There’s a lot more than burgers to unpack here.

McDonald’s has made a name for itself with its amazing Japan-exclusive releases over the years, with equally amazing advertising campaigns catching people’s attentions across the globe.

The latest new release from the chain is set to raise eyebrows with its evocative new name: “アジアのジューシー” (“Ajia no Juushii”), which translates to “Asian Juicy“.

While the name for this new range of burgers might seem like a bit of a head-scratcher at first, it’s actually a nod to a ’90s hit single by J-pop group Puffy. You see, “Asian Juicy“, or “Ajia no Juushi” as it’s known in Japanese, is a play on Puffy’s 1996 song, “Ajia no Junshin” (“Asian Innocence“).

Puffy, or Puffy AmiYumi as they became known in the U.S. to avoid legal conflicts with Sean Combs, who was also known as Puffy at the time, consisted of singers Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura. For the new McDonald’s campaign, however, ex-Nogizaka46 idol Nanase Nishino and actress Marie Iitoyo are stepping in to give their rendition of “Asian Innocence”, but with burger-related lyrics thrown into the mix instead.

▼ Take a look at Puffy’s music video for “Ajia no Junshin” below

▼ Check out all the references to the original ’90s music video above in Nishino and Iitoyo’s version for McDonald’s below.

So what exactly is the new music video promoting? It’s the “Asian Juicy” series, which consists of three burgers, each filled with the flavour of a popular Asian dish.

First up, there’s the Yurinchi Chicken (440 yen [US$3.38]), a type of Japanese fried chicken that’s known for its crispy golden brown exterior and and sweet-and-sour scallion sauce. It’s actually a Japanese take on Chinese “oil-drenched chicken”, and this burger contains all the main components of the dish, combining sesame oil and soy sauce with ginger for a refreshing finish.

Next, we have the Tantan Double Beef (490 yen), which is a burger-shaped nod to Tantan Ramen, a spicy noodle dish based on a Chinese recipe. This burger pairs beef with cheese, egg, and a spicy Tantan Mayonnaise, which contains plenty of sesame to complement the patties.

Finally, we have the Sweet Chilli Shrimp (450 yen), which pays homage to Thailand’s sweet chilli sauce. A honey and lemon sauce is paired with the sweet chilli sauce to bring out the deliciousness of the shrimp, which is contained within a crunchy, creamy cutlet.

Each burger comes with cute anime-style packaging that honours the Asian country that inspired it, tipping the hat to Japan, China, and Thailand.

▼ Take a look at the new television commercial for the series below:

This style of burger diplomacy is a tasty way to bring Asian countries together in a celebration of harmonious flavour, and it’s a tour we can’t wait to take our taste buds on when they appear on the menu from 1 February through to the end of March.

Source: McDonald’s Japan
Featured image: YouTube/マクドナルド公式（McDonald’s）
Insert images: McDonald’s Japan
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