totoro plush toys from 80s and 90s re-issued for Studio Ghibli exhibition
Starbucks pizzas become a hot topic in Japan, but do they live up to the hype?
Major Japanese noodle chain is closing on Christmas Eve so workers can spend time with families
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Is Tokyo Station’s startlingly expensive wagyu bento boxed lunch worth its high price?[Taste test]
Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?
Live-action One Piece’s Luffy teaches Sesame Street’s Elmo a Japanese word for friendship[Video]
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
7-Eleven Japan’s sakura sweets season is underway right now!
Original Totoro plush toys from 80s and 90s re-issued for Studio Ghibli exhibition
Starbucks pizzas become a hot topic in Japan, but do they live up to the hype?
Major Japanese noodle chain is closing on Christmas Eve so workers can spend time with families
Senkoji: The Japanese temple that’s more like a theme park to heaven and hell
Stars of Japan’s longest-running anime get gorgeous modern makeover in new video【Video】
Is this Tokyo government office still one of the best places in the city for a curry rice lunch?
Every piece of Hayao Miyazaki’s Ghibli anime concept art to be published in new book series
Japan’s chubby musical cat toys are a ridiculously cute piano substitute 【Video】
Five different ways to say “children” in Japanese
Japanese restaurant serves extra wide noodles next to Tokyo Station
Pikachu and Eevee become handmade Lladró porcelain sculptures to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th birthday