Japan's new My Hero Academia potato chips go "Plus Ultra" on the spice level

Calbee are partnering with the popular TV anime series My Hero Academia to promote their latest Jagariko potato chips.

This latest collaboration follows shortly after their Kataage Potato Chips brand partnered with Hatsune Miku.

“My Hero Academia” is based on the manga series of the same name created by Kohei Horikoshi, which was serialized in Shueisha’s “Weekly Shonen Jump” from 2014 to 2024.

The manga has achieved significant commercial success, with over 100 million copies in circulation globally.

The television anime adaptation is produced by Bones Inc. and has aired seven seasons to date, with distribution across various video streaming platforms.

The final season of the anime is scheduled to begin broadcasting every Saturday at 5:30 PM JST on 29 network-affiliated stations across Japan, starting in October 2025.

New Jagariko packaging will feature My Hero Academia characters

The collaboration between Calbee and “My Hero Academia” will involve the “Spicy Jagariko” product line.

The “Spicy Jagariko Wasabi Soy Sauce Flavor” will transition to limited-edition packaging featuring “My Hero Academia” branding starting in early April 2025.

A new flavor, “Spicy Jagariko Umakara Mentaiko Cheese Flavor”, will be introduced in similarly themed packaging. The new flavor combines cheese and mentaiko (cod roe).

This new flavor will be available in convenience stores nationwide starting on April 7th 2025, and will subsequently be available in supermarkets and other retail outlets across Japan from April 14th 2025.

The “My Hero Academia” packaging for both flavors is expected to be phased out by late May 2025, at which point the “Spicy Jagariko Wasabi Soy Sauce Flavor” will revert to its regular packaging.

The new packaging will only be available until the end of May

The “Spicy Jagariko Umakara Mentaiko Cheese Flavor” will remain on shelves as it was previously released as a limited-time offering in July 2023 and received positive consumer reception.

Due to its popularity, this flavor is now being reintroduced as a standard product within the Jagariko lineup, effectively replacing the “Jagariko Spicy Hot & Spicy Flavor” which will be discontinued.

Spicy Jagariko Umakara Mentaiko Cheese Flavor is now a permanent part of the Jagariko range

The “Spicy Jagariko” series is characterized by its dual-method flavoring process, combining Calbee’s unique “kneading method” where flavoring is incorporated into the potato stick snack itself, with the normal “coating method” used by other chips where the flavoring is applied to the exterior.

The “coating method” was first introduced with the “Adult Jagariko Wasabi Soy Sauce Flavor” in September 2020.

In November 2023, the “Adult Jagariko” series was rebranded as “Spicy Jagariko” to appeal to a younger demographic.

Calbee have entered into this collaboration as they believe there is a match between fans of “My Hero Academia” and the target demographic of the “Spicy Jagariko” brand.

The collaboration is also centered around the characteristics of the anime’s two main characters: Izuku Midoriya, the protagonist, who is associated with the color green (aligning with the wasabi flavor), and his childhood friend and rival, Katsuki Bakugo, who is depicted within the “My Hero Academia” narrative as having an affinity for spicy food, which connects with the overall “Spicy Jagariko” product line.

Source: PR Times