Japan has some really delicious puddings to choose from, including some handed out by a giant furry cat. So it can take a bit to stand out.

That hasn't been a problem for Bocca Creme Brulee, a dessert that has attained viral popularity among sweets fans and national TV attention. The treat consists of perfectly spherical servings of pudding wrapped in balloons. Once the balloon in popped with a toothpick, the pudding pours out while maintaining its ball-like shape (although this doesn't always go according to plan).

Right now the net is buzzing about the pudding for a bit of a different reason, however--a mystery on its packaging, to be precise.

Twitter user Enoki(@EnokiMiso)recently called attention to the the set of manga-style instructions on the tube the balloon pudding comes in. Steps 1-3 show pictures and accompanying text of how to enjoy the pudding (place the pudding on a plate, pop it's balloon, remove the rubber, and season with the packaged caramel crunch to your liking), none of which are out of the ordinary.

Enoki shared a photo with the caption, "what is going on in that first panel?" and very many seem to feel the same--take a look:

Source: @EnokiMiso

The first panel depicts a short-haired woman in a kimono holding the product and thinking of another woman with long hair.

There is no dialogue, and the image moves directly to a panel explaining how to take out the product and eat it. Enoki's sentiment of confusion has been shared by a large number of people, with many hypothesizing who the unexplained mystery woman is, and even giving the two a backstory:

"Maybe she's thinking of someone she wants to buy this as a souvenir for?"

"You stab these puddings, so maybe she's plotting something against this woman..."

"Maybe she thinks if she eats the pudding, her hair will grow longer."

"It's gotta be someone she doesn't like."

"It's her friend she wants to share them with."

"This is such a mystery, I can't help but wonder what it all means."

Seeking an answer to the mystery, we got in touch with a representative of Bocca, who makes the pudding.

The representative, Nakatsuka, told us that "Creme Brulee is a dessert from France...so we'd like you to imagine that the woman wearing a kimono is thinking of her friend who lives a long distance away in France."

They also said that the company looks at people imagining different scenarios, person to person, as part of a way to enjoy the product--which is why each different flavor contains a different manga.

So while that's one way to solve this internet pudding mystery, it sounds like you're more than free to pen your own ending.


By - grape Japan editorial staff.