The Cursed Kleenex Commercial is an urban legend of a real Japanese Kleenex commercial released in 1986 that was rumored to be cursed. People who have seen it have claimed to feel terrified and depressed as well as experience strange phenomena around them.
Description[]
The commercial seemingly takes place in a reddish landscape as two characters are seen sitting on hay, one is an Oni baby with green hair, likely meant to be Goki (後鬼*) and a young woman in a white robe, possibly a female En no Ozunu (役小角). The video shows the young woman taking out the Kleenex wipes and wiping the demonic, emotionless baby, as well as kissing it, before throwing the wipes into the air as the Kleenex logo appears. An eerie version of an old English pop song called "It's a Fine Day" plays in the background throughout.
The Legend[]
Origin[]
The commercial was aired in 1986, and many (false) rumors have arisen in the years since. One such rumor claimed that people complained to have it taken down as they have reported to feel disturbed and uneased. Another rumor claimed that when watching at night, primarily at the stroke of midnight, the commercial will become distorted in a terrifying way. One of the more outlandish rumors claimed that many people either committed suicide or died mysteriously after viewing the commercial at midnight.
Rumors[]
Though, as rumors go, the most ridiculous are the ones involving the cast and crew. Such rumors include the baby who portrayed Goki the Oni being decapitated in a car crash, or the cameraman who shot the commercial burning to death in a sauna bath. Most absurd of all was the claim that the actress Keiko Matsuzaka who played the female En no Ozunu became impregnated by a demon and was sent to a mental asylum after a breakdown. These rumors were - obviously - proven false and no one involved with the commercial was harmed, Keiko Matsuzaka is still acting to this day and is living happily with her family.
Internet Resurgence[]
However, the legend of the commercial still lives on to this day. The commercial once again reached the public eye after it was uploaded to YouTube in the mid 2000's. Many people have sworn that the video changes and distorts before crashing YouTube when watching it at midnight. The original video has been taken down but copies of the video still can be found on the internet as well as alleged proof and supposed evidence of the video changing at midnight. These, however, all either lack verification, or have been proven false. By now, the "cursed video" idea itself has been long since debunked, with many videos existing of the video being viewed at midnight to no abnormal effects or occurrences, whether short or long term.
Videos[]
Cursed Japanese Kleenex Commercial
Cursed Kleenex Commercial Changing At Midnight (WARNING - SCARY!)