Fukubukuro, lit. “lucky bag”, are a wonderful way for stores to shift merchandise at the start of the year, not unlike western stores’ New Year’s sales but with far more mystery and intrigue involved. Shoppers take a gamble when they purchase these gift bags as they are completely sealed and their contents unlisted, and they don’t always contain products that we desperately need, but fukubukuro usually contain items whose cash value far exceeds the bag’s asking price.
So when our reporter Kuzo heard that the fast food chain and home of 30-patty cheeseburgers Lotteria was offering up special collaborative Evangelion bags for just 2,000 yen each, he powered down his Wii U, stepped out into the sunlight and sprinted – well, sort of jogged while wheezing quietly – to his nearest store to grab one for himself.
Was it worth the US$22 purchase, or was Kuzo lumbered with a cooking-oil-scented bag of tat? Find out after the jump.
Arriving back at his man cave, Kuzo placed his special edition bag on the floor, spread its contents out and took a handful shots for our delectation here today. Let it be known, Rocketeers, that Japan’s lucky bags are nothing to be shy of; there’s some quality merchandise to be had here!
▼Well, well, well; what do we have here…?
The contents of Kuzo’s Lotteria x Evangelion Fukubukuro:
– 1 x Evangelion free-paper
– 1 x Evangelion plastic file
– 1 x Evangelion yunomi Japanese tea-cup
– 1 x Evangelion postcard
– 1 x limited edition coupon book for Lotteria
As our reporter reminds us, by their very nature, the contents of fukubukuro are known to vary greatly from bag to bag, but we have to agree that pretty much any Evangelion fan would be more than satisfied with this little assortment!
“The design on the yunomi in particular is really nice; whether you’re a fan or not it’s definitely worth having,” Kuzo told us before sheepishly admitting that, of all his new trinkets, he was probably most pleased with the Lotteria coupon book, which we’re sure he’ll put to very good use over the coming weeks.
“I really don’t need the free-paper, though,” he scorned, “I mean, it was free to begin with, wasn’t it!?”
Let’s take a closer look at the Evangelion gear Kuzo picked up:
▼That plastic file is actually pretty flash
▼We’re sure Kuzo would look stunning in these Evangelion-inspired outfits…
▼ More likely to be kept in a frame than stamped and mailed to a pal…
▼ And this yunomi tea-cup is definitely one to keep in mint condition
▼These coupons ought to keep our man going for a while!
Did you pick up any interesting toys in your fukubukuro this year? Let us know in the comments section below!
[ Read in Japanese ]
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
Lotteria’s lucky bag opened: even if you’re not a Naruto fan you’ll come out ahead!
【Lucky Bag Roundup 2017】Lotteria adds cute Japanese character goods to New Year’s fukubukuro
What’s inside the McDonald’s Japan fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
【Lucky Bag Roundup 2017】Celebrate the Year of the Rooster with a KFC Japan fukubukuro
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Downtown Tokyo’s meaty monster Kaibutsu ramen will challenge your stomach, thrill your taste buds
Mr. Sato discovers his inner beaver with a 16-inch chocolate “twig” at Tokyo Station
That awkward moment when anime becomes reality
Why is Yoshinoya called Yoshinoya?
What’s so “Japan mind” about Häagen-Dazs’ new “Japan Mind” ice cream?
McDonald’s Japan adds new Hello Kitty and Pompompurin drinks to the menu for a limited time
Not a fan of dishwashing? Get yourself an electric, plate-scrubbing robot appendage
Nara deer shikadamari phenomenon continues to baffle visitors at Nara park
Star Wars and classic Japanese things aren’t done mashing yet! 【Photos】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan’s Lucky Bag #3: A fukubukuro surprise we weren’t expecting
We snagged an excellent haul in the 2021 Evangelion fukubukuro lucky bag
Pokémon x Mister Donut fukubukuro lucky bag is a very sweet way to ring in the new year
Contents of Starbucks Coffee’s 2015 lucky bag REVEALED!
We bought the Mister Donut Pokémon lucky bag, and here’s what we got! 【Photos】
【Lucky Bag Roundup 2017】We take a peek at the Mister Donut fukubukuro from Japan
Wholesome reporter seeks nostalgic fukubukuro experience, gets huge haul of anime goods instead
7-Eleven Japan releases fukubukuro lucky bags filled with convenience store surprises
McDonald’s Japan has a fukubukuro lucky bag that everyone wants to get their hands on
【2016 Lucky Bag Roundup】 Lucky Bag favorite Starbucks is back in 2016, we see what’s inside
The Starbucks fukubukuro: One of the rarest lucky bags in Japan
Matsuya beef bowl fukubukuro lucky bag should be purchased with caution
Ikea fukubukuro lucky bag gives us 10,000 yen worth of goods for 3,000 yen
Starbucks Japan fukubukuro lucky bag brings us merch and coffee to kick off 2019
Animate Akihabara releases a lucky bag for the first time in years, and it’s amazing
The Spy x Family lucky bag is a double-layer of mystery for fans of the hit anime series【Photos】
Starbucks Japan’s Lucky Bag #3: A fukubukuro to end all fukubukuro