The Kyaraben trend is still going strong in Japan, and even though winter has prompted some to make the temporary switch to deco-nabe, the demand for adorable packed lunches shows no signs of abating. Today we’d like to take a look back over the best of the past year’s Kyaraben. What can we learn about 2014 in Japan from studying these perfect works of edible art?
The year’s most popular Kyaraben characters can be whittled down to a shortlist of just three. These three mascots dominated lunchboxes in 2014, meaning that if you showed up to elementary school without one of these little critters peeking up at you from a mound of rice and carefully shaped seaweed, well, then you knew you just weren’t one of the cool kids.
In third place, it’s Funassyi! (Un-)officially representing the city of Funabashi, Chiba, this jiggly yellow pear has captured the attention of kids everywhere (as well as inspiring our own Mr Sato to create a homage character), prompting doting parents to endeavour to reproduce its adorableness utilising the medium of bento.
@funassyi 初キャラ弁♪ヽ(´▽｀)/フナッシーキャラ弁作ってみたよー♪ pic.twitter.com/DMfRNTYwwt
— (^-^)/ (@Em08043W) December 9, 2014
https://twitter.com/yodosuke/status/537978076177522688
▼ This Funassyi looks a little melted!
今話題のふなっしーのキャラ弁です^ - ^http://t.co/tYpAd50tsM
— キャラ弁大好き！ (@kyarabentou1110) December 18, 2014
▼ Funassyi and Kumamon (Kumamoto Prefecture’s mascot) collaboration!
https://twitter.com/DgEagles/status/539040777976832000
https://twitter.com/monanday/status/537085940838051840
In second place, it could only be Disney’s Frozen! Known in Japan as “Anna and the Snow Queen”, this wintry tale of two sisters has excited little Japanese girls just as much as those in the West.
▼ Elsa looking good enough to eat!
https://twitter.com/FrozenMOVlE/status/542468319870464000
スゲー！ アナ雪弁当！→ありのままの弁当（キャラ弁） by momoko☆ - http://t.co/ZCaF2qWd3d pic.twitter.com/bQ884M5NkF
— 渡辺恒一郎 (@tunecan) July 10, 2014
▼ Plenty of Olaf the goofy snowman, too.
やっとおわたー(￣▽￣)
— Banny💟 (@Banny1121) November 13, 2014
三人分のキャラ弁はきつい笑
サイドのオラフ横からみたらブス😂👏
食べる頃には崩れてるだろ〜な爆笑
んま味は確かです（≧∇≦） pic.twitter.com/SSRMCSUnyx
▼ He’s made out of fish cakes!
アナ雪のオラフのキャラ弁完成(o'ω')ﾉ
— ゆうりmama (@yabubu_jump) August 28, 2014
3D風に作った(*´∀｀*)ﾉ
あと、ご飯のつぶが見えるの嫌やから
はんぺん薄くスライスして
ご飯に巻いてみた(●´ー｀●)
今回は、息子も絶賛ww#オラフ #キャラ弁 #アナ雪 pic.twitter.com/67UkM6hW9H
And of course, the clear winner is the monster hit cross-media series, Youkai Watch!
▼ This one is just so perfectly crafted!
https://twitter.com/dennjyu_josi/status/546049478386388992
▼ Whisper made out of an egg!
流行りのやつですね。キャラ弁 ⇒ さぁ、今日は運動会行ってお父さんやってくるぞ！ まぁいつもお父さんだけど、こー、定番のお父さんをしっかりやる日は切り替えないと、照れちゃってあまり行動しなくなっちゃうというめんどくさい性格。 pic.twitter.com/2l0Rhm2pjJ
— 田端秀章📈公式アカウント (@hideaki825) May 30, 2014
https://twitter.com/kyara_ben01/status/545792151628435456
▼ Crazy seaweed cutting skills here!
妖怪ウォッチ キャラ弁 画像 pic.twitter.com/j6tcXj1Enb
— キャラ弁大好き！ (@kyarabentou1110) December 19, 2014
And here’s some of the runners-up:
▼ Baymax from Big Hero 6
https://twitter.com/chinatsu_take76/status/546081300537290752
▼ Mickey, still going strong
https://twitter.com/pasepecytyr/status/545108000835264512
▼ Aw, how adorable is this kiss?
いやいや、えんじゃけどな…ま、閉まらんでな(´Д` ) RT @basuke_douga: RT @iinovirtue: ミッキーとミニーのハイクオリティなキャラ弁♡
— 土屋雄太／ひじラボ所長 (@hiji_rock) June 12, 2014
☆ http://t.co/IFe4rJ790z
▼ Pikachu hanging in there after a rough year
カレーピカチュウ - 定番薄焼き玉子でポケモンキャラ♪ キャラ弁レシピや作り方を検索＆投稿『キャラ弁まにあ』 #kyaraben #charaben #キャラ弁 #お弁当 #ポケモン pic.twitter.com/wXZQIjG6rl
— もはや芸術！キャラ弁集合 (@chara_ben_) December 5, 2014
▼ This writer’s personal favorite lazy bear, Rilakkuma!
過去のキャラ弁4回目
— moca.萌香イラストレーター (@mocaouo) October 2, 2014
定番リラックマ。
最近キャラ弁作ってないなぁ…。
今度としおキャラ弁でも作るかな(n´v｀n)むふふ♡ pic.twitter.com/JpXIzff5mP
▼ Toddlers’ favorite Anpanman!
金曜日のキャラ弁〜！次女(年少)の親子遠足やったけん定番のアンパンマンとバイキンマン♪しまじろう撃沈やったけど、これは我ながら可愛く出来て満足♡笑 #キャラ弁 #弁当 pic.twitter.com/w42TclyVXG
— ジャスミン@福岡アクセサリー (@1212_jy) April 28, 2014
▼ A little more Kumamon!
今日は遠足ーっ。
— モミ (@momi_ha_a_ha_a) April 27, 2014
朝一、つわりきついけど。がんばったよ。かぁちゃん。キャラ弁希望ゆわれたから、くまもんで。
なんとなく、くまもんにみえればよし。 pic.twitter.com/jbl4YOQsVx
▼ My Neighbor Totoro!
https://twitter.com/ashlie547/status/544975727943114753
▼ And this incredible Metal Gear Solid 3D bento!
ハイクオリティのキャラ弁w pic.twitter.com/Mbxm0jZB
— あじさい (@hydrangea_0821) February 10, 2013
We can’t wait to see what new and wonderful Kyaraben 2015 has in store for us!
Source: Naver Matome
Main Image: Twitter @dennjyu/josi
Japanese dad turns daughter’s illustration into her bento lunch
Frozen senbei packaging “looks like Anna hailing a cab for drunk Elsa” 【Pic】
Japan’s favorite city mascot goes on talk show, says it’s tired, wants to go back to Pear Land
Real-life Olaf takes Twitter by (snow)storm
Yo-kai Watch mania has even reached the vegetable world! Here’s a Halloween pumpkin roundup!
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We try an unusual buffet of dishes made from wild game at a roadside stop in Chiba
We followed Tokyo’s mystery walking map and ended up creating our own bar-hopping adventure
Village Vanguard’s Blue Lucky Bag may have the most impressive piece of junk ever created
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
Otaku’s beloved anime-style doll kidnapped, maybe murdered by bird of prey at Japanese beach
People in Japan are eating a lot less fish now than they used to, but why?
21.5-square foot, 272,200-yen build-it-yourself chocolate castle set released in Japan【Photos】
What part of Japan has the best food, and what should you eat there?
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
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
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
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 reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Human washing machine pods coming to Japanese hotels【Photos】
Love sweets, hate Frozen? Solution: repurpose your Olaf bun into Bert from Sesame Street!
Japanese net users surprised to learn that painfully cute bento was in fact made by a teenage boy
Cool Nengajo, bro! Check out six of the most awesome New Year’s postcards of 2015!
What would Youkai Watch look like drawn by famous manga artists? Well, it would look like this!
Twitter user in Japan makes amazing, tiny nail art with nail clippers and a utility knife【Pics】
Graduating high-schoolers in Japan tweet photos of the last lunch bentos their moms made for them
Snow zombies and spooky faces: Snowpocalypse 2016 in Japan!【Pics】
Heavy snowfall gives the people of Japan a chance to show off their secret sculpting skills【Pics】
Brothers’ bento blooper shows the potential downside of having your mom pack your lunch in Japan
Youkai Watch set to embrace modernity with new “Youkai Pad” accessory
Enjoy a platter of Youkai Sashimi while we explain that cat’s name
We try Youkai Watch Pretz “our milk flavored” snacks, now with 6% milk!
Do NOT eat this delicious looking bento and other Japanese food…because they’re not food!【Pics】
Jibanyan, Japan chooses you! Pikachu trampled beneath paws of Youkai Watch mascot
Meet Nowa Yukigami, Japan’s cute-looking, panty-flashing mascot cat
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