Virtual idol Hoshimachi Suisei is set to star in Lotte’s first joint TV commercial for its “Coolish” and “Sou” ice cream brands, titled “Tsumetakute Aoi, Natsu ga Kita.” (Cold and Blue, Summer Has Come). The ad features a duet with virtual singer Hatsune Miku, passionately performing Kitani Tatsuya’s hit song “Ao no Sumika.” The commercial will begin airing nationwide on July 7, 2026.
Hoshimachi Suisei is a virtual idol who has carved out a formidable presence in the music scene with her powerful vocals. Her first album, Still Still Stellar (2021), debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard JAPAN Download Albums chart and the Oricon Weekly Digital Albums ranking. Her 2024 single “Bibideba” became a global viral sensation on social media, amassing over 100 million views on YouTube. She also became the first VTuber to surpass 100 million cumulative streams on the Billboard JAPAN Streaming chart. The music video for “Bibideba” earned a Bronze award at the Clio Music 2025, one of the world’s top three advertising awards.
In 2024, Suisei embarked on her first three-city tour (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka) starting at Saitama Super Arena. In January 2025, her third full album Shinsei Mokuroku topped the iTunes overall chart. The following month, she achieved a long-held dream: a solo live at Nippon Budokan. She was also selected for Forbes JAPAN’s “30 Under 30 JAPAN 2025,” recognized as an icon transcending virtual and real boundaries. On March 22, 2026, she established her personal office, Studio STELLAR, and a major arena tour is scheduled to begin in September.
For this new Lotte CM, the collaboration brings together two of the most beloved virtual singers: Suisei, a powerhouse in the VTuber scene, and Hatsune Miku, a globally adored virtual singer. The commercial takes the shared brand color of blue—also the image color of both artists—as its starting point, and features a powerful duet of Kitani Tatsuya’s “Ao no Sumika” (“Blue Dwelling”).
Ahead of the July 7 broadcast, a super-refreshing video blending live-action and animation was pre-released on YouTube on July 3. The character designs for both Suisei and Miku were created by illustrator Nishiki Kope, known for designing characters for numerous games and major VTuber agencies. Comments from Suisei and Nishiki Kope have also been released.
Comments
Hoshimachi Suisei
“I’m so happy to appear in a commercial together with Hatsune Miku-chan! I’ve known Miku-chan for a long time, so this duet is really wonderful. And it’s not just the TV commercial—there are also train jack ads, a hotel collaboration, and many other exciting projects. The commercial is full of refreshment and makes you want to run out into the blue sky. I hope everyone will watch it, listen to it, eat the ice cream, and enjoy summer to the fullest!”
Character Designer / Illustrator Nishiki Kope
“When I was a student doing sports in clubs and lessons, I relied on Coolish and Sou during the summer. I especially remember using Coolish as a cooling item while waiting for it to soften enough to eat. When I was doing kendo in club activities, that cool sensation was really nice. I also love music, and during my youth I listened to many artists’ songs. Vocaloid songs were among them, and they colored my daily life. I think it’s wonderful that today’s students have VTubers’ songs as one of many musical choices that accompany their lives and青春 (youth) time. Since the theme of this project is ‘youth,’ I hope that from the costumes, key visuals, or the CM video, adults will feel a ‘moment of blue nostalgia from summer,’ and students will carve ‘this very moment as a page of their youth.'”
Campaigns and Collaborations
From July 6 to August 31, 2026, the Lotte Online Shop will hold a lottery for 100 winners to receive an original can badge set featuring Hoshimachi Suisei and Hatsune Miku. To enter, customers must purchase eligible ice products from the Lotte Online Shop and agree to the terms.
Additionally, the official Coolish X (formerly Twitter) account (@lotte_coolish) will run a campaign from July 4 (15:00) to July 17 (23:59). Participants must follow the account and quote-retweet the campaign post with the hashtag #冷たくて青い夏が来た. Twenty winners will be selected to receive a special B2-size illustration poster.
Other promotions include a collaboration room at Lotte City Hotel Kinshicho: the “Summer Coolish & Sou Room” featuring Hoshimachi Suisei and Hatsune Miku. The room is a standard tower-view twin (max 2 guests) with breakfast, available from July 5 to September 27, 2026 (check-in 15:00, check-out 11:00).
Furthermore, a train jack campaign will run on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (one train set) from July 13 to July 27, 2026, featuring interior advertisements of Suisei and Miku.
CM Overview
- Title: “Tsumetakute Aoi, Natsu ga Kita.”
- Release Date: July 3, 2026 (online pre-release); July 7, 2026 (TV airing)
- Cast / Singers: Hoshimachi Suisei, Hatsune Miku
- Song: “Ao no Sumika” (lyrics and music by Kitani Tatsuya)
- Character Design: Nishiki Kope
