Conbini Boys

It’s a new year, and we decided to do something new… For the next couple of weeks, we’re going to be looking beyond the Big 3, to some of the other smaller conbinis in Japan. This week, we’re starting with Ministop.

We check in with the Chiki wars, where we look at 4 new chikis. We take a look at the scoreboard, pick out our winners and losers, and then check in with Mike for some items from the genba.

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In this week's episode, we take a look back at some of our favorite clips from the past year: 

• Unsolved Conbini Mysteries 


• Famichiki Legendary  Feats of Juice


• FamilyMart and Choshu Riki Collaboration


• 7-11 Cheese Dog


• Conbini Christmas Cake


• Casey's Conbini Memory


• The First Chiki Wars Segment

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After six rounds of brutal matchups we finally crown the champion of the Conbini Tournament - Famichiki - and honor it by sharing four legendary feats of juice. We also look at the new item scoreboard and pick winners and losers. We make a call on a haul and Mike reviews a new Famichiki from the gemba.

Conbini Tournament Final Bracket

Items we discuss:

• Mike's winner new item


• Matt's winner new item


• Mike's loser new item


• Matt's loser new item


• What's the call on the haul


• Famichiki Mala Flavor

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Happy new year! And what a way to start: we've finally reached the championship round of the Conbini Tournament. From the hotbox division: Famichiki. From the meal division: Tuna Mayo Onigiri. We give our predictions, our thoughts, and look forward to the not so distant future where we can crown the king of the conbini. And that's not all... things are picking up again at the conbini! We pick up our winners and losers, talk some chikis including a really exciting one from Family Mart, and then Mike shares a couple of genba items, featuring one blast from the past.

Check out the youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaSPvGGbEW7VKQ8Y4MTPBoQ

Vote for your champion on twitter: https://twitter.com/conbiniboys

Check out the full conbini bracket on Google Sheets: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VKUdrGm9J-esZ3TEBHoyZqr-BNBhBvXo4rIvk0ioaWs/edit#gid=0

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In this week’s episode, we preview the Final Four of the Conbini Tournament showcasing each of the division champions that will face-off in epic matchups.

• Hot Box Division: Famichiki


• Snack Division: Black Thunder


• Meal Division: Tuna Mayo Onigiri


• Beverage Division: Pocari Sweat

Get ready for some brutal matchups!

We also share our very first Conbini Composition from a listener.

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This week we're checking back in on the Conbini Tournament, where the third round has wrapped up and we're into the divisional championships. We celebrate the winners, and then take some time to commemorate some of the losers, who will continue to live on in our hearts. No chikis this week, for the first time ever, but we do take a look at the scoreboard and share our winners and losers as always. And finally, we celebrate Karaage-kun's incredible arrival aboard the International Space Station. 

Check out the youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaSPvGGbEW7VKQ8Y4MTPBoQ

Join the conbini convo on Twitter.   https://twitter.com/conbiniboys

Download your conbini bracket or make one in Google Sheets.    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VKUdrGm9J-esZ3TEBHoyZqr-BNBhBvXo4rIvk0ioaWs/edit#gid=0

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The Conbini Tournament hosted some savage matchups in Round 2. Mike was left shaken to his core by a close battle between Pocari Sweat and Oi Ocha Green Tea, while Matt was left feeling anxious about a Round 3 fight between Canned Coffee and Conbini Drip Coffee.   

Outside the tournament, Mike and Matt take a look at two new chikis from FamilyMart and Lawson. The former continues its quest to perfect a cheese-in recipe, while the latter has crafted a chicken leg masterpiece.   

Mike and Matt bring back 'What's the call on that haul?' where Mike breaks down a shinkansen conbini haul sent to us on Twitter. The podcast wraps up with At the Gemba with Mike, where Mike reviews two cheese-stuffed chikis from FamilyMart.

Check out the video where you can see all the goodies on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wUw_Z2R46NU

Join the Conbini Tournament by following us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/conbiniboys

View the live bracket here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VKUdrGm9J-esZ3TEBHoyZqr-BNBhBvXo4rIvk0ioaWs/edit?usp=sharing

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In this week's episode we're checking in on the Conbini Tournament, where the first round has finally wrapped up. We take a look at our devastated brackets, talk about some of our favorite matchups from the first round, and look ahead to some of the exciting matches in the upcoming round of 32. We check out some cheesy chikis, spotlight a couple of upcoming conbini items, hear from the Spicy Commentator about a new drama-inspired sweet, highlight an upcoming conbini protégé, and then hear from a caller who tells an incredible memory of how the conbini saved him during a critical emergency. 

Check out the youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaSPvGGbEW7VKQ8Y4MTPBoQ

Join the conbini convo on Twitter.  

https://twitter.com/conbiniboys 

Download your conbini bracket or make one in Google Sheets.   

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VKUdrGm9J-esZ3TEBHoyZqr-BNBhBvXo4rIvk0ioaWs/edit#gid=0 

Get full access to Conbini Boys Newsletter at conbiniboys.substack.com/subscribe

In this week's episode, Mike and Matt share their respective Final Fours in the conbini tournament. Matt drops some shocking news about his feelings toward Pocari Sweat, while Mike speculates on the rise of conbini drip coffee. Naturally, they talk chikis. Lawson joins 7-11 and FamilyMart with their Christmas-inspired bone-in fried chicken, then one-ups them with beautifully broiled chicken legs. Winners and losers cover everything from Protein in Pocket to squid cartilage (what?!). 
Download your conbini bracket or make one in Google Sheets. 
Join the conbini convo on Twitter. And check out all the goodies on YouTube.

Get full access to Conbini Boys Newsletter at conbiniboys.substack.com/subscribe

This week is episode 30, and it's a big one! For the next six weeks we're going to be holding the first ever Conbini Tournament, where we try to crown the king of the conbini. We talk about the upcoming tournament, take a look at some new items and the chiki wars, and then hear from a caller who shares a memory from their first trip to the conbini.

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2:34 - Chiki Wars 

9:28 - The Scoreboard 

10:30 - Mike's Loser 

13:10 - Matt's Loser 

15:17 - Mike's Winner 

18:24 - Matt's Winner 

20:48 - Main Story: The Conbini Tournament

28:36 - At the Gemba with Mike

32:27 - Conbini Memory

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