Everyone must know about Japan’s super popular anime Doraemon, right? In commemoration of Doraemon’s upcoming film “STAND BY ME”, he has been turned into a Chinese steamed bun! A collaboration product with the convenience store chain Circle K Sunkus, it is being produced for a limited time only so there was no way that I was not going to try it! With that, I promptly went to the nearest Circle K Sunkus on August 19th, the day it was scheduled to go on sale. “Is it really that popular?” was my thought when the first two stores I went to were sold out. At the third store, I was finally able to get my hands on the very last one there!
きっと皆さんの多くもご存知であろう、日本の大人気アニメ・ドラえもん！ そんなドラえもんが、映画『STAND BY ME ドラえもん』の公開を記念し中華まんになって登場！ サークルKサンクスとのコラボで、しかも数量限定というから、これは絶対に食べるっきゃない！ ということで、発売日当日（8月19日）にサークルKサンクスへ。相当人気なのか2店舗行ったところどちらも売り切れで、3店舗目でようやくラス１をゲットすることができました。
This writer felt a sense of relief upon finally obtaining a Doraemonman, especially after becoming covered in sweat from having to go around to three different stores in the middle of a Tokyo midsummer day where temperatures rarely go below 30℃. Out of breath, I gasped to the clerk, “A D-Doraemonman, please!” For a proper adult to be this overjoyed as such a thing is a little bit embarrassing, no?
30度くらいある東京の夏、ドラえもんまんを手に入れるべく汗だくになりながらコンビニを3軒はしごし、やっとの思いで発見した筆者。そして息を切らせながら「ド、ドラえもんまんください…！！」と店員さんに言ったのでした。いい大人がこんなに喜んでしまって少し恥ずかしい……。
Setting aside that trivial matter, I took my prize out of the bag right away!
そんなどうでもよい話はさておき。さっそく袋から取り出してみました。
What the heck! It was slightly misshapen! And the nose had been partially torn off!
なんだかいびつ……！ 鼻がちょっともげているね！
Even taking into consideration my photography skills (or lack thereof), compared to the official pictures, it’s not quite the same is it?
写真の撮り方のせいもあるけど、オフィシャルの写真と比べてみたけど、ちょっと違うね……！
It was smaller than I thought. It’s the size of the palm of my hand.
思ったより小さめで、手のひらサイズです。
It looks like this from the side.
横から見るとこんな感じ。
From the back, it has this unusual appearance.
後ろから見るとなんか不思議な景色……。
I’m sorry Doraemon!! Tearing it in half, I saw that it has custard filling.
ドラえもん、ごめんね！！ ちぎってみたら、中にカスタードが入っておりました。
As for the taste, the most important part, it was pretty unremarkable (laugh). If they needed it to be delicious, maybe it would have been better to put a little bit more custard inside it? It also probably would have been better if the bread were a little bit thinner too. However, it was cute so let’s say it was okay?
そして肝心な味のほうですが、普通でした（笑）。美味しさを求めるなら、もう少しカスタードが多くてもよかったかな？ 皮がもう少し薄くてもいいかもしれません。でも、かわいかったのでよしとしましょう。
There have been quite a few character-themed steamed buns sold in Japan from time to time. Hatsune Miku, the Slime from Dragon Quest, Hello Kitty, to name a few, have been turned into steamed buns before. “What kind of character –themed steamed buns will come out next?” is something we should keep in our minds from now on!
日本ではキャラクターものの中華まんが過去にも多く発売されています。
初音ミク、ドラゴンクエストのスライム、キティちゃん、などが過去に肉まんになって登場しました。今後どんなキャラまんが出てくるか要注目ですね！
Written by Ayaya
Been working in girls’ fashion magazines for a long time and am now the chief editor of Tokyo Girls’ Update. I have more expertise in Japanese teen fashion than anyone else (probably)! I’m a huge fan of the Revolutionary Girl Utena and Bakemonogatari animes.
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Been working in girls’ fashion magazines for a long time and am now the chief editor of Tokyo Girls’ Update. I have more expertise in Japanese teen fashion than anyone else (probably)! I’m a huge fan of the Revolutionary Girl Utena and Bakemonogatari animes.
