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McDonald's Rolls Out Hatsune Miku Collaboration

McDonald's Japan revealed its McShaker Fries (a.k.a. Shaka Shaka Potato in Japan) collaboration with the Vocaloid idol Hatsune Miku on March 9, Miku Day, after teasing it last month. The fast-food giant parodied the famous Miku song “Mikumiku Ni Shiteageru [Shiteyanyo]” by saying “Shakashaka Ni Shiteageru” and included a music video parodying the song.

McDonald's Japan stated that Hatsune Miku will be the voice of McDonald's restaurants announcements until March 19. The company also joked that McDonald's would become MikuDonald's.

Musician ika_mo (Kamo Tsuruta) wrote and composed “Miku Miku Ni Shiteageru [Shteyanyo]” in 2007. The song gained some popularity among Hatsune Miku fans through the Niconico streaming service. Enka singer Sachiko Kobayashi later parodied the song in 2014.

McDonald's Japan initially teased the Hatsune Miku collaboration on February 19 with a silhouette of the Vocaloid idol with the caption, “This year's McShaker Fries will feature this person!” Following the reveal of the collaboration McDonald's Japan posted a parody video of the Niconico video “Nyanyanyanyanyanyanya!” by daniwell.

Hatsune Miku was developed by Vocaloid developer Crypton Future Media and released in late August 2007. Since the software and character's release, the character Hatsune Miku has gained massive popularity in and outside of Japan. Miku stars in the new film COLORFUL STAGE! The Movie: A Miku Who Can't Sing. The film debuted on January 17 in Japan at #2. GKIDS will screen the film in theaters on April 11.

Sources: McDonald's Japan's X/Twitter account (link 2), McDonald's Japan's YouTube channel, ike_mo's Niconico channel, Sachiko Kobayashi's Niconico channel