RAIZIN (All 12 Flavors) Reviewes

Representative Works of the Energy Drink Boom

The energy drink that perfectly represents the image of Japanese energy drinks is Raizin. Initially released as "RAIZIN JAPAN," it was actually a product from Taisho Pharmaceutical. In other words, it was the pioneering energy drink launched by a major Japanese corporation.

The first version of Raizin was known for its strong ginger flavor, making it a spicy and nearly undrinkable nutritional drink. From there, they released the limited-edition Raizin Cool, which featured a strong menthol freshness. Eventually, the series evolved into the more popular 250ml Raizin, which had a more balanced flavor with less spice.

Raizin was one of the early products during the dawn of the energy drink era, where the taste was strongly reminiscent of a functional drink, with the "effectiveness" being the key impression.

Renewed Release by Taisho Pharmaceutical, but Production Discontinued Despite High Expectations

After the redesign into a 250ml can, both the can's design and the flavor were revamped. The product became more colorful and its flavor range expanded. However, despite these improvements, the energy drink was eventually discontinued. It was especially disappointing because Taisho Pharmaceutical was one of the biggest domestic manufacturers of energy drinks.

Currently, the product is sold as a high-priced carbonated beverage in a small can with no reference to it being an "energy drink." With the removal of the "energy drink" label, it no longer qualifies as an energy drink, and we have stopped featuring it on our "Energy Drink Mania" site.