NOTE: This post contains minor spoilers for Boku no Hero Academia, centered around Mr. Compress and his history. I tried to avoid any other potential spoilers as much as possible.
It has been quite a while since my last post. To make up for my hiatus, I am posting two Character Cocktails with a twist: these drinks are made for the characters I cosplay. Hence, “Cosplay Cocktails”. I developed both this villain’s drink and the Hinokami (for the heroic Kamado Tanjirō) with Elie Thawn of Symposiia when I went to visit a few months ago.
The Character: Sako Atsuhiro | Mr. Compress
さこあつひろ English Dub: Atsuhiro Sako
迫 圧 紘
Sako Atsuhiro, better known as Mr. Compress, is a member of the League of Villains (LOV) in Boku no Hero Academia. His quirk, Compress, allows him to shrink down anything he touches into a small marble without actually damaging it. He is the great-great-grandson of one of the three most infamous villains in BNHA’s history (the other two being All for One and Destro): The Peerless Thief, Harima Oji, also known as ‘The Bandit King’. He inherited his ancestor’s Robin Hood-like philosophy, becoming a thief—and ultimately joining the LOV—in order to fight against corruption and expose the injustices of hero society.
Mr. Compress was an entertainer before turning to a life of crime, and his showmanship is apparent through the magician persona he adopts. Despite his flashy, borderline-arrogant theatrics, he is a capable and resourceful villain who is highly proficient and creative in the use of his quirk. He is smart, agile, and foxy, as well as skilled in both espionage and escape artistry. He thrives in a supporting “brains of the operation” role but can also act efficiently on his own. He is also a mentor-like figure and a voice of reason for the younger members of the League.
Compress is one of the characters I most identify with in BNHA. I tend to “kin” the theatrical, magical villains—the ones who are there for a good time and/or a justifiable reason. They’re not always the most intimidating, but they are highly competent and are terrifying because they chose villainy. I debuted my ‘Madam’ Compress cosplay at New York Comic Con this past October; she also made an appearance at AnimeNYC in November.
photographer: Allison Stock
The Cocktail: Harima
Named for Mr. Compress’s infamous ancestor, the Harima is the perfect drink for winding down after a successful hard day’s work of flashy villainy. Gin combines with bittersweet Aperol and luscious sparkling red wine to create this theatrical cocktail. With a dash of aromatic bitters for complexity, a ‘marble’ of berry sorbet for tartness, and a rosemary sprig for herbaceousness, this is the type of drink Atsuhiro would sip on as he observes the unfolding chaos caused by the League of Villains. The ingredients for this drink are not incredibly accessible, but we’re villains who wear top hats and bright colors, we’re not here to be heroes.
Ingredients
1 oz gin (we used ROKU Gin)
1 oz Aperol
1 dash aromatic bitters
“Melon ball” of berry sorbet (we used Talenti strawberry hibiscus sorbetto, but raspberry works well, too)
dry sparkling red wine, to top, approx. 2-3 oz. (I recommend a sparkling shiraz like The Chook, but a dry Lambrusco would work as well)
Rosemary sprig, for garnish
Tools
Coupe glass
Melon baller or a round measuring spoon
Jigger
Preparation
Use a melon ball or a round measuring spoon to place a sphere of berry sorbet into the bottom of a coupe glass.
Add bitters, gin, and aperol. Top with dry sparkling red wine.
Use a rosemary sprig to gently stir, then leave it in the glass as a garnish.
Enjoy responsibly.
You can watch Boku no Hero Academia on Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Funimation.
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