May Anime Challenge – Nana

Our May anime challenge is the romance/ slice of life/ music anime Nana, based on the Manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Ai Yazawa. The manga itself ran from 2000 to 2009 in Cookie Magazine when…

• May Anime Challenge – Nana

Legends of The Sakura Bento Buffet

Explore Sakura Lore As a new season is birthed another season dies. We bring you a bento filled with darkness but also light. We look at a sakura legend, discover an interesting link between the words Sakura and Sake, share…

• Legends of The Sakura Bento Buffet

April Anime Challenge – Arakawa Under the Bridge

Our anime challenge for April is the comedy anime Arakawa Under the Bridge. It is based on the manga written by Hikaru Nakamura, which first ran in the seinen manga magazine Young GanGan starting December 3, 2004. The anime ran in two seasons,…

• April Anime Challenge – Arakawa Under the Bridge

Top 10 Spring 2019 Anime Recommendations

Spring Fever Another season ends and a new one is born from its ashes. Sakura trees sprout leaves and soon blossoms will bloom and spring fever will wake everyone from the sleepiness of winter. Soon people will dust off their…

• Top 10 Spring 2019 Anime Recommendations

Wasabi Bento Buffet

Wasabi, the war within your mouth Imagine you find this green paste, artistically placed on your very first sushi plate. At first you think it is a garnish and your friends look at you all knowingly, some with an evil…

• Wasabi Bento Buffet

March Anime Challenge – Koufuku Graffiti

Ryo Machiko is a second-year middle school girl who has been living alone since her grandmother passed away. She is an exceptional cook but feels that her own cooking does not taste good. Then she met up with her second…

• March Anime Challenge – Koufuku Graffiti

Bento Buffet Shrine Edition

Discover Japan’s Shrines and Temples Konnichiwa Minna! There are many anime that plays off at shrines and temples or has shrines and priests as a crucial part of the storyline like Kamisama Hajimemashita and Shiki. In this Bento we explore…

• Bento Buffet Shrine Edition

February Anime Challenge – Red Data Girl

Red Data Girl tells the story of 15-year old Izumiko Suzuhara, a girl who was raised at the Tamakura shrine, a shrine that is part of the Kumano Shrines World Heritage Site. Izumiko has the ability to destroy any electrical…

• February Anime Challenge – Red Data Girl

Top Ten Winter 2019 Anime Recommendations

It is Winter in Japan. In some places it will snow and the world will transform into a beautiful snowy white landscape. Winter has a certain charm and beauty to it and some countries are lucky to experience snow. Just…

• Top Ten Winter 2019 Anime Recommendations

Ski Shini Ikimasho! Bento Buffet

Ski, anime-style Happy New Year Fanatiks! We kick off this year in full velocity as we ski through a ski anime themed Bento. We learn about skiing in Japan, learn Japanese Ski words, look at the results of The South…

• Ski Shini Ikimasho! Bento Buffet

January Anime Challenge – Aggretsuko

This musical comedy tells the tale of an anthropomorphic red panda named Retsuko. She works in the accounting department of a Japanese trading firm and is 25 years old. Our single red panda heroine faces pushy superiors and annoying co-workers…

• January Anime Challenge – Aggretsuko

December Anime Challenge – Shokugeki no Soma

In the anime we first see Souma working with his dad at the family’s restaurant. His father decides to enroll Souma into an elite culinary school, Totsuki Saryo Culinary Institute that is difficult to enter and the graduation rate is…

• December Anime Challenge – Shokugeki no Soma

Bento Buffet Snowy Edition

A Festive Snowy Special! As autumn slowly ends, already there is snow in some areas of Japan, changing the scenery into magical white wonderlands. We look at a candied sweet potato recipe, quite loved in the Autumn and Winter seasons,…

• Bento Buffet Snowy Edition

Rias Gremory Cosplay Challenge

Are you ready for a new Rias Gremory? If you think that magical girl transformations are kawaii, then you are in for a treat. And this is not your usual magical girl and it is not from a magical girl…

• Rias Gremory Cosplay Challenge

Ape About Onsen Bento Buffet

There’s more than apes in the Onsen! Konnichiwa Minna! We are entering the second month of Autumn in Japan and in the spirit of the colder weather we are heating things up a bit. We look at the onsen again…

• Ape About Onsen Bento Buffet

November Anime Challenge – The Devil Is a Part-Timer!

The anime tells the story of the Satan, Demon Lord, set to conquer the world of Ente Isla with the help of his demon generals Alciel, Lucifer, Malacoda, and Adramelech. But then the hero Emilia and her companions kills Malacoda…

• November Anime Challenge – The Devil Is a Part-Timer!

Oni-chan Bento Buffet

Can Oni-chan be an onii-chan? It is October, the month of Halloween where one night the veil of normality is lifted and all across the globe creatures beyond the veil visits the earth, some say. In the spirit of Halloween,…

• Oni-chan Bento Buffet

The Top Ten Anime Recommendations for Fall 2018

Konnichiwa Minna. It is fall season in Japan. Everywhere leaves turn from green into brown and red  and starts falling to the ground and birds starts to migrate to warmer climates, the days get cooler but for the anime community…

• The Top Ten Anime Recommendations for Fall 2018

October Anime Challenge – Kyoukai no Kanata

The series starts with Akihito Kanbara saving his school friend Mirai Kuriyama from committing suicide. All of a sudden Mirai stabs him with a sword formed from her own blood! That is how it is discovered that Akihito is an…

• October Anime Challenge – Kyoukai no Kanata

September Anime Challenge – Zero no Tsukaima

We thank all who participated in our August Anime Challenge which was the dark harem anime Brynhildr in the Darkness. This month it was Bree from our WhatsApp group’s turn to choose the challenge anime: Zero no Tsukaima. Zero no Tsukaima…

• September Anime Challenge – Zero no Tsukaima

The Kanpai Bento Buffet

Kanpai minna! There is a drink that can unite almost anyone in the world; it is served in shebeens in Africa, in London pubs and in Izakaya in Tokyo. Whether you say kanpai or cheers to beer, it is the…

• The Kanpai Bento Buffet

Bento Buffet Fuji Fanatik Edition

Mount Fuji is magic Mount Fuji is no stranger to us. We have seen the majestic mountain in anime, in Japanese movies as well as in Western movies. In this bento we share some lore on Mount Fuji, look at…

• Bento Buffet Fuji Fanatik Edition

August Anime Challenge: Brynhildr in the Darkness

The plot starts ten years ago when childhood friends Ryouta Murakami and Kuroneko set out to prove the existence of alien life. But a tragedy strikes; there is an accident which gravely injured Ryouta and kills Kuroneko. In memory of…

• August Anime Challenge: Brynhildr in the Darkness

Ocean Fresh Bento Buffet

An Ocean of Anime It is our first summer bento of 2018, we bring it to you freshly-filled with ocean-themed Japanese lore since Ocean Day is in July. July means also that new anime is to be released in Japan…

• Ocean Fresh Bento Buffet

July 2018 – Outbreak Company

Anime loves company For our July anime challenge, the anime is Outbreak Company. It tells the tale of Shin’ichi Kanō, a recluse otako that takes an online exam for a job. Being very knowledgeable on anime, manga and videos he…

• July 2018 – Outbreak Company

Ten Summer Season 2018 Anime Recommendations

The Summer season starts in Japan. The shrill cries of cicadas can be heard singing their songs of summer on sunny days. Summer days bring new warmth, and a new season of anime also fills the hearts of awaiting anime…

• Ten Summer Season 2018 Anime Recommendations

June Anime Challenge – Hakuouki Reimeiroku

Way of the Samurai This month’s anime challenge is the anime Hakuouki Reimeiroku. Hakuouki Reimeiroku Is the third in a series of a three season anime, but it is a prequel to the first two seasons. The whole series consists…

• June Anime Challenge – Hakuouki Reimeiroku

Bento Buffet: Eat Your Sword Edition

Tales of Sword and Samurai This Edition of the Bento Buffet we celebrate the sword and the samurai. Anime is filled with strong sword warriors. There is the wandering samurai Himura Kenshin from Rouruni Kenshin, the valiant death god Ichigo…

• Bento Buffet: Eat Your Sword Edition

May Anime Challenge – Blade And Soul

Living by the Blade First we would like to thank all that participated in last month’s challenge which featured the anime Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darou ka. We hope you enjoyed the adventure with us!…

• May Anime Challenge – Blade And Soul

Spring Early Edition Bento Buffet

Spring into action with an early edition Bento We bring you an earlier-than-usual Bento Buffet, just in time to enjoy for the long weekend. We aren’t the only ones having a holiday because as usual in Japan there is the…

• Spring Early Edition Bento Buffet

April Anime Challenge – Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darou ka

Prepare the dungeon! This month’s anime challenge is an epic fantasy anime, an anime that no-one could stop talking about when it came out in 2015 –  Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darou ka (lovingly shortened…

• April Anime Challenge – Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darou ka

Sakura Spring Bento Buffet

When the Sakura blooms… When the Sakura (cherry trees) bloom, in Japan it means that the season of spring is here. Gone is the cold days of winter, the snow and the cold rain. We celebrate the new season this…

• Sakura Spring Bento Buffet

Ten Spring Season 2018 Anime Recommendations

In Japan, as spring brings new leaves and blossom to the trees, spring also brings new anime releases. This season there are tons of new great anime series as well as the return of old favourite series, some of them…

• Ten Spring Season 2018 Anime Recommendations

Ice Meltdown Bento Buffet

A Bento of Fire and Ice While winter still has its icy grip in Japan, it is loosened a bit as soon, the spring season will be upon the Mother Land of anime. Ice will melt on the mountains and…

• Ice Meltdown Bento Buffet

Canaan – March Anime Challenge

Canaan, Femme Fatale Canaan is a 13 episode series that centres on three women and how they are linked to each other, also to events surrounding an upcoming anti-terrorism summit in Shanghai, China. The three ladies are Canaan, a Middle-Eastern…

• Canaan – March Anime Challenge

February Anime Challenge: Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World

February Anime Challenge: Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World It’s a beautiful world Konnichiwa Minna. Our February anime challenge is Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World, the anime that won the 2017 South African Anime Awards. It is a mystery…

• February Anime Challenge: Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World

Valentine Romance Bento Buffet

Anime and Romance It is the month of chocolate, teddy bears, and love. Every country has its special way to celebrate St. Valentine’s day and in this issue of Bento Buffet we will see how the people in Japan celebrate…

• Valentine Romance Bento Buffet

Season of Change Bento Buffet

Everything can change It is a brand new year, which means new beginnings and new anime. Many make New Year’s resolutions but since we never really keep them maybe we should stick to the one resolution that is doable and…

• Season of Change Bento Buffet

January Challenge: Highschool of the Dead

January Challenge: Highschool of the Dead Dead Men Walking Dead Men Walking Konnichiwa Minna. It is time for our anime Challenge. This month we have a special treat for Supernatural Action Horror fanatiks. If you liked Television shows such as…

• January Challenge: Highschool of the Dead

Black Bullet Week 3

Black is best Minna-San! Konnichiwa. This month’s Anime Challenge features the Post-Apocalyptic Action Sci-Fi anime, Black Bullet. Based on the light novel series by Shiden Kanzaki. Our challenge for this week is to watch episode 7- 9 of Black Bullet. Will…

• Black Bullet Week 3