Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony features Naomi Osaka, blue humans and Tongan flag-bearer

The Tokyo Olympics officially kicked off in a virtually empty stadium Friday night after a yearlong delay due to the pandemic.

As the Games face the ongoing threat of Covid-19, with the Japanese capital under a state of emergency and many of the country's residents adamantly opposed to hosting the Olympics at all, viewers were still treated to the night's festivities that marked the beginning of the world sporting event.

Follow NBC News' Olympics coverage throughout the Games

But instead of the 68,000-capacity crowd cheering as athletes from more than 200 countries paraded with flags through Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium, fewer...