Real Gold

Flavor of the Original Energy Drink with Sweet Chemical Taste

Real Gold shines in golden hues. Unlike Red Bull or Monster Energy, it has a bright, transparent fluorescent yellow glow.

When you take a sip, a sweet chemical flavor spreads, offering a classic taste of the old-school carbonated nutritional drink.

The sweetness is particularly noticeable, designed to make a bitter nutritional drink more palatable for children. It's sweet, but with an aftertaste reminiscent of medicine, giving you the sense that it will give you energy.

Real Gold is characterized by its sweetness, and unlike similar traditional Japanese carbonated nutritional drinks like Oronamin C, it doesn't offer the same refreshing sensation. While it comes in a 300ml bottle can, sizes around 160ml or 190ml are more ideal for enjoying it at its best.

I remember thinking as a child that drinking too much Real Gold might do something crazy to me (*´艸｀*). Released in 1981, it has now been a super long-selling product for 40 years.

Energy Ingredients of Real Gold

It contains no caffeine. It includes a daily dose of Vitamin C, royal jelly, ginseng, phenylalanine, isoleucine, threonine, and other amino acids.

Real Gold does not use any artificial coloring, and the golden color inside is actually the natural color of Vitamin B2. I hadn't paid attention to this small note until I saw it in a review. I wondered if the yellow wasn't too bright or intense because of B2's natural color. Other energy drinks contain B2 but add coloring to make the yellow more intense.

Design of Real Gold

The golden color inside, the bubbles of carbonation, and the red combination make up the current theme color of Real Gold, with a lightning symbol as its signature mark.

Since the "energy drink" label was added, Real Gold has had various campaign cans. There were once limited-edition cans released for line campaigns.

Collaboration Design Cans

Collaboration with Weekly Sunday (March 15, 2021)

Released on March 15, 2021, collaboration cans with Weekly Sunday.

The designs featured "Touch," "Today I’m a Hero!!," "Hayate the Combat Butler," and "Ushio & Tora," with four different designs, plus a 300ml bottle can. The 190ml cans came with two designs per case.

Second Collaboration with Weekly Sunday (March 15, 2021)

Released on July 26, 2021, another collaboration with Weekly Sunday.

This time, the designs featured "Touch," "Today I’m a Hero!!," "Inuyasha," and "MAJOR," with four new designs. Once again, there were two designs per case.

Second Collaboration with "Jujutsu Kaisen" (January 24, 2022)

Released on January 24, 2022, collaboration with "Jujutsu Kaisen."

Although you often see it in Coca-Cola, this was the first time Real Gold came in a 260ml slim bottle can. Two different designs were released, with the front and back featuring different designs.

Collaboration with "NARUTO" and "BORUTO" (July 25, 2022)

Released on July 25, 2022, collaboration with "NARUTO" and "BORUTO."

A total of eight different designs were released, with two designs per case. The number of designs doubled, making it even more fun to collect and check the designs in stores.

Collaboration with "Kinnikuman" (March 27, 2023)

Released on March 27, 2023, collaboration with "Kinnikuman."

This time, there were eight designs released again, making it challenging to collect them all. As with the previous release, it was fun to hunt for them in stores at the right time.

Second Collaboration with "Kinnikuman" (July 24, 2023)

Released on July 24, 2023, the second collaboration with "Kinnikuman." It seems the collaboration with a more nostalgic appeal for older fans was well received.

As with the previous release, eight design cans were launched, and due to supply chain issues, it took nearly three months to collect them all.

Let's Take a Look at the Historical Designs of Real Gold

Old Design of Real Gold

On the left is Real Gold before overseas energy drink brands arrived in Japan.

Back then, there was no mention of caffeine, as it was considered dangerous. Now, the label proudly states "caffeine-free." It's interesting to note how small annotations have changed over time.

Real Gold During the "Energy Drink" Era

Let's now compare the design from the "Energy Drink" era with the more recent ones.

In the "Energy Drink" era, the carbonation bubbles are emphasized, and the red and gold combination feels complete. While I like the red and gold, the orange lightning bolt gives a slightly cheap impression.

The ingredients are almost the same, but Vitamin C has increased, and now the label proudly claims, "One Day's Worth of Vitamin C."

While the new energy drink formula no longer highlights "asparaginic acid," both new and old versions still contain the same amount.

Real Gold is a classic energy drink from Japan that anyone can enjoy, regardless of age, and with its 40-year history, it continues to be a beloved brand. Recently, the Real Gold series has released various energy drink products, so it’s worth keeping an eye on them.

Everyone's Real Gold taste and ingredient opinions and ratings

ひなた ：2022年10月 5日

★★★★★

昔からあるリアルゴールド。
子供の頃からよく飲んでます。
味も美味しいし何よりノンカフェイン。
飲むと元気になる気がします。

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