If eating fried chicken makes us evil, we no longer have any desire to be good.

On October 31, a gorgeously illustrated anime-style trailer showed up on YouTube. In keeping with the Halloween spirit, a series of dark magicians and monsters appear, accompanied by ominous organ music as they intone their cryptic prophecies.

First comes the Lord of Flames, pictured above, who warns us:

“Two great forces rise. The monarch returns, and the people dance in a mad frenzy.”

He’s followed by the Burning Phoenix, a fierce bird with flaming plumage, and the promise that:

“The phoenixes, through scorching hellfire, visit the feasts of delight.”

The first crack in the super-serious armor comes with the Paladin of Sauce, though his dialogue is still full of gravitas.

“The giant blades of glimmering gold and dark pitch slice through the covetous travelers.”

There’s similar dichotomy with the sultry Cheddar Lucifer, who wraps herself with her mismatched wings and cradles her breasts while promising:

“The shining golden jewel beckons the lambs to the Forest of Slumber.”

And finally, the spectral Time Exector, a cloaked figure with naught but a starry void inside his hood of his mantle, says:

“Upon those who undertake this temporal ordeal, the blessing of the Dark Lord shall be bestowed.”

Despite their limited animation, the characters are exquisitely illustrated, and had us thinking this might be a teaser for a new anime-style smartphone card game, even as we heard the start of the next line of narration:

“Terrified by the sublime wail of the lord, the people are led to the purity of their destiny.”

But it turns out that all of this devilish intrigue is actually promoting something far less divisive than randomized gatcha play mechanics. Instead, it’s for something almost everyone loves: fried chicken!

Specifically, the video is an ad for The Double, KFC Japan’s version of the Double Down, which has just been reinstated as part of the KFC Japan menu.

▼ All hail our dark lord and master.

The video even has plain-Japanese translations for each character’s dramatic dialogue.

“The Double, a filling combination of two chicken fillets, is on sale again.”

“After cooking at high heat, it’s juicy and tender.”

“The combination of barbecue sauce and mustard relish makes it even more delicious.”

“Between the filets is an addicting layer of cheddar cheese.”

“The Double is on sale in limited quantities for a limited time, so hurry to your local KFC.

The Double is back on the menu, so please enjoy it.”

This isn’t the first time an American fast food chain has create an anime-style ad, as we saw one from McDonald’s a few years back. However, while the Golden Arches went with a wholesome, down-to-earth look at the upsides of working at the Golden Arches, for KFC has gone all-in with slathering on the anime aesthetic and tropes, in a rejection of moderation that’s entirely appropriate for the decadent Double.

Sadly, since The Double is only going to be around for a limited time, we probably won’t be seeing any more of Cheddar Lucifer and her dark companions. But with KFC being so heavily associated with Christmas in Japan, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for a holiday anime ad from the chain.

Source, images: YouTube/ケンタッキーフライドチキン 公式YouTubeチャンネル
[ Read in Japanese ]

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he now wants to see The Double’s anime ad paired with Castlevania’s “Bloody Tears” (Rondo of Blood arrangement, please).

[ Read in Japanese ]