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McDonald’s Japan captures otaku hearts, brings back Nyan Cat sound with new cat girl anime video

Casey Baseel Mar 1, 2024
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Hatsune Miku meme hit’s lyrics get an update.

Last fall, McDonald’s Japan captured people’s attention with a series of heartwarming anime-style ads showing friends, family, and individuals experiencing the simple pleasure of having a moment to relax and enjoy a bite to eat. Now, McDonald’s has a new animated ad that’s squarely aimed at otaku, but which ditches the cozy, laidback vibes for something just a tad more energetic.

So without further ado, here’s Shaka Cat…oh, and you might want to make sure your speakers aren’t turned up too loud before you hit the play button.

シャカろ？😸🍟🌈#ShakaCat pic.twitter.com/IWs0wNtZsO

— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) February 29, 2024

If you’ve got a feeling that this isn’t the first time that earworm of a melody has been stuck in your head, then you’ve been around the Internet long enough to remember Nyan Cat, the animation meme of a cat flying through space, trailing a rainbow behind it, accompanied by the frenetic sounds of Hatsune Miku’s “Nyanyanyanyanyanyanya.” But while the Vocaloid’s song constantly repeats nya, the sound of a cat meowing in Japanese, McDonald’s cat girl video replaces the original lyrics with “shakashaka,” the onomatopoeia of shaking up or rattling something. Shakashaka is also part of the name of McDonald’s Japan’s Shakashaka Fries, in which you pour a packet of powdered seasoning into a bag of French fries and give them a shake before you dig in.

Just a day after its posting to the company’s official Twitter account, McDonald’s Shaka Cat anime video had already racked up over seven and a half million views, and as with any true pop cultural hit in Japan, fan art quickly appeared.

ｼｬｶｼｬｶﾗｸｶﾞｷ#ShakaCat pic.twitter.com/NnxsvGsuUN

— 宮花ゆう🌸🐾 (@miyahana_yu) February 29, 2024

https://twitter.com/yamatoll0840/status/1763444808784191623

とてもかわいい~😽#ShakaCat pic.twitter.com/xqml3wgTHl

— kkakong88 (@kkakong88) March 1, 2024

Shaka Cat’s original artist, illustrator Hamafugu, also shared another drawing of the character a day before the video was posted, though without her tail and cat-ear hairband.

シャカポテ‼️🍟 pic.twitter.com/t1YimhH8X4

— はまふぐ (@hamafugu) February 27, 2024

McDonald’s first Shaka Cat video, though, posted a day before the Hamafugu one, was actually a live-action version that’s gotten over a half-million views itself…

シャカろ？😸🍟🌈#ShakaCat pic.twitter.com/PH172IeoRY

— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) February 28, 2024

…and there’s even a third Shaka Cat, this one from pixel artist Birdman.

シャカろ？😸🍟🌈#ShakaCat pic.twitter.com/pvVWwOdyhq

— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) March 1, 2024

As for what Shaka Cat’s fries are going to taste like, in the hand-drawn video you can see her pouring in a packet labeled with the kanji character for ume (梅), or Japanese plum. That’s because McDonald’s recently added a new salty plum and seaweed Shaka Shaka Fries flavor, as well as a garlic, black pepper, and mayonnaise one. Both flavors were added to the lineup on February 28 and will be available for a limited, unspecified time, but it’s probably a safe bet that even once they’re gone, the Shaka Cat song will still be stuck in your head.

Source: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan via Jin
Featured image: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan
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