Black Thunder (chocolate bar)
Encyclopedia
is a chocolate bar made and sold in Japan
by the Yuraku Confectionery Company. It contains a cocoa-flavored cookie bar mixed with Japanese-style rice puffs, coated with chocolate. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is 30 yen, before tax. The main advertising slogan
translates to "Delicious taste in a flash of lightning!" The story of the Yuraku Confectionery Company and its Black Thunder bar has been treated in the Japanese business press as something of a modern-day rags to riches
story.
The Black Thunder bar was conceived as an easily marketable candy bar with three popular components and a reasonable price. The name was partially inspired by the Japanese god of thunder
. Black Thunder bars were first made in a factory in the city of Toyohashi
in 1994. The target demographic was university students in the Kanto region
and sales growth depended mostly on word-of-mouth recommendations. Through a series of marketing deals starting in 2004, sales of Black Thunder gradually climbed. In 2008, the Yuraku Confectionery company sponsored the Men's Gymnastics team
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
, and brand recognition correspondingly increased.
Strting in 2008, Yuraku COnfectionery company began developing and marketing variations on the Black Thunder bar. Similar products in the same line include the Big Thunder, Black Thunder Mini-bar, "White Black Thunder", and the Morning Thunder breakfast bar. In 2009, Yuraku began collaborative efforts with other agencies to develop related products inspired by the Black Thunder candy bar.
, and finally coated with dark milk chocolate. The cookie bar is pressed relatively flat on five sides; however, the top of the bar presents an uneven surface, even with the chocolate coating. When it came to a name for the product, it was decided that the keyword should be the color "black", which would allude to the dark chocolate flavor. This is in keeping with other marketing trends in Japan, where the color "black" is associated with dark or bittersweet chocolate
, such as the popular Meiji Black
chocolate bar. To give the product some "impact" with consumers, it was decided to name it after the Japanese god of thunder, Raijin
. Although the name of the product uses the English words "Black Thunder" , the outer package also carries the Japanese kanji
term for the product in a smaller font (黒い雷神, pronounced kuroi raijin), so that the meaning would not be lost on consumers. An advertising slogan recorded from the development period translates to, "Delicious taste like a flash of lightning!" (おいしさイナズマ級!), but was initially rejected in favor of the basic one-line descriptive "Black cocoa crunch".
In 1994, a small factory with only twenty employees in Toyohashi city
, Aichi-ken, began making the Black Thunder chocolate bars. The packaging at that time used alphabetic script that read "Black Thunder", and the suggested retail price was set at 30 yen. By the year 2000, sales were not impressive, but it was decided to keep the product. At the same time, the package design was altered, and the concept slogan was added: "Delicious taste in a flash of lightning!" In August 2003, the package was changed again to its current design, in which alphabetic font for the brand name was replaced with Japanese lettering in katakana
. Finally, a new advertising slogan aimed at a specific demographic was added to the front of the package: "A big hit among young women!" Throughout this early period, sales growth was largely dependant on word-of-mouth recommendations.
Though initially distributed only to 7-Eleven stores in the Kanto region
, a potential for expanded marketing was realized, and Black Thunder was released for sale through a cooperative
business association into more areas. During the 2004 to 2005 sales year, Black Thunder bars saw a sudden surge in popularity in the Kyushu
region. During the summer of 2005, Black Thunder bars were distributed in more regions across the country. By the end of the year, over 900,000 units had been sold and Black Thunder bars were the best-selling product of the Yuraku Confectionery Company. In 2006, it was picked up by the Shiraishi-san Co-op and sold over the internet, and product sales received a boost as it gained in popularity among university students. In the first three years after sales commenced over the internet, about ten times the number of Black Thunder bars were sold since its inception eleven years earlier. In 2008, the Yuraku Confectionery company sponsored the Men's Gymnastics team
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
. The team earned the Silver Medal
, as did individual gymnast Kōhei Uchimura
. After the 19 year old gymnast actively endorsed the product in news media, brand recognition jumped considerably and from 2008 to 2009, total sales jumped from just under 50 million units to the landmark number of 100 million. By 2010, sales had reached 130 million units.
At present, Black Thunder bars are made in four factories located in Sapporo, Tokyo
, Osaka
, and the original factory in Toyohashi. From any of these, Black Thunder bars can be shipped to various convenience store
s and discount store
s across the country, and they are still distributed to all university student co-operatives in the Kanto area.
and Daisuke Ono
and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting
, the "Dear Girl Thunder" candy bar was developed. The flavor of the Dear Girl Thunder bar was advertised as "The Taste of First Love: Salt and Chocolate" (初恋の味・塩チョコ). In Japan, chocolate is associated with Valentine's Day and is considered an approriate gift between sweethearts;. salty foods are considered "adult" and are thus associated with maturity. A person's "first love
" is, like in other cultures, something of a rite of passage
; an episode in life sweet in sentiment, but with maturing
results. In July 2009, a limited edition of 480 units of the Dear Girl Thunder bar went on sale and quickly sold out. In October 2010, the Dear Girl Thunder bar went on sale in FamilyMart
convenience stores (with the exception of the stores in one region). During 2010, consumers questioned why Black Thunder bars were not distributed to areas of Hokkaido
, Miyazaki
, Kagoshima
, and Okinawa, and the company responded with research into the feasibility of nation-wide distribution. In January 2011, it was decided that a second edition of the Dear Girl Thunder bar would be distributed to Animate
stores, a retailer that specializes in anime
, manga
, and video games. It would also be marketed on the mail order website of Cho!A&G+, a branch of Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, Inc., that focuses on digital radio
broadcasting. Both deals ensure that consumers across the country can purchase the Dear Girl Thunder bars.
since its introduction by the Rokkatei Confectionery, based in Obihiro, Hokkaido
, in the 1970s. The advertising slogan can be translated as: "Straight descent into deliciousness!" (おいしさ直滑降), and uses a term distinctly related to the steep slopes
of Alpine skiing
. Within a short time, the White Thunder bar has proven to be quite popular, as demonstrated by the rapid depletion of stocks.
, and Toyohashi Special Edition of Black Thunder Mini-bars.
). Distribution is restricted to 7-Eleven stores.
In April 2010, it was announced that there would be a collaboration with Guacamole brand clothing designers. The result was a line of swimwear for men and women, and a selection of men's underwear. Most items sport black or gold lightning designs.
In 2011, a hardcover book was published about the history and various trivia related to Black Thunder bars. Released on February 9, 2011 to book stores and convenience stores, the title translates to The Mystery of Black Thunder (謎のブラックサンダー).
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by the Yuraku Confectionery Company. It contains a cocoa-flavored cookie bar mixed with Japanese-style rice puffs, coated with chocolate. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is 30 yen, before tax. The main advertising slogan
Advertising slogan
Advertising slogans are short, often memorable phrases used in advertising campaigns. They are claimed to be the most effective means of drawing attention to one or more aspects of a product. A strapline is a British term used as a secondary sentence attached to a brand name...
translates to "Delicious taste in a flash of lightning!" The story of the Yuraku Confectionery Company and its Black Thunder bar has been treated in the Japanese business press as something of a modern-day rags to riches
Rags to riches
Rags to Riches refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth, or sometimes from obscurity to fame. This is a common archetype in literature and popular culture ....
story.
The Black Thunder bar was conceived as an easily marketable candy bar with three popular components and a reasonable price. The name was partially inspired by the Japanese god of thunder
Raijin
is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in the Shinto religion and in Japanese mythology.His name is derived from the Japanese words rai and shin . He is typically depicted as a demon beating drums to create thunder, usually with the symbol tomoe drawn on the drums...
. Black Thunder bars were first made in a factory in the city of Toyohashi
Toyohashi, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on August 1, 1906. As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 383,691 and a density of 1,468.62 persons per km². The total area is . By size, Toyohashi was Aichi Prefecture's second-largest city until March 31,...
in 1994. The target demographic was university students in the Kanto region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
and sales growth depended mostly on word-of-mouth recommendations. Through a series of marketing deals starting in 2004, sales of Black Thunder gradually climbed. In 2008, the Yuraku Confectionery company sponsored the Men's Gymnastics team
Japan at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Japan competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. The delegation of athletes and officials were represented by the Japanese Olympic Committee.The list of qualified entries for Japan is shown...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, and brand recognition correspondingly increased.
Strting in 2008, Yuraku COnfectionery company began developing and marketing variations on the Black Thunder bar. Similar products in the same line include the Big Thunder, Black Thunder Mini-bar, "White Black Thunder", and the Morning Thunder breakfast bar. In 2009, Yuraku began collaborative efforts with other agencies to develop related products inspired by the Black Thunder candy bar.
Product
The original concept was a candy bar that would have three main components, a heavy texture, rich flavor, and a reasonable price; the combination of these qualities would ensure that it would be an easily marketable product. It was later decided it should be appealing to as many demographic groups as possible, including children. A candy bar was developed with a dark cocoa-flavored cookie pieces mixed with Japanese-style crisped riceCrisped rice
Crisped rice refers to a method of cooking rice which leaves the grains with a crisp, airy texture.It is created in much the same way as popcorn; in short, the reaction of both starch and moisture when heated within the shell of the grain...
, and finally coated with dark milk chocolate. The cookie bar is pressed relatively flat on five sides; however, the top of the bar presents an uneven surface, even with the chocolate coating. When it came to a name for the product, it was decided that the keyword should be the color "black", which would allude to the dark chocolate flavor. This is in keeping with other marketing trends in Japan, where the color "black" is associated with dark or bittersweet chocolate
Types of chocolate
Chocolate is a range of products derived from cocoa , mixed with fat and finely powdered sugar to produce a solid confection...
, such as the popular Meiji Black
Meiji Seika
is the trade name of a pharmaceutical company in Japan, , until March 31, 2011.It was the confectionery and pharmaceutical company that manufactures a wide range of products including Hello Panda and Yan Yan...
chocolate bar. To give the product some "impact" with consumers, it was decided to name it after the Japanese god of thunder, Raijin
Raijin
is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in the Shinto religion and in Japanese mythology.His name is derived from the Japanese words rai and shin . He is typically depicted as a demon beating drums to create thunder, usually with the symbol tomoe drawn on the drums...
. Although the name of the product uses the English words "Black Thunder" , the outer package also carries the Japanese kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
term for the product in a smaller font (黒い雷神, pronounced kuroi raijin), so that the meaning would not be lost on consumers. An advertising slogan recorded from the development period translates to, "Delicious taste like a flash of lightning!" (おいしさイナズマ級!), but was initially rejected in favor of the basic one-line descriptive "Black cocoa crunch".
History
During initial development, a chocolate bar with three kinds of nuts was developed, called "ChocoNuts 3". However, it was terminated within a short time, as it was thought it would not appeal to children. The Black Thunder bar was then developed based on the original concept specifications but also with the idea that it would appeal to multiple demographic segments, including children.In 1994, a small factory with only twenty employees in Toyohashi city
Toyohashi, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on August 1, 1906. As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 383,691 and a density of 1,468.62 persons per km². The total area is . By size, Toyohashi was Aichi Prefecture's second-largest city until March 31,...
, Aichi-ken, began making the Black Thunder chocolate bars. The packaging at that time used alphabetic script that read "Black Thunder", and the suggested retail price was set at 30 yen. By the year 2000, sales were not impressive, but it was decided to keep the product. At the same time, the package design was altered, and the concept slogan was added: "Delicious taste in a flash of lightning!" In August 2003, the package was changed again to its current design, in which alphabetic font for the brand name was replaced with Japanese lettering in katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
. Finally, a new advertising slogan aimed at a specific demographic was added to the front of the package: "A big hit among young women!" Throughout this early period, sales growth was largely dependant on word-of-mouth recommendations.
Though initially distributed only to 7-Eleven stores in the Kanto region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
, a potential for expanded marketing was realized, and Black Thunder was released for sale through a cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
business association into more areas. During the 2004 to 2005 sales year, Black Thunder bars saw a sudden surge in popularity in the Kyushu
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
region. During the summer of 2005, Black Thunder bars were distributed in more regions across the country. By the end of the year, over 900,000 units had been sold and Black Thunder bars were the best-selling product of the Yuraku Confectionery Company. In 2006, it was picked up by the Shiraishi-san Co-op and sold over the internet, and product sales received a boost as it gained in popularity among university students. In the first three years after sales commenced over the internet, about ten times the number of Black Thunder bars were sold since its inception eleven years earlier. In 2008, the Yuraku Confectionery company sponsored the Men's Gymnastics team
Japan at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Japan competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. The delegation of athletes and officials were represented by the Japanese Olympic Committee.The list of qualified entries for Japan is shown...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. The team earned the Silver Medal
Gymnastics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's artistic team all-around
Men's artistic team all-around competition at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held at the Beijing National Indoor Stadium on August 12, 2008.Teams qualified through the general artistic qualification performances. Each team was composed of six gymnasts. Five of those gymnasts performed on each of the...
, as did individual gymnast Kōhei Uchimura
Kohei Uchimura
Kōhei Uchimura is a Japanese artistic gymnast. He is a two-time Olympic silver medalist and a nine-time World medalist . He is famous for winning three consecutive world all around titles and for delivering difficult and accurately executed routines...
. After the 19 year old gymnast actively endorsed the product in news media, brand recognition jumped considerably and from 2008 to 2009, total sales jumped from just under 50 million units to the landmark number of 100 million. By 2010, sales had reached 130 million units.
At present, Black Thunder bars are made in four factories located in Sapporo, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and the original factory in Toyohashi. From any of these, Black Thunder bars can be shipped to various convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
s and discount store
Discount store
A discount store is a type of department store, which sells products at prices lower than those asked by traditional retail outlets. Most discount department stores offer a wide assortment of goods; others specialize in such merchandise as jewelry, electronic equipment, or electrical appliances...
s across the country, and they are still distributed to all university student co-operatives in the Kanto area.
Nutritional information
The following tables presents the nutritional information of a standard Black Thunder chocolate bar.Variations
Yuraku has produced a number of variations on the original Black Thunder bar, with different target demographics, or in collaboration with other commercial ventures. This section includes some of the more notable products by Yuraku. Other Black Thunder products may be available to a restricted market or for a limited time period.Big Thunder
In 2008, Yuraku decided to branch out with the product in an effort to appeal to a broader demographic. The "Big Thunder" candy bar was developed, which is about twice the length and width of the original bar, but about half the thickness. The main slogan can be translated to "Big satisfaction for the glutton!!" (くいしんぼうも大満足！！), though the package also bears the slogans "Deliciousness! Size! Double the lightning strike!" (おいしさ！大きさ！ダブルイナズマ！) and "The great rage of Raijin!" (雷神大暴れ！).Black Thunder Mini-bar
Black Thunder was also put in the form of a "Mini-bar" in 2008. The mini-bars are about half the size and width of the regular size, and sold in packages. It was thought that the greater volume would appeal to cost-conscious families. While the regular Big Thunder bar is sold mainly in convenience stores, the target venue for the Mini-bars has been grocery stores.Dear Girl Thunder
In March 2009, in collaboration with the radio show Dear Girl Stories with Hiroshi KamiyaHiroshi Kamiya
is a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production. He is best known for being the voice of Nozomu Itoshiki from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei and Tieria Erde from Mobile Suit Gundam 00. He won "Best Lead Actor" and "Best Personality" at the Third Seiyu Awards, and "Best Supporting Actor" at the...
and Daisuke Ono
Daisuke Ono
is a Japanese voice actor who works for Mausu Promotion. He was born in Kōchi Prefecture. He won the 4th Seiyū Awards for best voice actor for his role as Sebastian Michaelis in Kuroshitsuji.-Anime:2002*Full Metal Panic!...
and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting
Nippon Cultural Broadcasting
is a Japanese radio station in Tokyo which broadcasts to the Kanto area. It is one of the two flagship radio stations of National Radio Network and also has a relationship with JOLF and Fuji Television....
, the "Dear Girl Thunder" candy bar was developed. The flavor of the Dear Girl Thunder bar was advertised as "The Taste of First Love: Salt and Chocolate" (初恋の味・塩チョコ). In Japan, chocolate is associated with Valentine's Day and is considered an approriate gift between sweethearts;. salty foods are considered "adult" and are thus associated with maturity. A person's "first love
Puppy love
Puppy love is an informal term for feelings of love or infatuation felt by young people during childhood and adolescence, so-called for its resemblance to the adoring, worshipful affection that may be felt by a puppy. 'Simple infatuation is often called a "crush" or "puppy love"...
" is, like in other cultures, something of a rite of passage
Rite of passage
A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. It is a universal phenomenon which can show anthropologists what social hierarchies, values and beliefs are important in specific cultures....
; an episode in life sweet in sentiment, but with maturing
Maturity (psychological)
Maturity is a psychological term used to indicate how a person responds to the circumstances or environment in an appropriate manner. This response is generally learned rather than instinctive, and is not determined by one's age...
results. In July 2009, a limited edition of 480 units of the Dear Girl Thunder bar went on sale and quickly sold out. In October 2010, the Dear Girl Thunder bar went on sale in FamilyMart
FamilyMart
is a convenience store franchise chain first opened in Japan on September 1, 1981. FamilyMart is Japan's third largest convenience store chain, behind 7-Eleven and Lawson, and the largest chain store in South Korea. FamilyMart is owned and overseen by FamilyMart Company, Limited...
convenience stores (with the exception of the stores in one region). During 2010, consumers questioned why Black Thunder bars were not distributed to areas of Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Miyazaki
Miyazaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Miyazaki.- History :Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture....
, Kagoshima
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
, and Okinawa, and the company responded with research into the feasibility of nation-wide distribution. In January 2011, it was decided that a second edition of the Dear Girl Thunder bar would be distributed to Animate
Animate
is the retailing arm of MOVIC and is the largest retailer of anime, games, and manga in Japan. The first and headquarters store of Animate opened in 1983 and is located in Ikebukuro, a district in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, there are 38 Animate stores in Japan, and two in Taipei, Taiwan...
stores, a retailer that specializes in anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, and video games. It would also be marketed on the mail order website of Cho!A&G+, a branch of Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, Inc., that focuses on digital radio
Digital radio
Digital radio has several meanings:1. Today the most common meaning is digital radio broadcasting technologies, such as the digital audio broadcasting system, also known as Eureka 147. In these systems, the analog audio signal is digitized into zeros and ones, compressed using formats such as...
broadcasting. Both deals ensure that consumers across the country can purchase the Dear Girl Thunder bars.
"White Black Thunder"
In December 2010, Yuraku Confectionery Company introduced "White Black Thunder" bars, called Shiroi Black Thunder (白いブラックサンダー), for a limited run of six months. The cookie and rice puff core are the same as Black Thunder, but the outer chocolate coating is white. The package mentions "From Hokkaido", an area which has been associated with white chocolateWhite chocolate
White chocolate is a confectionery derivative of chocolate. It commonly consists of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids and salt, and is characterized by a pale yellow or ivory appearance...
since its introduction by the Rokkatei Confectionery, based in Obihiro, Hokkaido
Obihiro, Hokkaido
is a city located in Tokachi, Hokkaidō, Japan. Obihiro is the only city in the Tokachi area. The next most populous municipality in Tokachi is the town of Otofuke, with less than a third of Obihiro's population. The city has approximately 500 foreign residents . The city contains the headquarters...
, in the 1970s. The advertising slogan can be translated as: "Straight descent into deliciousness!" (おいしさ直滑降), and uses a term distinctly related to the steep slopes
Schuss
In alpine skiing, a schuss or schussboom is a straight downhill run at high speed, contrasting with a slalom, mogul, or ski jumping.Schuss was also the unofficial mascot of the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, featuring a cartoon character wearing skis. Ever since then, every Olympic Games...
of Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
. Within a short time, the White Thunder bar has proven to be quite popular, as demonstrated by the rapid depletion of stocks.
Morning Thunder
In January 2011, the Morning Thunder bar was introduced (モーニングサンダー). Intended as a breakfast bar, the Morning Thunder contains a cinnamon-flavored cookie mixed with peanuts and soy bean puffs, fortified with extra protein, and coated in milk chocolate. The slogan on the front of the package states: "Protein and peanuts in a filling chocolate bar" (ブチプロテイン＆ピーナッツin満足系チョコバー). A limited run of twelve months is planned for the Morning Thunder bar.Other products
Various other products related to Black Thunder are or have been marketed by Yuraku for limited periods, including the Chibi Thunder ("Tiny Thunder"), Black Thunder ManjūManju
Manju is a Sanskrit word with following associated meanings - pleasant, sweet, snow, beautiful, Lord Shiva's name, clouds, morning dew and is predominantly an Indian male/female/given name.Manju, means a language of clouds.That is Rain...
, and Toyohashi Special Edition of Black Thunder Mini-bars.
Related Products
In 2009, Yuraku collaborated with Royal Foods Company, which began making Black Thunder ice cream bars and Black Thunder Monaka (similar to an ice cream sandwichIce cream sandwich
An ice cream sandwich is a frozen confection composed of a layer of ice cream, usually vanilla , "sandwiched" between two biscuits/cookies or slices of cake, usually chocolate.-Australia:...
). Distribution is restricted to 7-Eleven stores.
In April 2010, it was announced that there would be a collaboration with Guacamole brand clothing designers. The result was a line of swimwear for men and women, and a selection of men's underwear. Most items sport black or gold lightning designs.
In 2011, a hardcover book was published about the history and various trivia related to Black Thunder bars. Released on February 9, 2011 to book stores and convenience stores, the title translates to The Mystery of Black Thunder (謎のブラックサンダー).