1980s Japanese commercial for anti-itch remedy

A Japanese okusan relieves her pet octopus' maddeningly itchy tentacles in this "Dream of the Fisherman's Wife" inspired TV commercial for and anti-itch remedy. Link

[#1 posted by Rider , March 21, 2008 2:16 PM]

The origin of tentacle porn.

[#2 posted by allthegoodnamesaretaken , March 21, 2008 3:00 PM]

I, for one, welcome our new Hydrostat overlords.

[#3 posted by kaosdevice , March 21, 2008 3:18 PM]

Nobody wants an itchy Cthulhu.

[#4 posted by Jcyreus , March 21, 2008 4:16 PM]

That's pretty funny even without understanding the dialog.

Personally I have always been facinated by Japanese culture.

Earlier this week I posted an article on jcyreus dot Com in response to a news story I heard on NPR about how Japanese businesses are offering people over 65 special discounts and services for surrendering their driver's licenses. Interesting stuff, if you're interested...

http://jcyreus.com/blog/2008/03/19/convincing-grandpa-to-give-up-his-drivers-license/

[#5 posted by Antinous , March 21, 2008 4:36 PM]

The actual origin of tentacle porn

[#6 posted by Clumpy , March 21, 2008 6:47 PM]

I've seen Asian paintings with this thing, but they're a great deal more graphic. Still, it's hard to believe that the Japanese wouldn't have the darker side of tentacles in mind as they watched this ad. . .

[#7 posted by Tenn , March 21, 2008 7:48 PM]

My brain just exploded. Thanks a LOT Antinous. Weird stranger.

Some octopus tentacle-images have nine tentacles (or scupture, in netsuke). Guess what the ninth symbolizes.

Clumpy-

OF COURSE they had the darker side in mind. Japan is responsible for all dark sides of innocent things. Seriously.

[#8 posted by Takuan , March 21, 2008 8:21 PM]

Shunga? Dark? Poor child, you must travel one day.

[#9 posted by Hokkaido Hillbilly , March 21, 2008 8:48 PM]

Just a quick note...what they're hawking in this commercial is actually athlete's foot (水虫/mizumushi) medicine, which now that I think about it, makes a lot more sense than regular old anti-itch cream for giant tentacle porn.

(yes, my brain is a bit addled from living here for the last 8 years)

[#10 posted by travelina , March 22, 2008 2:53 AM]

@Hokkaido Hillbilly: thanks for the explanation, But since you live in Hokkaido, don't you think she should have used Mr. Sparkle instead? If he's disrespectful to dirt and can disintegrate two-headed cows, most likely he would be able to banish athlete's foot to the land of wind and ghosts also. Can you see that he is serious?
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/309884

Also, have you ever eaten ice cream ramen? http://www.boingboing.net/2007/10/23/ice-cream-ramen.html

[#11 posted by insomma , March 22, 2008 9:51 AM]

So is all the initial dialogue him trying to tell her exactly which, er, sucker cup is itching?

[#12 posted by adamnvillani , March 22, 2008 10:02 AM]

Yeah, the dialogue is the octopus trying to tell the woman which sucker it is that needs the ointment.

[#13 posted by RJ , March 22, 2008 1:39 PM]

Most advertising seems very weird when you don't understand the language or aren't familiar with the culture.

I used to think French advertising was so risqué until I realized that it wasn't French perversion so much as it was my conservative American upbringing.

And of course, different responses to different countries' ads. But you know what I mean.

[#14 posted by adamnvillani , March 22, 2008 11:16 PM]

Yeah, finding the the application of athlete's foot ointment to quivering, groping octopus tentacles strange is just typical American cultural imperialism. Or, um, maybe not.