32 Creative and Interesting Bento Boxes

For most Japanese mothers, lunch is not just simple food preparation and packing meals for their love ones, they spend their time arranging the meal in aesthetically pleasing way. These lunch boxes are known as “Bento.”

Bento is a Japanese word for a meal served in a box. In history, bento is a packed Japanese lunch box, same idea to, the Korean dosirak, Filipino baon, or the Indian tiffin lunch. Today, they are a vibrant art form admired around the world.

If you’re interested on creating one for yourself or for your love ones, there are plenty of garnishes and interesting side dishes for your bento. A basic Bento is only divided into 2 parts: half of the lunch box is filled with rice, the other half is filled with a range of complementary foods, such as eggs, vegetables, meat or fish.

Below you’ll see some of well-designed Bento that goes beyond the basic Bento preparation.

Harvest Bento

A well-designed bento that looks like the Sun Maid Raisin girl.

Source: Sakurako Kitsa

I Wanna Rock & Roll All Nite

This was made by Susan Yuen. She chose Gene Simmons of the popular band, KISS

Source: Susanyuen

Lovely Bento

Yaoi is one of Ramachan’s favorite manga. Yaoi is a Japanese word, which is in fact its an acronym. It comes from “Yama nashi, Ochi nashi, Imi nashi”, which means “no climax, no point, no meaning”.

Source: Ramachan

Camping Bento

Perfect lunchbox for adventurous people specially going camping bento.

Source: Lillergy

Meta Knight bento

This Meta Knight bento was made of a rice ball with plastic wrap, and Anna put some seasoned seaweed inside. Meta Knight is dark blue with a gray mask, so I put ground black sesame seeds around the bottom half on the side of rice ball for the blue part.

Source: AnnaTheRed

Sony Playstation

A bento made by a gamer.

Source: Markpascua

Star Wars Bento

A star wars-inspired bento showing the planet Tatooine’s twin suns, Tatoo I and Tatoo II.

Source: Vingt Deux

Spidery Monster Bento

MisterMan, as the creator call it, gets a salmon salad sandwich on whole wheat thin with lettuce and cheddar. Guarding it is fanged tomato spider with baby carrot legs.

Source: Sherimiya

Starbucks Bento

Starbucks’ marketing department can borrow this idea for their future print advertisement.

Source: Ricoco

Kanda Bento

Here’s another anime-based bento design. This is the face of Yuu Kanda, one of the best D.Gray-man character.

Source: S-in-C

Ouendan Monkey Magic Bento

This is from the Monkey Magic segment of the sequel to the Nintendo DS game Osu.

Source: Kickintheheadcomic

Lost Bento

A Bento made by an avid viewer of popular TV series, LOST.

Source: Aibento

Nekobus Bento

Anna truly made an art out of frozen meatballs, broccoli, egg, cheese, snowpeas, asparagus and seaweeds.

Source: AnnaTheRed

Geisha Bento

In all the Bento design listed here, this one is really unique. It’s like a sculpture placed inside a bento box.

Source: Sakurako Kitsa

Konata Bento

This is Konata from Lucky Star Anime Series.

Source: KandiKawaii

Koi Pond Bento

Cathryn explains that he stones surrounding the pool are soy-braised button, bunashimeji (beech), and tiny enoki mushrooms. The Koi are kamaboko with red bell pepper and nori details.

Source: Cathryn3

Bioshock Big Daddy

Here’s another game-based Bento. Meet Bioshack Big Daddy and the little Sister.

Source: Kickintheheadcomic

Mokona Bento

Mokona is the pen name of the lead artist of the all-female manga-creating team Clamp. Mokona here is made of a giant rice ball

Source: Nikoleart

Power Puff Girls

Fans of power puff girls will surely love this.

Source: Luckysundae

House of Bento

This house looks yummy from the outside. I wonder what’s the inside.

Source: Lillergy

Goju Ryu Suparinpei Bento

The Karate girl is made of mozzarella, smoked ham and nori. The backgraound is made of mushrooms, green onions, mozzarella, pepperoni and turkey.

Source:

Frog Bento

Awesome tree frog sculpture.

Source: Sakurako Kitsa

The Oz-Man Cometh

Another excellent artwork by Susan Yuen.

Source: Susan Yuen

Bento of Super Smash Bros.

Featuring Pikachu and Mr. Game & Watch!

Source: Kickintheheadcomic

Spongebob Bento

Spongebob is made of a whole grain bread with mortadella and cheese.

Source: Lovebones

Death Note Bento

Death Note is another popular Japanese manga/anime series.

Source: Kickintheheadcomic

Phoenix Suns Bento

Kawaiikiki made a bento about her favorite NBA team, the Phoenix Suns.

Source: Kawaiikiki

Spring Picnic Bento

This is an entry bento design by Laura for the Spring Contest sponsored by Bento & Co.

Source: Laura Bento

Wallace and Gromit Bento

Wallace and Gromit is one of the creator’s favorite British animated films. Susan use rice stuffed with barbeque chicken to create Wallace and kamaboko for his eyes and teeth.

Source: Susan Yuen

Sea Bento

Ironically, there’s no seafood in this bento.

Source: Liloaznangel

Patapon Bento

Patapon is a rhythm game for PSP. You push the buttons to make the Patapons march, attack and defend from enemy.

Source: Kickintheheadcomic

Xmas Bento

Kids will surely love this even though it’s not Christmas season yet.

Source: Nonochan