Sexy Moment Noodles Commercial Business Spark Online Strong Protest

Toyo Suisan’s latest Akai Kitsune ad has sparked a debate online, but not for the reasons you expected it to be. There is a girl in the 34-second animation commercial, who is keen to whisper when she eats a bowl of udon. For some, this is a harmless ad. For others, this is another example of sexual female representation.

This isn’t the first time that an anime-inspired ad has attracted attention due to its portrayal of women, but due to the internet partition, the problem remains: is this harmless ad, or is it the latest example of mainstream female sexual behavior in Japanese media? Let’s open the controversy.

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-[官方]Toyo Suisan Co., Ltd. (Maruchan) (@toyosuisan_jp) February 6, 2025

Start all this ad

The ad starts with a woman watching an emotional drama on TV. To soothe herself, she turns to a bowl of Akai Kitsune Udon. Her cheeks were flush as she ate. Then she whispered “delicious” in an almost intimate tenderness.

It was compared to the male version of the ad, thus promoting Maruchan’s Midori No Tanuki Soba. In that version, a tired office worker eats quietly on his desk, satisfied but does not blush, sigh or whisper. A completely different mood.

Credits: Maruchan Toyo Suisan

reaction

On platforms such as X, criticism has emerged quickly. Some people call business a clear example of male gaze, business consultant Rika Holden Nakamura explain“The sharp contrast in the portrayal reveals the anime’s tendency to frame women through male gaze, embedded in a subtle and undeniable layer of sexualization.”

However, not everyone agrees. Many users refuted the strong opposition. “Anyone who thinks it is sex must achieve,” Write A user. “For anger, it feels like anger. Can the media stop picking random negative comments from social media every time,” Posted other.

How cultural commentator Ken Ogiso describes “the anger that does not exist in the internet.” “Often, anger stems from widespread criticism. However, in this case, a small number of negative comments reported by the media expand, which seems to be It’s a bigger problem than it actually is.” seal.

The real problem

Aside from the apparent debate whether it is sexy, the ads reveal a more complex question: gender storytelling in the media. The women in the Akai Kitsune ad are emotionally fragile and comfortable in food, while the men in the Midori No Tanuki version are firm and self-sufficient. This is a subtle and obvious reinforcement of traditional gender roles – female expressions, male endurance.

This is not unique to Toyo Suisan. Japanese advertising, especially when influenced by anime aesthetics, often portrays women through romantic, exaggerated shots. Blushing, whispering and soft visuals are common metaphors used to highlight femininity, often in a way that expresses rather than authenticity.

So, too sexy? The truth is somewhere in the middle. Akai Kitsune ads are not obvious sexual behavior, but it does reflect a familiar pattern in Japanese media – enhancing gender expectations, whether intentional or not. More persuasive than the ad itself is the polarizing reaction it elicits, thus revealing tensions between cultural norms, media representation, and evolving social consciousness.