Back in April, Coca-Cola's "Yakan no Mugicha from Sokenbicha" (boiled barley tea) drink launched a revamped campaign, teaming up with Crayon Shin-chan for a live-action commercial series titled "Another Crayon Shin-chan: We're the Yakan Family!" (もうひとつのクレヨンしんちゃん やかんの家族だゾ！). After its release, the series quickly dispelled initial fan worries about live-action adaptations, earning widespread praise.
Now, the latest installment, Episode 7, has dropped, finally bringing all four "20-years-later" live-action Nohara family members together and kicking the story's energy up a notch!
The commercial series "Another Crayon Shin-chan: We're the Yakan Family!" chronicles the Nohara family's cheerful and optimistic daily life across different eras. Set "20 years in the future," the cast features Fumiya Takahashi as 25-year-old Shinnosuke Nohara, Mei Hata as 20-year-old Himawari, Taizo Harada as 55-year-old Hiroshi Nohara, and Kumiko Aso as 49-year-old Misae Nohara.
Episode 7 sees Shin-chan and Himawari return home to reunite with their parents. The four gather in their familiar living room, sharing Mom's special curry and sipping barley tea in a super heartwarming scene. But alas, good times don't last forever! The air conditioner suddenly breaks down. Hiroshi, ever the cool dad, declares it's time for a man to show his skills, but his repair attempts fail spectacularly, turning their home into a sweltering inferno!
Then, Himawari remembers how they used to huddle around the fan as kids. She digs out the old fan, and the four Noharas squeeze in front of it, basking in the breeze. Coincidentally, the TV is playing "Action Mask" from back in the day, making the whole scene feel like a trip twenty years into the past.
The next morning, as Shin-chan heads off to work, the entire family sees him off at the genkan. Hiroshi and Misae shout, "Nohara Family, full power!" and remind Shin-chan he's always welcome home, making for an extra heartwarming family moment.
While Shin-chan waits for the train, there's a sneaky cameo of a three-girl group reminiscent of the "Saitama Red Scorpions" from the manga! Whether it's actually them or not, the subtle nod totally thrilled fans.
▼ Watch the full video here:
This episode racked up over 900,000 views in less than two days! Netizens are raving about everything from the stellar casting to the perfectly recreated dialogue and character personalities. Many never expected such an outstanding live-action adaptation and are now begging for a full-blown drama series!
This series will continue to roll out new updates. It's wild how it went from being completely underestimated at first to a massive hit after the cast and videos were revealed. Goes to show that when a live-action adaptation is made with genuine care, it can totally defy expectations!