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Delicious fried chicken draws near. Command? Eat, of course!

2016 marks the 30th anniversary of two things very near and dear to our hearts. Not only was 1986 the year the very first Dragon Quest was released for Nintendo’s 8-bit Famicom, it was also when Karaage-kun, Japanese convenience store chain Lawson’s signature fried chicken, made its debut.

Since then, the landmark role-playing video game and delicious snack have had many sequels and updates, with more than a dozen games bearing the Dragon Quest brand to date and over 150 different flavors of Karaage-kun having been offered. And since Dragon Quest and Lawson are such good friends, they’re teaming up to give us a special Dragon Quest Karaage-kun flavor.

While the package bears the mark of the loveable Slime, the Dragon Quest Karaage-kun isn’t billed as tasting like the game’s mascot monster. Instead, Lawson says it’s Heal magic-flavored, or “Hoimi-flavored,” to use the incantation’s name in Japanese versions of the game. Specifically, it tastes like garlic mayonnaise, apparently in keeping with the popular belief in Japan that garlic has stamina-boosting properties (although considering what garlic does to your breath, we think an offensive spell from Dragon Quest’s grimoires would have also been an appropriate choice).

Much as the Dragon Quest games encourage players to leave no stone unturned in searching for treasure, so too will you want to examine each piece of fried chicken before eating it, since some packs will contain a piece with an image of the Slime seared into the breading.

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Also, while supplies last, the Dragon Quest Karaage-kun comes not with the toothpick the snack is commonly eaten with, but with a miniature reproduction of Loto’s Sword, the weapon wielded by the game series’ legendary hero.

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As a final bit of fun for gamers, when customers pay for their Dragon Quest Karaage-kun, Lawson promises that the normal cash register chime will be replaced with a sound fans are sure to recognize, which we’re guessing is an allusion to the sound effect made when players heal their party members in the game (Lawson did something similar for Final Fantasy a while back).

Be aware, though, that the special sound will not play if you’re also purchasing alcohol or other products that require you to confirm your age. In addition, you won’t hear anything Dragon Quest-related if you pay using an electronic debit card, so be sure to stop by the ATM, or kill some monsters and grind for gold, before you make your fried chicken run.

Follow Casey on Twitter for more excuses to eat fried chicken.

Source, images: Lawson (Top image edited by RocketNews24)
[ Read in Japanese ]