L.A. Metro Hires Anna Akana for J-Pop-Inspired Videos on Good Manners in Public Transportation

October 11, 2017

In hopes of fostering a more harmonious commuting experience for its riders, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is using the power of J-Pop’s catchy tunes and the eye-catching visuals of Japanese television production in a unique and colorful promotional campaign.

For the project, Metro teamed up with studio Lord Danger and director Mike Diva to make “Metro Manners”, a series of public service announcements that are meant to create awareness on the importance of common courtesy and basic manners when using public transportation.

The big-budget informational campaign, which consists of three digital films and print ads, stars YouTube celebrity Anna Akana, according to LA Curbed.

Taking on the role of a superhero named Super Kind, Akana is shown in the ads engaging a variety of scenarios inside a bus or train. In one ad, Super Kind must go up against the one-eyed monster villain called Rude Dude, who causes all sorts of annoyances for other passengers riding the public transportation.

The short but highly entertaining videos are undeniably inspired by Japanese pop culture as evidenced by its colorful visuals, anime-style effects, and JPop style music.

The attention-grabbing productions are by no means coincidental as the agency explained to The Source. According to L.A. Metro, they intended the videos to be “seen by a ton of people, including most of our riders.”

And it’s safe to say that when it comes to improving the passenger experience, Metro is definitely taking it seriously. Earlier this year, the agency released a customer code of conduct, reminding riders to refrain from eating and drinking, blocking aisles, and “manspreading” while riding trains or buses.

Serving Los Angeles County, California, Metro Rail consists of six lines serving 93 stations that reportedly transport over 1.2 million boardings a day.

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