After mastering Guitar Hero years back, I was left with an empty feeling.  I had taken my plastic 4-button guitar controller out on the street to perform One by Metallica but no one paid any attention to me.  In fact, passersby seemed to be intentionally avoiding eye contact.

This is why I was excited to find Rocksmith would be released in Japan on October 11.  The game that actually lets you practice a real guitar in a fun way so you can walk away from it a better person with an entertaining skill!

However, my excitement took a bit of a hit when I saw the first Japanese commercial for it.

Japan definitely has its fair share of guitar virtuosos, such as Tak Matsumoto, Akira Takasaki, and Ryo Kawasaki, to name a few.  So Ubisoft should have no problem choosing a spokesperson for their newest game.  But who did they get?


None other than K-ON! star Aki Toyosaki, dubbed by many as “Butcher of the Beatles“ for her notorious video earlier this spring showing her, eh, truly unique rendition of Hey Jude.

Sure she’s cute, but this video is kind of like a Mercedes commercial showing Snooki trying to parallel park an SLR. I still want it – but damn – they seem to be trying hard to make me not want it.

I could only tell from the subtitles that she was struggling to play Song 2 and Smoke on the Water after tuning up.  Is this how I’d look playing this game?

On the other hand, this commercial is the first in a three part series leading up to the instructional game’s 11 October release.  I’m expecting them to show a marked improvement in Aki’s playing skills which will ultimately redeem the game, and perhaps Toyosaki herself.

Source: Rocksmith Japan via My Game News Flash (Japanese)

▼ Parts 2 and 3 of the Rocksmith saga are set for the coming weeks.

▼ A true Rocksmith.