Top 11 Anime Food Items You Want to Actually Eat

Over the years, there have been many arguments in anime geek culture. There are arguments over which ship is best, whether Dragon Ball Z sucked, and a number of others. Anime culture is both a friendly and argumentative culture like that.

However, there are certain things that most geeks will not be able to argue. If there's one thing every single otaku and anime geek can agree upon, it's the fact that anime has featured a ton of delicious-looking food over the years.

Some food, though, is more delicious than others. Today, we're going to take a look at the most commonly mentioned anime food in your favorite shows, real-life recipes to make it, and why you'll love to give it a shot.

Okayu

A lot of different anime series mention okayu. Okayu, also known as congee, is a form of rice porridge that's eaten throughout Japan. If you've ever seen a hospital scene in an anime flick of your choice, you've probably seen it given to a character.

Because it's easy to make, eat, and digest, okayu is the go-to anime food for people who are sick in bed. From what we've heard, it's actually pretty tasty and mildly reminiscent of oatmeal in texture.

Curious about the flavor? There's a way to find out what your favorite anime characters enjoy when they're sick. You can find an authentic okayu recipe online and give it a shot!

Onigiri

If you have seen any episode of Excel Saga, Puni Puni Poemy, or really, any anime whatsoever, then you already know what onigiri look like. Heck, onigiri was even featured in the original Pokémon cartoon. It's everywhere in anime!

Also known as rice balls, onigiri are triangular wads of rice stuffed with meat or other goodies. Usually, it'll be tuna, salmon, seaweed, or fish roe inside—but it can be almost anything, really. At times, onigiri may also be wrapped in some seaweed for easier carrying.

Legit, this is one of the easiest cartoon meals that are actually good to make and good for you. Once you have your first rice ball, you'll never want to stop eating them.

Like other classic anime food items, this has a real-life root in Japan. Japanese people often will eat onigiri as snacks or small meals, or pack them in a bento box. You can DIY your own onigiri by following this onigiri making guide, yourself!

Japanese Ramen Noodles

No, not the cheap college meal-type stuff that's made out of cardboard and misery—the real anime food! Japanese ramen is not just a noodle and broth; it's a full meal with cuts of meat, vegetables, and sometimes, even eggs, too.

Naruto regularly featured ramen in its episodes, which is ironic since naruto is a fish product that is often added to ramen noodles. In Ponyo On the Cliff by The Sea, viewers got to see the preparation of ramen in the episode. Honestly, even Dragon Ball has moments where ramen makes a cameo.

Those who live in NYC can find ramen restaurants galore. You can make authentic Japanese ramen using a recipe you find online, but that's not all. If you really want to chow down like your favorite anime buddy, you can even match your ramen with traditional beer choices regularly enjoyed in Japan, too.

Yaki Dango

So far, most of the anime food we've covered is already widely enjoyed throughout the world—or at least, recognized pretty quickly. Yaki dango, also called mitarashi dango, though remains relatively obscure as far as the West goes.

Yaki dango are sweet rice balls that are grilled, covered in a sweet-salty mitarashi sauce, and put on a stick. In Japan, they are traditionally sold during festivals, celebrations, and are typically seen as a street vendor food.

If you're looking for a sweet-salty treat, check out this recipe for mitarashi dangoand give it a go. Be forewarned, this might be a bit of an acquired taste for some.

Katsudon

You can thank Yuri On Ice!! for bringing katsudon, or really just about any kind of donburi, to the public eye. Donburi are meals that are served in a bowl over rice, typically with raw fish or fried meats on top, with a side of vegetables.

Katsudon is a donburi bowl that features fried pork cutlet (called tonkatsu) and eggs, over a bed of rice. It'll fatten you up and stick to your ribs, making it a very hearty meal for anyone who wants to taste anime culture.

Using this katsudon recipe will let you feel a little more otaku, all while delivering some serious flavor to your palate.

Taiyaki

Kanon andTo-Love-Rufans will recognize this adorable anime food in a heartbeat—it's taiyaki. Much like other foods on this list, taiyaki is a traditional Japanese recipe. What might surprise you, though, is that it's not a treat that's filled with fish.

Rather, taiyaki is a fish-shaped bread that's been enjoyed throughout Japan since the Meiji period. These bready treats are made with a pancake-like batter, poured into a fish-shaped mold, and then served with a sweet bean paste. Yum!

You can learn how to make taiyaki online pretty easily, but if you want to get the full fish experience, you'll need a fish mold, too.

Takoyaki

While most anime food would be epically tasty to most Westerners, it's possible that some might find takoyaki to be a bit too exotic for their taste. Nevertheless, it's a really tasty treat if you are okay with eating octopus-stuffed dumplings covered in sauce.

Takoyaki is often served with a series of sauces (including mayo), bonito flakes, and a little bit of chopped scallion. When prepared, it's a very savory treat. Curious about this classic Japanese food. You can learn how to make takoyakionline to get a feeling for what your favorite anime characters would have.

Ebi Fry

Ebi fry is one of the most easily recognizable anime food items you'll see—which is precisely why it's often featured as parts of meals in anime series that feature decadent meals. Believe it or not, there is a Western equivalent you've probably eaten before: fried shrimp.

There are a couple of subtle differences between Japanese ebi fry and you're regular fried shrimp, though. Ebi fry is typically done with tempura, and served with a mayonnaise sauce.

You can learn how to make ebi frythe Japanese way pretty easily, if you want to have a more authentic anime meal.

Karē Raisu (Curry Rice)

One of the (relatively) newer dishes to enter into the Japanese lexicon is karē raisu, also known as curry rice. This dish has become incredibly popular throughout Japan since the 19th century, and as a result, has become one of the most commonly mentioned anime food items out there.

It's insane how many anime shows feature curry in some way, shape, or form. In School Rumble, Karasuma is totally obsessed with curry. Curry is also mentioned in Naruto ("curry of life") and Black Butler—just to name a few.

There are actually tons of different curries that could fit the bill for Japanese curry rice. If you want to try your hand at a standard karēdish, give this karē recipe a try!

Japanese Custard Cornet

Japanese Custard Cornets are one of the more obscure anime food items you might see. They are bugle-shaped pastries that are often filled with sweet, creamy goodness like custard or chocolate cream.

As far as desserts go, this is one of the tastiest and most underrated treats you can find in the anime world. Unfortunately, in the West, this decadent dessert hasn't quite caught on yet.

Of course, this means you're going to need to learn how to make Japanese Custard Cornets yourself.

Shabu-Shabu Hot Pot

Hot pot meals are a staple in Japanese households, simply because they are easy to prepare, satisfying, and nutritious. All things considered, it's really unsurprising that a lot of anime food scenes involve hot pots, noodle bowls, and other similar goodies.

Shabu-shabu hot pot is a dish that's made with broth, shrimp, sliced cabbage, and thinly sliced meat. Though any kind of meat can be used, beef remains the most popular. As you can imagine, shabu-shabu is basically like Japanese ramen without the noodles.

If you want to dine like your favorite magical girl or superhero, you can make your own shabu-shabu hot pot for dinner.

Though it's technically not a food, we're still including this since it is so intertwined with anime fandom. Assuming you've been to an anime convention, you already know what this is. It's been mentioned in RahXephon plenty of times, and has become basically synonymous with anime fandom as a whole.

It's anime food by merit alone. Whether you call it "marble soda" or the more traditional Ramune, the fact is that it's a soda that is a must-drink for almost any anime fan. (We're fans of the lychee flavor, ourselves.)