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April 2025 Commercial Special: A thorough introduction from commercial storylines to trending songs

Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

In April 2025, as the new fiscal year kicked off, a wave of buzzworthy commercials made their debut! There were plenty of captivating ads, including ones for Aquarius and Suntory Natural Mineral Water featuring active athletes, and a Galaxy commercial that used live footage from YOASOBI.

In this article, we’ll take a close look at the featured performers and the stories portrayed in these standout commercials, as well as detailed information about the songs used.

If there are any commercials you spotted on TV or online that caught your attention, be sure to check them out.

Latest TV commercials [April 2025] (11–20)

JR East Japan NewDays ‘Kilimanjaro Iced Coffee’ Version

Kilimanjaro Iced Coffee

This is a commercial that introduces the Kilimanjaro iced coffee sold at NewDays and highlights the passion and care put into it.

Because of its simple structure—just pouring coffee and narration—the dedication to the coffee comes through strongly.

The imagery of shining ice merging with the coffee also conveys a refreshing feel, doesn’t it?

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JR East Tomorrow’s DESIGN: ‘Employee Ideas’ EditionMinami Hamabe, Kaito Sakurai

Tomorrow’s DESIGN: Employee Ideas Edition (30-second ver.)

This is a JR East commercial introducing new services born from employees’ ideas, such as renting baby strollers at stations.

In addition to Minami Hamabe, the ad features her future children appearing from the future, and Hamabe’s slightly bewildered reaction to the situation is also a key highlight.

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JR Central: Off to Nara, the ‘Asuka’ editionRyohei Suzuki

“Iza Iza Nara” Asuka Edition – 60 seconds

In the JR Central travel campaign commercial “Iza Iza Nara,” this installment highlights the charms of Asuka Village.

It opens with scenes of the Ishibutai Kofun and the Masuda Iwafune, then Ryohei Suzuki goes on to visit one famous spot after another around Asuka Village.

It ends with a shot of him enjoying delicious-looking dishes at the traditional house restaurant Da terra, leaving a strong impression of someone fully savoring all that Asuka Village has to offer.

Many viewers from outside the prefecture were likely intrigued, thinking, “I had no idea there was a place like this in Nara’s Asuka Village!”

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P&G h&s DJ★SHAMPOO “Head Odor” Version / “Scalp Rust” VersionGenta Matsuda

h&s Deep Head Spa DR. SHAMPOO Scalp Rust Version 15 seconds

This commercial features Genta Matsuda portraying various characters to convey that using products from h&s might help solve scalp concerns.

DJ Shampoo introduces a shampoo series that tackles head odor, while Dr.

Shampoo presents a deep head spa series that addresses dryness in the hair and scalp.

The confident movements as he introduces the products also convey a positive feeling that the concerns are on their way to being resolved.

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SK-II “Every morning, your bare skin becomes your ideal foundation. Limited-quantity Mother’s Day Gift Set”Haruka Ayase

Every morning, bare skin becomes your ideal foundation. Limited-quantity Mother's Day gift set.

This commercial highlights the power of SK-II’s Pitera Essence and conveys that it brings you closer to your ideal skin.

It delivers three benefits—pre-serum (booster), toner, and essence—suggesting it leads to beautifully bare, ideal skin, as shown through Haruka Ayase’s appearance.

Her gentle smile is also a key point, reflecting the idea that when your bare skin improves, you feel more positive.

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SUBARU Forester “Adventure Design” Version

Forester Adventure Design Edition - 30 seconds

This is a commercial for the Forester, which underwent a model change in 2025.

It mainly introduces the exterior with its strikingly sharp look, and through footage of a family driving the Forester, it highlights how perfectly it serves as a companion for adventures in nature.

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Latest Commercials [April 2025] (21–30)

UQ WiMAX “Why is MAX here?” VersionHikari Mitsushima, Ryuhei Matsuda, MAX

UQUEEN 'Why is MAX here?' 30 seconds

In the UQ WiMAX commercial, “Why Is MAX Here?”, MAX appears as a play on the name WiMAX.

He shows up as an acquaintance of UQUEEN, played by Hikari Mitsushima, and repeatedly strikes poses while shouting “WiMAX!” in sync with cues from Mitsushima and the butler, Ryuhei Matsuda.

While the spot invites plenty of witty retorts, its star-studded cast and glamorous world leave a strong impression.

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