The Month of Gyokuro and Anime Intensity
Dear Comrades of the Cup,
September’s tea is inspired by the purest expression of emotional meltdown ever animated: Tanjiro Kamado, exhausted and starving, slamming face-first into the dirt while crying, “And I want high-quality gyokuro tea!”
For those who need a refresher: this happens during the Swordsmith Village Arc, when young Kotetsu refuses to feed Tanjiro until he manages to land a hit on a six-armed training doll. The tea request? Absolutely unhinged. But also? Deeply relatable. Yes, this is timed with the release of Infinity Castle. Yes, we are absolutely those people now. And yes—Alicia still hasn’t watched Demon Slayer. (Yes, Alicia. We love her, but she still hasn’t watched Demon Slayer, and at this point, it’s starting to feel personal.)
Tea of the Month: Tealyra Gyokuro Kokyu Premium
This month, we’re sipping the very tea Tanjiro longed for through tears and trauma: Gyokuro. A shade-grown, umami-rich Japanese green tea that’s smooth, savory, and slightly sweet in the way that only high-quality green tea can be. We’re drinking Tealyra’s Kokyu Premium, wrapped in pyramid-style sachets that feel worthy of their own anime transformation sequence.
Best enjoyed in a moment of quiet… or while rage-chomping rice balls and pickled plums in full solidarity with Tanjiro. I discovered this tea solely because I needed to know what could possibly drive someone to shout it mid-breakdown. And now, you get to join me in that enlightenment.
So steep with honor. Sip with pride. And if you hear a distant voice yelling, ‘Tasty,’ that’s just the spirit of Tanjiro reminding you to appreciate your tea—and your snacks.
In anime-fueled serenity,