Anime Review: Food Wars! Shokugeki no Souma

Japanese animes have made a mark for themselves with vibrant visuals and compelling storylines and genres catering to a wide audience. Whether you're a fan of heart-pounding action, heartfelt romance, or mind-bending fantasy, Japanese anime offers a canvas of creativity where each frame tells a story waiting to be discovered.

Today I'm going to talk about a unique genre of anime- Gourmet or Food anime and one of the most popular shows of this- Food Wars! Shokugeki no Souma. Behold your seats because this anime is going to blow your tastebuds off the roof!

Souma's Culinary Adventures

Souma Yukihira is middle school student working happily with his father Joichiro Yukihira in his family owned Yukihira Diner when he is abruptly sent off to the prestigious culinary school of Japan- the Tohtsuki Culinary Academy as a transfer student. Intially reluctant, Souma learns that although he is an exceptional cook, there are people who are just as good and talented.

He takes this enrollment as a chance to improve and become a better cook to one day defeat his father from whom he's lost 400+ times in cooking battles or shokugeki and to become the top student.

Life at Tohtsuki

At Tohtsuki, he meets lots of people who become his trustworthy friends. But what's interesting is the cut-throat competition at the Academy. Shokugekis are organized now and then between students and the curriculum helps not only weed out the undeserving students, but helps propel good ones to new heights.

Cooking becomes a spectator sport in this anime. The delicate and realistic visuals, the descriptive aromas and textures and the expression of taste makes viewers (including us) yearn for a bite. You need to brace yourself as Shokugeki no Souma takes no break from cooking. A world of gourmet is introduced in its full form letting you explore cuisines, dishes, cooking styles and techniques. Each and every episode is filled with new challenges, thrill and anticipation.

But is it just an anime cooking competition?

While the show is based on cooking and competition, it is not just it. Through these cooking battles, the nuances of life and given life lessons are shown. Here are some of the themes the anime explores:

Friendship

One of the crucial themes is friendship and how friends help a person grow. Souma's friendship with Megumi gave her self-esteem and confidence. His friendship-rivalry with Takumi pushed both of them to achieve great skills. The friendship of everyone at Polar Star Dormitory became a binding agent in individual or team battles and a source of encouragement and support.

Parenthood

We see Souma being a great chef and person due to his father's relentless and fun way of teaching or his mother's unique and mostly weird style. On the other hand, other characters are too influenced by how their interactions with their parents was in childhood. Erina Nakiri's cold and refined attitude towards people and food was how her father nurtured her God Tongue gift.

Creativity & Imagination

The power of creativity and unbound imagination is what takes Souma to the top. His unique cooking style and eccentric ideas might sound and look weird but they're loved and acknowledged by all. Not only him but every other character finds their own inspiration through creative liberation.

Caution: while this show is exceptional in its storyline, there is explicit and at times quite sexual visuals in the show. Known as "fan service", these parts are added as a way to please the audience. In Shokugeki no Souma, disrobing, clothes tearing off and moans of pleasure from foodgasm are expressed in audio-video way. Not something you might feel comfortable watching in front of people.

My Review

Shokugeki no Souma is a fantastic anime mixing shonen, slice of life and gourmet genres together brilliantly. The heroes are handsome and cute, the heroines are smart and empowered and animation is beyond eye-catching.

Plot and Characters: well established plot line with immersive experience of the reader into the fictional world. Certain techniques of cooking do seem imaginative though. The characters are enjoyable, diverse and have their own unique quirks and traits.

Visuals: amazing. Especially the food is shown as realistic (although a bit dramatic in presentation and impact within the anime). The way of cooking sometimes is exaggerated.

Themes and Emotional Impact: as evident from the previous section, the anime addresses important and realistic themes throughout. It's relatable and touching. As a viewer I could feel the distress, urgency, frustration etc. which was intended.

Overall Enjoyment: although it is engaging throughout with the storyline up till the end, after season 4 I did start to feel sort of bored. This boredom quickly passed as I got into the plot of season 5. But it tends to get a bit monotonous with all the constant cooking and battles. However, the battles are pretty unpredictable which keeps it interesting.

Bonus! You can find recipes of dishes made in this anime online! An amazing thing as long as you have the relevant ingredients. Find them here on Shokugeki no Soma Wiki.

I'd rate it a solid 4.5/5!