Try a SEGA Taiyaki of Persona!
Sho Yamamoto
If there’s something we know Japan loves, it’s food and video games! So obviously there’s going to be a place where those two worlds collide! Right now, you can enjoy a taiyaki shaped like the characters of Persona for its 25th anniversary!
First, what is Persona?
Persona is a Japanese Role Playing Game (RPG) series published by Atlus, and owned by SEGA. It was originally marketed as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, but dropped the prefix to make an easier name. The Persona series is actually a spin-off of the original Megami Tensei series. Are you confused yet?
The first game in the Persona series was called Revelations: Persona, and it was released in Japan in 1996 for the PlayStation, and since then, the entire game series has sold over 15 million copies!
The game is a dungeon crawler and revolves around combat against various enemy types (Demons, Shadows, and Personas). The battles are turn-based, similar to games like Pokemon and Final Fantasy.
The story’s themes vary from game to game, but typically follow a silent protagonist in high school life who has an alter-ego (their Persona) to save the city from the Demons. Personas are physical manifestations of a person’s psyche and subconscious used for combat. Each game uses various inspirations for main Personas.
The newest game, Persona 5 (2019), takes place in modern-day Tokyo and follows a high school student known by the pseudonym Joker who transfers to a new school after being falsely accused of assault and put on probation. Over the course of a school year, he and other students awaken to a special power, becoming a group of secret vigilantes known as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. The theme uses fictional and historical outlaws and thieves.
Now, what is taiyaki?
Don’t know what it is? No worries, I’ll give you a brief history of the taiyaki! Taiyaki is a classic Japanese treat made from a batter similar to pancakes, and it’s baked in a metal taiyaki pan. It’s typically baked with anko (red bean paste) filling, but can also be filled with chocolate or custard.
The name comes from tai (sea bream), and yaki (fry). The predecessor of the taiyaki was the imagawayaki, which is a circular waffle-like snack made from the same batter and filled with a sweet anko. It was also cooked in an iron skillet mold.
Taiyaki first appeared in the Kanda district of Tokyo during the Edo Period (1603-1867). A imagawayaki shop owner, Seijiro Kanbei, noticed sales were down of his product, but he geniously developed a new and inventive shape for his Japanese snack.
The reason that the sea bream shape was chosen has been debated since its creation over 100 years ago, but many believe that it was to give the common people a taste of luxury. Sea breams were considered rare and luxurious fish at the time!
Like most popular Japanese foods, taiyaki can be different depending on the region. You can read about what we think are the top five regional taiyaki!
Wanting to try the latest limited edition and exclusive Japanese candy and snacks? Well, you can with TokyoTreat! It’s a Japanese snack box that delivers treats like rare Japanese KitKats and seasonally exclusive flavors of your favorite snacks!
Sega Taiyaki for Spring 2022
Now that we’re done with the brief backstories on both the Persona series and the taiyaki, let’s take a look at the Persona 25th Anniversary from Sega Taiyaki, that’s currently available until March 27th!
Rather than the standard shape of the fish, the Sega Taiyaki has a Persona makeover, offering you three different character options!
Koromaru
Koromaru is a beloved dog that’s based on the famous Shiba, Hachiko! Like Hachiko, Koromaru was so loyal that when his master, the monk of Naganaki Shrine, died, Koromaru continued to protect the shrine.
Teddie (Kuma)
Teddie is an anthropomorphic bear, but he becomes a boy with blond hair and blue eyes. Kuma is his Japanese name, which actually means bear! The taiyaki is the cute bear version!
Morgana
Morgana is a mysterious character who doesn’t know who he is, and spends his time seeking answers in the game. He looks like he is a cat, but will constantly say he is not. He spends his time proving himself to others he is in fact a human.
When you go and get these limited time treats, you’re able to get collectable coasters of all the characters. If you’re feeling like a Phantom Thief, and wondering where to get Sega Taiyaki, you can get it at the Sega Collabo Cafe in Akihabara, in Tokyo, and in Namba, in Osaka!
The Sega Taiyaki stores are always coming out with cool collabs, and the TokyoTreat team was excited to tell you about spring 2022’s offerings! In the past, the team has done a review for the Demon Slayer taiyaki from September 2021!
Who is your favorite Persona character, and what game or anime would you love to see Sega Taiyaki collab with next?
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