McDonald's Japan commercials are always a hot topic on social media, and their latest ad is no exception, bringing back the now 46-year-old Yuri Ebihara. Her timeless looks immediately transported many viewers back to her original McDonald's ad from 20 years ago.
In the new commercial, Yuri Ebihara looks like she hasn't aged a day, reappearing with a heart-shaped fried shrimp snack. Just as the ad was settling into the familiar "Ebi-chan" vibe, the protagonist of the 90s manga "Lucky Man" (Tottemo! Lucky Man) suddenly crashed the party. This brand-new ad quickly racked up millions of views online and soared to the top of Japan's X trends, thanks to its overwhelming wave of Heisei-era nostalgia.
McDonald's Japan is promoting its limited-time autumn snack, the "Puripuri Ebipurio" (tentative translation: bouncy, plump shrimp bites), which will be available again in Japan starting September 16th and is expected to be sold until late October. A 5-piece set starts at 290 yen. These snacks feature shrimp meat seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper, all wrapped in a crispy coating. Some boxes will even randomly include heart-shaped versions, which the company says are "super lucky" if you get one.
The 46-year-old Yuri Ebihara is affectionately known as "Ebi-chan," and since "Ebi" in Japanese also means shrimp, her association with McDonald's fried shrimp products is a match made in heaven.
▼ Here's the 2026 McDonald's commercial featuring Yuri Ebihara
エビちゃんがマックに帰ってきたけど
途中からラッキーマンが入ってきたよ pic.twitter.com/6X3LVzbUHC— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) September 10, 2026
Back in 2005, when the "Ebi Filet-O" was first launched, Yuri Ebihara served as its image model, and the ads featuring her holding the shrimp burger became one of her most iconic memories for many Japanese viewers. Now, 21 years later, watching the old and new commercials side-by-side—from the familiar red hues and the composition of her holding a shrimp product to Yuri Ebihara's unchanging appearance—it's no wonder people are momentarily confused about whether they're seeing an old ad or a new one.
▼ This is the 2005 McDonald's commercial featuring Yuri Ebihara from 20 years ago
As for "Lucky Man" (Tottemo! Lucky Man), who suddenly barged into the scene, it's a gag manga by Hiroshi Gamo that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" starting in 1993, and an anime TV series was also released in 1994. The protagonist has "Daikichi" (great luck) written on his chest and, despite lacking any special powers, always defeats his enemies through ridiculously exaggerated good fortune. Paired with the randomly appearing heart-shaped shrimp bites, he makes for an unexpectedly fitting "super lucky" spokesperson.
The most common reaction on social media wasn't about whether the shrimp bites taste good, but rather a constant stream of people trying to confirm if this was actually an old commercial. Many initially thought McDonald's was just re-airing past footage, only to be astonished by Yuri Ebihara's seemingly ageless appearance upon realizing it was a recently shot new ad. Others dug up old ad photos, reminiscing about how many girls used to imitate her hairstyles, makeup, and outfits.
Another wave of netizens was completely captivated by "Lucky Man"'s sudden appearance, describing the ad as if it tossed 1990s manga and 2000s pop culture into the Reiwa era. Some lamented that younger generations might not fully grasp this cross-generational collaboration. There were even viewers who took the opportunity to recall other past shrimp burger flavors, hoping McDonald's would bring those back too.
What started as a simple return of a fried shrimp snack ultimately became a tear-jerking capsule of Heisei nostalgia, packed with "Weekly Shonen Jump," Ebi-chan, and McDonald's ads from two decades ago.