The 2012 Best Television Commercial Award in Japan went to Toyota and the series of ads they created for the Prius. Here again is one of these "I can't make this up" stories. Look up on YouTube "Toyota Prius CM" and "Kimura Takuya" or "Beat Takeshi." The commercials are called "Toyota ReBorn" numbering quite a few. Try to start at the beginning. Here's the storyline.
Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, two lords notorious for betrayal, rivalry and war in Japanese history meet in modern-day Japan as Kimura Takuya and Beat Takeshi, two major and current celebrities. Kimura and Beat go on a road trip, with Beat giving the younger Kimura instructions. "Take the highway up north," and several commercials later they end up in Tohoku, Ishinomaki to be exact. Along the way they pick up Matsuko Deluxe, an popular and obese transvestite who's seen hitchhiking in a flowing black gown (looking very much like the grim reaper to me) who ends up being the wife or mistress of one of the two men. (I've forgotten enough of my Japanese history that I don't understand the historical significance of this woman. Google "Oichi-no-Kata" for more details.)
Once in Ishinomaki, they visit what used to be an evacuation shelter (now boarded up). While there, Beat says to Kimura, "Let's go to the ocean." What comes next is the best, most honest telling off--of the ocean. Beat screams, face twitching, the ultimate Japanese version of "F*** you." Technically, yelling "Bakayaro!" at the ocean that destroyed Ishinomaki and countless other cities and towns along the coast, he's calling the ocean stupid. Anyone who knows this man, however, knows he doesn't just say "stupid." His language is much more coarse. Not known for being nice or polite, Beat is absolutely, most definitely saying anything akin to just "stupid." In this one word, he does what we've all wanted to do since March 11th. The commercials are strong, powerful, and painful all at the same time. They deserve the award. If I were creating these commercials, I might have added Bolero as the soundtrack, but that's just me.
The commercials are worth watching. I applaud Toyota's audacity, their ability to take a subject not the least bit funny, taking two men admired and loved and turning a hybrid car into the medium by which to tell a story, express anger, and remind people to care. Watch it. Laugh and cry. Care.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afzj_J8MizM
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