Guitar Hero II Xbox ad, care of Feel Good, Inc. animations

Did that stylish Xbox commercial for Guitar Hero II remind you of the world's most successful animated rock group, Gorillaz? It's no coincidence, the animation for the ad and for many of the group's music videos were all directed by Pete Candeland of production company Passion Pictures.

Granted, Candeland did not design the characters for the Gorillaz (that'd be Jamie Hewlett) or animation (credit Robert Valley, among others), but the style is unmistakably similar. Which makes it all the more discouraging that we haven't had any songs from Gorillaz or, given the Damon Albarn connection, Blur featured on Guitar Hero yet.

Kudos should be given to Passion Pictures and whoever greenlighted such an inventive commercial; it really grabs people's attention and keeps them talking. Video embedded after the break.

[Via GameSetWatch and Xbox 360 Fanboy]