PC users, get jealous. As if the trendiness of the iphone weren’t gadget enough to make me a smug Apple fan, this week I discovered that Mac ads have a Japanese counterpart. Seriously, best. ads. ev3r.

The Japanese Mac ads start with the same premise as their English-language counterpart. A businessman in a suit introduces himself as a PC and demonstrates all the things that make corporate life and Microsoft products cumbersome and artless in comparison with the sexiness of Apple. The social commentary, on the other hand, is entirely Japanese.

In one ad, the guy representing the Mac is surrounded by a group of workers dressed in pastel uniforms, who introduce themselves as Microsoft Office. Mr. Pasocon (short for ‘personal computer’) states his surprise that the group would associate with Apple. Naturally, Mac informs PC that he’s Office compatible. “Really? Huh…” says PC, pensively. “Anyway, back to work!” Then PC starts clapping his hands and chanting, “Back-to-work! Back-to-work” Meanwhile the Microsoft Office people look at one another with visible discomfort.

In another ad, Mac introduces PC to Apple Home Movie, represented by a beautiful woman in a silk dress. PC, not to be outdone, announces that he too has a home movie. A man with long hair, stubble, and an identical dress enters stage left and stands beside PC. Mr. Pasocon then points from one Home Movie to the other, saying, “I can hardly tell them apart!”

The third Mac ad on the website shows PC dressed in a construction worker’s helmet, a catcher’s uniform, and a groin gard with the embroidered character for “Pa,” as in “Pasocon.” When asked why he is dressed so elaborately, the PC instructs Mac that you can never be too careful when protecting against spyware and viruses. “Oh, there’s a virus now,” says Mac. PC then backs slowly away from the source of danger and cowers hopelessly behind Mac’s legs. Hi-larious.

I think what I find most interesting about the Japanese Apple ads is how much emphasis they place on how using a PC is ass-backwards and inappropriate. Clearly your ancient ancestors would be ashamed to see you using one. But apart from preying on Japanese fears of feeling out of place, the CMs are legitimately hilarious and downright wit-ty. Thank you yet again, Apple and Japan.

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