What Commercials Are Playing in Japan Right Now?

by 20 Comments

One of my favorite parts about watching Japanese television programs is getting to see what their commercials look like. For whatever reason, I’m always fascinated by how other countrys’ commercials differ from those seen in the United States. Japan’s are of particular interest because, well, it’s Japan. Luckily for me and everyone else, I stumbled across an awesome YouTube/Tumblr page earlier this week. They get tons of CMs currently airing in Japan and upload the videos in HD. Sweet.

Advertising Done Right

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTqM1T3w_OM']

The videos posted here are just the last five compilation videos released on their YouTube channel. There are a handful of good CMs in this video above, but I’d have to say my favorite is the Maple Story one at the very end.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcEiJJBKvMM']

Oh man. So many good CMs in this one. I don’t think I can pick just one. The face wash one, the lip animals, and the Merry Christmas one near the end were the ones that stood out to me the most I think. But like I said, lots of good ones in here.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiA2LaewpOc']

Tommy Lee Jones! I haven’t even watched the rest of this compilation and I’m calling it right now. Tommy Lee is one of the CM kings. And then I saw the boob commercial. And then there was a Doraemon commercial, another classic. And then there was a World Order CM too. Dang, Japan has a lot of awesome commercials. The light commercial at the very end was pretty cool too.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrInA3AZ3XE']

Well, the Obama commercial definitely takes the cake in this set. Other than that, the CMs here were just pretty average I think. Decent but not great. Still, I wouldn’t mind seeing these all the time instead of the ho-hum ones we get in America.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KaVrcAmagk']

I have to admit, I’m a little partial to the Softbank CM near the start of this one just because it has Golden Bomber in it. If you don’t know who they are, check out the last video in this post here. Hilarious. Also Jack Daniel’s because reasons.

You can check out JPCMHD (Japanese Commercials in HD) on their YouTube channel and also on their Tumblr page. The compilation videos are released on both, whereas each standalone CM is only put up on their Tumblr. In no time you’ll be wasting your life away, 15 seconds at a time.

So tell me, which CM was your favorite? How do Japanese commercials compare to those in your home country? Let us know in the comments!

  • http://twitter.com/dekishimeta_lj Verdant Crimson

    interesting post! it makes us keep upbeat to the dynamic and entertaining world of CMs in japan. Hope to see more of these compilation CMs related posts in tofugu~

  • Miss N’Donna

    メーポルッ Seriously, that’s going to haunt my dreams from now on…Geez, Japan!

  • http://zoomingjapan.com/ zoomingjapan

    I couldn’t watch more than the first one because it’s what I see so often anyways. And some of them are so annoying like the Ultrabook one. Guess I’ve just seen them so often!
    And I don’t even have a TV at home!!!!! *g*

    Anyways, thanks for sharing :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/tom.mullins.169 Tom Mullins

    Oh, Calbee… That dog is just…

    “And he could never sleep again.”

  • NihongoCake

    Does anyone know what song they’re singing in the Coca Cola commercial in the first video? :D

  • http://www.facebook.com/joel.alexander.980 Joel Alexander

    Ooo. Ad for the Phoenix Wright / Professor Layton crossover. Squee! Been waiting for that one since forever, even if I’m going to have to buy a 3DS to play it. Mind you, my DS is starting to get a bit geriatric anyway…

  • In Japan Currently

    I can’t help but laugh every time Orlando Bloom’s commercial come on tv.

  • PenSez

    man, i cant decide on which one i like more! (boobs) they were all so SO entertaining (JIGGLE) so creative, i wonder what (BOUNCE!) would happen if some were aired on American TV? (boobs) that would be the day XD! (BOUNCING !!!!!!!!) i need to go out for a walk now and think about my life ….

  • 古戸ヱリカ

    Well, you go off and think abou tit.

  • Kasma88

    Got a couple of questions if people have any idea… Why do so many of the adverts include western people and songs?

  • John

    Because they’re popular and “exotic” I guess. Having Western stuff in the ad supposedly makes them “cool”.

  • crella

    It’s ‘Happiness’ by Ai.

  • crella

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kfQdolw0DA

    Here ya go…this is a live version with fans, the version you saw the clip from.

  • crella

    Tommy Lee Jones, the one where his head spins around. I missed that one, don’t watch a lot of TV. I love the Daihatsu ones, the courtroom drama series they’re doing now. My favorite–

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f5_REeCpcY&feature=player_detailpage

  • Hannah

    Not sure if all these appeared in the videos, but I LOVE CMs with a catchy jingle. Clear Asahi, Fuji Safari Park, Bike Oh, etc., and lately I’m really amused by Scalp-D. Softbank is -always- great, too. And some of the Sekisui House CMs make me tear up. :’)

  • Lucy

    oh god… i just realized i spent an hour watching from the JPCMHD youtube channel… japanese commercials are very addictive…

  • John

    Hahaha, I knew this would happen to someone.

  • http://www.facebook.com/brandy.kratz Brandy Kratz

    So very cool! I loved the One Piece movie trailer. I got a kick out of them all. So very much better then the ones here in the US.

  • http://www.facebook.com/brandy.kratz Brandy Kratz

    Which one is that?

  • Elizabeth T

    I’ve loved Japanese commercials ever since I was a child visiting my grandparents in Japan because I couldn’t understand the programs that aired, but the commercials were engaging. And now I can catch all the latest ones in one place? This totally made my day.