Was “Mr. Sparkle” commercial real in Japan?
Believe it or not, yes, it is real Japanese. Mr. Sparkle is a Japanese dishwashing detergent mascot who looks very similar to Homer. In the Episode of The Simpsons, Homer thought that the company was using his similarity without his permission. Homer get in touch with the manufacturer in Hokkaidō, Japan for the truth. Mr. Sparkle’s parent company explains in a promotional video it came from two large Japanese company’s combined logo. The combination of the companies who produced Mr. Sparkle as a joint-venture. It’s the merge of a cartoon fish to illustrating Matsumura Fishworks and a lightbulb to acting for Tamaribuchi Heavy Manufacturing Concern. This proves that the resemblance was just a coincidence. The whole thing is crowned by what Bart tells his dad, “There’s your answer, fish-bulb.”
Mr. Sparkle showed up in The Simpsons Game when the Simpsons appear the video game world and Homer and Lisa start a game featuring Mr. Sparkle, where they have to unite with him clean up a Japan-style world by clearing different levels. He commits suicide the end of the game for shaming his predecessors, he kills himself with a sword, weird way without hands or a chest.
Among things I remember from the commercial, the guy is asking the cow what it will be doing on summer vacation, and the girls are accepting Mr. Sparkle’s challenge.
Relive the classic episode with our Mr. Sparkle figure! It makes a wonderful addition to anyone’s collection of The Simpsons!
As a tribute to this episode, I made this tutorial video about Mr. Sparkle, the Kawaii Homer Simpson.
