Introduction:Recently, Starbucks Japan launched a new cream puff product that sparked heated online discussions due to its unique appearance. Dubbed by netizens as resembling apple snail eggs or even the Ohmu from *Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind*, what exactly about this new item's design has triggered such polarized reactions? And how does it actually taste? This article will delve into the official description of the dessert, public responses, and also revisit some of Starbucks’ more memorable aesthetic controversies in the past.
Starbucks has long been popular among consumers for its beverages and merchandise designs, but its latest cream puff offering in Japan unexpectedly became a hot topic online. This dessert, featuring a cocoa shortcrust wrapped around blueberry cream and adorned with strawberry powder pearl chocolate, drew intense discussion on social media platforms—and even trended on Japanese Twitter—thanks to its distinctive look.
The new product quickly captured attention upon its release, but the conversation didn’t center on flavor. According to the official Starbucks Japan website, the treat consists of a cocoa shortcrust encasing a rich blueberry cream, topped with pearl chocolates dusted with strawberry powder—an enticing description on paper.
However, once actual photos of the product surfaced, many Japanese netizens commented that it looked like ikura (salmon roe) sushi, while some Chinese users even said it strikingly resembled apple snail eggs. From certain angles, especially in photos taken against dark backgrounds, the dense tiny dots easily evoked associations with trypophobia, prompting comments in the threads like “a bit scary” and “the appearance is a bit awkward.”
Even more amusingly, some Japanese netizens pointed out that the cream puff bore a resemblance to the Ohmu creatures from Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film *Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind*, sparking another wave of comparisons and online debates. Despite the controversial looks, many curious customers still went out of their way to try it, with some reporting after tasting that “it actually tastes pretty good,” proving that appearance and flavor don’t always correlate.
In fact, this isn’t the first time Starbucks has faced aesthetic criticism over its product designs. Since 1997, Starbucks has released limited-edition holiday cups each year, and the 2015 Christmas red cup, with its largely blank design, was criticized on social media for being “too plain.”
Additionally, in 2016, Starbucks introduced the Fruitcake Frappuccino in the North American market, which many consumers described as looking and feeling like “baby vomit”—making it one of the more talked-about aesthetic missteps of the year.
Although Starbucks generally maintains a solid reputation for its product designs, earning a reputation as a “cultural and creative company that just happens to sell coffee,” this latest offering has undoubtedly challenged the public’s visual tolerance. For both coffee and dessert enthusiasts, product appearance often plays a key role in the decision to try something—alongside flavor itself.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
