Bento Plus June 2024
Itadakimasu
Konnichiwa fellow fanatiks. We bring you a fresh new Bento News filled with yummy content. We have a lot of Anime and Manga news, salivating game news as well as news from Japan as well as the world’s view on happenings in Japan. Itadakimasu!!
Nippon Events and Festivals June 2024
June is a lively month in Japan, filled with various events and festivals that celebrate the end of spring. Here are some notable Japanese events and festivals that typically take place in June.
Mid-June (held in even-numbered years)
Sanno Festival (Tokyo): One of Tokyo’s three major festivals, it includes parades of mikoshi (portable shrines), traditional music, and dance. The festival is centered around Hie Shrine and involves a series of events and processions throughout the city.
June (entire month)
Iris Flower Festival (Itako, Ibaraki): Celebrating the blooming of beautiful iris flowers, this festival includes traditional boat rides along the riverside gardens, where visitors can admire the vibrant irises in full bloom.
June 14
Kifune Festival (Kyoto): Celebrated at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, this festival features traditional rice planting rituals, performances of ancient court music, and dance. The event marks the beginning of the rice planting season and prays for a bountiful harvest.
Mid-June
Mizu Matsuri (Water Festival) (Shiga): Held at Miho Shrine, this festival involves water-related rituals and activities to pray for good weather and abundant rainfall. The highlight is a procession of mikoshi being carried through the river.
Late June
Hassaku-sai (Yamaguchi): Held at Ruriko-ji Temple, this festival involves traditional rituals and performances, including the purification of participants and offerings to the temple’s deity.
South African Events
Starts: 14:00 – Ends 20:00
Theme: Food & Gourmet Anime
We bring you the OG anime big three: Naruto, Bleach and One Piece. Hosted by ShazzWinchesterrr & her super squad!
Date: Saturday, June 29th, 2024 Location: Gatzbys Live, Midrand Time: 19:00 till late
Win epic prizes sponsored by @kudasai.rsa & MORE INFO to be announced on IG! @nerdnightzz @shazzwinchesterrr @kaiju_krafts Don’t miss out on the ultimate anime experience! Merch, Quizz, & Afterdark Hangout #NerdNightzz #AnimeNight #MidrandEvents
But that is not all – there will be AN EXCLUSIVE discount code 20% off ticket BENTO20!!!! Follow https://qkt.io/NNOGBig3 to book!
Game of the month
Yakuza: 0
Yakuza 0 is an action-adventure game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. It is the sixth main entry in the Yakuza series. It was released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in Japan in March 2015, and in North America and Europe for PlayStation 4 in January 2017. “Yakuza 0” is an action-adventure game set in 1988 Japan, serving as a prequel to the Yakuza series. The story follows two protagonists: Kazuma Kiryu, a young yakuza member framed for murder, and Goro Majima, a former yakuza trying to regain his standing. Kiryu’s journey involves clearing his name while uncovering a complex conspiracy within the yakuza underworld. Majima’s story centers on his struggle to break free from his captors and return to the yakuza. The game features intense combat, deep storytelling, and a vibrant open world filled with side activities, mini-games, and richly developed characters, capturing the gritty atmosphere of 1980s Japan.
Shiro's review of Yakuza: 0
Yakuza: 0
Honour, Duty, Friendship, Deception, and some guy named “Captain Libido” (don’t ask). this is the world of Yakuza:0.
Set in 1980s Japan, You are put in the shoes of two characters: Kiryu Kazuma, a young Yakuza who is forced to take responsibility after a botched debt collection, and Goro Majima, a night-club manager who is deep in debt, when gets an offer he can’t refuse.
World building: these are some of the best I’ve seen, showing the ugly, dirty side of Japanese cities during the 80s.
Side activities: half the fun of Yakuza, is participating in the various side activities, including a fully functional arcade and slot-car track, among many others.
Combat: this is very simplistic, and amount to little-more than button-mashing.
Overall: this game is not for everyone. but is you have an interest in the subtleties of Japanese culture, and are looking to get into the Yakuza series, then this is the perfect game for you
Itadakimasu Eats
Must be fluffy
The Japanese word for slimy is neba-neba, and it sounds a lot like “never, never (give up)”. Some Japanese slimy food includes natto (fermented soybeans), tororo (grated mountain yam), raw egg, nameko mushrooms, mozuku seaweed, and okra. Believe in the luck of these dishes comes from its stickiness, symbolically meaning the tenacity of someone who wants to try their absolute best at something, a real ‘ganbatte’-inspired idea!
Watching anime you have probably heard of Natto, a traditional food usually part of the traditional Japanese breakfast. Natto is made from fermented soybeans. They soak the soybeans, which then go through a process of steaming, then boiling, and afterwards, the bacteria Bacillus subtilis is added to the mixture. It is then fermented for a time period. It is usually served with soy sauce, karashi mustard and or Japanese bunching onion. It has a powerful smell, strong flavour and has a slimy texture, so it is an acquired taste but people that are into natto defend it with vigour.
One traditional recipe is natto rice bowl with the soft-boiled egg. It is super easy to make and will only take 5 minutes. To make the recipe you will need a bowl of cooked rice, 1 package Natto, 1 Onsen Tamago (Soft-Boiled Egg), Kizaminori (finely shredded Nori sheet) and Ikura (salmon roe) or soy sauce to season.
You mix your natto with the seasoning, to help with the stickiness. The more you mix it the gooier it will become. Next, you pour the natto over the rice, then you make a little nest in it and place the soft-boiled egg on top. Then you sprinkle the Ikura and soy sauce to season it and lastly you finish it off with a sprinkle of Kizaminori to finish.
If natto is not your cup of tea we present a few videos that other foodies may enjoy!
Our Japanese correspondant Retana gives us his take on Natto. He is quite the gormand and as a South African in Japan have a unique gift of giving us his take on Japanese cuizine. “I love natto, especially for breakfast on rice with a raw egg.
For the pictures I tried it for supper on a gyudon….. Big mistake…. Will have to do it like that every time now….
One of my Japanese friends gave me this advice to knowing if I stirred the natto enough….. “Make it fluffy!!!!”…..”
Picture by Retana
New AMV's
Our team is blasting some great tunes with great animation this month. Takeshi chose Saint Chaos’s song Kick with scenes from Suicide Squad Isekai followed by Gibran Alcocer & Anya Nami’s song Idea 22 with scenes from various anime.
Ookami’s first choice is I Am Machine by Three Days Grace with scenes from Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy Season 2 followed by Rameses B & Veela’s Never Knew Me with scenes from various anime series.
Shiro chose Back From The Dead by Skillet with scenes from various anime followed by ENMY’s Never Enough with scenes from Tensei shitara Dainana Ouji Datta node, Kimama ni Majutsu wo Kiwamemasu
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 Tune
Birthday of the Month
Sebastian Michaelis (Black Butler)
Our birthday boy for June is the enigmatic and demonic Sebastian Michaelis who celebrates his spawning on June 30th. Sebastian Michaelis is a central character in the manga and anime series “Black Butler.” He is a demon butler bound by a Faustian contract to serve Ciel Phantomhive, the young head of the Phantomhive noble family in Victorian-era England. Sebastian is impeccably skilled in various tasks, from household chores to combat, and he protects and assists Ciel in his duties as the Queen’s watchdog, solving crimes in London’s underworld. Despite his flawless demeanor and dedication, Sebastian’s ultimate goal is to consume Ciel’s soul, which adds a dark and complex layer to his character and their relationship.
Sebastian shares his birthday with Nezuko Kamado (“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba”) – June 1, Orihime Inoue (“Bleach”) – June 3, Himura Kenshin (“Rurouni Kenshin”) – June 20 and Mayuri Kurotsuchi (“Bleach”) – June 30
Anime Challenge June 2024
Black Butler
Light novel of the Month
Shitsuji-sama no Okiniiri (The Gentleman's Butler)
“Shitsuji-sama no Okiniiri” (The Gentleman’s Butler) is a Japanese light novel and manga series by Rei Izawa and Ryou Tsunoda. The story centers around Hyou Akiharu, a young boy with a rough exterior who enrolls in the prestigious Hakureiryou Academy. This elite school is known for training students to become future leaders and also includes a butler and maid training program.
Akiharu, whose appearance and demeanor often lead to misunderstandings, ends up in the butler training program despite his initial intentions. He encounters Selnia Iori Flameheart, a haughty and headstrong girl from a noble family, and other colorful characters, including fellow students and staff. The series explores Akiharu’s journey as he navigates the challenges of becoming a butler while dealing with the antics and dynamics of his peers.
The story blends comedy, romance, and drama, highlighting Akiharu’s growth and the development of relationships within the academy. As he proves his worth and uncovers hidden depths in himself and those around him, “The Gentleman’s Butler” offers a charming and engaging tale of personal transformation and the bonds formed in an unconventional school setting.
Manhwa Challenge June 2024
You Mustn’t, Your Majesty!
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.
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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