It has been revealed that Ikeda Teresa, a member of the idol group Nogizaka46 who is currently studying at Tokyo University of the Arts, will be appearing in McDonald's Japan's new TV commercial, "Samurai Mac: 'It's okay to chase two rabbits, isn't it?'"
This is Ikeda's first appearance in a McDonald's commercial. He stars alongside actor Masato Sakai, who serves as the ambassador for the "Samurai Mac," a burger that "satisfies adults." The commercial was released on McDonald's official YouTube channel ahead of its nationwide broadcast (excluding some regions) on October 7th.
The commercial for Samurai Mac's "Seared Soy Sauce Triple Thick Beef," which will be on sale for two weeks only from October 8th to 21st, is inspired by the proverb "He who chases two rabbits catches neither," and tells the story of Sakai giving a powerful message of encouragement to Ikeda, who is struggling with a crossroads in life, with the message "It's okay to chase two rabbits." Ikeda is shown as an idol wearing the costumes he actually wore in group activities, and as an artist sketching as an art student.
After the commercial was filmed, Ikeda surprised Sakai by presenting him with a portrait. The illustration, which took about two hours to complete during set changes on set, captures Sakai's fearless expression as he appears in the Samurai Mac commercial. Surprised, Sakai expressed his gratitude, saying, "You're so busy, but you took your precious time..." and then asked, "I'll frame it and put it on display, so please sign it too (laughs)." Ikeda was also delighted, saying, "I love drawing, so I'm glad that Sakai himself got to see it."
