Having worked on a Nissin Cup Noodle series of commercials/anime some years back, I’ve developed a soft spot for the noodle maker’s marketing videos, more often than not carrying witty and whimsically creative themes.

This particular TV spot satires the Japanese Salary Man’s struggles with the English language and likens the linguistic challenges to a battlefield, shot a la The Last Samurai. Some might find the content objectional, racist even, but I like how the Japanese can laugh in the face of their own weakness while soldiering on, and in doing so emerge at the end of the day, stronger.





Note the design of the battle sigil on the flags are in the shape of a…Ramen bowl. Fitting !

Go here to watch the HD version (but with no English subtitles). The production budget is definitely higher than your average Japanese commercial, so take a minute to enjoy the high production values that went into re-creating the period battle scenes.