Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma

Sorry everyone, I honestly don't know why this show is so highly ranked as it is. Shokugeki no Souma is a train wreck. And when I say this I don't say it lightly - what started out glowing with great potential came crashing and burning once the show got a little over half-way into the season. The biggest and most saddening part of Shokugeki is the very poor (or lack of) character development. By throwing way too many characters into the mix, there is simply not enough screen time for most of the main characters. The only person who I would argue went under the most significantchange was Megumi, and even so, her development was incredibly forced - her development was not so much based on her own sheer free will but rather because she wanted to mimic other individuals. The other disappointing factor about Shokugeki is the over-stretching (if this is even a word, lol) of the plot towards the latter half of the season. This is especially exemplified by the Autumn Elections. Most of the tournament events could have been condensed into two to four episodes, but since the judges kept talking and basically giving the same, predictable reviews and reactions ("oh this doesn't look good... but it's so yummy! *insert overly used ecchi animation*), this was easily dragged on and on when it didn't have to be. What does Shokugeki get right? Arguably the humor. The humor is quick, witty, and light and never fails to disappoint. The artwork and sound is also decent, albeit the ecchi animations are way too overused. tl;dr Pros: - Humorous - Interesting characters, although some were clearly drawn from stereotypical personalities Cons: - Poor plot execution, especially towards the second half of the season - Poor character development - Predictable - Overuse of ecchi scenes - as the saying goes, the same jokes get old fast... Story: 3 Art: 5 Sound: 4 Character: 4 Enjoyment: 3 Overall: 3

Shokugeki no Souma also goes by the name, Food Wars. However, I’d like to call it more as Food Gasm. The reason being is that the character reactions to food is not what you may expect. Or maybe you will once you see how ridiculously delicious the food actually is. What this show brings forth to the table is more than just a delicious meal though. Shokugeki no Souma is a satirical battle shounen that emphasizes more than just cooking. Based on the popular manga written by Yuto Tsukuda, the series is adapted into a 2 cour (24 episodes) of the same name. What startedoff as a one-shot has now transformed into this series that essentially makes food look like an exotic beauty. And it all starts with a young boy named Souma Yukihara. Like many young people, he has a dream and in this case, to become a professional chef. In fact, he actually hope to surpass his father and to do that, enlists at an elite culinary school. More precisely known as Totsuki Culinary Academy, it’s here where Souma finds his true challenge and misadventures. I’ll be honest here. This show feels like a classic. And although it doesn’t involve any super powers like some other battle shounen series, Shokugeki no Souma does carry on with similar elements. The main course of the show consists of Souma’s progress at the academy and proving himself as a candidate to becoming a professional chef. Throughout the journey, we also witness him build meaningful relationships with others ranging from friendship and rivalries. The first few episodes clearly establishes that Souma has a strong degree of confidence in his own abilities. His skill is shown first hand when he cooks a meal to overly satisfy Yaeko Minegasaki, an urban life planner who initially threatened to demolish the restaurant he worked at. It’s here where the audience gets a taste of what the show tries appeal through the sexual metaphors and sensation of tasting food. It doesn’t take long for the show to take Soma to a place where he faces off against powerful adversaries including high level chef, Erina Nakiri. Shokugeki no Souma accomplishes with entertainment not just by the storytelling but also through its characters. It has a colorful cast with a diverse range of personalities. From the prideful Erina Nakiri to shy Megumi Tadokoro, we see how their roles are played out through the series. What’s most important is how they interact with others especially in the case of Souma. Because this way, it brings out the best and worst of characters. For Erina, she brings sheer antagonism and rivalry that against Souma. From the first moment they meet, there’s a seemingly bitterness between them. Although Souma takes it more casually, it’s Erina that acts arrogant because of her status and ability. On the other hand, there’s Megumi who is more like the antithesis of Erina. Although she has decent skills of the culinary arts, there’s a lack of confidence in her abilities. Thankfully, Souma slowly brings out her confidence throughout the show. Her partnership with Souma not only bring up Megumi’s confidence but also shows that she does have a place to belong at Totsuki Culinary Academy. At the apex of the mid-season, we see exactly how much she improves herself through experience, confidence, and a willingness to succeed. Of course, there are many other characters that Soma meets along the way while at the academy. The staff members in particular have shown a particular interest in him such as Kojiro Shinomiya, Fumio Daimido, Senzemon Nakiri, and among others. This establishes the fact that Souma begins to earn the respect that he seemingly deserves. Throughout the show, we also see other characters that challenges him to disapprove of his ego. And this is also sometimes a fault for Souma. While he isn’t overly arrogant, Soma displays a bit of overconfidence when he faces off against certain rivals. This occasionally doesn’t work out as Soma does feels a taste of bitter defeat. The primary example is perhaps with his father as he has a long losing streak against him. Still, a good amount of focus on Souma can also be emphasized on his willingness to help others such as Megumi. He wants others to succeed and seeing them do so motivates himself to make his dream into a reality. At the best of his character, Souma demonstrates superior sportsmanship that deserves utmost respect. As a show about culinary arts, you’d all expect a lot of the food cooked in the show to be an eye candy. After all, food is like art that can be treated as beautiful. What the show emphasizes perhaps is a bit of over exaggeration on the reaction when the food is eaten. Just a warning but you’re not a fan of sexual metaphor and satire, then this may not be a show for you. It’s clearly shown that the characters’ reactions can sometimes go overboard. The sheer effort put into the imaginations of the characters upon digesting the food is highly sensational with eroticism. While it isn’t full on nudity, it does satires the food to a point where it becomes naughty. However, I would say that the reaction is appropriate in the case of this series for several reasons. First, it makes the craftsmanship of the various food products into a wonder. It tells (through the explanations of making the food), shows (with carefully crafted visuals), and then reacts with a way that you can expect the food to be. From the moment the first ingredient is set on the table to the last gulp of food down the throat, each episode carefully articulates the way the food is handled. And that is something to really think about. Plus, the show itself also does a neat job with the working mechanics. We get the making of various food dishes explained well through visuals, symbolism, and metaphors. There’s also well timed comedy to make the process less dull. I mean, no one wants to watch every food making process like an instruction manual right? Despite the series being well done on most respects, it tries perhaps too much on its food war mechanics. Sometimes, it almost feels like the show is advertising itself like a sexualized commercial. There’s good amount of characterization in the series but some of the side characters may easily be forgotten once you finish the show. Plus, the characters you may remember may not be of your taste. These may include Erina whose attitude can almost feel intolerable to get accustomed to. Megumi’s shy behavior also isn’t a strong trait. Even Souma has faults too when he shows weakness. Also, don’t expect romance to develop much in this series. The show is not about Souma finding love but for him to find out if he is truly able to become a professional chef and surpass his father. Finally, the show does omit some parts of the manga. Overall though, it’s still faithful for the fans of the manga that long awaited for the adaptation. Essentially, I wasn’t sure which studio would handle this series’ artwork. At first, Madhouse and Production I.G. came to mind with their quality. However, J.C. Staff became the engine to make this show’s artwork running. And to be quite frank, it’s fabulously well done. The character designs gives characters unique appearances that makes the most prominent ones stand out. This is especially true for the main leads. Erina is perhaps the girl that stands out the most because of her elegant ouju-sama like presence. Souma also attracts attention as well with his fiery hair that matches with his personality. The school and staff uniforms aren’t designed to look decorate but rather to show their status at the school, as it should be. However, what really stands out about the artwork and visual of the series is the food. They look extravagantly well crafted. Combining elements of delusional fantasy and sensational appeal, each episode highly emphasizes on their design. And of course, do expect fan service as result of the reactions. Outside of the foodgasm, there is also fan service with the characters – both male and female. These include the eyebrow rising camera angles, alluring clothes of some of the female characters, and in general, something to really service the fans. In general, soundtrack is well done although not regarded as a prominent feature of the series. There are two OP/ED theme songs with a decent amount of focus on its coordination. It’s not a technical genius as there’s not much more to draw from the songs themselves besides some of the obvious fan service, symbolism, and foreshadowing. However, the OST delivers a good momentum that carries on each episode. This is especially highlighted during moments when food wars are initiated by certain characters. The thrilling moments of the soundtrack serves up to what the audience anticipates and ultimately makes the show connect itself. The voice mannerism can be a hit or miss although mostly adapts well for characters like Souma with his confidence or Megumi with her increasing confidence level. But you know what really catches the attention of the viewer? Probably the moans and reactions again from tasting the food. It’s not just “oh this is delicious!” but more like the moans you hear when someone is having a lot “fun”. By the time you started or finish this show, you may look at food in a different way than before. As a show that adapts battle shounen with food dishes, Shokugeki no Souma offers a glorious feast to the eye and ear. This is a tasty tale about a guy who cooks not just to show off but to make others happy. And while he is at it, his dream of becoming a professional chef is a journey that’s hard to take eyes off of. I have to also mention that the character cast offers a little of almost everything to the audience. The food itself is irresistible when it comes to the way each episode handles itself. The series may be animated but the sensational feel is a majestic beauty. Sure, it does over exaggerates itself at times. However at the end of the day, it will reach a level of experience that you want to see over and over again.

Imagine that you have a typical tournament-based battle shounen. Now replace the fighting... with food porn. The result is basically Shokugeki no Souma. The story takes place at an elite culinary school called Tōtsuki Academy; a place so competitive that only about 10% of its students are estimated to ever graduate from it. Enter Yukihira Souma: a confident 15-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a full-time chef at his father's restaurant. In order to do so, Souma enrolls in the prestigious school and has to go through all the ruthless challenges it has to offer as he seeks to slowly but surely climb his way tothe top. The anime follows Souma and the other students as they have to accomplish various difficult cooking assignments and challenges under very strict teachers, as well as compete against one another. This is primarily done through a dueling system called the Shokugeki: an official cook-off judged by an unbiased jury which is used as a means to settle debates and disagreements. During a Shokugeki, each competing side must prematurely wager something which is deemed to be of equal value, and they're both obliged to honor their part of the bargain should they be the one to lose the match. In this way, the students can use their cooking skills alone to "fight" each other. So what exactly is it that makes this anime so good then? Well simply put, Shokugeki no Souma is incredibly entertaining. It is addictive, somewhat original and it keeps making you giggle to yourself at the never-ending foodgasms. Now if you don't know what a foodgasm is, it's basically the orgasm-like reaction a character has when eating something so delicious that they're unable to contain their excitement, and this anime has plenty of that. So yes, there are a lot of ecchi moments, but it somehow fits the show *perfectly*. I don't even know why it's so much fun to watch, but it just is. These reactions are very creative, generally connected to the food in question in some way, and beautifully illustrated accordingly. I might also add that the series' illustrator is originally a hentai mangaka, so it's not really that strange that the eroticism is so on point. As a protagonist, Souma is extremely cocky, but also very charismatic. He's the kind of character which you like to cheer for and want to win, which in a competitive story is a pretty big deal. Other characters include the clumsy but kindhearted Megumi, the condescending tsundere Erina who has unparalleled taste buds, the meat-obsessed Nikumi and countless more. As a whole, the character cast is very balanced and diverse, which also results in very different kinds of cooking. Speaking of which, the culinary aspect is pretty interesting in and of itself. If you're interested in trying out some new recipes for yourself, then Shokugeki no Souma has plenty of inspiration for you. The sheer amount of creativity poured into the various exotic dishes in this anime is not to be underestimated. I haven't really tried cooking anything new that I've seen in this show myself as of yet, but there are certainly a handful of things I'd love to try someday. But in the end, regardless of whether you're primarily watching Shokugeki no Souma for the foodgasms, the cooking or the intense competition, you're probably not going to be left disappointed because the anime does a great job on all three fronts. There's also the fact that this is an almost perfect adaptation of the manga, so even hardcore fans of the source material should most likely be satisfied with it. On the other hand, given the huge tease of a cliffhanger ending, we're all going to have to be impatiently rolling our thumbs in eager anticipation for the fateful day when season 2 (hopefully) comes around.

One positive thing I can say about Shokugeki no Souma is that it's an anime that knows exactly what it is - a ridiculously over-the-top sports/battle shounen with cooking as the centerpiece. In the beginning, the plot seems familiar, but inviting - our hero Souma is faced with his first opponent - an aggressive businesswoman looking to put his father's humble diner out of commission to make way for her development plans. We all know she's simply a stepping stone into the universe of this anime. Predictably, she agrees to step down if Souma can impress her with his cooking. And, of course, he defeatsher with relative ease. It's an amusing start, and you know there's a much larger story and far more formidable opponents on the road ahead. Unfortunately from here on out, Shokugeki no Souma slowly stumbles into mediocrity as it attempts to constantly out-do itself. The visual gags in SnS are the primary source of its "ecchi" tag, which mostly consist of its infamous food-induced orgasms, complete with clothes being torn asunder and physics-defying breasts superimposed on dreamy foodscapes. Funny the first time, but it gets old fast. Though these scenes don't exist simply for humor, but also to beat you over the head with expository dialogue as to why the dish they're eating is just that good. Imagine your typical anime action battle scene - a combatant suddenly realizes their opponent's "secret technique", and inexplicably begins to blab out loud what is happening, as if they knew we were watching. And that is SnS in a nutshell - every shounen trope you can imagine, but with food. This by itself isn't inherently bad, it's simply what it does with them that makes SnS very predictable, tiresome and - despite pulling out all the stops to be as epic as possible - ultimately boring. STORY - 7/10 The story of SnS plays it relatively safe. We are all familiar with the archetype of the unexpected hero and his hometown roots. He's young, highly competitive and determined - albeit a bit naive and a sore loser. Trained under his mysterious and skilled father, he sends him off to a prestigious academy for aspiring chefs. Surrounded by peers of elite and privileged upbringing, he sticks out like a sore thumb - something that sometimes comes to his advantage. It is here Souma will face one greater challenge after another as he fights for the chance to be the very best that no one ever was. It's a tried and true classic plotline. It can be inspiring, motivational and relatable in all kinds of ways. It's meant to resonate with the average viewer, and that's great! But there's little reason to be invested in - even if the stakes are high - if we don't care about the characters. Unfortunately, SnS fails in many ways to create compelling characters. CHARACTERS - 2/10 One glaring issue with SnS is that the main character is almost too perfect. Souma is basically a "Marty Stu", or an idealized self-insert that just so happens to excel at everything he does. He seems incapable of doing wrong, making mistakes or showing weakness. Women fawn over him, think about him constantly and even spite eachother in order to win his affection, though he seems blissfully unaware or uninterested in any of it. While Souma is capable of learning things and growing as a person, we don't ever really see it happen - we only see the results of it. And sometimes it happens literally overnight. Souma's flaws are merely personality quirks, nothing really stops him from reaching the next plateau. His struggle is almost non-existent because of this, and it rarely adds any tension or excitement to his story. Secondly, there are far too many supporting characters that overlap eachother. In 2 cours of SnS we are introduced to over two dozen supporting cast with some kind of backstory and motivation - mostly sharing at least two of the following attributes: 1. the desire to be the best in the academy 2. obsessively competitive and self-righteous 3. the desire to best Souma as a chef - and, as an added bonus, may possibly have some kind of unrequited affection towards him. Granted, not all supporting cast follow this example (for example, the far more compelling and likable Miyoko Houjou), but there are few and they get painfully little screen time. On the whole, a lot of the supporting cast is generally flat and unlikable outside of Souma's dorm mates. True that many are merely rivals, but this doesn't mean that the character can't be complex and interesting. Sometimes the rivals and villains of a story can be even more compelling than the characters we're supposed to be cheering on. The only character that comes from truly humble beginnings and experiences real growth is the female lead Megumi. Her flaws are human, her character is believable, and her struggle is familiar on many levels. Souma is so sickeningly idealized that it makes Megumi stand out even more, and it's hard not to cheer her on. However, with so many other characters competing for screen-time, she is sometimes absent. ENJOYMENT - 3/10 SnS is constantly trying to reach new heights of epic showdowns with the same set-up in every arc. It goes something like this - a new character or characters are introduced, Souma encounters them, and they appear in the next "cooking battle". There's monologues, wide-eyed moments of revelation, montages and of course ecchi. They all generally end the same way, though - with Souma edging his way to the next challenge and stunning his seasoned rivals. The problem lies in that literally every cooking battle ends in the same way - those judging the food are seen as jaded and impossible to impress. Yet that illusion is instantly shattered as Souma and his peers unexpectedly blow them away every time to the shock of onlookers. But when the audience is shown this over and over from the get-go, it's anything but shocking and the tension is artificial. By the time you get to the 6-episode cooking battle finale, you already know exactly what's going to happen. Watching it unfold is hilariously predictable and the whole arc falls flat. There's not much of a resolution either as the manga is ongoing, so the ending feels more like a lull than anything. One positive thing to say about the enjoyment factor is that the pacing of SnS is fairly well done. Many anime struggle with pacing, but SnS manages to pack in a lot without seeming rushed or taking too much time here or there. Unfortunately what's happening on screen is not awfully compelling. ART & SOUND - 7/10 Not much to say here besides "good". This is by no means an animated masterpiece, but the animation is generally solid and consistent. The art style is also aesthetically pleasing. The only complaint regarding the animation are the sometimes poorly animated bouncing breasts - if you're going to do blatant fanservice, at least do it right. At times the breasts bounce as if they were being flopped around in an exaggerated video game physics engine with no rhyme or reason. Also, the art can sometimes go overboard on the blush with soft red gradients topped with white highlights all over the body. They look like awkwardly large pimples when they're not done subtly. The paintings and animation of food are nothing short of stellar. You won't see food this detailed in many other anime. But at the end of the day it is just food and doesn't do much for what's happening in the story. The music is well done and the sound effects will make you hungry (if the food on screen isn't already). OVERALL - 5/10 At the end of the day, despite its many flaws, there are much worse anime than SnS. In this case, it's the cast of SnS that drag down a story and premise that had potential, and the result is something decidedly mediocre. While SnS never loses its focus, it shows all the cards in its hand too quickly, leaving the audience with no surprises left to look forward to.