Bottled energy drink cans

Actually, ROCKSTAR was the first to release a bottle can

It is not widely known, but actually, ROCKSTAR was the first to release a bottle can in Japan. It was a 250ml regular can and a 410ml bottle can. The can design was simple, with a flat black and yellow star mark, similar to the American design.

Being a large size, it naturally contained nearly 200mg of caffeine. The drinking spout was wide and large, making it easy to gulp down.

Promotion at the time of its entry into Japan

From 2008 to 2009, ROCKSTAR was aggressively promoted, and it seems they went all out. Specifically, they held a major Japan launch event featuring X-Japan's YOSHIKI and even had Nanao, who is now a famous talent, promoting the brand during her race queen days. There were also shocking collaborations like the one with the movie *Terminator 4*, and it became unclear what direction they were headed. Despite being a popular and classic energy drink in America, that image may not have been conveyed well in Japan.

ROCKSTAR Bottle Can Discontinued

When the Japanese distributor changed to the current Molson Coors, the 410ml bottle can was "likely" discontinued, and the design was changed to the current 250ml can with a grey line in the background. Naturally, the 410ml cans were sold off at a huge discount, under 40 yen each. Personally, after returning from the U.S. and missing energy drinks, I bought over 200 cans in bulk! w

If they had done this during the peak of the current energy drink boom, I think ROCKSTAR's position in the market would have been very different. They had massive exposure, and the bottle cans were easy to re-cap, with the large 410ml size and higher ingredient content, making it a truly powerful energy drink unlike any other in Japan. It's such a waste. (´・ω・｀)

In June 2013, Red Bull Released a PET Bottle

On June 4, 2013, Red Bull released a 330ml PET bottle version of Red Bull ENERGY DRINK, and the concepts of re-capping and large 330ml size quickly became widespread. However, as you may know, due to the expiration date being printed in the European format of "day/month/year" instead of the Japanese "year/month/day," it caused a recall of all bottles.

After the recall, there was no re-release. In a way, the PET bottle version of Red Bull became a "legendary" item. Personally, I didn’t buy it because I’m not fond of drinking carbonated beverages from PET bottles. (・_・;)

Interestingly, the design also had a collaboration illustration with Summer Sonic. The ingredients were the same as in the 185ml can.

burn Released a Bottle Can

Burn was re-released from the 250ml can to a 300ml bottle can. Its biggest selling point was the re-capping feature, and with the increase in volume, the price remained the same, which initially caused a lot of positive reactions. However, some fans have voiced disappointment because the taste completely changed. Personally, I also preferred the previous flavor.

Also, Burn's "Blue Refresh Energy" changed its design to feature blue flames and altered its flavor and ingredients (which really didn’t need to be changed). The bottle can seemed to be quite well-received. I think the re-capping feature and the larger volume were key factors in this popularity. I prefer cans over PET bottles for drinking, so I hope the taste doesn’t change again...

Red Bull Released a Bottle Can

On July 29, 2014, Red Bull released a 330ml bottle can. This was not a re-release or return of the previous version, but something entirely new.

The reason is that the new bottle can contains more ingredients than the can version. Since the volume increased, that’s understandable, but the same ingredients were present in the PET version, and I remember wondering, "What’s the point of buying this?" (；´∀｀)

This time, being a can, it is much more refreshing, with the coldness and freshness transmitted more directly. The drinking experience is also different from the PET bottle. And, with the energy drink boom being even bigger than before, it definitely generated much more buzz.

Monster Energy's Limited Release of the 473ml Bottle Can

In 2018, Monster Energy suddenly released a Japan-only 473ml bottle can. I will explain more about this in the Monster Energy feature page, but it was a can designed for international markets, and it was quite sturdy and well-built.

The cap was designed to be tightly closed, allowing you to reseal it if you couldn’t finish it all in one go. The 710ml twist cap from the U.S. version, on the other hand, doesn’t seal tightly, and the can itself is thin, making it impractical for carrying unfinished drink. But Japan’s bottle cans used a much sturdier design, making them more portable.

Interestingly, this Monster Energy bottle can, with its tightly sealed cap, was the first of its kind globally to be released in Japan. However, the price was 320 yen, which was quite high, so while the large size was appreciated, the cost-effectiveness was questionable. It’s hard to say how well it sold.