Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast

Posted on July 19, 2022 | Last updated February 8, 2025

Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast
Released on July 19, 2022, this is the third time the Red Bull Blue Edition has been launched in Japan, and it features a new flavor. It might be a bit hard to understand, but Japan has had the Blue Edition released three times now Σ(´∀｀；)

As you can tell by the can color, unlike the overseas Blue Edition with blueberry flavor, this version is a lychee flavor unique to Japan. Let’s dive in and see how they’ve captured the lychee taste.

Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast

Manufacturer	Red Bull
Country of Origin	switzerland
Price	190 JPY
Flavor	Litchi
Total rating	★★★☆☆

Features and recommendations for Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast

爽やかで優しい甘味のライチ味

Author information Author: Energy Drink-kun

In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 8,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.

Flavor of Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast

Upon opening, a sweet lychee fragrance spreads out. The drink has a cloudy white color, typical of lychee-based beverages. The fragrance and color make it easy to imagine the taste.
Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast Taste
When I take a sip, I get a faintly sweet and sour lychee flavor. It has a smooth sweetness that doesn't linger too long and a gentle acidity that adds a nice touch to the overall flavor.

Lychee itself isn't particularly strong in flavor, so this may differ from the rich and bold flavors typically expected from Japanese energy drinks. While there's no need to overly process the lychee flavor for an energy drink, this Blue Edition might be considered, for better or worse, a bit too ordinary in taste.

Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast Taste
This kind of flavor is nice to enjoy cold for a solid sweetness, but personally, I prefer it with ice to enhance the refreshing feel and enjoy the lychee aroma.

Red Bull Japan often releases similar flavors, like the White Peach in the White Edition, the Mangosteen flavor in the Ruby Edition, and now this lychee flavor in the Blue Edition. It seems like they tend to push these refreshing flavors.

Energy Ingredients of Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast

Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast Ingredients
It contains 80mg of caffeine and 300mg of arginine, which are standard energy ingredients for Red Bull. There are no special ingredients unique to the Blue Edition, and like previous editions, it contains no fruit juice.

Design of Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast

Red Bull Blue Edition Ocean Blast Design
The new summer release comes in a bright turquoise blue. The matte texture gives it a refined look. This turquoise blue is unique to Japan for the Blue Edition.

Let’s take a look at the three different Blue Editions released in Japan.
Red Bull Blue Edition Past Versions in Japan
The globally recognized Blue Edition released in Japan in the past included the first blueberry flavor in 2014 and the second Japanese-exclusive grape flavor in 2015. This lychee-flavored Ocean Blast is the third version of the Blue Edition.

The color is a bit too bright to be considered typical Blue Edition.

Even Red Bull officially calls it "New light blue Red Bull!", but "Light Blue Edition" would be too long, so this is probably the best choice. Perhaps "Ocean Edition" might have been a better name?

September 2023, Flavor Name "Lychee Flavor" Clarified

In September 2023, the product name "Ocean Blast" on the front of the can was discontinued, and the flavor name "Lychee Flavor" was clearly labeled instead.

Typically, the flavor name should be clearly stated on the front of the can, which is the global standard. However, Japan had the product name, which wasn’t related to the flavor. This change was made in September 2023, in line with the Purple Edition's shift to being a regular store item, resulting in the change to flavor names for other existing products.

Given the feedback about the unclear product names in other reviews, I think this more straightforward labeling is a good change.

Common Points with Past Red Bull Overseas Products

Red Bull Blue Edition Worldwide Comparison
Incidentally, the product name "Ocean Blast," which evokes the image of summer at the sea, is similar to the 2019 seasonal limited summer edition’s name, "Beach Blend" and "Beach Breeze". These are part of the global summer-themed product lineup, following a similar naming convention.

Although the flavor of the overseas 2019 summer edition had a slight coconut flavor and was tropical with a sunscreen and air freshener taste, unlike Japan’s Ocean Blast, the can design and product name have similarities with this Japanese Blue Edition.
Overseas Summer Limited Edition
The beautiful ocean blue, with its white lychee flavor, makes the "Blue Edition" yet another uniquely Japanese product. However, it also resembles the color of the 2019 Summer Edition released worldwide, which might cause some confusion. Personally, I would prefer to see a more globally recognized flavor with a clearer product name, rather than following the Japanese-exclusive route.