Anime Favorites Rally Behind the Restaurant Industry in New Ad

Anime such as Lupin III, Erased, Ghost in the Shell, and Wotakoi have joined forces to show their support for the restaurant industry in a new video ad that caters to otaku fans.

Suntory, one of Japan's oldest distributors of alcoholic beverages, has brought together several popular anime franchises to address the devastating impact of the coronavirus on the Japanese restaurant industry. This endeavor is highlighted in their advertisement titled "In life, there are restaurants. 'A place where there are people.'" The ad was released on November 1, 2023. Throughout the video, various anime characters can be seen enjoying meals and drinks together. The extensive list of featured anime includes Lupin III, Salary Man Kintaro, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, Bunny Drop, Shin Atashin'ichi, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Erased, Nasu: Andarushia no Natsu, Descending Stories, The Great Passage, GATE, Wotakoi: Love iI Hard for Otaku, Wave, Listen to Me!, Restaurant to Another World, and Wakako-zake.

The hit background theme song "Jonetsu no Bara" is performed by The Blue Hearts, who announced their disbandment in 1995. Released in July 1990, "Jonetsu no Bara" swiftly reached the top spot on the Japanese Oricon charts and remained in the top 200 for 17 consecutive weeks. The lyrics of this iconic track were penned by the band's founder Hiroto Komoto, drawing inspiration from the legendary Sex Pistols. The Sex Pistols had cultivated a dedicated fan base in Japan after multiple successful performances there. Moreover, their live album, "Filthy Lucre Live," offered exclusive bonus tracks for the Japanese edition, which were unavailable elsewhere. It's also worth noting that the popular anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure drew inspiration from the Sex Pistols, as evidenced by Part 4: Golden Wind's character Guido Mista, whose stand is likewise named Sex Pistols.

The Japanese restaurant industry and other sectors have been severely affected by the coronavirus, causing significant financial difficulties as the previously provided government-backed zero-interest loans have now become due. In an effort to support this crucial industry, Suntory has launched an advertisement campaign titled "In life, there are restaurants. 'A place where there are people.'" Suntory is a well-known name globally, owning popular drink brands such as Lucozade, Ribena, and Orangina.

In addition to restaurants, the anime and manga industry has also been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Kazue Kato, the creator of Blue Exorcist, announced on Sep. 27, 2023, that she will be taking a hiatus due to a diagnosis, with plans to resume work in December. The release of Studio Ponoc's anime film, The Imaginary, has been postponed to Dec. 2023 due to COVID-related delays. The final season of Attack on Titan, which recently concluded its 10-year-long anime run, was originally scheduled for an earlier release, with sound director Masafumi Mima explaining the significant role played by the pandemic in the production process.

Source: YouTube, Oricon

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I am excited to see my favorite anime characters come together to support the restaurant industry. The ad campaign is a creative and engaging way to raise awareness about the struggles that restaurants are facing during the pandemic. I am also impressed by the diversity of the anime franchises involved, which shows that the restaurant industry has broad support from across the anime community.

Overall, I think this ad campaign is a great way to show support for the restaurant industry and raise awareness about the importance of supporting local businesses. I hope that it will encourage other anime fans to do their part to help out their local restaurants.