Tiro Remix | YOASOBI “Gunjou (Blue)” × Vaundy “Hana‑Uranai (Flower Fortune)｜McDonald’s Japan, Ltd. (2024)

Dir. Takumi Shiga

Reviewed by Laura MacGregor

Branded Shorts National Competition 14

Onsite at With Harajuku June 6, 19:30-21:20 and online till June 30. 

Bright, colorful 3D-animation to the max accompanied by lively music by the band Yoasobi and the musician Vaundy, two well-known names today in music for anime, advertising, and on Billboard Japan. The brand is McDonald’s Japan and the music is a Tiro remix of two of these artists’ songs.

The screen is never still – the story is about a young man desperate to write a song that SNSers will like. His buddies – three sleeves of McFries characters are at his desk and accompany him through his day. They cheer him on as he tinkers on his keyboards and guitar. Meanwhile he works at a convenience store, typical employment for up and coming artists. His music receives rejection after rejection and he is not without rivals, but finally he seizes the chance to perform in a crowded urban street. Running and flying to the venue (which turns out to be the roof of a yellow car), the McFries dudes carry his guitar over their heads behind him. He starts playing and singing. The crowd goes wild – they love it! And so will you. 

Watch for the pseudo Ronald McDonald and enjoy the excellent camera work, fabulous animation, and energetic music, including the McD’s door jingle. Do not miss the one and only subtitle at the last second.

Tiro Remix | YOASOBI “Gunjou (Blue)” × Vaundy “Hana‑Uranai (Flower Fortune)｜McDonald’s Japan, Ltd.

＜Writer＞

Laura MacGregor is on faculty at Gakushuin University. Among the courses she teaches is one on film and the economy. She has been in Japan for a long time, and has been watching and studying about films and the film industry since the 1990s. SSFF & ASIA is one of her favourite film festivals in Japan so she is glad to participate this year as a volunteer translator and reviewer.