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by Mike Schramm 
Dec 21st 2008 at 7:00PM
A "bento" or "bento box" is a prepared meal in Japanese culture consisting of rice, some kind of meat (often sushi), and cooked vegetables. The big image above is a Murloc bento, put together by a WoW fan with some excellent culinary taste. The Murloc itself is made of cabbage, dyed tofu, and red and yellow pepper stripes, the hut to his left is made of Thai turkey meatballs and steamed cabbage, and the treasure chest is made of tofu and seaweed, while the sun and flowers are eggs.
Very interesting. It's still a work-in-progress apparently (though considering that it's all food, it can't take too long to make, can it?), as the creator still wants to get teeth on the Murloc. But it looks pretty ready to eat as is -- the hut and the treasure chest, especially, look pretty delectable.
Very interesting. It's still a work-in-progress apparently (though considering that it's all food, it can't take too long to make, can it?), as the creator still wants to get teeth on the Murloc. But it looks pretty ready to eat as is -- the hut and the treasure chest, especially, look pretty delectable.
[via PixelatedGeek, thanks, jessE!]
Filed under: Cooking, Items, Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Humor, Buffs, Fan art
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
OIK2 Dec 23rd 2008 3:24PM
Needs Clams!
Keyra Dec 21st 2008 11:35PM
Barnacled clams? :-)
Kor Dec 21st 2008 7:24PM
Weren't they taught to never play with their food? - ^_^
Nelton Dec 21st 2008 7:26PM
umm I usually dont like to say this because its mean and everything, it makes me feel like a completeit ass, buuuuuuut... need a life much? :(
Kia Dec 21st 2008 7:45PM
Making elaborate bento is actually really, really common. So yeah, you do look like an ass. ^^;
Bjara Dec 21st 2008 8:50PM
I love how people who are getting ready to be assholes always preface their statements with "not to be mean, BUT" or "I hate to say this, BUT" or stuff like this post above, like it's going to make them seem like less of an ass. It doesn't work! You just end up looking like an ass who is trying to escape taking responsibility for being an ass. Ass.
Faar Dec 21st 2008 9:16PM
Hey, cool videogame Bentos rule. Don't dis!
Anyway, why do you care what people do with their time? Stop being so damn judgmental.
Ametrine Dec 22nd 2008 12:05AM
Artistic bento preparation is actually an art form in some circles.
You ass.
Chamber Dec 21st 2008 7:30PM
Sushi actually refers to the vinegared rice, rather than the fish which often accompanies it.
I'm not being pedantic, i'm being educational!
Honest.
Kia Dec 21st 2008 7:47PM
Indeed. A change to "sashimi" might be a little more appropriate.
Odoroku Dec 21st 2008 7:57PM
If only Blizzard supported WOW players in Japan...you can't even use an American credit card to pay from game time from Japan. The IP address are blocked or something.
Faar Dec 21st 2008 9:13PM
Yeah, why ISN'T wow available in Japan? They're a gamer nation, having birthed (almost) every console post-84 videogame crash era, very high broadband coverage, high disposable income, etc...
Releasing WoW in Japan, even in english-only language, would be like a no-brainer in my eyes. It's not like Blizzard to pass up a cash-grab! :P
Samuel Varian Dec 21st 2008 10:35PM
Firstly, you *can* use an American credit card to pay from Japan, but you have to contact both your credit card company (in most cases) to let them know you're residing in Japan, as well as contacting Blizzard with the same story. They are blocked to prevent what would most likely be fraud, considering how few people are living abroad and playing WoW in Japan since it isn't even released here.
I often wondered why it wasn't released in Japan either, but my guess is that since Japan shows no huge following of Blizzard's games and their gamer base is mostly devoted to Final Fantasy 11 (the FF MMORPG), that they figured that it wasn't cost effective to break into a market that's unfamiliar with their name while ALSO having to face heavy opposition from an entrenched franchise.
That said, there is a small group of Japanese gamers who play WoW in spite of having only mediocre English skills. They mostly play on a single server, though a few of them are spread out onto other servers as well, for various reasons. And you can pay with a Japanese credit card for an American version of WoW, no problem. (Odd, eh?)
Anyways, it is really interesting to someone who enjoys learning about cultures, to see the extent that some sub-cultures (sub-sub-cultures?) will go to in order to enjoy a pass-time. There are countless websites set up devoted to strategies, quest explanations, etc, all translated into Japanese, for a very small minority of gamers who prefer WoW in spite of its lack of Japanese language support. Very cool.
apoxic Dec 22nd 2008 10:33AM
Actually I'm having the same kind of problem. I moved from Sweden to Japan to study, and wanted to pick up WoW on the US servers with my friend. First off, I just kept getting an error while trying to purchase the game online so I had to get my friend to run over to the store to get me a copy, no biggie.
However, It seems that the credit card I've used to pay with for 3 years, doesn't work while I'm in Japan. So, do I have to contact Blizzard AND my damn bank just to be able to pay? >.
RetPallyJil Dec 21st 2008 8:35PM
I wholeheartedly believe that sushi is an abomination.
However, they DO have that set up cute. Well done.
Keyra Dec 21st 2008 11:32PM
Most (Western) people believe that sushi is "raw fish" when, in fact, it isn't. Rather, it's rice, rice vinegar, smoked fish and julienne vegetables rolled together, often in nori (dried, smoked seaweed), then sliced into individual pieces. With a lot of sushi or sashimi, the meat is placed on the rice/nori roll after it is sliced and then decorated with sauce, sesame seeds, perhaps another strip of nori, etc.
It is more art than food, but it is very tasty, in my opinion, provided you leave the avocado out of it as I am highly allergic!
Yes, there are a few (VERY few) varieties that are, in fact, raw fish. Some have roe (fish eggs), some have eel or squid, but most aren't. I've never tried the raw variety (and never want to) but I've had a lot of different types of sushi. Now, I have had some with yellow-fin tuna that could have been smoked a bit more, but it was still yummy!
Okay, I've made myself sufficiently hungry now. Damn...it's 10:30. The Japanese restaurant next door is closed. Sigh...
Yeng Dec 22nd 2008 10:12AM
Unagi - the eel - is the best sushi there is. MMMmmmmmm
Drakkenfyre Dec 22nd 2008 1:40PM
"Most (Western) people believe that sushi is "raw fish" when, in fact, it isn't. Rather, it's rice, rice vinegar, smoked fish and julienne vegetables rolled together, often in nori "
Sushi refers to the vinegered rice only. It does not have to include vegetables, smoked fish or anything else.
RetPallyJil Dec 25th 2008 12:20AM
You mistake me.
I hate all seafood, cooked or not.
The last thing I want to eat is something that has spent its entire life soaking in the world's oldest and largest toilet.
G W Dec 21st 2008 9:13PM
Hut? It looks more like a tree on the left and a chest on the right. Food art can be viewed more than one way maybe..