Energy Drink Mania Glossary

What is J-Ochi?

This refers to energy drinks nearing their expiration date arriving at a discount store, "Jason," at incredibly low prices.

Energy drinks that are typically priced around 200 yen are often cleared out at Jason for as low as 19 to 59 yen. The term "J-Ochi" was coined because these drinks "fall to Jason," and it has been well received by regular Jason shoppers, so it has been added to our lexicon.

Jason is a great place for finding bargains, and of course, Energy Drink-kun loves Jason too.

What is the Wingslide Cap?

This refers to the slide-type caps typically found on Monster Import drinks, and it seems there isn't an official name for it, so Energy Drink-kun calls it this. Sometimes it's referred to as the "Wingslide," "Wing Cap," or "Slide Cap."

The part where your finger catches is shaped like a wing, and it's a cap that opens by sliding, so it's easy to understand and call it that. Popular drinks with this cap include Monster's import series, Extra Strength, and Burn 500ml.

What is the Energy Drink Swamp?

When I try to recall when the term "Energy Drink Swamp" started being used, I think it began around the summer of 2015, when hardcore energy drink enthusiasts started popping up more. This was when people who loved energy drinks began gradually sinking deeper into the energy drink world. From there, the term "deeply sunk into the energy drink swamp" started to appear in tweets.

The energy drink swamp is a place even deeper than just liking "foreign energy drinks."

People who inhabit the swamp begin to collect different can designs and sizes, find discontinued products, order various flavors to enjoy, and even enjoy drinks that are past their prime.

Our site, "Energy Drink Mania," is the gateway to the energy drink swamp.

What is the Classic Flavor?

As the term "Classic Flavor" suggests, it refers to the type of flavor commonly associated with energy drinks in Japan. The representative examples are the original flavors of Red Bull and Monster Energy. These drinks, and those with similar flavors and scents, have been called "Classic" or "Classic Flavor" since 2013 by "Energy Drink Mania."

Before that, the term "Classic Flavor" wasn't used, so it became easier to express the idea. However, even within the "Classic Flavor" category, there are differences in sweetness, acidity, and aroma, so it's necessary to express the finer details like "The flavor is classic with a moderately sweet and clean aftertaste."

While both Red Bull and Monster Energy are "Classic Flavors," their tastes and aromas are different, so just saying "classic flavor" doesn't convey the specific nuances of sweetness or acidity.

This term was created on "Energy Drink Mania," but we aim to provide detailed flavor descriptions to make it easier for everyone to understand.

What is the Godly Seven?

This refers to "the Godly 7-Eleven," which stocks rare energy drinks that are hard to find in North America or discontinued products.

The term was coined after I found Red Bull, which had already been out of stock in Los Angeles in 2014, in the very last store that had it. I was so amazed that I exclaimed, "Godly Seven!" This term is inspired by AKB's "God 7" and is used by people hunting for energy drinks. Though the AKB "God 7" is now largely forgotten, feel free to use it as a term for energy drink hunters.

What is Hunting?

Hunting refers to searching for rare energy drinks by visiting various stores and collecting them.

In Japan, during the energy drink boom, there were many energy drinks that could only be found in a few stores, and hunting for them was part of the fun.

Nowadays, hunting refers to traveling abroad to search for local energy drinks, especially in the past when stores had old stock of expired energy drinks. In the past, it was exciting to visit numerous stores to hunt for these "pre-expired" drinks. However, now that old stocks are mostly gone, hunting has become more difficult.

What is Room Temperature?

It means exactly what it sounds like, haha.

Drinking energy drinks at room temperature isn't common (it wasn't before), so I thought I'd mention it.

By drinking at room temperature, you can better experience the flavor, so on "Energy Drink Mania," we generally review energy drinks both at room temperature and cold. When you see "room temperature" in a review, it usually means the taste is significantly different or nearly identical to the cold version.

Since around fall 2014, I’ve noticed more people starting to drink energy drinks at room temperature and saying they taste great!

What is Zero-Zero or Zero-Zero Type?

Zero-Zero refers to energy drinks that have zero calories or zero sugar. By using artificial sweeteners, these drinks are able to claim "zero" calories or sugar, and these types of energy drinks are becoming increasingly important in the U.S. market.

Generally, artificial sweeteners are considered unpleasant, thin, or leave a bad aftertaste (though some people actually like the taste of Zero-Zero), but there are now energy drinks like Monster Energy's Ultra Series and the XYIENCE brand that provide excellent drinking satisfaction even with Zero-Zero formulas.

What is Half Sugar?

This is an original term created on "Energy Drink Mania." It refers to drinks that have about half the usual carbohydrate content. For energy drinks around 500ml, those with around 30g of carbohydrates are called "Half Sugar." (Since there's no standard for exactly 100% or 50% content, this term is not widely used outside "Energy Drink Mania.")

These drinks can be made with a lighter, easier-to-drink flavor, and several Half Sugar energy drinks exist in the international market. Some well-known brands have even switched to a Half Sugar formula for their original flavors.

What is Full Sugar?

This is another original term created by "Energy Drink Mania." It refers to energy drinks with typical carbohydrate content. We usually refer to "Full Sugar" when comparing with Zero Sugar or Half Sugar drinks. For a 500ml energy drink, Full Sugar products contain about 60g of carbohydrates. (Since there is no absolute standard for 100% or 50% content, this term is not used widely outside "Energy Drink Mania.")

If a 500ml drink exceeds 70g of carbohydrates, it can be considered high in carbs. Energy drinks sold in Southeast Asia tend to be higher in carbohydrates, and the STING Energy Drink Series, previously sold in Japan, was notorious for its extremely high carbohydrate content (over 90g for 500ml), making it way too sweet to finish.

What is Phantom?

The term "Phantom" became popular around 2015, when sellers on Yahoo Auctions were exaggerating listings for Monster Energy that appeared to have been released from military bases. These were marketed as "phantoms," even though they were only sold for about $1 in actual markets, creating an inflated perception of value in Japan.

The most famous examples are M-100 Phantom and M-100 Ghost.

Now, this term is used to shout "Phantom~!!" in response to overpriced auction listings or resellers who artificially inflate prices on hard-to-find products.

What is Mogu-Mogu Texture?

Mogu-Mogu texture refers to a rich and full-bodied flavor in an energy drink, one that makes it feel like you're eating something, even though you're drinking. The most notable example of this texture is found in Monster Energy Original.

For those who have been following "Energy Drink Mania" from the start, this term may feel natural, but if you're wondering what "Mogu-Mogu" feels like, drinking Monster Energy Original should give you an idea of this unique texture.

By the way, we also rate the level of Mogu-Mogu texture in our reviews, and you can check the criteria for these ratings here.

What is a Rare Can?

A rare can is simply a can that's hard to find. Before 2014, energy drink collecting wasn't a widespread hobby in Japan, and rare cans were almost unknown.

In "Energy Drink Mania," the definition of a rare can aligns with the global standard: the rarest are those not sold to the public or released as promotional items, followed by discontinued products, and finally limited edition cans (currently on sale).

Even if a limited edition or non-sale item appears on the market, if it’s mass-market available, it shouldn't be considered rare, so be wary of resellers’ exaggerated claims.