Lovely commercial jingle

Nostalgic Commercials: Masterpiece Ads of the Heisei Era. TV commercials from the 2000s.

Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICKeisuke Hane
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. After working at a music studio and in wedding sound engineering, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with various instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in middle school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on personal music activities and professional experience, produces daily articles, including song introductions, features on music festivals around Japan, and live reports. Enjoys a wide range of music, from domestic and international rock to, more recently, a broad spectrum of J-pop.
music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and have been contributing to music magazines and web media for over 15 years. Although Western music is my main field, I always strive to stay curious with the motto, “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in a band, where I was a bassist responsible for songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve performed on include bass, guitar, and piano. I resumed piano lessons after turning 40 and have been continuing ever since!

When you watch TV, you inevitably see commercials, right?

Even if we only half-watch them, those commercials often leave a surprisingly strong impression!

Commercials may be ads, but they’re impactful works in their own right.

In this article, we’ll focus on some especially memorable commercials from the 2000s.

Back in the 2000s, online content wasn’t as widespread as it is today, and many people watched a lot of television.

So among the commercials we’re about to introduce, you’ll likely find some that look familiar or feel wonderfully nostalgic.

Enjoy!

[Nostalgic Commercials] Heisei-era masterpiece ads. TV commercials from the 2000s (71–80)

KINCHO Tansu ni Gon Gon

[Yasuko Sawaguchi] KINCHO Commercial Collection [GonGon]

Kinchō is known for its highly impactful commercials, and among them, the “Tansu ni Gon” series really stands out for its quirky style—many of you probably remember it, right? Actress Yasuko Sawaguchi threw herself into an impressively wide range of eccentric roles, and she nailed them all (lol).

The Kansai dialect suited her perfectly, and every spot had that little moment that made you chuckle.

They were all the kind of commercials that made you think, “She really is a great actress.” It’s a series packed with nostalgia—one after another you’ll go, “I remember this one! Oh, this one too!”

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Sompo 24 “Hanakoala’s Review Dance” Edition

Sompo 24 commercial (early version)

Sompo 24 Non-Life Insurance was very popular thanks to its cute illustrated commercials.

Many people probably go, “Ah, that’s nostalgic!” when they hear the jingle.

Those ads had plenty of moments that made you want to chime in with comments, didn’t they? To encourage viewers to review their insurance, a group of koalas would appear.

They were adorable characters named “Hana Koala,” but here’s the shocking part: the part everyone thought was their nose would pop right off and turn into a telephone or a computer mouse.

They actually have a tiny, cute real nose underneath (lol).

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Aflac: Aoi Miyazaki × Manekineko Duck

[The Duck's Waltz] AFLAC Aflac Commercial: Aoi Miyazaki × Maneki-neko Duck Edition [All 17 Videos]

Aflac’s commercials featuring the Aflac Duck have had many different versions and actresses over the years, but do you remember Aoi Miyazaki, who appeared in the ads starting in 2006? Her image was so strong and memorable.

She did a lot of commercials with a clear, natural vibe, and the CM song “Ahiru no Waltz” brings back a ton of nostalgia too, doesn’t it? And the Maneki-neko Duck that combined a beckoning cat with the duck is nostalgic as well!

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au Chaku-Uta Full

[CM] ORANGE RANGE Hana Yukie Nakama au KDDI 2004

These days, listening to music on a smartphone is a given, but back then the idea of listening to music on a mobile phone was groundbreaking—if not the very beginning of it all.

This is the 2004 au commercial for “Chaku-Uta Full,” the “Flower” version.

What left an impression was how beautiful and pure-looking Yukie Nakama was, listening to music with headphones on, holding a mobile phone amid a field of flowers.

The song used in the commercial was ORANGE RANGE’s ‘Hana.

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Tutor (Home Tutor) no Try

Private Tutoring Try - TV Commercial

Speaking of Try’s private tutoring commercials, the series that dubs lines over characters from the anime Heidi, Girl of the Alps is a familiar one, right? I was shocked to see this ad aimed at a generation that likely doesn’t even know Heidi, but perhaps it was actually appealing to the parents—the investors, so to speak.

Here’s the nostalgic commercial that first put Try in the spotlight.

The ad that used Newton’s cradle to clearly explain a method for memorizing vocabulary left a strong impression.

With a zero enrollment fee, it makes you think, “I might as well give it a try,” doesn’t it?

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Wakasa Seikatsu Super Blueberry Eye

[Wakasa Seikatsu] Buruburu-kun & Ai-Ai-chan Blueberry Eye Commercial Collection [All 22 Versions]

Isn’t this one of those commercial jingles that sticks in your head after just one listen? It’s the ad for Wakasa Seikatsu’s “Blueberry Eye.” Back in the day, it was one of those commercials you saw and heard all the time.

And did you know these characters actually have names? The boy is Buruburu-kun, and the girl is Aiai-chan.

Buruburu-kun is voiced by Masako Nozawa, famous for roles like Goku in Dragon Ball, which is probably why it left such a strong impression on many people.

It’s the kind of commercial that makes you go “Oh!” at the end when you recognize Nozawa’s voice.

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Amino SupplementAminonjer: Giraffe Ranger Squad

[KIRIN] Amino Supplement Commercial Compilation ☆ Kirin Squadron Aminonjer [All 13 Versions]

The Amino Suppli commercial that was a complete parody of Sentai heroes like Gorenger is really nostalgic too.

Around 2000, it felt like loads of “health-conscious beverages” started hitting the market—things with fiber or amino acids, which are now totally commonplace.

What’s funny about this ad is that the red hero, who seems to be the team leader, is the only one who’s really overweight.

If social media had been around back then, it would’ve gone even more viral.

The background music also sounds just like a Sentai theme song, and it’ll definitely grow on you.

If you haven’t heard it, give it a listen!

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