<p>The pose itself seems to be a reference to a similar billboard ad from the American Sci-fi movie <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_Runner" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Blade Runner</a>. In this ad, a woman dressed as a Geisha is holding a pill in a similar way to the image above. The dress is similar for both characters, as is the object being held.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/tpStAm.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>You can watch the ad <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ17UsZ0DEQ" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>.</p>

<p>The ad plays several times throughout the movie. The image is followed by the text 強力わかもと, which is not exactly the same as the Uchouten Kazoku text but is close enough to be fairly sure this is the reference. I'm not sure what わかくさ means here. It could be 若草 (green/fresh grass) but my best guess is that they changed the name just enough that it would avoid violating copyrights but still be recognizable.</p>

<p>The Blade Runner ad is itself a reference to the product <a href="http://www.wakamoto-pharm.co.jp/english/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">強力わかもと (Strong Wakamoto)</a>, which is a gastrointestinal drug to aid with digestion produced by <a href="http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%8F%E3%81%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%A8%E8%A3%BD%E8%96%AC" rel="nofollow noreferrer">わかもと製薬 (Wakamoto Pharmaceutical)</a> (ja.wikipedia link).</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0zLgq.gif" alt="enter image description here"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-10T18:35:42.233Z
2013-08-10T18:52:15.347Z
2013-08-10T18:52:15.347Z
Logan M
<p>In episode 4, there is an ad for &quot;強力わかくさ&quot; or &quot;strong green/fresh grass.&quot;</p>
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/JIumy.jpg" alt="What do you hide?" /></p>
<p>Is this a reference/parody to something (out-of series reference), like the <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/zN2p2.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">&quot;Dogs Playing Pool&quot;</a> in the <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/hlwxX.gif" rel="nofollow noreferrer">background</a> of episode 3 at the pool hall? If so, to what?</p>

<the-eccentric-family>
Is the "wakakusa" ad a references to something?
# Is the "wakakusa" ad a references to something?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-08-10
In episode 4, there is an ad for "強力わかくさ" or "strong green/fresh grass."

![What do you hide?](https://i.sstatic.net/JIumy.jpg)

Is this a reference/parody to something (out-of series reference), like the ["Dogs Playing Pool"](https://i.sstatic.net/zN2p2.jpg) in the [background](https://i.sstatic.net/hlwxX.gif) of episode 3 at the pool hall? If so, to what?
**Tags:** the-eccentric-family
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## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2013-08-10. Score: 8 | Accepted answer
The pose itself seems to be a reference to a similar billboard ad from the American Sci-fi movie [Blade Runner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_Runner). In this ad, a woman dressed as a Geisha is holding a pill in a similar way to the image above. The dress is similar for both characters, as is the object being held.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/tpStAm.png)

You can watch the ad [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ17UsZ0DEQ).

The ad plays several times throughout the movie. The image is followed by the text 強力わかもと, which is not exactly the same as the Uchouten Kazoku text but is close enough to be fairly sure this is the reference. I'm not sure what わかくさ means here. It could be 若草 (green/fresh grass) but my best guess is that they changed the name just enough that it would avoid violating copyrights but still be recognizable.

The Blade Runner ad is itself a reference to the product [強力わかもと (Strong Wakamoto)](http://www.wakamoto-pharm.co.jp/english/), which is a gastrointestinal drug to aid with digestion produced by [わかもと製薬 (Wakamoto Pharmaceutical)](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%8F%E3%81%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%A8%E8%A3%BD%E8%96%AC) (ja.wikipedia link).

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/0zLgq.gif)
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