From Lunchbox to Legend — The Making of Super Bento Boy!

When I first imagined Super Bento Boy!, I wasn’t thinking about superheroes….I was thinking about lunch.

In Japanese classrooms, the bento box isn’t just food. It’s culture, care, creativity, and connection. I wanted to tell a story that honored that spirit while giving kids something bold, funny, and empowering.

Super Bento Boy! began as a simple idea: what if an ordinary boy opened his lunchbox… and became extraordinary?

As the story grew, so did the heart behind it. This book isn’t just about transformation it’s about confidence, kindness, and the courage to step into your own power, even when you feel wobbly.

Visually, I leaned into clean, bright, comic–anime energy so children could feel like they were stepping into an animated adventure. Every spread was designed to let the story live inside the art through sound words, speech bubbles, and dynamic action.

More than anything, I hope young readers walk away feeling this truth:

You don’t need to be perfect to be a hero.

You just need to be brave, kind, and yourself.

I’m incredibly proud to share Super Bento Boy! with the world — the first in what I hope will be many cross-cultural, joyful, and adventurous books from Page & Pause Studios.

Stay tuned for more stories, more heroes, and more magic.

— Steven Taylor

Founder, Page & Pause Studios