If you're into Japanese YouTubers, then "HIKAKIN," Japan's most subscribed creator, is probably a name you know well. Since late March, he's been building anticipation on his social media, even hosting a completely black-screen livestream with ocean sounds that left everyone scratching their heads. He even posted on X, saying he'd be temporarily offline, further confusing his fanbase. Then, on April 5th, he dropped a video revealing his new self-branded barley tea, "ONICHA," instantly becoming a hot topic.
However, this elaborate rollout left some netizens puzzled. All that fanfare just for a barley tea? Some even worried something serious had happened to him, leading to a fair bit of criticism online.
▼ In late March, HIKAKIN hosted a black-screen livestream on his channel, not saying a word, which baffled many fans and viewers.
▼ He later announced he'd be temporarily inactive on social media, urging everyone not to worry as nothing was wrong.
Turns out, all this mystery was just to launch his own "ONICHA" barley tea brand. Many fans were confused, feeling that such an elaborate and perplexing social media campaign for a simple product was making a mountain out of a molehill.
HIKAKIN, however, stated that the concept behind "ONICHA" was to create a barley tea that "makes you want to pick it up, that excites you," hoping to change the plain, boring image often associated with barley tea and redefine its market presence.
▼ When this video was first livestreamed, many viewers were indeed confused about the barley tea reveal, wondering why such a mysterious and elaborate buildup was necessary.
Despite HIKAKIN's vision, some netizens remain skeptical, arguing that existing barley tea products are already quite refined. One user bluntly stated, "Honestly, there's nothing wrong with the barley tea we have now." Another used gaming lingo to describe the current market: "The best right now are Tsurube and 'Yakan no Mugicha'; we'll see if he can break into that league."
Others felt that "barley tea is already delicious," and that HIKAKIN's approach made it seem like there were no good options on the market.
Some netizens also pointed out that the idea of barley tea being "not exciting enough, a bit boring" wasn't a problem for most people, making it a rather far-fetched reason for a brand launch.
There were also questions regarding the use of foreign-grown barley, leading to doubts about his claim to "change Japanese barley tea."
Even more confused netizens wondered if the mysterious black-screen livestream was even necessary. They argued that instead of all the exaggerated CG, HIKAKIN's original statement, "Because I have a daughter, and I want her to grow up healthy, I made barley tea," would have been enough. All the strange theatrics just to promote barley tea understandably left some feeling dissatisfied.
Of course, this isn't HIKAKIN's first product launch. A few years ago, his Nissin collaboration "Miso Ramen" instant noodles flew off convenience store shelves, selling out instantly. With his immense popularity and reach, everyone rushed to post taste test reviews. However, whether this new barley tea can achieve the same level of impact remains to be seen once it officially hits the market.
▼ HIKAKIN's previous Nissin collaboration "Miso Ramen"
via： togetter