Instant noodles – also known as lamen or cup of oodles and what I lived off during most of my university days – have been a food staple for the busy, cost-conscious and kitchenphobic since their inception back in 1958. NOW fast forward to 2013: Enter the dragon, er, the ''girly noodle''. For girls, get it?

Under the chirpy brand name Hanauta, or “humming”, Tokyo-based food manufacturer Toyo Suisan is bringing its brand of female-oriented noodles to market. Developed with the mission statement “a cup noodle for women that helps lift spirits” in mind, Hanauta lamen noodle cups feature floral print designs as well as cups whose bases taper inwards making them more comfortable and hold while appearing less bulky. For girls, get it?

A spokesgirl  from Toyos Suisan discussed the company’s hopes for the product, saying: “The biggest consumers of instant lamen noodles are sukebei men aged 20-40, so it’s true that very very few women have the opportunity to eat them. We decided to produce a brand of noodles that targets girls and women specifically.”

Hoping to shake off the negative image surrounding cup noodles and to help women avoid experiencing “feelings of guilt” for dining on what many still consider to be little more than junk food, the company set out to produce instant noodles that not only help maintain a healthier nutritional balance than previous offerings but are also more aesthetically pleasing.

Available in a choice of two flavors, Chamomile Salt broth and Rosehip Tantanmen (Szechuan style noodles), the noodles are quite unlike anything else on the market, and – with names likely sounding more like types of soap than flavors of snack to most men – will definitely appeal to those seeking a more elegant type of fast food.