Kara Dennison
October 4, 2021 
Are you hungry? No? Well get hungry, because it’s National Taco Day. Today we pay tribute to that delicious hand-held dish we’ve loved all our lives. Whether fast food, upscale, or homemade, the versatile food is beloved by kids, grown-ups, and starving college students alike.
Now that we’ve had our celebratory tacos (chicken with corn salsa, thank you), we’re looking to the world of anime for more ways to observe the day. Join us, won’t you?
Krillin’s Straightforward Shirt
Everyone’s favorite mini-monk from the Dragon Ball franchise is living his best life. He’s powerful as all heck, he’s married to Android 18, and he’s got a cool shirt. It seems appropriate for National Taco Day… but is it really?
There’s no official reason given for why Krillin sports this shirt. The general consensus is that it’s a reference to tako (lit. “octopus”) being a slang term for bald people, in reference to his former shaved head. Others speculate it’s a nod to the show’s active Mexican fan base (though this would be an odd way to show it). Others still think it’s just a random English word on shirt — which happens.
Or maybe the guy just likes tacos.
This Tiny Taco-Powered Mahjong Player
Saki is already a pretty wild series before you even get to the characters. Technically a sports anime, this mahjong-centric series follows an ever-growing group of cute high school girls as they take to the tiles for battle. Amongst the blushy-kneed heroines is Yuuki Kataoka, for whom National Taco Day is probably some sort of religious observance.
The Kiyosumi High player (low intelligence, high potential) requires tacos to function. Apparently food that sounds the same, like octopus, will also do. But she has a clear preference. What happens if she runs out of taco power? Apparently, she’ll “no longer be able to maintain her human form.” Same, Yuuki, same.
This Anime Short Made by Taco Bell
After KFC made a dating sim, this was pretty much the next step. Taco Bell’s Fry Force was a minute-long… well, let’s be real. It’s a commercial. And yeah, it’s a commercial for nacho fries. But considering the establishment is known primarily for tacos and their many variants, it’s still National Taco Day relevant.
The short pulls inspiration from Gundam, Evangelion, Gurren Lagann, and Pacific Rim. (You can also hear a Godzilla screech if you listen carefully.) Apparently whenever their nacho fries come out of the vault, horrifying kaiju come with them. This is some wild fast food deep lore: the idea that fan favorites go on and off sale because they bring unspeakable horrors with them. Heaven only knows what pumpkin spice season will bring down on us, if that’s the case.
Be sure to check your local eateries for deals today!
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