Okay, NemuNemu has begun again.  The other day, while watching TV, I was unexpectedly introduced to something called a “Kyaraben.” It’s when you make a bento [Japanese-style boxed lunch] that looks like a fictional character.  Because Dr. NemuNemu hasn’t tried to make one of these, and doesn’t completely know how, it was a challenge. The character is, of course, Dr. NemuNemu’s beloved Oba Q.

First, to decide what colors to use so I didn’t have to do it while shopping, I made a rough sketch.

I knew that to make Oba Q, black, white, pink, red and orange are all necessary.  Because I already knew that rice is white and nori is black, I went to the supermarket to look for pink, red and orange.  I ended up using tarako [cod roe] for pink.

Oba Q has lips almost like tarako.　And I used fish paste for red.

I used salmon for orange.

I bought a container as well, and finally I was ready to begin the Oba Q bento-making challenge.  First, I covered the container with cooked rice.

Next, I will cut the nori and contour it.  I feel I must leave spaces for three hairs.

I snip the pieces for the eyes.  I unconsciously begin humming a Q-chan artist’s song. 

I cut a notch into the center of the tarako to put in the lips I make.

I make a place in the mouth for the fish paste.  To be honest, I can’t tell the difference between the colors.

I cut out a tongue from the salmon. More and more, I can’t tell the difference between the colors.

Wow, somehow it’s complete.

It went more quickly than I thought it would, and I got caught up the in the moment, so now I am going to make Doraemon.  I promptly draw a rough sketch.

The necessary colors are black, white, blue, red and yellow.  Because I already had black, white and red, I went to buy blue and yellow food.  Yellow was takuan [pickled daikon radish].  Until now, Dr. NemuNemu had thought takuan was just takuan.

Because cherry tomatoes look like Doraemon’s nose, I bought a cherry tomato.

However, it’s pretty hard to find blue food.  I found bleu cheese and blueberries, but neither is blue.  So, that being the case, I used these.

Next, I promptly spread the rice as explained before and bordered it with the nori.

I made the mouth and collar from fish paste, made the bell from takuan, and I tried to make the nose from the cherry tomato.

The cherry tomato is so huge it made it look like a different character, so I removed it,　then I emptied all the chocolate into a box and picked out just the blue ones.

Then I spread them all over Doraemon’s blue parts.

Once again, it has become something I don’t recognize.  With the cherry tomato nose, it has become an original character.  Doramu Monster is also surprised.

I noticed I was able to switch the nose and bell for chocolate, I replaced them, and it was complete.

I wasn’t sure if they were tasty but they were completely finished. 

Oba Q was quite tasty, but Doraemon was chocolate and rice, so there was no hope.  Everyone, let’s try making a Doraemon bento.

Shinya’s Dr. Nemu Nemu no Daigyakushu column from HnG vol. 55.

Good evening, you guys.  Today, it’s Nemu Nemu time again.  This time, Dr. Nemu Nemu went to pick one of his favorite foods, strawberries.

First, dozens of kilometers away from Tokyo, I went to a peaceful plain.

A greenhouse towers over everything here.

Inside, where you can’t see because it’s hazy, strawberries are eternally harvested.  Actually, because it’s a farmer co-op place, I have a reservation.  You can harvest as much as you like.

I have the impression that a lot of strawberries grow here.

Here, for the sake of strangers to strawberry cultivation, I feel an explanation is required.

First, the strawberry flowers bloom.

Then, from the center of the withered flower, it matures.

Then, it becomes the shape of a strawberry and continues to inflate.

After this, when it’s turned red, because it’s ripe enough to eat, it’s harvested.

While you’re there, you can add condensed milk and gorge yourself on them.

Because you can take the ones you don’t eat home, they’re packed in a box.

Packed side by side, they become more and more beautiful.

They start looking like a group of creatures from outer space.

When there are enough lined up, the box is full and properly packed.

I fixedly stare at the strawberries I took home with me.

I want to try as hard as I can to remember previously collected fruits.

Now, I’ll share some NemuNemu trivia with you: how to cleanly take the stem out of a strawberry.  First, pierce it with a straw.

Then thrust the straw directly into where you’ve pierced, and with a small shake, the stem is isolated.

Extract the straw, and the strawberry and its stem are cleanly separated.

This episode is coming to an end. …[Here, Shinya gives information about a gift giveaway contest held every month in Dr. NemuNemu.]

Well, until we meet next time!