A must-buy for fried food enthusiasts!

If a Japanese foodstuff has the suffix furai, literally “fry,” then it’s guaranteed to be something crunchy, toothsome and delicious. Fried prawn, fried oysters, fried horse mackerel… Of course, the crunchy fried goodness extends to creamy croquettes and that ever-popular carnival favorite, the corn dog (known as an American Dog in Japan). These golden treats are constantly on offer at convenience store counters and provide an instant hit of feel-good flavor.

▼ You can’t beat a piping hot croquette.

What happens to things people feel a deep-seated fondness for, especially in Japan? That’s right—they get turned into capsule toys. Toy brand Asobi Kenyujo 365 has launched a new line of gachapon capsule toys named Deep Fried Plush, containing five evergreen fried favorites recreated in cuddly, fuzzy charm form. Each one comes with a ball chain to attach to a bag or keychain, and you can try your luck for 300 yen (US$2.75) a turn.

▼ From left to right: fried shrimp, fried oyster, crab cream croquette, fried horse mackerel, corn dog.

In a charming twist, you can actually peel the fuzzy exterior off of these charms in order to revert your foodstuff to its pre-fried state (or catch a glimpse of what lies beyond the flaky golden coating).

▼ A juicy plush prawn…

▼ It looks even tastier wrapped in the fuzzy fried batter!

They look incredibly soft and pleasant to the touch, so the only real downside is that you’re bound to experience even more cravings for fried food whenever your Deep Fried Plush catches your eye.

▼ This is the cutest corn dog we have ever seen in our lives.

Asobi Kenkyujo 365 will also be restocking a former bestseller, their Onigiri Rice Ball Plush. These cute round plush come in a variety of “flavors”; pickled plum, salmon, salted cod roe, tomato flavored omusubi and omusubi with tempura prawn. You can also unpeel them to reveal the plush ingredients within!

The Deep Fried Plush set goes on sale at some point in April while the restock of the Onigiri Rice Ball Plush will occur in May, with the chance to buy a complete box of those charms arriving in June. And if you can’t get your hands on one of these adorable plush treats, why not pick up something that allows you to make the real thing?

Source: Gachapon Jouhou via Netlab
Top image: Asobi Kenkyujo 365
Insert images: Pakutaso, Asobi Kenkyujo 365

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