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Reimagining Japan’s Candy Culture in CATCF

Both the 1971 and 2005 film adaptations of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory include depictions of Japan during the global frenzy over Wonka Bars. These brief scenes, set in Japanese candy shops, sparked my interest in how Japan’s unique candy culture could be more thoughtfully represented.

If tasked with depicting Japan in these scenes, I would have chosen a dagashi-ya (traditional candy store) setting. As Willy Wonka creates sweets for children with limited allowances, a dagashi-ya (駄菓子屋)—a nostalgic shop selling affordable candies—would be a fitting choice. The concept of a dagashi-ya aligns with Roald Dahl’s depiction of a “sweet shop” in his autobiographical novel Boy.(This reference pertains specifically to the depiction of the shop's interior, not the relationship between the shopkeeper and the children.)

While dagashi-ya have dwindled due to supermarkets and convenience stores, they remain an iconic part of Japan’s candy culture. A similar homage can be seen in Crayon Shin-chan: Action Mask vs. Leotard Devil, where a child wins a golden card from a candy box in a dagashi-ya, reminiscent of the Golden Ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (I especially love the use of real light effects in the animation process of this era. The way the golden card glows is truly exciting.)

Another example is the Fushigi Dagashiya Zenitendō (ふしぎ駄菓子屋 銭天堂) series, which tells the story of a mysterious dagashi-ya that appears to selected, lucky customers with special wishes. The enigmatic shopkeeper, Beniko, offers sweets that grant unique effects, but improper use or overindulgence can lead to unforeseen consequences. This premise mirrors the moral lessons embedded in Wonka's wondrous factory.

Interestingly, while Roald Dahl was reportedly a dog lover and disliked cats, the peculiar workers creating the sweets in Zenitendō are “maneki-neko” (beckoning cat figurines). This distinctive detail, combined with the shop's intriguing allure, evokes themes reminiscent of Wonka’s world—a place where imagination, wonder, and morality intertwine.

In the end, I feel a dagashi-ya setting would have expressed the excitement of Japan’s Wonka Bar frenzy more effectively. Of course, the portrayal of a Japanese candy shop in each version reflects the visual and interpretative choices made by the filmmakers. This is simply a personal interpretation, but I hope it helps convey the image I had in mind.

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Normalize this response

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Children I like dressed as children I hate and children I hate dressed as children I like

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this is so hilarious

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I will start listing ALL (or at least the vast majority) of Wonka candy...

both from official media and fandom, meaning fanfics or any other source where new candy appears. Those produced in our timeline (i.e. Nestle's) are not counted, and candies with too vague descriptions will be listed as a whole or described as, for example, ‘x-coloured candy with this random effect’.

The canon candy will go first (of course) and from there on fanfics will appear, with their name, writer, platform and year of publication duly credited. There are about 4 or 5 that I tried to create, but I hesitate to put them at the end.

Why am I publishing this if I don't have the list done? Just to know how long it's going to be since I started it XD

Nor do I guarantee that it will be ALL of them, referring to fanfics. I don't have the time or patience to read everything that's been written, and there are 270,000+ word stories that would take me a quarter of my life to finish, and just to see if there's any sweet worth mentioning (or not).

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In some universe more interesting than this one, Willy Wonka was the creator of ice cream for dogs.

I know kids are the main Wonka consumers but, come on, thousands of kids have dogs! And many kids would love to give their pets their same treats!

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Rule of thumb: NEVER, repeat, NEVER listen to an acoustic cover of "In my life" by The Beatles right after reading or listening to "Penpal" Creepypasta.

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31 July, 2024

I woke this morning, with a strong desire to saunter through the woods. The morning was still, not a sound caressed my ear drum. I looked around, nonplussed. The curtains drawn, my room fully veiled in black. What, pray, had woken me? I glanced around once more, not able to put two and two together. But then it hit me. It was a feeling, deep within my soul. It was as if an old friend had rung me up, and had impressed upon me a desire to spend much needed time together. I felt the call, the longing - and I knew I must answer.

Bracing myself against the cold, I quickly got dressed. One leg, two legs. One arm, two. On my way out of my room, I picked up un ami - my trusty knit cap. I had a feeling it would be needed. Making my way across the landing, I chanced a gaze outside through a slightly frosted window. I had to catch my breath. Lo and behold, yonder - thick mists embroiled & wrapped around the grey trunks of the tall wooden soldiers standing guard at the edge of the clearing. Their branches wholly still, outstretched, enveloped in thick fog. My, what a majestic and magical sight it was!

I skipped down the stairs, ran to the coat rack, threw on my wintery coat, my wintery boots - I was out the door.

The grass was lightly frosted, crunching amicably underfoot. I took in a deep breath and soon felt the long fingers of winter reaching through my nostrils, down my throat, and into my very lungs. It's grip was strong, but not wholly smarting. A few tears formed at the edges of my sight, a side-effect of this wintry weather.

I made my way down an icy path 'tween the trees, a quiet hush lay over the woods. Winter had cast it's frosty magic - not a tweet, not a hoot, not a single patter of paws - all sat (or slept) in silence, wholly under it's spell. The Ice King ruled supreme with a permafrost hand - the flora and fauna knew it. Every being, plant, and forest sprite, lay in waiting, submitting to the potency and might of that glazed ruler.

I walked in reverence, aye, but tried not to let it weaken my step. Strong and courageous I strutted, under the bent arms of the Ice King's soldiers. Green moss flecked with brown peeped out occasionally from under the foliage, and I found my gaze casting about for the sight of chanterelles and other burgeoning shrooms. The air was thick with the living world, crisp and strong and filled with sweet and melancholic aromas. Ah, to feel young again - each breath rejuvenating, restoring, and revitalizing one's countenance.

It was as if the very Fountain of Youth was sprinkled into the mists - little drops cast about by swirling vapours, entering the lungs, the pores, one's very being. Mating with one's skin, cells, core.

As I walked further further into the bosom of these dense woods, I felt myself coming closer and closer to the truth. Each step an increase in veracity, rightness - as if the world was becoming more and more real and authentic, the further I ambled along. The very heart of truth beats deep within those woodlands, and I consider myself a lucky fellow indeed, to get to venture so close to something so ethereal. I almost feel it coursing through my veins, each step a beat of the heart. Pumping me full of candor, revelation, viability.

I get lost among the tree trunks, I really do. Not directionally, no. But spiritually, mentally, emotionally. I lose myself to the majesty of nature, of the beauty that surrounds me. Of the peace that comes with distancing oneself from other human beings.

It's a simple thing, really, a walk in the woods. But there's nothing simple about the profound impact and change it has upon one's thoughts, feelings, and general mind set.

There is beauty in the little things. If only you'd take the time to see.

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All the kids in 2005 film are far from being actually evil, and that's on purpose.

In the production notes there is a line that goes "We're not saying they’re *bad*, these four Golden Ticket winners, but as Zanuck diplomatically puts it, “they’re not the kind of children you’d be proud to call your own.”"

Augustus was greedy and gluttonous. He made fun of Charlie. Was stupid. And that's it. He was rude and loved to eat too much.

Violet was competitive to the point of being toxic. She was raised that way. Suffers herself the most from her bad decisions.

Veruca was spoiled and demanding. Felt a satisfaction when Violet was eliminated. Never said anything bad to other kids, Charlie included, even if to not waste her time. Only pushed Violet's hand in the goo in the deleted scene, nothing more dangerous. Enough bad, nothing worse.

Mike was angry and know-it-all. Argued with Wonka a lot. Was violent. To... pumpkins and mobs in videogame. He is essentially a subversion of violent kid. Like, there are moments that can be brushed as OOC in the movie, but not his reactions to the demises, because we know nothing actually scary happened on set, and apathy is far more easy to play than fear. The worst he does is pushing Charlie one time and tossing Oompa-Loompas when he was pissed off. Mostly he's a bad-mouthed jerkass, who actually attacks who he thinks deserves it. He managed to have a dialogue with Charlie and ended up insulting not him, but Wonka again.

Why then? Do people really intend to feel satisfaction when the eliminations happen? Like, they would learn their lesson because it's a morality tale and stuff, BUT. Every scene is treated like horror. Genuinely good people in-universe are horrified at the sight. Wonka is NOT treated like a good person. He had an arc in this movie, for God's sake, where he learns to accept family. He has a lot to learn.

~~

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I hope I am not the only one to whom these two...

gives me vibes from these other two (Sorry for the size of the images…):

I mean, just look at the dialogue:

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Ok, I suck at this kind of loooooooooong post and I hate spamming. But, come on, I was going to drown in my own jumbled thoughts if I didn't mention this to anyone!

I made that post up there half joking and half not. I was hoping that in the future someone, purely by chance, would take the idea and execute it well. And… well, right now I decided to make some additions out of boredom and ended up developing this faster than the TvBucket crap I'm doing for AO3.

First: I'm taking as my main base the most complete draft available (Charlie's Chocolate Boy, from '61 or so). You know: The Vanilla-Fudge Room, The Warming-Candy Room, Black Charlie, Easter Room, etc.

It's an AU, not a carbon copy of what Roald Dahl came up with. Initially, I wanted Charlie to have just a cameo, but the truth is, I liked the scheme that included him much better. I don't want to give him a bad demeanor per se. His situation is more dire than in the final book, and I suppose he would be so dazzled by the factory that he would act foolishly or on impulse. Something like the Mike of '71.

Second: what I did decide is that none of the brats are the ones in the final version, nor are their beta versions too similar. I plan to bring Marvin Prune into this, but I didn't want to use a famous version or the possible “canonical” version that ended up being the Miranda Mary Piker we saw in “Spotty Powder”. I was watching “Rocky Horror Live” (2015) today, and…. I guess I liked Eddie too much? (originality is not my forte and that sucks, I know). Anyway, I want to leave him with the ego by which most identify him. I may include some characteristics of the Broadway Mike. He's a cool guy, but I don't recommend hanging out with him.

I think what I enjoyed developing the most is the contest. In these drafts, you may already know that Mr. Wonka sent 10 tickets for a weekly run, I think on Saturday. I assume that the kids who found a ticket during the course of that week would get in, and this was because everyone was crazy to get into the factory.

There is one detail that I added and it is fascinating to me how it turned out: there is a high probability that not all golden tickets will be found by Saturday. If you find one during or after Saturday, even if you stumble upon last week's when the next week has started, you can still personally go to the factory and “redeem” it for a free supply of candy that will last you about a month.

Besides, it's a local contest, and this is a small town. Almost everyone will already know each other when the time comes. There are a few additions such as no child seems to have any flaws until something along the way brings them to light; i.e., something similar to how no one's name was mentioned until they got in trouble. And there are no interviews or anything like that, so Wonka doesn't know them and doesn't plan anything, and surely their behaviors take him by surprise… at least at first. And as the tour progresses, the rooms become progressively less “flashy”. Compare the Chocolate Room to the Warming-Candy Room, for example.

By the way, if it's weekly visits, can we say there have already been accidents? Check this out: at school, Charlie hears rumors about a girl who has supposedly turned blue and moved away. This could be funnier but I don't have the head for it. Oh, right: Wonka has a son and I don't want the nine-story candy store ending, so Charlie has it pretty tough (ups).

While I'll try to create flashy personalities for certain characters, or keep them with other names, I simply (also) suck at names, so I'll just use the pre-existing ones. Aside from that, I'm having trouble with gender balance. I have eight children and only two are female. Maybe I'll look for a beta reader in the future, but frankly I don't have much faith in this.

Anyway, I'm still more or less on this and, if anyone wants to… I don't know, adopt the concept, that's fine with me.

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I need to afford a headstone right now. I ate some sugar before reading this.

Mini-W0nka: Did you get a new spiked collar? Cause you’re looking cuter than ever Mike

CatsandGaming: Yeah. I got it in blue since I know that’s your favorite color.

Mini-W0nka: Awwww Mikey. You’re so sweet (gently smooches you)

CatsandGaming: (gently smooches back) I named my Yoshi in Thousand Year Door after you. He’s pink, the color of love <3

Mini-W0nka: Can I watch you play later? I promise I’ll kiss you every time you win a battle ^^

CatsandGaming: Omg I would love that. Chapter 5 is heavy in backtracking so you’ll be doing a lot of kissing ;)

Mini-W0nka: Fine by me, never get tired of kissing your adorable face

CatsandGaming: Same here. After that we’re totally cuddling. I am very hungry for your cuddles

Mini-W0nka: Heehee anything for my little Mikey ; )

GumChewingChamp: ALRIGHT I’M GONNA STOP Y’ALL RIGHT THERE THIS IS THE GROUP CHAT!

Mini-W0nka: Sorry…

CatsandGaming: FUCK

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Mike: In here is every clock radio I’ve ever owned. Calculators, VHS tapes. Yeah. Oh. Sporting equipment.

Violet: You have sporting equipment?

Mike: Well, oh, it’s just a, it’s a, a golf ball that my cousin threw at my head. You can still feel the dent. It’s right next to the hockey puck dent.

Violet: Okay, why do you have a bin of pine cones?

Mike: I used to collect them as a child. The spiral of scales open in the Fibonacci sequence. A fact that, when you tell your cousin, gets a golf ball thrown at your head.

Violet: So, why do you feel you need to save these things?

Mike: I’d like to say it’s nostalgia, but every time I think of throwing anything away, my ears start to ring, and I get butterflies in my stomach. And then it feels like the butterflies get eaten by rats, and then the, the rats get eaten by…

Violet: Okay. I get it. I get it.

Mike: It ends with dinosaurs. I’m sorry if you think less of me.

Violet: I don’t.

Mike: Really? ‘Cause every time I come in here, I think less of me.

Violet: Why?

Mike: Because I’m a fraud. No. I purport to be a boy of the mind. I’ve been such a, a vocal champion of the singularity, but how can I leave my body behind and become one with the internet when I’ve never even thrown a toothbrush away?

Violet: It’s okay, Mike. You know, I’ve saved a lot of weird things, too.

Mike: Like what?

Violet: Well, um, did you know I still have the wrapper from the first gum I ever chewed? It's a Wrigley's.

Mike: I have an old teddy bear I secretly wiped my nose on for years.

Violet: It’s not a contest.

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Still can't get over the fact that stan canonically wrote fanfics

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How To Write A Chase Scene

Before anyone takes off running, the reader needs to know why this matters. The chase can’t just be about two people running, it’s gotta have a reason. Is your hero sprinting for their life because the villain has a knife? Or maybe they’re chasing someone who just stole something valuable, and if they don’t catch them, it’s game over for everyone. Whatever the reason, make it clear early on. The higher the stakes, the more the reader will care about how this chase plays out. They’ll feel that surge of panic, knowing what’s on the line.

Sure, a chase scene is fast, people are running, dodging, maybe even falling. But not every second needs to be at full speed. If it’s too frantic from start to finish, the reader might get numb to the action. Instead, throw in some rhythm. Use quick, sharp sentences when things get intense, like someone stumbling or almost getting caught. But then slow it down for a second. Maybe they hit a dead end or pause to look around. Those brief moments of slow-down add suspense because they feel like the calm before the storm kicks up again.

Don’t let the setting just be a backdrop. The world around them should become a part of the chase. Maybe they’re tearing through a marketplace, dodging carts and knocking over tables, or sprinting down alleyways with trash cans crashing behind them. If they’re running through the woods, you’ve got low-hanging branches, roots, slippery mud, and the constant threat of tripping. Describing the environment makes the scene more vivid, but it also adds layers of tension. It’s not just two people running in a straight line, it’s two people trying to navigate through chaos.

Running isn’t easy, especially when you’re running for your life. This isn’t some smooth, graceful sprint where they look cool the whole time. Your character’s lungs should be burning, their legs aching, maybe their side starts to cramp. They’re gasping for air, barely holding it together. These details will remind the reader that this chase is taking a real toll. And the harder it gets for your character to keep going, the more the tension ramps up because the reader will wonder if they’ll actually make it.

Don’t make it too easy. The villain should almost catch your hero or the hero should almost grab the villain. But something happens last second to change the outcome. Maybe the villain’s fingers brush the hero’s coat as they sprint around a corner, but they manage to slip out of reach just in time. Or maybe your hero almost gets close enough to tackle the villain, but slips on some gravel, losing precious seconds.

And Don’t let the chase end in a way that feels too predictable. Whether your character gets away or is caught, it should be because of something clever. Maybe they spot a hiding place that’s almost impossible to notice, or they use their surroundings to mislead their pursuer. Or, the person chasing them pulls a fast one, Laying a trap, cutting off their escape route, or sending the hero down the wrong path. You want the end to feel earned, like it took quick thinking and ingenuity, not just dumb luck or fate.

if you have any questions or feedback on writing materials, please send me an email at Luna-azzurra@outlook.com ✍🏻

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while mettaton from undertale has two voice lines, they're inconsistent with each other. i'd like to say tim curry would be a fantastic voice for mettaton(tim curry has done a lot, but the voice i think of most is the one for dr. frank n furter from rhps)

Character mentioned: