McDonald's Japan launched a new Happy Meal promotion on May 16, featuring toys from "Minecraft The Movie" and "Chiikawa." The first wave was a massive hit, selling out almost instantly. Even with a "limit of four per person" on the second wave, which dropped on May 23, those toys vanished just as fast.
But here's the kicker: Less than two days after the second wave hit, McDonald's officially announced on May 24 that all "Chiikawa" Happy Meal toys were completely sold out. And if that wasn't enough, they also confirmed that the planned third wave, originally set for May 30, would no longer feature any "Chiikawa" merchandise. Naturally, fans are not happy, and the internet is buzzing with complaints.
According to the official website:
"The second wave of Happy Meal toys for 'Minecraft The Movie' and 'Chiikawa,' originally launched for a limited time starting Friday, May 23, 2025, has been incredibly popular and is now sold out at most locations, leading to an early conclusion of the promotion.
Consequently, the third wave, which was scheduled to launch on Friday, May 30 (and would have featured a return of toys from the first and second waves), will no longer include 'Minecraft The Movie' or 'Chiikawa' merchandise.
Customers who purchase a Happy Meal will instead receive a picture book, an encyclopedia, or other previously released toys. We sincerely apologize for any disappointment this may cause to those who were looking forward to these items. We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming support from our customers. We also kindly ask that you refrain from inquiring about stock availability directly at our stores. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation! We will continue to strive to bring more fun and 'McDonald's-style' products, so please look forward to what's next!"
Japanese media outlets picked up the story, and netizens are absolutely fuming over McDonald's Japan's handling of the situation. Many argue that the collaboration was announced a month in advance, making the buying frenzy entirely predictable. Yet, they did nothing to prevent scalping and reselling, nor did they have a contingency plan beyond simply canceling the third wave. Fans feel McDonald's was completely unprepared for this highly anticipated collaboration.
It's hard to believe McDonald's could have misjudged the hype for these two massive IPs, yet their only solution was cancellation. Now, with the toys flooding the resale market, it's safe to say this "Happy Meal War" has left a lot of fans feeling utterly frustrated.