entertainment

Cup rice ad is classic crazy Japan

12 Comments
By Philip Kendall

Last September, we brought you news that Japanese cup noodle maker Nissin was about to launch a new product, Kare Meshi curry rice in a cup. Hoping to do for rice what it did for noodles and ensure that a new generation of Japanese never give in to the urge to cook a real meal for themselves, the idea is that lazy diners simply add water to the pre-cooked curry and rice, heat it in the microwave and get stuck in. All the taste with minimal washing up and none of the fuss of cooking rice the regular way.

This week, in an effort to lodge Kare Meshi more firmly in the minds of consumers, the noodle king has launched a new ad for its cup rice. And it is positively insane.

The ad begins with a young boy lying around on the floor holding his stomach and wishing that he had something quick and easy to snack on.

No sooner have the words left his mouth than Nissin’s Kare Meshi mascot bursts through the paper wall and, having trampled the pot-bellied layabout, introduces the microwaveable dish.

Kare Meshi Man explains that the rice is already inside the cup, as illustrated by this crowd of unfortunate souls dressed not at all like extras in a human biology/sex education video, dancing around.

You just add water, the emphatic voiceover tells us, and throw it in the microwave. Which, as the surly, keitai-toting high schooler and an old man tell us, is kind of amazing.

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Transform your Cup Noodle into exotic cuisine! 10 easy recipes for 100x flavor -- Chow time, bachelors! Nissin now offering microwavable curry rice in a cup -- Newly Released Emergency Ration Cup O’ Noodles Last for Three Years

© RocketNews24

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12 Comments
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My girlfriend enjoys Kare Meishi.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This stuff doesn't taste as good as the Pot Noodle though.......

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Holy crap! It's like they've spliced in all the crazy elements of several decades of crazy ads.

Anyone else think of "Turkey Ranger - choco chips!"?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Awwww, that was tame. Liked the opening, though.

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What I ironic with this commercial is that some of the most popular manga series for adult readers are ones depicting how to cook at home such as Cooking Papa and Hana no Zubora-Meshi. These series are very popular among older readers who want to do more cooking at home as opposed to buying pre-made food like that depicted in this Nissin commercial.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@ Moderators - How about deleting the repeated sentence, and not just my post pointing it out.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

TV commercials, They send a message. They say something about the makers and those who watch them. They say little or nothing about the product.

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I think i have seen most of the major elements on American TV actually....

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Must...buy....kare meshi....need.....quick.......food, now.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Me thinks I will buy this today. The power of marketing...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I wonder if it was there actual intention for the mascot to step on the kid or if it was one of those cases of them not thinking the idea through carefully.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I had fun reading this article, and the commercial WAS classic Japan. I'm sure this was the first time I read the term "pot-bellied layabout", it was a good choice of words. But I couldn't understand what was meant by the phrase "heat in the microwave and get stuck in."

3 ( +3 / -0 )

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