Anime Spotlight: Food Wars! (Shokugeki no Soma)

Hello Blerds and Nerds! I want start off by asking, WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS!?!? I have heard about Food Wars but no one ever really told me about the actual show. I literally knew nothing at all and I’m pretty hurt by this. My friends who watch anime know I LOVE to cook and they didn’t think I was worthy enough to know about a legitimate COOKING ANIME!

How friends look at me knowing they didn’t tell me about Food Wars

Food Wars is essentially about what it sounds like…Food Wars. It follows the story of Yukihira Soma and his quest to best his father at cooking and take over their neighborhood diner. His father issues a challenge to Soma to survive an elite culinary school, “Totsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy” (that his father is a graduate of). In the Academy, the best chefs are promoted to seats on the “Elite Ten”, a council of the most promising students. Learning that his father was not only a student of Totsuki, but also the second seat in the Elite Ten; Soma plans on becoming the best at the academy. Students can initiate a “Shokugeki” (basically Food War…see how that works?) with any other student or alumni; a cooking fight with stipulations on the line. Battles fought in this way could be for cooking utensils, elite ten membership, or even expulsion from the school. (Source)

Get ready to du-du-du….wait wrong anime

I started watching this anime randomly last week and I learned that the first episode is not safe for work at all. I seriously didn’t expect clothes to come off when a character tried delicious food (which happens alot!). But I got hooked to the detail that was taken in featuring food and different recipes. This is probably one of the most creative anime series I have watched in a long time. It really made me think about becoming a chef myself since I enjoy cooking already but I also don’t like school so…I’ll be a home chef instead.

Hmmmm…animated food

In all seriousness, this is a great anime series.  The plot is solid and linear. There is decent character delevopment (except Soma when he is oblivious to women liking him). If you can get around the random clothes flying off when food is tasted and the over dramatic dialogue sometimes, you will actually learn something about food. Yes I know this is an anime and fictional but you really learn about different types of cooking and how some ingredients go together and why they do. Something as simple as a beef stew will teach you about how spices being added will enhance the flavor of the dish.

I have just finished the second season of Food Wars and I haven’t stopped watching. I want to watch it at work but you know…work. If you haven’t watched this anime yet and you love food, watch this. Don’t start watching it at work though…your boss may find it weird that your watching a show where animated clothes fly off when great food is eaten. The story, the characters, the animation all mesh together to create a likable and fun show with a decent amount of fan service. Check it out on Crunchyroll or Hulu. It’s up to season 3 and I’m hoping it continues!

Have you seen Food Wars? If so, how did you like it? Let me know about it in the comments! Until next time, Nerd out!

*cues Migos “Stir Fry”

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