Konbini Kinyoubi: Strawberry Thunder

Welcome to Konbini Kinyoubi, where every Friday (Kinyoubi) we visit our local convenience store (Konbini) and buy something delicious. This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please read our affiliate disclosure.

We’ve been going to the konbini a lot less frequently lately. Over the summer, I’d stop there every other day on my bike rides to buy a Pocari Sweat, but now the weather is cold, we don’t like leaving our apartment, and I’m fat so I need to stop eating treats in order to fit into my clothes on our big Europe trip next year. I’ve been good, really! But sometimes you simply have to go to the konbini.

It’s true: the konbini is good for more than just snacks. Japanese people make copies, pay bills, and get stamps for government paperwork at the konbini. This past week, we went to use the ATM and pay my health insurance bill, and lo and behold, there was a snack there so important, so monumental, so heyletsgetthat that we had no choice but to buy it and eat it: Strawberry Black Thunder.

Ichigo no Thunder, or “Strawberries Thunder” as my wife calls it, is the latest in a long line of flavored Black Thunder bars. While the original is still my favorite, there was a time when every single konbini trip brought us a new variation. As we’d just tried Strawberry Milk Kit Kats, we decided to try these as well, and make it Strawberry Candy Bar Week on our blog, now Strawberry Candy Bar Month because I was too lazy to write this post last week.

The differences between Strawberry and regular BT are apparent from the packaging - it’s bright pink on top and chocolatey on the bottom. Also note that on the wrapper it says “Kyun!” which is apparently the noise your heart makes when something emotional happens.

So now: will the taste be as good as the original?

How does Strawberry Thunder taste?

The crunch is what really stood out. It’s light and crispy, and definitely tasted like strawberry, as opposed to the Kit Kats which had a strawberry milk flavor that was assuredly different from the fruit. I wouldn't say it knocked me out with strawberry, but at least it didn’t leave a fake strawberry taste in my mouth. It could have used a bit more chocolate, too, to make it more like the original. It didn’t really taste like Black Thunder, more like the world’s most delicious Kudos bar, with light and crunchy strawberry goodness.

How does it stack up to the Kit Kat? The first taste was definitely more refreshing. There were nice fruity pockets and it was surely satisfying. However, I don’t think I could eat as many of these as I did the Kit Kats.

Eriko says: “Thick and crunch, and tiny bits of dry strawberry? Delicious!”

She liked them better than the Kit Kats.

The verdict

Compared to regular Black Thunder? Yeah, there’s no comparison. Won’t be replacing my love. But I didn’t feel as bad eating this as I do eating a normal candy bar because of the fruitynicity of it all. As far as alternative Black Thunder flavors, this is definitely one of the best. In fact, writing this has made me want to try another one. BRING THEM TO ME! 15/10 good job 7-11.

Can I get Strawberry Black Thunder in America?

You cannot. In fact, as far as I know, it’s pretty tough to get any alternative Black Thunder in America. However, Amazon does carry the original, and if you live near a Ralph’s, you can probably find some in the international foods aisle with the soy sauce and stuff if you look around. And if there’s an Asian market near you, give the place a look: maybe you’ll get to try the strawberry goodness like we did.