Advertising is weird. Japanese advertising especially so. Throw in some anime, whether recognizeable characters or shockingly high-quality original animation, and the results are naturally going to be entertaining and utterly bizarre. For your entertainment and befuddlement, here's 10 completely nuts anime commercials.
10. Super-Pepsi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sD5ejwPeGA
Tiger and Bunny already features a lot of in-show product placement in a very self-aware way, as the heroes in the show make their living off of sponsorships. It was only natural that the show's product placement would end up expanding beyond the show itself into commercial breaks.
9. A Different One Piece Rap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xKL5B5yUoc
As Japan's most popular manga, One Piece naturally does a lot of commercials. This is definitely one of the less awful raps the Straw Hats have been subjected to. The absurd little fanservice shot at the end really sells this Fanta ad.
8. Anime Sells McDonalds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTrC86mmPaw
This ad's kind of amazing. The thing that makes it weird is that it's TOO good. It actually makes McDonalds look like an appealing workplace!
7. Dragon Car Z
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uiho8HLI3A
You know an anime's made a dent in America when it's featured in not one, but two Ford commercials.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKwpRKbF7-A
6. Gundam Noodles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ1M87Y9KLc
Gundam? More like Gun-DAMN I WANT SOME NOODLES!
5. Osomatsu Chips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDo_nAW3wR4
Seeing the cast of Osomatsu-san in live-action in this form is an uncanny experience, between them literally having six same faces and Iyami not having his teeth despite looking otherwise cartoony. This is actually a remake of an old animated ad from the time of the '80s Osomatsu-kun, which you can see 3 minutes into the video below (a compilation of various Matsu-related ads from that era).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51rZlVqhqVw
4. Miku Confuses Americans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V23VvF8SQyI
Trying to make Miku a thing in America has always been a fascinating source of awkwardness. Toyota did a whole series of ads trying to introduce her to the American market.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U9pxDoOqh0
In Japan meanwhile, Americans continue to get brought over to co-star alongside Miku in commercials. God bless Scarlet Johansson, she's trying her hardest even if she clearly doesn't understand what's going on. I don't know what to say about the president of Domino's Pizza.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW2D_Votd2Y
3. Evangelion and Attack on Titan Razors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tummvAZlkLw
Evangelion's notorious for having some of the weirdest licensed products. Gendo without his beard is truly a sight to inspire nightmares.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDn1QoTVt2U
The apparent popularity of the Evangelion Schick advertisements seemingly inspired more anime tie-ins, including a truly bizarre Titan-shaving commercial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYv_jVCXpfg
2. The Melancholy of Haruhi Gum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACXO_rjaIUA
I'm not gonna even try to explain this one.
1. Evangelion Horse Racing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV36QPB0pew
And there you have it, possibly the weirdest anime advertising ever.
