Octopus, eel, vegetables, and rice all in the same bowl? Let them fight.

Japan’s biggest celebrity, Godzilla, is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year, meaning it’s eligible for a pension and should really consider turning in its driver’s license for some McDonald’s coupons.

And in honor of Godzilla becoming a senior citizen, Warner Bros. and Toho have brought us his latest outing, Gozilla: King of the Monsters, in which the titular beast butts heads with the likes of King Gihdorah, Rodan, and Mothra.

And in honor of that, Awajiya has released a limited edition version of its Godzilla vs Hipparidakomeshi bento. Awajiya is a popular bento maker in the Kansai area, known for its high-quality ekiben (station bento) which highlight the foods of a particular region and sold to travelers on train station platforms.

Godzilla vs Hipparidakomeshi has been on sale since January for 1,300 yen (US$12) and came in a lovely ceramic pot with a relief featuring Godzilla wrestling a giant octopus.

However, for a limited time that coincides with the theatrical release of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the pot is covered with a label featuring all of the film’s featured monsters facing off in front of the Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge that connects Awaji Island and Kobe.

At first glance, the pot might seem a little small for Godzilla-themed merchandise, but great power lurked beneath its foot-stamped surface.

Our reporter Masami was blown away by how much food was packed into this container. Beneath a huge octopus tentacle was a mixture of eel, egg, bamboo shoots, seasoned vegetables and rice, and more!

The rich flavor of the thick cut of octopus permeated the mixture and the addition of eel gave everything a luxurious taste and texture.

However, Masami’s favorite part was the hard-boiled egg. It had a smokey flavor which, when combined with the ocean aroma of the seafood, really conveyed the feeling of a watery and fiery kaiju battle.

At first, 1,300 yen might seem like a steep price for this bento, but after seeing how fully loaded it is, it actually feels on the cheap side. Plus you get a neat little pot to keep forever.

The Godzilla vs Hipparidakomeshi will probably continue for some time, but this limited edition label will end on 31 August. So, be sure to pick one up from one of Awajiya’s shops or most major Kansai area train stations. People outside of the area might be able to track one down at an airport or Tokyo Station’s Ekibenya Matsuri.

However you get one, be sure to do it fast before these special bentos wade back into the ocean and resume their slumber until the next time the Earth is threatened by an opportunity to tie-in with the Godzilla franchise.

Photos: SoraNews24
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