Pokémon Cafe's new Mega Charizard curry plate is a work of art in more ways than one
Pokémon Cafes in Tokyo and Osaka welcome Mega Evolutions back as main dishes, desserts, and drinks in the buildup to Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
The next major Pokémon video game release on the horizon, Pokémon Legends: Z-A , is bringing back the Mega Evolution gameplay mechanic, which was first seen in Z-A's predecessor, Pokémon X and Y . But while Z-A isn't coming out until October, Mega Evolution Pokémon will be showing up in just a few weeks' time at Japan's Pokémon Cafe.
The themed restaurants in Tokyo and Osaka will be adding a Mega Evolution Charizard Flamethrower Curry Plate to the menu, which is both a fiery meal and, in multiple ways, a work of art. The first artistic medium is the food itself, with Charizard sculpted out of seasoned rice and breathing a blast of curry, bringing to mind the Pokémon's Flamethrower attack. Each plate also comes with either a Charizardite X or Charizardite Y Mega Stone, which can be seen at the top right corner of the dish in these preview shots.
You will, of course, want to whip out your phone and take some photos of your food before you start eating, and while you've got it out, you'll also want to scan the code on the back of the Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y card your server will bring you.
Once you've done that, swing your camera's lens back towards your plate of Charizard curry, and some cool AR effects will fire up, the cafe mysteriously promises.
For those looking for a more serene way to include Mega Evolution elements in their meal, the Pokémon Cafe chefs will also be whipping up a Mega Ampharos Sparkling Caramel Cream Cake.
The dessert is sort of like a Japanese purin/custard pudding in cake form, with layers of custard cream, sponge cake, caramel sauce, and whipped cream, plus a sparkly motif befitting the Light Pokémon.
Eight Mega Evolutions are also being added to the Pokémon Cafe's latte art roster, with both Mega Charizards and the Mega Ampharos joined by Mega versions of Kangaskhan, Ampharos, Gardevoir, Altaria, Lucario, and Absol.
All of these are available to grace caffe lattes, caffe mochas, and hot caramel drinks. What's especially cool is that while latte art is random at most themed cafes in Japan, the Pokémon Cafe lets you pick which Mega Evolution you want.
▼ The Mega Evolutions also appear on coasters (one given at random for each drink order) and dual-layer stickers (one at random for every set of entree and dessert).
The lattes are priced at 935 yen (US$6.45), the Mega Ampharos cake at 2,640 yen, and the Charizard curry at 3,640 yen. They'll all be available starting June 14 at both the Tokyo and Osaka Pokémon Cafes, reservations for which can be made here.
Source, images: Pokémon Cafe
● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SoraNews24
41 minutes ago
- SoraNews24
It's officially Ponyo time as Ghibli character appears as new anime accessory line and clock【Pics】
Whether you're heading out to brave the summer heat or staying cool at home, Ponyo is ready to hang out. With summer here, it's the perfect time to head to the beach. Or, alternatively, it's the perfect time to say 'Yeah, it's way too hot to be outside' and enjoy some marine-themed anime in your air-conditioned home. But while only you can decide which of those times it is, Ponyo can tell you what time it is on the clock. Studio Ghibli's spunky fish girl, star of the anime movie of the same name, is swimming into specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku with a new lineup of summery merch, including a Ponyo Jellyfish Clock, with elegant glass beads instead of numbers serving as markers on the clockface. Donguri Kyowakoku is known for their attention to detail, and whereas some designers might have been tempted to only model the part of Ponyo that sticks up over the top of the jellyfish, the character is represented in full. The material for the jellyfish itself even has a translucent effect to it, making it seem even more realistic. Arriving at the same time as the clock is a selection of Ponyo accessories. The ring once again features Ponyo and a jellyfish, but this time she's crawled inside for a nap. With pierced ears not being quite as prevalent among Japanese women as they are in some other countries, and especially less so among teens and kids, Donguri Kyowakoku often releases its earrings in two styles, one for pierced ears and the other as clips, and that's the case for the Ponyo earrings. No jellyfish here, but Ponyo won't be lonely, because she's got some of her sisters with her! Something to bear in mind here is that the sea glass-style accents at the end of the strands vary from piece to piece. So if you're ordering the earrings online, you won't be able to choose the exact color you're getting, but you will still have something that's beautiful and somewhat unique. And finally, even more of Ponyo's siblings show up to help form this bracelet. Prices range from 2,420 yen (US$17) for the ring, 2,970 yen for the bracelet, 3,630 yen for the earrings of either type, and 8,580 yen for the clock. The whole lineup goes on sale July 5 and can be ordered through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store (clock here, accessories here), meaning they'll be available in time to wear for a summer trip to the real-life town that inspired the Ponyo anime. Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Japan Today
6 hours ago
- Japan Today
Beyoncé and Jay-Z become the main event as Paris crowns celebrity the world's hottest trend
By THOMAS ADAMSON If any force dominated the global fashion industry this season — eclipsing fabric, form and even the wildest silhouettes — it was the spectacle of celebrity. In a year marked by global anxiety and a hunger for fantasy, star power flooded Paris Fashion Week, turning runways into gladiator arenas where A-list icons, K-pop idols and digital megastars became the main event. Beyoncé and Jay-Z didn't just attend Louis Vuitton's blockbuster show — they became the show. As they swept into the Pompidou Center, cameras flashed and phones shot skyward. Before the first look even hit the runway, images of the couple ricocheted across the globe. K-pop idols like J-Hope and Jackson Wang livestreamed their arrival to millions, while crowds outside flooded social feeds with every glimpse of a star. As the industry's spring season wraps up Sunday, it's clear: Fashion's global audience is focused less on what's worn and more on who's wearing it. This interplay between celebrity and fashion is hardly new, but in 2025, the desire for escapism and star-driven spectacle is peaking like never before. 'It's about celebrity clickbait, and it's at a tipping point now. Celebrities have replaced the designers and stylists as the tastemakers,' said Anna Barr, a fashion magazine editor who attended shows. Beyoncé's appearance this week encapsulated a truth that every major brand — from Louis Vuitton to Dior, Hermès to Saint Laurent — now understands: The real front row isn't in Paris, but on Instagram, TikTok and Weibo. And nothing sells quite like a star. The pop star's head-to-toe denim — custom Louis Vuitton by Pharrell Williams — wasn't just viral. Within 24 hours, clips of her arrival amassed more than 30 million views on TikTok, outpacing even Louis Vuitton's own campaign content. When Williams presented her with a Speedy bag straight from the runway in the Paris dusk, the moment went viral — underlining that Beyoncé isn't just an attendee, but a face of Louis Vuitton's creative vision. But even as Beyoncé's look became the week's most shared image, her presence in Paris also sparked debate: a Buffalo Soldiers T-shirt she wore during her 'Cowboy Carter' tour ignited criticism from some Indigenous and Mexican communities, reminding the industry that every viral moment can be a flash point. This is the new dynamic of luxury: The most coveted runway seat is now in your hand, and what matters most isn't just what you see, but who you see wearing it. What once was a private preview for buyers and editors is now a worldwide entertainment event. Designers don't just stage shows — they produce spectacles. Williams, Louis Vuitton's showman-in-chief, turned his runway into a snakes-and-ladders fantasy with a guest list to match: Beyoncé, Jay-Z, K-pop royalty J-Hope and Jackson Wang, reggaeton star Karol G, and Hollywood names like Bradley Cooper and Mason Thames. Each arrival triggered waves of posts and stories — making the crowd as newsworthy as the collection itself. The modern runway has become a stage for celebrity, where the applause is measured in views and viral moments, and the line between performer and spectator disappears. No other force is shifting menswear trends faster than K-pop. This season, stars like J-Hope, Jackson Wang, GOT7's Bambam, and NCT's Yuta were everywhere, livestreaming shows and igniting fashion frenzies from Seoul to Sao Paulo. These idols are both tastemakers and trend translators, instantly transmitting what they see in Paris to millions of fans. Their attendance has become a commercial event in itself, driving the adoption of new styles on a global scale. Even the clothes themselves now chase celebrity. Beyoncé's ' Cowboy Carter ' moment and Louis Vuitton's nod to Western style sent cowboy hats, flared denim, and rhinestone shirts trending worldwide. Brands scramble to turn these viral moments into wearable trends — knowing that what Queen Bey wears in Paris will be copied in malls and on apps within weeks. 'We make fashion, but we're a house of travel,' Williams told reporters. In truth, it's the celebrity's journey through fashion that matters most. The old fashion cycle is gone. It's been said before. Where trends once took months to trickle down, now a celebrity-worn look can reach the high street soon after the show lights dim. TikTok and fast fashion brands move at the speed of the repost. At Hermès, even the discreet luxury of woven leather tees and wide trousers took on new meaning as athletes and music stars documented their attendance. Their posts quickly turn exclusive details into mass-market 'must-haves.' Shein and Temu, the global fast-fashion juggernauts, have weaponized the viral moment — turning celebrity sightings into shoppable trends worldwide, sometimes in a matter of hours. The result: What debuts on the Paris catwalk can show up in online shopping carts from Atlanta to Addis Ababa almost instantly. Beneath the celebrity glow, classic trends endure. Streetwear is still king, with oversized silhouettes, soft tailoring and activewear influences everywhere from Dior to Dolce & Gabbana. The Hermès 'cool city guy' and Dolce's pajama dressing — rumpled but rich — are direct answers to how men want to live and move now. But even these trends go mainstream through star power, not just design. The models might debut the look, but it's the front-row faces who make it stick. The celebrity ascendancy isn't just a front-row phenomenon — it's woven into the industry itself. When LVMH 's Bernard Arnault tapped Williams, a global pop icon, to lead Louis Vuitton menswear in 2023, it wasn't just a creative risk. It was a declaration that celebrity now runs the show. All this spectacle reflects a bigger shift. Fashion isn't just about what's in — it's about who's in the room, and who's watching. At Armani in Milan, at Saint Laurent in Paris, at every show, a galaxy of K-pop, Hollywood, and music stars now drive the narrative. For Gen Z and Alpha, the runway is no longer about aspiration — it's about participation, sharing, and living in the moment. The 'show' has become the product. In 2025, the hottest look in men's fashion isn't a garment — it's the spectacle. In the world's most-watched runway season, celebrity is the new couture, and every scroll puts you in the front row. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Japan Today
6 hours ago
- Japan Today
Yoshinoya to start serving ramen this week with new beefy 'mazesoba'
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24 There's no dish Yoshinoya is more strongly associated with than gyudon (beef bowls), and no restaurants is more strongly associated with beef bowls than Yoshinoya. The mental connection between the two is so strong that it's not uncommon for people in Japan to mash the words together and refer to the chain and its flagship food as 'Yoshigyu.' But this summer Yoshinoya is stepping out of the beef bowl box, and while they're not ditching beef in their newest offering, it'll have no rice, because it's beef ramen. Specifically, this is mazesoba. The maze part comes from mazeru, meaning to stir or mix, and while 'soba' by itself usually refers to buckwheat noodles, it can also indicate ramen noodles (as it does in the stir-fried ramen noodle dish yakisoba). Mazesoba is a type of non-soup ramen where instead of the noodles floating in liquid broth they're placed in a bowl with sauce and other ingredients, and you stir everything together just before eating so that the flavor mixes throughout. For its Gyutama Stamina Mazesoba, the key co-star for the noodles is the same strips of simmered beef that Yoshinoya fans know and love from the chain's beef bowls. Accompanying them are sliced onions, diced leeks, tempura flakes, an egg, and a thick-consistency spicy garlic sauce, which is served on the side so that you can add as much or as little as you want. Yoshinoya says the result is tasty and satiating, but surprisingly describes the flavor as 'rich yet refreshing.' Considering that just about every ingredient in Yoshinoya's mazesoba is meaty, pungent, or fried, it's probably best to take that 'refreshing' claim with a grain of salt, but the bold and filling parts of the promise definitely sound plausible, and with Japanese folk wisdom holding that garlic is supposed to boost physical endurance, the Gyutama Stamina Mazesoba, priced at 767 yen is set to go on sale July 4, right as the midsummer heat starts showing up. Source: Yoshinoya via Hachima Kiko Images: Yoshinoya Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Yoshinoya beef ramen? Gyudon king's sister chain opens first Tokyo branch【Taste test】 -- Japan's beef bowl king, Yoshinoya, releases new line of canned, ready-to-eat beef bowls -- From beef bowl to beef pouch? Taste testing Yoshinoya's instant gyudon packs External Link © SoraNews24
