Monster Lunch: Canned Godzilla Meat

T O K Y O, June 14 -- Japan's best-known monster, Godzilla, is coming to stores soon — canned.

"Godzilla Meat," actually 3.5 ounces of corned beef from Tokyotoy maker Takara Co., is packaged with pictures of the stomping,fire-breathing, irradiated dinosaur made famous by Toho movies thatstarted coming out in the 1950s.

Eat Godzilla, Be Energetic & Powerful

"People can eat Godzilla and become energetic and powerful.It's got dreams mixed in with fun," Takara spokeswoman YokoWatanabe said Tuesday. "It's like Popeye and his can of spinach." The cans, slated to appear in Japanese stores in October, willsell for $4.75, Takara said. There are no plans so far to export Godzilla Meat, according toTakara, the maker of the Transformers toys.

Eat Other Monsters, Too

Also planned for sale in Japan this fall are Godzilla Eggs, acan of about 15 quail eggs, and Rodan Meat, canned barbecuedchicken named after the winged monster. Takara also plans to sell King Ghidora Meat, but buyers willfind the taste of the three-headed dragon-like creature suspiciouslylike Godzilla Meat — it's the same corned beef inside.