The Anime Blog - We Go Beyond Anime!

Cola, aka soda, aka pop, is an under appreciated candy variety here in the States, although I don’t know why. Cola is a fun, sparkling flavor with a refreshing zing. For whatever reason, American candy manufacturers have largely ignored cola flavor in their candies, much to my dismay. The only cola candy readily available (read [...]

The mascot for today’s candy, Choco Ball, is a famous critter in Japan who’s gotten some anime face time on the series Gantz. Remember the creepy bird alien from the series? Yeah, that guy is inspired by this guy, Kyoro-chan.
Morinaga is the company responsible for the odd bird mascot thingie, and the products it [...]

Fall is creeping in by degrees around the globe and soon the odors of roasting sanma and grilling satsumaimo will fill the air in Japan. In the US, the fall air will smell like mulching leaves and fresh carved pumpkins. We may be short on fall food sidewalk vendors to scent the breeze, but we’re [...]

Meiji, a giant in the modern Japanese goodie biz, has produced many fantastic offerings over the years, ranging from the “It’s good but not great” to the “OMG! This is fantastic!!” For the most part. I’m a Meiji fan, and am willing to give anything these guys make a go.

This latest Meiji product comes [...]

I’m such a sucker for pretty packaging when it comes to Japanese treats. I don’t read the Japanese language above junior-junior remedial, so having smart, attractive packaging is important in conveying to me that I MUST buy a J-snack.

This tart/ cookie, Choco & Coffee, has a nice fusion of East meets West (and then misunderstands it a little) on the bag. BOURBON, the Japanese company who makes today’s treat, also makes other Western-inspired goodies. This is the first time I’ve ever sampled anything by BOURBON. Let’s see how my premiere tasting goes….... Continue Reading...

In Japan, if you have a jones for a snack, you’re covered. The huge amount of street food and vendors alike ensure you need not walk four blocks without something to eat in between. Thanks to anime, Westerners are introduced to a wide variety of these intriguing street foods. Okonomiyaki turns up in Tsubasa, takoyaki has made an appearance in The Wallflower and dango is everywhere you look, most notably in Sailor Moon.

Taiyaki is not only in anime (most recently in Kanon) it even has it’s own hit single, “Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun” (”Swim! Taiyaki”) by Masato Shimon. ... Continue Reading...

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Leave it to Kasugai, those purveyors of culinary delights, such as kiwi gummies and wasabi peas, to create a whole new taste experience: Pizza Beans.

Pizza Beans seem like a bad idea. A dichotomy exists between beans (healthy and nutritious) and pizza (delicious and lard-inducing) which seems too insurmountable to overcome. Kasugai already has snacks similar to this, though. Wasabi peas, fried broad beans, and coated peanuts are among Kasugais savory offerings. All three have a tasty, crisp coating which is flavored or plain. Never before, however, was pizza used as a flavor in the coating. Not only has Kasugai created a new taste sensation, they’ve attempted to merge two opposites together! How has Kasugai done this? What diabolical deliciousness (or not) awaits me in this bag? Let’s get this Pizza Bean party underway!... Continue Reading...