MOMOYA TV-Ads039-1965-Ushiwakamaru

Time: 30 sec.

Product Name: EDO-MURASAKI-TOKKYU

Description of Product: EDO-MURASAKI-TOKKYU is a savory preserve made of seaweed, called “Nori-no-tsukudani” in Japanese. It is made with soy sauce, sugar and mirin (rice wine.) It is preservable, and often eaten with Japanese rice.

Year: 1965

Advertiser: Momoya Co., Ltd.

Advertising Agency: YOMIKO Advertising Inc.

Production Company: Television Corporation of Japan

Description of Title: Ushiwakamaru is the childhood name of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and the early Kamakura period. He was the 9th son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and his older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura shogunate.

Beginning with the bright full moon covered by a rag of cloud, the shot zooms out to put a man playing Japanese flute on the Gojo no Hashi, or Gojo Bridge, in Kyoto prefecture into view. And then, another man appears and tries to rob a kind of Japanese sword called Tachi. This piece is a parody of the story about the encounter of Ushiwakamaru, the childhood name of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and Saito Musashibo Benkei who is a protagonist of Noh play “Ataka” and Kabuki play “Kanjincho.” Framing the thick shins of Benkei on both sides, the forth shot of this piece is quite effective as it reminds us the words ‘Nio-dachi’ and ‘Nakidokoro’ that strongly relate to his stereotypes.