When Japanese candy disappoints, though, it’s just such a bring down. And counting among the reasons for the disappointment is the cash spent (Japanese candy can be much more expensive than their American counterparts).

Crush Packaging

Bourbon, a Japanese cookie and candy manufacturer,  hasn’t really done much for me with its snack offerings. None of their products reflect their country of origin (unique, simple, elegant, colorful), besides being less sweet. If I’m eating Japanese candy, I expect to be impressed with originality and/or high quality. Bourbon doesn’t seem to have either in more than minute amounts.

Packaging

Bourbon hasn’t wowed or wooed me thus far with its packaging. It’s neither terribly eye-catching nor blindingly bad, merely average. The box for Crush is fairly sedate and mature with its goldenrod background and gold lettering. However, big points for putting graphic pictures of the product proudly on the box. Score: B+

Appearance

The twin sticks in each individually-wrapped serving reminds me rather strongly of an American candy whose name sounds awfully like “twin sticks”. Crush looks like lumpy twigs. Not impressive, but not stomach-churning either. Score: B

Texture

Crush’s texture is halfway between crispy and soft. Crisp bits are mixed into the chocolate, giving it it’s unique cri-soft texture. Score: A

Flavor

There’s the flavor of almonds, honey, and toffee in Crush, but mostly toffee. If there’s chocolate in the candy (it says there is on the box), I don’t taste it. The caramelized sugar flavor is strong, and the hint of almonds is surprising. What’s also surprising is how sweet this Japanese candy is. It’s almost too sweet, and tastes like a candy an American company might make. It’s not bad, it’s still slightly unique, but I was expecting a less sugary candy than this. Score: A-

Verdict

Crush, while good, isn’t up to the standard I’ve personally set for Japanese candy. The flavor is good, but not truly original, nor is it lightly sweetened like other candies. I might buy this again, but only if I had to get a toffee fix and a Skor was no where to be found. But really, if I’m laying down cash for Japanese candy, I’m putting my hard-earned on something colorful or quality first before I trade it in for merely meh.

Lion Cola BagPhoto Copyright © The Anime Blog

The Japanese, however, share my affection with cola candy, and how. Lion Confectionery Company is a Japanese candy manufacturer which churns out a delightful array of sweet cola offerings. To get the most bang for your buck, especially in these fun economic times, Lion has a fantastic product, Soda Kid’s Candy, which gives consumers six great cola flavors for their hard earned.

Packaging

Lion did a great job catching my eye with this loud, colorful bag. A teal background makes the other colors pop off the bag, and the shiny silver diamonds scattered through the graphics makes me think of sparkling things, like cola. Ramune Man offers me a stylized bottle of ramune, yet he looks more like he’s taunting me with it than giving it to me. Jerk.

I know exactly which flavors are nestled within the rainbow-hued foil thanks to prominent product pictures proudly presented (say that ten times fast cola- lovers!) The candies looks to be shaped in the manner of grinning, vacant-eyed chibi. Cute? Maybe. Intimidating? Slightly.

Each candy is individually wrapped, unlike Lion’s other cola candies. And thank the cola gods for that, since otherwise the candies would lump together in a mass of colorful, sticky, half melted grins.

The bold kanji and slightly threatening gang of cola mascots is meant to entice youngsters, and since it’s delighted me to no end, what precisely does that say about me? Score: A+

Lion Cola Attack! Photo Copyright © The Anime Blog

Appearance

On the bag, the candies look like marginally cute, but deformed, lil’ people, smiling vapidly, awaiting death by consumption. In reality they look more like satiny, colorful and cheerful skull and crossbones. Eat me if you dare! Score: A

Texture

The texture is at first hard, but then slowly releases frothy effervescence. The candies tingle and refresh as they dissolve at a quicker rate than other hard candies.

Score: A

Flavor

Lion is generous in their variety, giving the buyer six fun cola flavors: Grape, Apple, Lemon, Ramune (isn’t Ramune redundant if Lemon is already involved?), Cola, and Orange.

1. Grape: The grape flavor is an intense, and artificial, grape, but it definitely nails the fakey grape twist of cheap grape cola- the best kind. Perfect. Score: A+
2. Apple: Apple is like sparkling juice- clear, true and refreshing. It has a slightly bitter aftertaste, however, that quickly dissipates. It’s good, but could be better without the bitterness. Score: B
3. Lemon: Lemon is tart and very flavorful. I imagine this is what freshly squeezed lemon juice mixed with sweetened seltzer water tastes like. Score: A+
4. Ramune: Lion’s ramune (romanji for lemonade) has a strong lemon-lime kick. It tastes just like lemon-lime colas such as Sprite™, 7-Up™ and Ramune™, original. Score: A+
5. Cola: Lion makes a good cola flavor. They put enough xylitol (a natural, minty sugar alcohol) to take away the heaviness actual cola can have, which leaves a fresh taste behind. The cola doesn’t nail any major name brand cola players like the Ramune flavor does, but it still embodies cola flavor. Score A
6. Orange: Orange just isn’t doing it. It tastes marginally like orange, but it has a stronger aftertaste than even the apple. The flavor is weak and unpleasant and burns the back of my throat. This is the worst flavor of the lot. Way to bring the assortment pack down Orange. Score: D

Verdict

Except for that letdown, Orange, Lion’s Soda Kid’s Candy is a winner. The candies are strong and refreshing. And seeing as how six different flavors are packed within one inviting package, everyone will find a flavor they can enjoy!

Morinaga is the company responsible for the odd bird mascot thingie, and the products it fronts: Choco Ball Peanut, Choco Ball Strawberry and Choco Ball Caramel. Morinaga also produces the perennial favorite, Hi-Chew, among other tasty goods.

Choco Ball!

Morinaga doesn’t get much review time here on the site since they don’t pimp their goods in St. Louis nearly as much as Meiji and Glico do. In fact, this box of Choco Ball Peanut actually came from Canada, not the STL area. What gives Morinaga? No love for the Midwest, or is it just St. Louis? Let’s see if Choco Ball is all it’s cracked up to be….

Packaging
Meh, I wouldn’t look at the box twice if I were looking for a J-snack to satisfy a sugar crave. The browns, orange, yellow and red all sort of blend together- nothing pops out and says “BUY ME DAMMIT!!”. In fact, the box looks dated, as if it’s still the original design from when the candy was first introduced in the 1960’s.

This lil’ box was a gift from a friend, but I probably wouldn’t have noticed it in the store. However, the bird-thing gives me the willies in that it’s kinda uggi and not cute- a must for Japanese mascots (being cute that is). I might have noticed the box just for that.

Although the product is displayed on the box, one would be hard put to guess the halved Choco Ball is actually the peanut variety. Not good for someone with food allergies who doesn’t read kanji. So it’s okay to put “Kyorochan Fan Club” in English on the box, but not a potentially fatal food allergen? Score: C

Texture
This candy has a one-two-punch crunch in the form of a wafer coating and the peanut itself. The slightly hard chocolate coats a nice, crisp cookie layer, which has a great bite. The peanut follows up on the wafer action and delivers the final crunch. Score: A

Flavor

Choco Balls Detail

Choco Ball Peanut has a good pea-nutty flavor with a mild chocolate lead. The chocolate envelops a wafer which in turn coats the nut. Choco Ball’s chocolate isn’t as milky as I thought it would be, and is a bit waxy. It tastes a bit…cheap, but combined with the wafer and the peanut, its lack isn’t as apparent.

The wafer doesn’t add much in the flavor department, aside from adding more sugar, but it enhances the flavor of the peanut and takes the bitter edge off the nut. If the wafer wasn’t there to take one for the team, Choco Ball Peanut might not be as tasty as it is. Score: A+

Verdict
Choco Ball Peanut is a good, satisfying candy but reminds me of American candies in its quality. The wafer is a nice touch, but adding chocolate to nuts is nothing new to one who grew up on Snicker™’s and Peanut M&M™’s, which Choco is reminiscent of. However, it’s still worth buying and snacking on, though I recommend Choco Ball for the mindless variety of snacking, aka- grazing.

The name, which sounds a lot like cow piss, is an unintended gaff on the part of the company, which had no intention of equating their drink with the wrong end of a cow. Instead, according to good ol’ wikipedia, the name is taken from the words, calcium and sarpis, the sanskrit word for “good taste”. Even with a totally rational explanation, the name still sounds kinda not so much like a health drink but the name of a dare.

Calpis Candy

Fortunately for the company, they had the good sense to market Calpis as Calipico in the States. Not to mention that their yogurt flavored drinks are so tasty, they program the drinker to forget about any connection to bovine urine their beverage may tenuously have.

Calpis not only manufactures a wide array of yogurt beverages, they also make a yogurt-inspired candy based off their unflavored Calpis drink.

Packaging

Go Calpis! This adorable, eye-catching bag makes me forget their odd moniker. The color scheme matches the Calpis bottle to perfection, with its blue, white and silver hues. Calpis is packaged with soft and inviting themes, with enough shine in the packaging to lure in people who are immune to cute. The friendly, winking star mascot thingie, however, makes me go, awwwwww. There’s a glass of Calpis on the bag, informing me Calpis is a white-colored drink best served over ice. Two half-rounds next to the glass resemble antacid tablets. Is this a serving suggestion, or is this supposed to represent the candy? Score: A+

Appearance

Hmmm, I thought the candies would be in some sort of star shape, like the mascot. What I get are white, semi-translucent rounds. Nix the serving suggestion, the antacid tablets actually were representative of the product. I feel slightly ripped, but hey, it’s about the flavor, not whether or not I get cute, star-shaped goodies, right? Right!? Score: B+

Closeup of Calpis Candy

Texture

This is soft gummy candy texture all the way. First bite is soft and pliable, with some jaw-work thrown in. It’s good stuff, if one is a gummy candy-lover. Score: A-

Flavor

My first impression is of gummy Rolaids® (there’s that antacid angle again!). Taking another taste, reveals the candy does have a yogurt tang and a milky bite. The yogurt tang is actually more lemony than yogurty, however, and the milky bite seems like an after thought.

Calpis isn’t loaded with sugar and is mildly sweet, which is a bonus. It’s got decent flavor, but for some reason, the flavor isn’t jiving with the texture the way it should. Overall the flavor is okay, but it seems at odds with the texture. Perhaps if it had more a more milky base it would work. Score: B

Verdict

This is one of those candies that will either grow on a person or just be meh. I find that the flavor isn’t strong enough to accompany the gummy texture for my liking. Calpis gummy candy is a good idea, and it may have worked if the flavor was more intense, but it falls a bit short in my book. But if you’re a Calpis fan, or gummy or yogurt fan, try Calpis candy and decide for yourself. Just don’t expect love at first bite.

Blueberry flavor is great no matter where it comes from. However, I’m a stickler for authenticity when it comes to blueberries. I’ll let fake strawberry slide, and will even welcome the chemical tang of “grape” soda. Just don’t mess with the blueberry. Will Meiji continue its streak of epic wins, or will it lose its mega points over blueberry gone wrong?

Packaging

Meiji’s made it to first base with this classy gold, cream and blue box. The tiny blueberries and picture of the product let buyers know what they’re investing in. The cute postage stamp in the corner and the pic of Hokkaido in the background are also nice imagery and convey the inspiration for the treat. So, are blueberries native to Hokkaido and what makes Hokkaido blueberries so special…?

Each goodie is individually wrapped and is easily accessible through the lift-top, resealable tab on the box.
Score: A+

Appearance

I’ve seen Apollo before, in its mini choco/ strawberry incarnation, but blueberry is far more impressive than its minute sibling. The pretty, purple topped white chocolate confection is about an inch high and has tiny flecks of authentic blueberry embedded inside. It looks like the real deal, i.e. real blueberries (and reading the ingredient list confirms it)!
Score: A+

Texture

The texture is more chewy than melt -in-your-mouth, and reminds me of a very soft caramel melt instead of a chocolate. While smooth, the choco is still oddly chewy. The flecks of blueberry add interesting mouth feel.
Score: A

Flavor

Apollo Blueberry rounds home base with its fantastic true blueberry flavor. The first thing that hits the senses is the fruity, berry aroma. One bite backs up what the nose is saying: this is real blueberry! The white chocolate is almost insignificant compared to the berry-ness but the two are a great combo and taste like berries and cream, a real win for Meiji.

There isn’t an overwhelming sweetness to Blueberry, but it still satisfies the sugar cravings while avoiding knocking a person out from sugar shock. Too much sugar would have drowned out the natural flavor of the berries and the balance in Apollo is just right. Score: A+

Verdict

Apollo Blueberry is a delish, berry-ific offering from Meiji and has made it onto my list of “Get Your Own!” candies. The real blueberries are what made the difference in making this a home run instead of a foul. While it may be seasonal, I’ll be thinking longingly of this goody way after Hokkaido’s blueberries are gone.

Packaging

Choco & Coffee has very elegant packaging, with a salmon and burgundy gradient and English script. The kanji is in small gold letters and offsets the colors of the pretty tarts pictured on the bag. Being able to see the product in one way or another is good, and Choco & Coffee tops that with not only displaying pictures of their product, but showcasing the product itself to boot. The elegance is marred, however by two incongruities: A yellow barn and silo sketched in as background plus a tacked on green wheat stamp in the lower corner. That’s just weak. Ignoring the barn is easy, but there’s no getting around that stylized green blob. Score: B+

Appearance

The tarts/cookies are dually wrapped. Each packet contains two thin, wafers filled with either chocolate or coffee flavored cream. The tarts are rather thin, but look good enough to serve at a tea party, fanned out on a pretty silver tray. Score: A

Texture

Choco & Coffee has good texture. A nice crispness of the wafer is followed by a smooth creaminess of the filling. The balance of mouthfeel is good. Score: A

Flavor

The first bite is a tad unexpected: The cookie is lightly sweetened and the coffee variety is slightly bitter, making for an un-cookie like experience. Although it’s light on the sugar, the cookie has a hint of butter. The chocolate and coffee fillings are creamy and are also very lightly sweetened. The coffee flavor, however, is robust and the chocolate is rich, but the minimal sweetness makes this treat a bit lacking.

After partaking of each cookie separately, I ate a coffee and a choco together, the way they’re packaged. The effect is tasty, but still not a full throttle dessert. Although the little “tarts” look like dessert waiting to happen, the experience doesn’t impart much of that feeling. Choco & Coffee doesn’t satisfy a sugar yen yet has a sophistication which I imagine speaks to mature Japanese. I don’t think these lil’ tarts would be a good accompaniment to bitter tea or coffee. Score: B-

Verdict

Choco & Coffee aren’t my idea of a cookie. They make an elegant dessert-esque display, while they have chocolate and coffee included in the ingredients, they just don’t fill that sugar craving. However, they do have a mature taste which may suit those pallets which prefer lightly sweetened treats. For me though, I’ll pass on these next time and reach for the Apollo instead.

The company which makes Butter Ball, UHA, is a truly inventive Japanese candy maker. They’re the creators of Shigekix, Koakuma and a slew of other appealing and inspiring snacks and candy.

Packaging

The packaging is rather blah for UHA, which stands for “Unique Human Adventure“. They usually have some phenomenally eye-catching packaging that hits you square in the face and forces you to buy their products. This bag looks like a bag of candy I’d find down at my local grocery store. The red kanji doesn’t pop off the orange backdrop and the black English font does nothing for me. The cow in the bright green field, however is a good contrasting image. Also, points for showing the product and for having the candy individually wrapped. Overall, though, I’m kinda unimpressed with Butter Ball’s packaging. UHA, you can do better!Score: B-

Appearance

The buttery yellow hue and satin sheen are attractive but it’s disappointing the candy is more of a lozenge shape than ball shape, seeing as how it’s called “Butter Ball”. Score: A-

Texture

Butter Ball is a hard candy with a smooth texture. When it’s sucked on, it releases it’s buttery flavor with a bit of heaviness, reminiscent of actual butter. Score: A

Flavor

Wow! This is awesome! It tastes like a butter cookie, with a hint of lemon. The flavor takes me back to when we would crack open a bag of butter cookies on a hot summer afternoon after school and chow down. The lemon is what takes this flavor to the butter cookie realm and not to that of butterscotch or true butter. Butter Ball also has a touch of milkiness, the overall effect being of buttery cookies. The flavor is nice and rich, just like a well made butter cookie. All the butter cookie essence without the cookie.Score: A+

Verdict

Butter Ball is another fantastic offering from a truly unique candy company. The flavor is full and delish. My only complaint is I keep crunching down on them expecting cookie but getting hard candy.

There’s this weird phenomena in Japan that, for whatever reason, men can’t be seen eating unsanctioned “female” candy. They can’t grab a box of Milk Pocky or Strawberry YamYam and still be thought manly and mature. This is at least the impression I get from candy makers whenever I see “Men’s Pocky” or “Men’s Bitter Chocolate”. What the heck? Can’t men in Japan get their sugar on? Apparently, Japanese men can only eat candy that’s not too sweet nor too girlish. And the packaging must be manly and mature. Once again, this is my impression, but when I asked a male Japanese friend if my impression was correct, he said, “Usually.”

Another friend went back to Japan and brought me back this Kizami Cacao, by Morinaga. I like Morinaga. They’re not terribly inventive, but they do chocolate fairly well. So I wasn’t unhappy with my pal’s choice of native candy, he was after all, male, and men must buy candy approved by the Manly Board of Japan…

Packaging

The packaging is elegant, masculine even. The black and brown gradient background is set off by the minimal kanji and Engrish: “KIZAMI-CACAO is a real and rich taste bitter chocolate.” The product is prominently displayed life-sized in a corner. It’s a very attractive box, but the spiffy packaging doesn’t stop there. The inside is set up so the individually-wrapped chocalate wafers are handily displayed. Niiiiccce. Score: A+

Appearance

The chocolates are about an inch and a half long by one inch wide. Some manner of topping is sprinkled just below the surface of the chocolate. It’s an elegant touch. Score: A

Texture

These chocolates are super smooth without a lot of greasy mouth feel some chocolates have. The sprinkled bits are hard to identify at first but I discover they’re bits of even darker chocolate embedded within. They give Kizami some added crispness. The chocolates are already a tad crisp due to their wafer-thinness. Score: A

Flavor

Rich, but not cloying is the first impression I get from Kizami Cacao, then I’m socked with bitterness. They weren’t kidding when they labeled this stuff bitter chocolate. 63% cocoa equals really dark chocolate. Dark chocolate must have at least 35% cocoa solids to be dark and Kizami’s got almost double that. The touch of sweetness that makes this stuff “candy” finally makes an appearance and shows the bitterness to the door. My poor tongue is still numb from the first bitter chocolate I’ve eaten as I unwrap a second piece. As a dark chocolate, this is a decent candy, but it’s almost too bitter to be enjoyable. Remember, if you’re a man, you can’t enjoy your chocolate! Score: B

Verdict

Kizami Cacao is definitely a chocolate marketed towards men, but there’s no reason anyone can’t savor the bitter taste of quality chocolate. If they like really, bitter, tongue numbing chocolate, that is.

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.

Kasugai Pizza Beans!

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!

Packaging

Mega points on the packaging. First off, there’s a giant slice of meaty, greasy pizza, oozing with cheese right at the top of the bag. The flavor within must be hardcore pizza for the company to boldly slap a photo of it on their packaging. The picture dissolves into a darker gradient emblazoned with kanji. Immediately below the writing is a green banner declaring “Pizza Beans With Beer or Wine“. Thanks Kasugai.

Now I know what to munch on when I’m throwing back a few bottles of merlot ^_^. I’m also informed of these beanies’ pizza bend by “Pizza taste of rich flavor“. Seriously though, the design is colorful, artfully arranged and highly informative. I know exactly what I’m getting and how it’s supposed to taste. Even if the beans taste like crap, the packaging did its job; I bought ‘em cause the bag was so attractive. Score: A+

Appearance

Far from looking like beans, Pizza Beans look like flat pebbles covered in cheese. It’s an interesting effect. Score: A

Taste the pizza flavor!

Texture

These beans have a helluva crunch. The outer coating smacks the mouth around first, followed by the satisfying crunch of the “roasted” (read as “fried”) beans. It’s the perfect amount of texture with zero greasy feel. Unlike other fried, flavored snack foods, these lil’ treats don’t leave much on the hands in the way of powder and oil. Very satisfying. Score: A+

Flavor

I expected to be greeted with the smell of pizza after opening the bag, but there’s nothing but a slight scent of old socks and seaweed. The taste however is actually kinda pizza-y. Pizza Beans have a subtle, mature flavor which hints at pizza. The first flavor to hit is the tang of cheddar cheese, followed by a hint of sugar and herbs/spices, then finishes off with some heat and pepper. The coating adds a bit of a wheat note, giving the vague impression of pizza crust. It’s not bad, not exactly pizza, but a fair attempt thereof.

I wouldn’t immediately say these beans taste like “PIZZA”, but they do taste cheesy, tangy, and wheat-y, all of which are characteristic of pizza. If anything, Pizza Beans taste a lot like cheddar Combos with some zest. Not a bad thing, and slightly healthier than the Combos.  Score: A

The Verdict

I highly recommend trying these beans. You’ll never know they’re beans and you’ll get taste and texture which beats any Western junk food, hands down.

Arare (hail stones) are made with glutinous rice (mochi kome). They can be either fried or baked, and have a crunchier texture than senbei. I like arare since they’re smaller than senbei and seem to come in more flavors as well. This particular snack, Tsuna Age Arare, is tare, “dressing” flavor.

Bon Chi Corporation is the manufacturer of today’s snack and they make all manner of senbei and arare.

Packaging

Great packaging for this snack. The green is appealing as is the bold kanji and equally bold romanji. The contrast in colors and reflective textures made this bag eye-catching in a sea of other Asian snacks. The actual arare are proudly displayed on the front and the back gives a brief description of the contents: “Japanese crispy snack. Dressing and salty taste. Good quality.” I like it when I’m informed how a particular food will taste. Score: A+

Appearance

Tsuna means “rope” and Age means “fried” in Japanese, it’s a fitting description for a snack that looks like twisted bits of deep-fried rope. The matte texture is a departure from the shiny sugar and shoyu glaze many rice crakers sport. Score: B

Texture

Tsuna age arare has a truly gratifying crunch. However, the crunch quickly melts way and becomes a greasy paste. These arare are definitely different than other rice crackers; they’re really greasy and oily. The oil sticks to the back of the throat and is too cloying. It’s actually disgusting how oily these crackers are.

One of the main reasons I like Japanese snacks is because the majority of them have a light taste and texture, even in the instances they’re fried. The grease in these rice crackers is a major turn off. I keep having to clear my throat or drink hot tea to get the oil out. My hands are also greasy. Gross. This is an unexpected find in a Japanese snack and very, very unwelcome. Score: F

Flavor

Dressing? Tare? These are supposed to taste like dressing? I wasn’t expecting a Catalina salad dressing flavor, but I was expecting some sort of vinegary tang. I’ve made many tare (dressings) and they utilize vinegars, miso, sesame, ginger and shoyu. Tuna age doesn’t even come close to any of those. One of the ingredients is vinegar powder, but it’s the seventh one listed. Vegetable oil is number two on the ingredient list. Oil wins over vinegar in this round.

These lil’ nasties remind me strongly of the American snack, Bugles. They taste like greasy, deep fried corn snacks, but there’s no corn in tsuna age. So there’s vinegar, but I can’t taste it, and there’s no corn and yet I taste corn…Score: F

Verdict

I’m very unhappy with this Japanese snack. It’s disgusting and nasty. This Japanese cracker is just like many American junk foods, right down to the grease and lack of sophisticated flavor. Even prior arare, which have let me down in the flavor department are way, way better than this. I’d rather eat shoyu and sugar then these icky deep fried concoctions.