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From my sickbed
Asahi recently launched Gubinama, their new third beer. The advertising campaign stars KONISHI "Blue" Manami (小西真奈美), and its station poster prong looks like this:
Yes: an illustrated guide to the correct supralaryngeal configurations for (the vowel sounds in) each mora in the word Gubinama. I have summarized this information, as I now understand it, in the table below.
| Sound | Configuration |
|---|---|
| /gu/ | Lips pursed, head tilted to one side like a curious innocent seeking guidance and protection |
| /bi/ | Lips drawn back, teeth displayed in smile, chin brought near shoulder as though communicating an unconscious, instinctual desire for physical contact |
| /na/ | Eyebrows raised like one reacting with surprise but not displeasure to an unexpected event or suggestion |
| /ma/ | Head thrown back with laughter, possibly inspired by sheer joy of speaking word Gubinama |
So be sure to practice before your next night on the town, because improper modulation of your coquettishness may lead to misunderstandings.
(Note: There are also some posters for the ladies with FUJII "Matthew" Takashi, which I really wanted to contrast with the Konishi version, but it seems they are much rarer and I haven't managed to capture one on film.)
As for the name Gubinama itself, nama ("raw, unprocessed") means "draft", while gubi is a relative of the more common mimetic word gui(tto), used to evoke the idea of gulping a beverage down. (And note the similarity between it and gulp, too.)
Anonymous:
I guess the true /u/, which is unrounded, or at least only pursed instead of puckered, wouldn't have that extra appeal, eh? Even now I can imagine ppl trying to say gubinama while making those faces, and already sounding drunk.