Here we take another look at several wacky and stylish (and in one case, politically incorrect) Japanese anime commercials!
Torys Whiskey – Saloon
Another commercial promoting Suntory’s Torys Whiskey, featuring Uncle Torys delivering the product to an American-style saloon. The message being that the product will not be served to bad guys (the villain in this spot). From early 1960s. Produced at TCJ Animation Center (now Eiken) with designs by Ryohei Yanagihara.
Meiji Fried Potato
A rather unfortunate commercial from 1978 featuring a blackface caricature, promoting Meiji’s brand of potato chips. The product is still being manufactured today, but the character has long since been discontinued.
Nagoya Television PSA: Green Campaign
A PSA from Nagoya Television urging people to have a clean environment.
On a side note, the dog at the 22 second mark looks suspiciously like Snoopy, huh?
Aoyagi Uirou
This is a Japanese sweets company based in Nagoya. This commercial, featuring a frog, is nicely animated. From 1984.
Also from the same company is an opening to this (below). The company sponsored a weather report on Nagoya Television (which was really disguised as a commercial for their product). From 1969 to 1977 they used this to open their weather report.
Yamato Transport
Yamato is a delivery company in Japan. Their logo features a black cat carrying a kitten, which lead to people nicknaming the company as “kuro neko” (lit. “black cat”). Here’s a 1981 commercial combining live-action and animation. The woman points out that mother cats gently carry their babies around, the message being that Yamato handles their packages with care like mother cats.
Charles Brubaker is a cartoonist originally from Japan. In addition to his work for MAD Magazine and SpongeBob Comics, he also created Ask a Cat for GoComics. You can also follow him on his Tumblr page.
Good lord, a 90 second opening for a weather report? They’re lucky the animation was so cute.
Only the best for that station I guess.
And on a commercial network at that!
I suppose had it been NHK it would’ve been normal like their “Minna no Uta” videos. I think Charles is going to have a LOT to talk about that if he ever wants to cover what I consider the planet’s first music video program of it’s kind.
I gotta say. That animation in the Yamato commercial is so fluid, it made the rest of the Japanese commercials looked so stiff.
Someone poured more money into that I bet!
That Meji Potato one; Those ladies were chosen more for their Western looks than dancing abilities.
Always have loved the Yamato trade mark symbol.
I bet, nothing but the best for our Japanese consumers!
Also, I think I have a bag or envelope with that Yamato logo on it!