Japan is famous for a lot of things - but two things it is most famous for are anime and food. Conveniently for otaku, a lot of times these two things go hand-in-hand. Special collaboration cafes, menus, snacks, and drinks can be found all over Japan, all the time. If an anime is popular, it’s guaranteed to get some special collaborations with food in one way or another. And with the extreme popularity of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, you can bet that there have been plenty of special foods and drinks releasing all over Japan!
Today we are going to look at one of the newest and most interesting collaborations that just started on July 1st - special okonomiyaki (savoury Japanese pancake) themed after some of Demon Slayer’s biggest characters. This collaboration is happening at an okonomiyaki chain called Dohtonbori with locations across the country. We are going to tell you a little about each unique flavour that Dohtonbori has created based on the cast of Demon Slayer.
Choose Your Character!
There are six different dishes to choose from at Dohtonbori, and each one represents a character from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. They’re all really well thought out and fun, so let’s have a look at the menu!
First up, is the main character Kamado Tanjiro’s okonomiyaki, which is stuffed with charcoal-grilled chicken (meant to remind you of the flames the demons come from) and topped with squares of onion and seaweed to mimic the pattern on his cloak. Next, his sister Kamado Nezuko’s okonomiyaki is named after her “Blood Burst” signature move. The top of the okonomiyaki isn’t covered in blood, though, don’t worry! It’s actually mayonnaise and spicy cod roe, a popular combination in Japanese cooking.
Next, it’s on to Agatsuma Zenitsu’s okonomiyaki, which uses a thick layer of egg to look like the moon and features a silhouette of Zenitsu himself in the centre to recreate one of his most famous scenes in the anime. Hashibira Inosuke’s okonomiyaki is one of the most eye-catching ones on the menu. Hidden under his famous boar mask which is made with grey sauce is a combination of garlic and pork meant to give you lots of stamina! Tomioka Giyu’s okonomiyaki is meant to mimic water which most of his techniques are based on by using blue mayonnaise on the top, and lots of seafood inside. It’s called the “dead calm” okonomiyaki to match Giyu’s personality.
Finally, if you think that Shinobu Koeho’s menu item looks different from the others, you’re exactly right! You can also make pancakes on an okonomiyaki grill, and that’s exactly what Koeho’s dish is. Called the “butterfly dance,” this dish is a fluffy pancake topped with purple whipped cream and cream cheese.
All collaboration items are ¥1200, or a little over $10 USD.
But Wait, There’s More!
As long as supplies last at each Dohtonbori shop, each collaboration food ordered will also come with a free plastic file folder! They will be given at random in a blind bag, so it won’t necessarily match the character whose item you ordered - but that’s half the fun because you never know who you’re going to get! In addition to the free file, there are also some exclusive goods available to buy. From July 1st, large pins are for sale for ¥650 ($6 aprox.) each, also in random blind bags. From July 20th, acrylic standees of the characters are also going to be for sale for ¥850 ($8 aprox.) each - you guessed it, also random.
If you’ve been wondering this whole time why the characters all look like raccoons on the merchandise, by the way, it’s because Dohtonbori’s mascot character is a raccoon!
Final Thoughts
Not only is Dohtonbori giving everyone a great chance to try one of Japan’s most famous street foods, it’s giving something very traditional a cool new twist! Some of these flavours are definitely wild and unique, and you’re not likely to find them again or at any other okonomiyaki restaurant. Plus there’s even collaboration merchandise available to show everyone that you tried this one-of-a-kind otaku dining experience! The hardest part is going to be choosing which one of these to try first.
You can check out their English website here: https://dohtonbori.com/campaign/kimetsu/?lang=en
Which one of these okonomiyaki would you order, Would you be willing to try some of these unique okonomiyaki flavours? Which one do you think is truest to the character it’s inspired by? If you were going to create a flavour for your favourite character, what would it be? We would love to hear from you in the comments!
Author: Jet Nebula