Lovely commercial jingle

[Nostalgic Commercials] A compilation of commercials that aired in the Showa era

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.
A Vocaloid producer who is also a music writerAraki Jakkan
I’ve worked in a variety of roles—regardless of pro or amateur settings—including live event PA, cameraman for video and photography, restaurant staff, and logistics center staff. I now spend my days as a part-time writer. I’ve contributed to music and manga websites with feature/review articles, and wrote the liner notes included as a bonus for 1st PLACE Inc.’s “IA SUPER BEST.” As for my music background, I started playing guitar in junior high and focused on band activities during my school years. For over 15 years since then, up to the present, I’ve continued releasing original tracks as a Vocaloid producer. My areas of expertise are Japanese rock, Vocaloid, and manga.

TV commercials vary by era, and when you see them again after a long time, many of them feel nostalgic, don’t they?

In particular, from the 1970s to the 1980s—the latter part of the Showa era—many distinctive commercials were aired.

Catchphrases used in those ads were chosen as buzzwords, and songs featured in them became huge hits, making quite the splash in various ways.

In this article, we’ll introduce a whole collection of those nostalgic commercials from the Showa period.

They range widely from spots with a completely different flavor than today’s commercials to ones that have become enduring classics even now, so please take your time and enjoy.

[Nostalgic Commercials] A Collection of TV Ads from the Showa Era (61–70)

Nintendo Famicom Wars

CM Nintendo Famicom Wars (FC) [Famicom Wars]

This commercial expresses the rising excitement for the release of Nintendo’s title Famicom Wars.

From the repeated cadence calls of the drill instructor, it’s immediately clear that the motif is inspired by the film Full Metal Jacket.

The straightforward chant phrases that convey pure anticipation, along with the synchronized, distinctive rhythm, make it stick in your ears.

It’s also striking that it’s a pre-release ad that doesn’t use footage from the game itself, which really communicates the message: just play it and see for yourself.

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Nissin Demae Iccho

Commercial: Nissin Foods – Demae Iccho – 1983

The Nissin “Demae Iccho” commercial, famous for the catchphrase “A~rayo, Demae Iccho,” aired a version in 1983 that showed a growing boy eating Demae Iccho.

The jingle, created by Eiichi Ohtaki, cheered on the boy as he ate heartily and grew up.

It carries the wish that by eating lots of Demae Iccho and absorbing the nutrition from the sesame in it, he’ll grow up strong and healthy.

The commercial closes with the timeless, familiar catchphrase.

By the way, that phrase was created by Taro Kida!

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Ishimaru Denki

Ishimaru Denki Commercial, 1986

This is a commercial for Ishimaru Denki, a consumer electronics retailer that operated mainly around Akihabara in the Kanto region during the Showa era.

Even people in other regions where there were no stores may recognize the “dekkai wa” line spoken by the narrator at the end of the ad.

After being absorbed by Aiden in 2009, the brand was consolidated into Edion in 2012, and the company name disappeared.

In a 1986 commercial, lively scenes show adults and children happily shopping inside Ishimaru Denki.

The original jingle features a bright, friendly, and memorable melody.

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Ryukakusan: When you hear a cough, think Ryukakusan.

1978 commercial Ryukakusan prompter ACC Grand Prix

This is a commercial for Ryukakusan, famous for its catchphrase, “When you cough—Ryukakusan.” It features the stage prompter (kuroko) as the main character, feeding lines from the wings to an actor performing on stage.

While smoothly guiding the dialogue with the script in hand, the prompter suddenly coughs—“ahem”—and asks someone nearby for Ryukakusan.

The actor on stage mistakes even this exchange—from the cough to the request for Ryukakusan—for part of the script and says it out loud! Watching the prompter’s shifting expressions of “Oh no, I messed up…” is irresistibly chuckle-worthy.

This commercial even won the Grand Prix at the ACC CM Festival!

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