Nissin Teams With Dentsu on Anime Noodle Campaign
Nissin Foods is pairing new Bold Tastes of Tokyo instant noodles with the TV anime DAN DA DAN to reach Gen Z fans in North America.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Japanese Food
Dentsu launched a social-first anime campaign for Nissin Foods to drive the North American debut of its Bold Tastes of Tokyo instant noodle line. The campaign pairs the Dan Dan, Tonkotsu, and Spicy Miso flavors with the TV anime series DAN DA DAN.
Why it matters
The campaign uses authentic Japanese cultural intellectual property to drive retail distribution of instant noodles across major U.S. merchants. It targets Gen Z anime audiences on Instagram and TikTok.
Nissin's new line includes Dan Dan, Tonkotsu, and Spicy Miso flavors, with retail distribution targeted at Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Amazon. The campaign's performance metrics and launch pricing have not been disclosed.
The players
Nissin Foods
A Japanese food company known for instant noodle products, which is seeking greater share in the premium convenience food segment.
Dentsu
A Japanese advertising and marketing group that developed the campaign under its global J!P Japanese IP initiative.
The details
Dentsu developed the campaign under its global J!P (Japanese IP) initiative and used its Fandom Intelligence analytics to guide strategy, creative, and media execution. The rollout is timed with peak autumn and winter instant noodle consumption, and aims to build brand trials and a repeatable framework for Japanese IP-led activations.
Timeline
Campaign rollout is timed to the autumn and winter period, when instant noodle consumption peaks.
Culture Shift
The campaign extends the broader pattern of Japanese anime intellectual property being used to market everyday consumer goods to international audiences. It reflects how Japanese pop culture has moved from niche fandom into mainstream grocery and retail marketing.
Shoppers at major U.S. retailers may find the new Dan Dan, Tonkotsu, and Spicy Miso instant noodles on shelves as distribution expands. The product's retail availability and price were not specified in the source material.
The takeaway
Brands looking to reach younger shoppers are increasingly tying everyday products to beloved fan franchises. For consumers, the trend means familiar grocery items may arrive with entertainment tie-ins attached.
Further reading
For more on the flavors behind the campaign, explore Japanese Food.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MARKETECH APAC.
