Yu-Gi-Oh!'s Weevil Underwood Steals the Spotlight in d Anime Store's 14th Anniversary Train Ads

A special advertisement campaign celebrating the 14th anniversary of the anime streaming service "d Anime Store" has recently appeared in train stations across Japan, generating massive buzz among anime fans. Centered on the theme of "14-year-olds turning inner conflict into passion," the campaign features a collection of 14-year-old characters from various popular anime series. While iconic figures like Madoka Kaname (Puella Magi Madoka Magica), Simon (Gurren Lagann), and Ranko Kanzaki (THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS) line the walls, one unexpected character in particular has stolen the show: Insector Haga (known as Weevil Underwood in Western releases) from Yu-Gi-Oh!.

Haga, a former national champion in the series, is notorious among fans for an infamous early scene where he threw Yugi Muto's prized "Exodia the Forbidden One" cards off a cruise ship directly into the ocean. While other characters in the campaign are showcased alongside emotional and inspiring quotes, Haga's solo poster stands out as an oddly amusing anomaly. On social media, users expressed a mix of shock and confusion, with posts asking, "Why on earth was Haga chosen?" and "Wait, Haga was 14 years old this whole time?!"

On X (formerly Twitter), "Insector Haga" quickly rocketed to the top of Japan's trending topics. Fans flooded the platform with hilarious reactions such as, "Seeing him lined up next to legendary heroes is way too funny," and "Haga trending in the Reiwa era is nothing short of a revolution." By blending in among main protagonists with his unmistakably unique presence, Weevil Underwood turned this anniversary ad campaign into an unexpected viral hit.

The context

d Anime Store is one of Japan's largest flat-rate anime streaming services, operated by NTT Docomo. To celebrate its 14th anniversary, the platform launched a creative marketing campaign centered around the age of "14"—a pivotal milestone in many anime narratives often associated with adolescent struggles, emotional growth, and coming-of-age themes. While most characters chosen for the campaign are heroic leads or beloved idols, Weevil Underwood (Insector Haga) is remembered as a sneaky, underhanded antagonist from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise. The stark contrast between his villainous history and the inspiring, dramatic tone of the campaign created a perfect moment of internet irony that delighted Japanese anime fans.

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