The theme for the January Japan Crate Premium box is Attack on Titan, a Japanese manga series comic, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Japan Crate Premium
The Subscription Box: Premium Box by Japan Crate
The Cost: $30 per month + free shipping
The Products: 15 snacks including a drink, 1 guaranteed DIY kit, and a revolving bonus item
Ships to: Internationally with a few exceptions found here
Attack on Titan Premium by Japan Crate Box January 2018 Review
This month's booklet is all about Attack on Titan, a manga comic book series. The writer and illustrator, Hajime Isayama, selected each of the snacks this month that the booklet goes into detail of. Plus, there are extra pages that allow you to explore the world from Attack on Titan.
Let's see what snacks January has to offer!
Cabbage Taro - Buy a box of 30 for $25.83
If you don't like cabbage, don't worry, there isn't cabbage in this snack at all! Each little puff is coated in a Japanese brown sauce and seaweed. I love the light crunch you get in each bite and the savory flavors. I got a little sweet and a lot of salt!
Henshin! Transform Glasses - Estimated Value $4.50
These glasses are manga-inspired and allow you to transform into your favorite Attack on Titan character! There are 48 different styles that you could receive. Which one did you get? I wasn't able to find these online so I wonder if they were exclusively made for this box?! As an added bonus, you get a little square piece of fruit gum.
Potato Chips Salt and Hokkaido Konbu - Estimated Value $2.50
This bag of chips is made with potatoes that are harvested in Hokkaido. These chips are the definition of savory for me. You get these subtle hints of sweetness, but then the overall flavor is very much like a beef stew broth. I really enjoyed snacking on these salty chips! The monthly booklet notes that these are a special edition so that could be why I wasn't able to find them to purchase online.
Konnyaku Jelly Stick - Buy an assorted box of 50 for $31.80
This snack was interesting. I can't say it was very appetizing at first glance, jelly in a stick form. However, I thought this was really sweet and refreshing! The monthly booklet notes that this is made from the Konjac plant that grows in Asia. It is processed into a flour and then mixed with water and lime water. Another interesting fact is that this snack is high in fiber! I thought I was eating a candy, but really this was a very light and unique jelly!
Bottle Sour Candy - Estimated Value $0.75
This tiny bottle was too cute and I love the powder blue color. Inside you will find a powdered candy that you can eat straight from the bottle. I could see this being delicious as a topper on ice cream. You can receive strawberry, green apple, or cider. I received green apple and it was so sour, I loved it! I wasn't able to find this cute little candy online, but I did a price estimate based on smaller sour candies that are similar.
Odangoyasan DIY Kit - Retail Value $4.38
I don't know why these DIY kits are so hard for me to make. It would seem as though I don't have the gentle touch that these delicate candies required. The kit has different shapes that you can make into wagashi (Japanese dessert) molds. The directions on the Japan Crate blog were super detailed, going over exactly how to design each mold to perfection. I lack the steady hand needed to create these little designs. What I did taste from these were super sweet and very sour little candies!
Uma Salt Potato Chips - Estimated Value $2.50
I was surprised to read that these chips are seasoned with dried anchovies, there is zero fish flavors, which I am happy about. These chips are honestly very traditional tasting to me, just a really good salty chip that is baked to a crunchy perfection.
Onigiri Senbei - Retail Value $4.99
I have tried a few different senbei flavors from various snack boxes, and I always find them to be lacking in the flavor department. This particular set is flavored with soy sauce and come in a triangular onigiri (rice balls) shape instead of the traditional circular disk shape. These were light and airy with hints of soy sauce throughout. Nothing too crazy, just a light and easy snack to enjoy.
Big Bar Z Milk - Retail Value $0.99
Best snack of the month right here! This is the big bar size, much larger than the original, and is a wonderful crunchy sweet snack. There is a lovely coating of white chocolate that makes this snack rich and creamy. I recently discovered my deep love of white chocolate and crunchy snacks, so this is honestly my dream treat.
Maken Gummy Cola - Retail Value $0.78 (currently out of stock)
Cutest cola gummy ever! Each pack of this gummy will come in a different hand shape from rock-paper-scissors, my favorite game. I got rock, the one shape that will always help you win in a quick game of rock-paper-scissors. The gummy is extra thick and super stretchy which means it is extra chewy. The cola flavor is super bold and oddly refreshing.
Lemon Flavored Pocky Colorful Shower - Retail Value $3.99
I have tried a lot of Pocky flavors, and I can safely say that these are my favorite! Each bite you are hit with a super strong lemon flavor, which I really loved. The creamy icing made it taste as though I was eating a lemon tart. The sprinkles reminded me of a birthday cake or a treat you would enjoy on New Year's Eve.
Black Thunder Kinako - Retail Value $0.88
I love chocolate candy bars so I thought this was sure to be one of my favorite snacks. Unfortunately, I found this to have a strange flavor to it. I don't know if it was the kinako crunch flavor or the sweet soy powder, but this wasn't my favorite. The chocolate was waxy and not very sweet. A really interesting snack to try but in the end not my favorite.
Chocolate Banana - Estimated Value $0.50
This bite-size treat was so yummy! It had a bold banana flavor that mixed so well with the sweet chocolate. It was creamy and melted in my mouth instantly. Such a bold flavor for such a small sweet treat! I wasn't able to find this online for purchase, but I estimated the cost based on size.
Gabunomi White Cola - Estimated Value $1.50
This tastes exactly like a traditional soda, the only difference is the color. It is super bubbly and fresh, I haven't had a soda in forever so it was really fun to try this one! I wasn't able to find this exact Gabunomi White online, but I did a price estimate based on other soda costs.
Bonus Item: Exclusive Collectible Card
This card is the key to downloading a free digital edition of the Attack on Titan Anthology!
Verdict: This month's Japan Crate had a unique theme with the Attack on Titan comic and snack selections to match! I wasn't familiar with Attack on Titan, but it was very interesting to read about. I will have to say that the pictures in the monthly booklet were a bit graphic for my taste so I don't think I will be reading the comic anytime soon, but I appreciate the unique work of the writer and illustrator. While I enjoyed tasting each of the snacks, there wasn't a ton that was my favorite. I really enjoyed how unique each of the snacks flavors was though! I think the value really comes in with the unique themes and exclusive curation that you receive each month from Japan Crate.
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No, you will receive the February box! From Japan Crate:
Crates are shipped on a rolling schedule with three schedule shipment dates every month.
Coupon - Use coupon code MSA3 to save $3 off your first Japan Crate Premium, Doki Doki Crate, Umai Crate, or Kira Kira Crate!
Value Breakdown: This box costs $30 a month (free shipping), and I received a total of 14 snacks in the January box. That breaks down to a value of $2.14 per item. A great overall value for the exclusive snacks that you receive each month.
Check out all of our Japan Crate reviews!
Keep Track of all Your Subscriptions: Add Japan Crate to your subscription list or wishlist!
What did you think of the Attack on Titan premium box by Japan Crate?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.