I haven’t watched Shakugan no Shana, and even I know that the famous tsundere loves her melon-pan. The name comes from their appearance: the cross hatch patterns of melon bread makes it look like cantaloupe. They’re not supposed to taste like melon, but some crafty manufacturers have started sneaking in some actual melon taste recently.

Melon bread is typically quite large, and consists of bread surrounded by cookie dough. (Now, bring on the chocolate chip!) I personally didn’t like it too much, but that flaky yet doughy covering atop a soft mound of bread makes melon-pan sound like a delicious snack.

If you watched CLANNAD ~After Story~ like me, one of the greatest pains in the series was the ending song, which featured the Happy Dango Family. Although cute and much like a lullaby, it’s one of those tunes that easily get stuck in your head.

Unfortunately for us, real dango aren't cute blobs with eyes. But as a cousin of mochi, it’s a wonderful dessert. Imagine rice dumplings skewered together and dipped in sweet stuff. Now put one in your mouth, let the stickiness and sugar do its work. Wash it all away with some green tea, and pop in the next ball.

Taiyaki is most memorable in Kanon, where the opening scene shows the main girl nibbling at it in a snowy setting. This fish-shaped dessert is usually made up of red bean paste in a cake shell, although other fillings may be used. They’re usually served hot, which make them excellent choices for that cold, cold day.

Call it horrible or call it a masterpiece. Whichever the case, there’s hardly any doubt that Naruto is one of the most popular anime around. Like other well-known characters (Goku and Gohan from Dragon Ball Z come to mind), the ninja Naruto was named after a type of food in Japan. Enter naruto, the white fish topping adorned with a hallmark spiral. It’s often used as a topping for noodle dishes, adding a bit of sweetness and a touch of gummy-like texture. So next time you’re making up your next bowl of instant ramen, consider adding a little naruto to jazz it up.