Kikkoman Targets Gen Z With Anime-Inspired Teriyaki Campaign

Kikkoman is going after Gen Z home cooks with an anime campaign and a reformulated product lineup.

The Japanese sauce brand announced "Unleash Legendary" on April 6, a multi-year effort created with independent creative agency BSSP.

The campaign is targeting younger consumers who are cooking at home more often as the cost of eating out continues to increase.

It centers on a 30-second animated hero spot developed by Japanese illustrator Agustin Nakamura and creative studio Clubcamping.

Voiceover duties went to Christopher Sabat, the voice behind Dragon Ball Z's Vegeta and Piccolo.

It's a casting choice that signals clearly who this campaign is speaking to.

Kikkoman is also putting commercial substance behind the creative, with an updated product launch and new packaging debuting alongside the campaign. 

The Creative Approach and Where It Runs

The hero spot follows a young cook whose meal becomes a shared moment with friends after a bottle of Kikkoman Teriyaki BBQ sauce appears.

Meanwhile, two 15-second spots show off the other uses of the sauces in the line, including dipping and glazing applications.

Kikkoman also isn't the first brand to use anime to reach younger audiences.

Acura has run a multi-season animated series called "Type S: Chiaki's Journey," while McDonald's has made several forays into the space.

KFC also took a similar approach with its Dragon Ball Z campaign across 10 European markets.

These campaigns show how popular anime franchises are being used in campaigns due to their cross-generational appeal.

What separates Kikkoman's initiative, aside from the fact that it's also a Japanese brand, is that it sits on top of a product reformulation and packaging overhaul. 

This makes it a full commercial push for the condiment brand's teriyaki range.

The campaign runs across connected TV, YouTube, paid social, programmatic display, and influencer partnerships.

Why Gen Z Is the Target

The case for going after Gen Z using anime is well supported.

According to data from Crunchyroll, 54% of consumers aged 13 to 28 say they like or love anime, 12 points above the millennial figure of 42%.

Gen Z consumers are also more likely than previous generations to have purchased Japanese and other Asian food products, according to Mintel data referenced by the brand.

The economic context also adds another layer to Kikkoman's brand positioning.

With food costs and unemployment rates increasing among younger consumers, Gen Z is eating out less and cooking at home more.

Kikkoman wants its affordable teriyaki range to be the answer to a real behavioral shift, with a campaign built around the food culture they already have an affinity for.

Tak Hirota, CMO of Kikkoman Sales USA, addressed the campaign's creative marketing strategy in an official statement.

"Gen Z treats sauces as essential tools for creativity in the kitchen," he said.

"With our enhanced teriyaki lineup and the 'Unleash Legendary' campaign, we're showing how Kikkoman's heritage craftsmanship can help home cooks transform everyday meals into something delicious and unforgettable."

Here are some tips for brands and agencies considering a similar Gen Z targeting strategy:

• Match the creative format to the audience's culture: Anime is not a trend Kikkoman invented for this campaign; it's a format Gen Z already spends time with.
• Anchor the campaign in a behavioral change. Gen Z cooking more at home is a documented pattern, and the brand is meeting it with a specific product.
• Let the casting do strategic work. Sabat's involvement shows authenticity and thoughtfulness without a single line of copy explaining it.

Getting the casting right is often the clearest signal that a brand has done its research before entering a fan community.

Our Take: Is Anime the Right Vehicle for Kikkoman?

We think the logic is sound, and the execution supports it.

Kikkoman has nearly 400 years of Japanese heritage behind the brand, so using anime as the creative vehicle isn't a stretch.

It links the product's origin to a format that Gen Z has already adopted at scale, without asking the audience to make a big imaginative leap.

The brand's choice to cast Sabat as the voice actor also strengthens the campaign.

Hiring the English voice of Vegeta and Piccolo tells fans that Kikkoman understands the space it's entering.

Brands targeting Gen Z through cultural storytelling need agencies that understand how to connect heritage products to the formats younger audiences already engage with.

Explore these top digital marketing agencies in our directory.