Jelly Juice

Anyone who knows me knows that I love jelly beans. I've even been on the Jelly Belly factory tour twice. So this Jelly Belly Very Cherry drink in the convenience store fridge caught my eye. I didn't taste it, but I'm pretty sure it's just cherry-flavored punch.

The funny thing with the name of the product is that the Japanese katakana pronunciation of "belly" and "very" are exactly the same. Belly is also pronounced the same as "berry," so I wonder how many people here misunderstand the meaning of the jelly bean's brand name.

Robocop Sold Out

Wow, I never knew Robocop stored Japanese cockroach spray in his leg-holster! Looks like he also was a paid spokes-cyborg for UFO instant yakisoba. While I thought he was protecting the poor citizens of Detroit, he was making the big yen over in Japan during the Bubble.

Robocop bug-spray commercial (youtube)

Orange You Gere-san?

I am a fan of many things that end in the letters "gina." So I am glad that Orangina is finally available in Japan. I find it odd, though, that Richard Gere was chosen for the ad campaign for several reasons. First, he is not French, but the text in the ad seems to refer that he is using the word "Monsieur." Second, he is dressed as the vagabond character Tora-san, from the Otoko wa tsurai yo series of films, and I don't see the connection there. Third, if you believe the long-standing rumors about Gere, he is not a fan of things that end in the letters "gina," orange-flavored or otherwise.

Frappucino Petito

Does Starbucks in the U.S. have these cute samples that look like a miniaturized version of a Frappucino? Or is it only here in Japan? I am pretty sure the contents of my sample (coffee jelly and frozen coffee) is only on the menu in Japan. The Japanese sure do love coffee-flavored jelly! I had never eaten it until I worked at a Japanese public school. JELL-O Brand apparently tried to market coffee-flavored gelatin in North America, but it was discontinued.

Rainbows at Night

All buildings should light up at night like the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills.

Ultra Can

I'm more of a 100% fruit juice kind of guy, so I almost never buy soft drinks. But how can I resist this? Ultraman-themed cans of cider! Unfortunately for me, cider here does not mean real apple-cider, which I love, but a clear sweet soda. There are six cans representing six versions of the superhero character from over the last four decades, including Ultra Seven. The beverage manufacturer, DyDo, is selling them for only 100 yen to encourage people to buy the whole set. I think if I downed six cans, I would have an ultra sugar rush.

Big Cans

Most canned coffee in Japan comes in little cans. Not American Coffee. Everyone knows that we Americans like things to be BIG. Our coffee, our cars, and our women.

As most canned coffees are here, it's got tons of sugar in it. I bought a can of it a while back just because I liked the design. It's so retro, I figured it must be intentional, but maybe it actually is an old logo that's been around for decades.

Lipovitan Stand

This stand only sells the energy drink Lipovitan in Shinagawa Station.