The Anime Blog – We Go Beyond Anime!

I always expect more from Japanese candy. I set the bar pretty high when it comes to reviewing it and I only occasionally get disappointed. Maybe I don’t get let down because I have such limited access to the stuff and the snacks that make it Stateside are somehow better (or not) than those that [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]