A whole new way for one of Japan’s favorite chocolate snacks to look tasty.
Japan has a pretty big sweet tooth, but there are fewer confectioneries that are more loved than Pocky. So perhaps it was only a matter of time until the chocolate-covered pretzel sticks were turned into objects of romantic love as well.
Last week, Pocky maker Glico announced its Love with Pocky campaign, which in Japanese is officially called Koibito ha Pocky, or “My Lover is Pocky.” Once a day, the official Pocky Twitter account is revealing a new anthropomorphized handsome anime man, with each character representing a different type of Pocky and gracing his respective flavor’s packaging (both the box and individually wrapped bundles inside).
The first Pocky Boy, Kokoro Furuichi, is inspired by Strawberry Chunk Pocky. While the project is only visual at the moment, Glico has designated a voice actor for each Pocky Boy, with Kokoro’s being Yuki Kaiji, best known as Attack on Titan’s protagonist Eren.
【古市こころ】
— Pocky Japan (@PockyJPN) December 20, 2017
ポッキー擬人化ひとりめは、つぶつぶいちごポッキー🍓 とにかく甘え上手の古市くん、母性をくすぐっちゃうかも…
CVは #梶裕貴 さん#恋人はポッキー pic.twitter.com/Aqiw5WMbU4
Next came Milk Pocky: mature, mysterious Nami Shiroyama (voice actor Junichi Suwabe), who drinks a glass of moo juice every day.
【白山波】
— Pocky Japan (@PockyJPN) December 21, 2017
ポッキー擬人化ふたりめは、ザミルク🐄 大人っぽくミステリアスな白山くん、ドキっとするひとことで女子を翻弄しちゃうタイプです…!
CVは #諏訪部順一 さん#恋人はポッキー pic.twitter.com/pvv89bXMnf
Almond Crush Pocky has a tough-sounding name, which is a good fit for Kohei Mondo (voice actor Takuya Eguchi), a wild-hearted young man who likes riding his motorcycle along seaside streets and shuns social media in favor of face-to-face communication.
【門戸香平】
— Pocky Japan (@PockyJPN) December 22, 2017
3人目💓のポッキー擬人化は…
アーモンドクラッシュの門戸くん!
男らしさ全開の彼が
たまにみせる照れ、
鬼キュンです…
CVは #江口拓也 さん#恋人はポッキー pic.twitter.com/VwWNvTqQsd
On the other end of the spectrum, Extra-Thin Pocky’s slender Tsugihiko Kyogaku (voice actor Takahiro Sakurai) is an unabashed bibliophile who reads 50 books a month, but has a dependable personality despite his delicate frame.
【京極次彦】
— Pocky Japan (@PockyJPN) December 23, 2017
いよいよ4人目のポッキー擬人化は…
極細の、京極くん!
知性あふれる彼ですが
恋はまだ小説の中でしか
経験したことがありません📕
CVは #櫻井孝宏 さん#恋人はポッキー pic.twitter.com/2sljgPYk7d
The most recent Pocky Boy to make his debut is perpetually cheerful Koichiro Akazawa (voice actor Yuma Uchida). “Aka” means “red” in Japanese, in keeping with his representing the original flavor chocolate Pocky which comes in a red box.
【赤澤幸一郎】
— Pocky Japan (@PockyJPN) December 24, 2017
メリークリスマス🎄
ポッキー擬人化、大トリの5人目!
赤箱の赤澤くんは
ひとの良いところを見つけるのが大好き。一緒にいるだけで気持ちがふわぁっと明るくなる、太陽みたいな男子です…!☀️
CVは #内田雄馬 さん#恋人はポッキー pic.twitter.com/cCsiJHp3Pc
Since Glico has released dozens of special Pocky flavors during the product’s lifetime, odds are there are more characters to come. We look forward to a samurai-chic Deep Matcha, elegantly dressed Bâton d’or La Recolte, or shibui Red Wine Pocky Boy, or, maybe even a crossover with the Kit Kat Boys.
Source: Anime News Network/Jennifer Sherman
Follow Casey on Twitter, where he’s curious what’s going to happen when the project gets to the Men’s Pocky flavor.

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