The latest Gundam anime, "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX," kicked off this season and is now deep into its latter half. Its high-octane action and mysterious plot twists have got fans buzzing.
This week's (June 11) tenth episode, "Blockade of Iomagnuso," dropped a bombshell that went viral, all thanks to a simple line: "I made Thai chicken rice (Khao Man Gai)." This single sentence not only resonated with viewers but also sent the Thailand Tourism Authority into a frenzy! They immediately posted on their official Facebook page, delving into the history and cultural background of "Thai Chicken Rice" and thanking "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" for the shout-out.
As soon as the episode aired, the Tourism Authority's official Facebook page sprang into action, posting an analysis of "chicken rice's" evolution in Thailand. They even coined the term "Anime Effect" as their theme, officially recognizing "Khao Man Gai" as a localized dish originating from Hainanese immigrants, hoping to educate more people about this regional delicacy.
Japanese netizens quickly picked up on the post, surprised that an official Thai government agency would jump in. They noted that Thai chicken rice only appeared for a fleeting moment, yet it was enough for them to latch onto for promotion. One netizen quipped, "Seeing that, it must be Gundam's hand – the spread is unstoppable!"
The topic unexpectedly ignited a "chicken rice topping war." One Japanese netizen shared, "I thought adding tomatoes was normal, but I was corrected that it's taboo." Others compared the debate to "pineapple on pizza vs. no pineapple" or "lemon on fried chicken vs. no lemon."
One Thai netizen even took to X, declaring, "ข้าวมันไก่น่ะ เขาไม่ใส่มะเขือเทศ (Chicken rice doesn't get tomatoes!!!)" leaving everyone in stitches.
Because Nean in the show mentioned being a "Thai chicken rice" enthusiast, local Thai netizens dug up a real-life restaurant called "ニャオ・カオマンガイ カオカームー (เหมียวข้าวมันไก่ ข้าวขาหมู)." Its name sounds remarkably similar to Nean's Japanese pronunciation, causing it to instantly explode in popularity, with massive queues forming. It's now become a new pilgrimage site for local Gundam fans. Netizens joked, "Just one line, and a previously obscure chicken rice spot became a tourist hotspot – Gundam's influence is insane!"
Even the restaurant posted on its Facebook page, asking, "What in the world is happening at our shop?"
After finding out, they thanked Gundam fans and Nean, hoping everyone would enjoy their food.
This whole thing is truly a surreal chain reaction: "Character says one line → National agency goes wild → Global promotion of food culture!" It's also unexpectedly taught everyone a lot about Thai cuisine, making it a pretty epic case of cultural exchange.
via： togetter