What do bread and toilet paper have to do with anime?

by Chris MaGee

I saw this news item while surfing through Japan Probe and I couldn't resist writing about it on the blog. The Tokyo Anime Center in Akihabara has listed its top selling gift items: bread and toilet paper. No, this isn't some kind of Soviet era rations line, these are valuable collectibles. The Canned "Neon Genesis Evangelion" and "Nerv" Bread (¥525- ¥250) containers can be used as piggy banks after the contents have been eaten and the "Black Jack", "Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro" and "Dangerous Grandpa" toilet paper (all going for ¥200 per roll) can be used for... well it can only be used for one thing and it's not much good for anything after that.

I don't know, I'm more of a classic Japanese film fan, so once the Yasujiro Ozu "Tokyo Story" Canned Spray Cheese and "Seven Samurai" Long Lasting Deodorant hit the market I'll be on those like white on rice.