Interest

Voice Actress Ayana Taketatsu Sells Yoshinoya Beef Bowls

Yoshinoya is one of Japan's major restaurant chains; many a street in Tokyo's neighborhoods is adorned with Yoshinoya's familiar orange-and-white sign. It sells beef bowls (gyuudon), a relatively simple dish of beef stew served on a bowl of rice, at low prices. And like many other chain restaurants, it relies on celebrities to promote its food: in this case, popular voice actress Ayana Taketatsu.

Taketatsu (Azusa from K-ON!, Kirino from Oreimo, Tsugumi from Guilty Crown) is a devotee of Yoshinoya and usually orders her beef bowls with extra beef and broth and less rice. She tweeted about her excitement when Yoshinoya unveiled the menu option "Atama-no Oomori," which amounts to the same thing, in October. "Now I don't have to make the long order 'Extra beef, less rice, and with broth!' How convenient! Yaay!" As a result, she was tapped by Yoshinoya to promote the new item in a branch in Akihabara.

In the intervening months, Atama-no Oomori has been a big hit, with Yoshinoya racking up over five million orders. To celebrate, Yoshinoya has designated Taketatsu its "Atama-no Oomori" cheerleading captain, and she's made a recording that will play in Yoshinoya branches throughout the month announcing the dish's sales achievement and thanking customers for their support. She's also the star of this poster with the same message.

Taketatsu says that "this is evidence that it's not just me — this is a favorite menu item of Yoshinoya fans all over! I go to eat there too, so I'm happy to think that my orders are included among those five million." She also claims to be "nervous" that her voice will be playing in Yoshinoya restaurants everywhere, "but my main job is voice acting, so I'm glad I can put my voice to use."

The recording will play in Yoshinoya restaurants until March 31 a total of three million times. Taketatsu will also appear on these coupons for 100 yen off an order of Atama-no Oomori.

[Via Hachima Kikou, Narinari and IT Media News]