Bento Plus January 2025
Itadakimasu
Happy New Year, minna! 🌙 Twelve moons have passed – a period of time we call months. Moons and months and we have our first Bento Plus for the year ready to go. Enjoy the January 2025 edition of the Bento Plus.
Tsukikage (月影) translates beautifully to “moonlight shadow.” The term aligns with the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi – a way of finding beauty in imperfection, transience, and the delicate play of light and shadow.
The moon transforms landscapes at night, changing them as it waxes and wanes. Likewise, as the year changes month by month, we too are transformed.
May the moonlight shadow shape our year into a landscape of beauty, guiding us toward growth and transformation.
Nippon Events and Festivals January 2025
January ushers in a New Year as well as the winter season. Here are some events and festivals happening in the month of January.
January 1–3
Oshogatsu (New Year’s Celebration)
Japan’s biggest holiday, celebrated with family gatherings, osechi ryori (special foods), and hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the year).
Around January 15 (varies by region)
Tondo Matsuri
A fire festival where New Year’s decorations like kadomatsu and shimenawa are burned to send off the spirits of the New Year and pray for good health.
January 6
Dezome-shiki (Firefighter Parade)
This vibrant event showcases firefighting skills, including traditional ladder acrobatics, and serves as a prayer for fire safety throughout the year.
Second Monday of January (January 13 in 2025)
Coming of Age Day (Seijin no Hi)
A national holiday celebrating those who turn 20, with ceremonies held across the country.
January 15–16
Daikoku Matsuri at Kanda Myojin Shrine
Held in Tokyo, this festival honours Daikoku, the god of wealth, with rituals, dances, and prayers for prosperity.
South African Events
Anime Meetup
January 25 @ Dragon Town
Starts: 14:30– Ends 20:00
Theme: Anime Releases
Game of the month
Earthlingo: A Fun Way to Learn Languages
Earthlingo is a language-learning game that blends education with entertainment. Designed to immerse players in a virtual world, it lets you learn new vocabulary and phrases in a fun, interactive way. Here’s a breakdown of its strengths and areas for improvement…
Pros:
Immersive Gameplay:
Players explore vibrant 3D environments, picking up vocabulary as they interact with objects and characters. The game creates a sense of immersion similar to living in a foreign country.
Gamified Learning:
By turning language acquisition into a game, Earthlingo makes learning enjoyable and engaging. Collecting words and completing quests keeps you motivated.
Visual Reinforcement:
Associating words with objects in the virtual world helps reinforce memory through visual and contextual cues.
Customisable Language Options:
The game supports multiple languages, catering to diverse learners. You can focus on specific areas, like colours, food, or travel vocabulary.
Beginner-Friendly:
It’s great for learners starting a new language, as it introduces foundational vocabulary in an intuitive way.
Cons:
Limited Grammar and Sentence Structure:
While vocabulary acquisition is strong, the game doesn’t delve deeply into grammar or how to construct sentences, making it less ideal for intermediate or advanced learners.
Repetitive Gameplay:
The activities can feel repetitive over time, especially for those who enjoy more varied challenges.
Graphics and Navigation:
While functional, the graphics are basic, and navigation can feel clunky compared to modern gaming standards.
Limited Speaking Practice:
The game doesn’t offer much in terms of pronunciation or speaking exercises, which are crucial for language fluency.
Requires Additional Tools:
To fully grasp a language, Earthlingo works best when combined with other resources like grammar guides, speaking apps, or formal lessons.
Conclusion:
For language learners seeking a playful and immersive way to expand their vocabulary, Earthlingo is a fantastic starting point. While it’s not a comprehensive tool, it complements traditional methods beautifully, especially for beginners. If you’re looking to make learning fun and engaging, this game is worth a try!
Bento Plus Itadakimasu Eats
The Tradition and Peril of Mochi
Mochi, a beloved Japanese treat, holds deep cultural and culinary significance. Made from glutinous rice pounded into a sticky, elastic paste, mochi is often enjoyed during New Year celebrations, festivals, and throughout the year in various forms—sweet or savoury. Symbolising prosperity and good fortune, mochi has become an iconic part of Japanese tradition, but its sticky texture also comes with surprising risks.
Mochi’s origins date back over a thousand years, often associated with religious rituals and seasonal offerings. Today, it is consumed in many forms, including daifuku (mochi stuffed with sweet fillings), dango (mochi balls on skewers), and even in soups like ozoni, a popular New Year dish. Its versatility and unique texture make it a staple in both traditional and modern Japanese cuisine.
However, mochi can be dangerous if not consumed carefully. Due to its chewy and sticky consistency, mochi has been known to cause choking incidents, particularly among elderly individuals and children. Every New Year, reports of “mochi deaths” surface in Japan, with a handful of fatalities recorded annually. The risk arises when large pieces of mochi become lodged in the throat, blocking airflow.
To prevent accidents, it is recommended to cut mochi into small, manageable pieces and chew thoroughly before swallowing. Some communities even offer safety campaigns around the New Year, urging caution when eating mochi and teaching lifesaving techniques, such as the Heimlich manoeuvre, for choking emergencies.
Despite its risks, mochi remains a cherished symbol of Japanese culture, bringing families together and sweetening moments of celebration. Its long-standing traditions, paired with its distinct taste and texture, ensure that mochi will continue to be an integral part of Japan’s culinary heritage—provided everyone savours it safely.
New AMV's
Every month, the AnimeFanatika team dives headfirst into the YouTube universe, hunting for the hottest, most rocking AMVs to blow your mind! December brought some real gems, and we’re thrilled to share our top picks with you. Grab some Pocky, turn up the volume, and enjoy the ride!
Takeshi’s first AMV is the song MVSTERIOUS, Hxmr, ynganstrobeatz, EVO – SLAVA FUNK! featuring various anime and the second is League Of Legend Megamix with scenes from Solo Leveling Season 2: Arise from the Shadow.
Ookami’s first AMV is ONLAP – Ready For War featuring scenes from The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World. his second choice is MICAH ARISS – EVEN IF NO ONE BELIEVES featuring scenes from Bleach: Sennen Kessen-hen – Soukoku-tan.
Shiro’s first AMV choice is GODS ft. NewJeans (뉴진스)| Worlds 2023 Anthem – League of Legends featuring various anime and his second choice is Jim Yosef – Storm Chaser (ft. Scarlett) featuring various anime.
Nekobara’s first choice is Melanie Martinez – Mad Hatter featuring scenes from Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online and her second choice is VILLAIN (feat. Madison Beer & Kim Petras) featuring various anime.
Please do support the original music artists by looking them up on YouTube, Spotify and other media and give them your appreciation and support!
Takeshi's Tunes
Ookami's Tunes
Shiro's Tunes
Nekobara's Tunes
Birthday of the Month
Kyo Sohma – The Fiery Cat of Fruits Basket
Kyo Sohma, born January 15, is one of the most beloved characters in Fruits Basket. As the Cat of the Chinese Zodiac, Kyo lives under the weight of rejection, both from society and his family, because the Cat is not officially part of the Zodiac. This burden fuels his short temper and fiery personality, but beneath his rough exterior lies a kind and vulnerable soul yearning for acceptance.
Kyo is impulsive and quick to anger, often clashing with Yuki Sohma, the Rat of the Zodiac. Despite their constant fights, Kyo’s anger stems from deep insecurities. Once he lets people into his heart, Kyo shows unwavering loyalty and a strong desire to protect them, especially Tohru Honda. Kyo’s relationship with Tohru is a central theme of Fruits Basket.
Tohru’s unconditional kindness helps him face his fears and embrace who he is. Kyo’s journey is one of self-discovery and coming to terms with his true self, which includes his horrifying “true form” that he fears others will reject.
Kyo’s birthday falling in January reflects his fiery yet reflective nature, as the cold winter contrasts with his intense personality. His character resonates deeply with fans due to his emotional depth and growth throughout the series.
Other January Anime Character birthdays:
Itachi Uchiha (Naruto) – January 9
Misato Katsuragi (Neon Genesis Evangelion) – January 8
Eri (My Hero Academia) – January 6
Anime Challenge January 2025
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy, our anime challenge for January, is a comedic and action-packed isekai anime that follows Makoto Misumi, an ordinary high schooler summoned to another world.
However, instead of the usual hero’s welcome, Makoto is deemed “too ugly” by the goddess and banished to the wilderness. Left to fend for himself, he discovers incredible magical abilities and forms alliances with unique companions like Tomoe, a dragon, and Mio, a spider-turned-human. Together, they explore the new world while navigating its challenges.
The series stands out with its humour, strong character development, and refreshing twist on typical isekai tropes. Let the challenge begin!
Light novel of the Month
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy, the light novel series by Kei Azumi, is a must-read for fans of unique isekai adventures.
The story follows Makoto Misumi, an ordinary teenager transported to another world only to be rejected by its goddess. Cast out, Makoto discovers immense magical powers and allies himself with fascinating companions like Tomoe, a dragon, and Mio, a powerful spider.
Together, they build a life in this strange world. Packed with humour, action, and rich world-building, the series offers a refreshing take on the isekai genre.
Perfect for readers who enjoy quirky characters and an unpredictable, immersive story!
All about Japan
All About Japan shows you interesting journeys, interviews or just trivia that teach us more about the Land of The Rising Sun and it’s people. Enjoy the videos as we take a deeper dive into what makes Japan such a beloved country for many. From diving into the life of being a Half-Japanese in Japan to a deep dive of ‘where foreigners prefer to live Japan or Korea,’ All about Japan explore all.
Japanese Commercials
Japanese commercials are out of this world sometimes, strange and fun. We share with you a highly entertaining Japanese commercial video and we hope you enjoy it!
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