MGS V: Phantom Pain Ads In Japan Means Marrying Cardboard Boxes

If there’s anything to describe the ongoing characteristics of a Hideo Kojima-directed Metal Gear story, it’s that they embody a serious story while being almost as silly as possible. So, when you’re promoting such straight-faced silliness in a game like Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain in Japan, why not pitch the story of two cardboard boxes getting married? That’s the case for the above long version of a TV spot for the game.

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The video is played just as straight edged, too, with an assortment of non-boxed people standing to watch the cardboard bride get walked down the wedding aisle by her cardboard box father. Both bride and groom are wearing white underneath their cardboard boxes, smearing cake into one another’s face, are part of picture slideshows in their cardboard boxes. Then, suddenly, everything gets serious as the bride’s father brings her a PS4 controller to play Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain on PS4.

Of course, it would be a lot better if it was complete with English subtitles, but the commercial is obviously dedicated to a specific audience. Still, it is interesting to note that we see very little actual gameplay during the commercial. What little bits of Phantom Pain action we saw were smashed into quick cuts near the end, for about 5 seconds. When the PS4 isn’t really selling that well in Japan, but you have one of the platform’s most important releases to console gaming fans in the region, you can afford to respect the silliness.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will also launch for PC, Xbox One, PS3 and Xbox 360, in addition to the PS4, on September 1st.

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