Although many of us are lucky if our empty soda cans make it as far as the recycle bin, Japanese artist Makaon has found another purpose for them: as raw material for incredible sculptures of pop-culture icons, ranging from Batman and Ultraman to Sgt. Frog and the Catbus.

As you can see from the photos below, and from even more images on the artist's blog and website, Makaon doesn't take shortcuts; he even tracks down peach-colored labels for Mario and Luigi's skin tones.

(via Laughing Squid, My Modern Met)