"Bikkuriman Choco," a chocolate snack created by Lotte in 1977, was born with the concept of providing surprise. It featured stickers as bonus items enclosed in the packaging. The series gained explosive popularity, especially with the introduction of the "Devil vs. Angel" series in 1985.
The craze continued until the early 1990s, with some years seeing sales of up to 400 million units (based on Japan's population of approximately 123.5 million in 1990). Even today, it has a large fan base as one of Japan's legendary subcultures and trends. Rare cards can fetch prices close to one million yen in the market.
The snack itself consists of peanuts and chocolate sandwiched between wafers. Initially priced at 30 yen, it underwent price increases to 50 yen, 60 yen, and eventually settled at 80 yen since 2005 (Heisei 17). It remains popular and continues to collaborate with various beloved anime franchises.
Collaborations include:
・Demon Slayer
・Neon Genesis EVANGELION
・Mobile Suit GUNDAM
・JUJUTSU KAISEN
・ONE PIECE
・DRAGON BALL
・Captain Tsubasa
and more.
Lotte Bikkuriman Official Website