While in America the stereotypical school kid lunch of a sandwich, apple, and some crackers can easily be tossed in a paper sack, things are a bit trickier in Japan. Japanese parents packing a lunch for their child usually include rice and a number of side dishes, which all need to be placed in sturdy containers so they don’t get crushed or spill during the trip to school, all of which then get placed inside a single, larger container called a bento box.
But why settle for a bento box when you could have a bento ball, especially a Pokémon bento ball?
True, there are definite advantages to a traditional, rectangular bento box. Its shape allows for space-efficient packaging, and it’ll remain stable on any flat surface you place it on.
However, it’s not exactly exciting, especially in the eyes of a seven-year-old. Scholastic education is all well and good, but it’s also important for young people to exercise their imaginations, which is a task this Poké Ball bento ball is much better suited for.
Technically, the container isn’t quite a sphere, as it has a flattened bottom. While this does detract from its authenticity, it seems like a reasonable trade-off, considering this keeps the lower half of the bento box (which is also the rice bowl) from rolling away before you can finish eating.
The set also includes a carrying bag, into which you place the Poké Ball that contains the compartments that contain your lunch. Amazon Japan is selling the bundle here for 3,500 yen (US$34). Suffice it to say, we want one!
▼ They’ve got Pokémon chopsticks here for 1,000 yen, too.
The whole set seems like just the thing to provide a few moments of hard-earned escapist fantasy for the kid who spent the morning doing arithmetic problems (or the adult who spent the morning compiling data for monthly sales reports). Just make sure you’re strong-willed enough that when you’re walking home at the end of the day and spot some squirrels in the park, you can resist the urge to trap them in your empty Pokémon bento ball.
Source: Mudai no Document, Amazon Japan (1, 2)
Top image: Mudai no Document
Insert images: Amazon Japan (1, 2)