Seven-Eleven Japan has released quite possibly the most unsettling item in konbini history.

At first glance it's just fish tied to a popular movie. The “Red Perch Boiled In Soy Sauce” dish doesn't seem too crazy when placed in the chain's heat-and-eat seafood section. It's part of Seven-Eleven's ongoing promotion supporting the hit Chiikawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island movie now in theaters. Maybe a bit of a strange choice, but then you look at the other offerings available and you think "well, it probably is just tied to the film, like how a lot of these are tropical because those cute guys are on an island!"

That's true...but the actual content of the film takes this somewhere much heavier. I will not be spoiling a movie in a review of convenience store food, but what this dish is meant to stand in from the movie represents something much more emotionally complicated and central to Chiikawa's emotional oomph. It's also...well, you really start thinking someone at the chain was trolling fans with this one, or at least pulling a big trick.

But how does it taste? Pretty good, if you can get past the plot-related guilt! Seven-Eleven's fish is a surprisingly good choice for a small meal, and this red perch gets a nice dash of sweetness via the soy sauce flavor. I'd recommend enjoying it with a bit of rice...and before sitting down to watch the Chiikawa movie.