Z-Kai, a Japanese company that runs cram schools and correspondence courses for university-hopefuls, has made yet another unique commercial. For background, Z-Kai’s previous “meme” commercial portrayed a high schooler shouting from the river bank about his passion and eagerness to experience college life, only to be shut down coldly by the narrator who stated, “You can’t pass entrance exams only by motivation.”
Ignoring the illogicality and sheer commercialism of that last statement—I think we would all agree that using study aids and cram schools like Z-Kai is showing motivation—Z-Kai’s latest commercial has broken all boundaries. Now, not only will Z-Kai’s courses help you get into university, but it will also lead you to find your one true love. See for yourself:
There are so many outrageous things about this production that I don’t even know where to start.
First, the animation is beautiful, which is only expected considering it’s made by Makoto Shinkai. Yes, the man who created gorgeous animated films like “5 Centimeters Per Second,” “Children Who Chase Lost Voices,” “The Garden of Words,” etc. decided that the next project worthy of his attention should be a cram school commercial. Yes, Cross Roads looks amazing. Yes, I wish it was actually a trailer. Yes, I want to watch the hypothetical movie. But no, that’s not happening…..T.T Damn it, I hope you got paid a lot for this, Shinkai-sensei.
typical shinkai loveliness
Second, the message. I don’t want to randomly hate on corporations but can Z-Kai get even more insidious?! Education pressure, perpetuated by the cram school system in Japan, has already driven so many children into depression, voluntary confinement (hikikomori) and suicide. Parents are forced to send their kids to juku (cram school) earlier and earlier so that they can compete with other children who are also getting that “supplementary” education. Children in fourth grade should not be crying and studying until midnight every night. Japan should be turning away from juku madness, and commercials that target student hopes and dreams, prettied up by appealing animation, do not help.
Honestly, starting with “It’s not that I want to live happily ever after…” Say, what? Talk about false promises. Plenty of university graduates in Japan nowadays (the “lost” generation) end up as part-timers because they can’t find steady jobs. And just taking Z-Kai courses alone is not going to magically pass the entrance exam for you. You need a lot of motivation to actually complete the course material by yourself, in a non-class setting, mail it in everyday, and continue this for a lengthy period of time. That’s not easy.
HOW COULD YOU DO THIS SHINKAI-SENSEI
People generally just bemoan the fact that Cross Roads is not an actual movie – but is anyone else disgusted by this video? Or do you think it doesn’t really matter?