McDonald's Japan is ushering in summer with a nostalgic campaign that leans heavily on beloved anime. The fast-food giant's new commercials for its annual summer Big Mac promotion, titled "When You Say 'Summer,' Then and Now," incorporate memorable moments from Mamoru Hosoda's critically acclaimed films: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, and Wolf Children.
The campaign aims to evoke a sense of nostalgia by reviving the 1980s Coca-Cola jingle โI feel Coke,โ originally performed by Daisuke Inoue, to promote the Big Mac and Coca-Cola combo. The commercials, which come in 30-, 60-, and 120-second versions, will begin airing in Japan on June 30. Live-action segments within the ads also feature current stars, including gold-medal-winning figure skaters Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, alongside Hikaru Morita from the idol group Sakurazaka46.
This collaboration marks the second consecutive year McDonald's Japan has utilized anime for its summer Big Mac push. Last year's campaign drew from classic 1980s anime like Maison Ikkoku, The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?, and Kimagure Orange Road. The previous campaign also saw participation from notable creators, including Maison Ikkoku creator Rumiko Takahashi and Macross co-creator Shลji Kawamori.
Source: Anime News Network(https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2026-06-26/mcdonald-commercials-welcome-summer-with-mamoru-hosoda-films/.238938)
