Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma - Shin no Sara review: The ultimate cooking battle and a moving story

"Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The God's Plate" - A tale of culinary battles and youth

Overview

"Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: Shin no Sara" is a TV anime series that aired from October 12 to December 28, 2019, and is based on the manga "Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma" by Yuuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. It was directed by Yonetani Yoshitomo and animated by JCSTAFF, and aired on TOKYO MX and BS11 every Saturday at 12:30am. It consists of 12 episodes, each 30 minutes long.

■ Story

Soma Yukihira is a young man who has honed his cooking skills at the downtown diner "Yukihira." Influenced by his father, Joichiro Yukihira, he decides to pursue a career in cooking. One day, Soma enrolls in the ultra-elite culinary school "Totsuki Saryo Culinary Academy," where he meets various chefs and continues to grow. However, the situation at the academy changes dramatically when Nakiri Azami becomes the new head of Totsuki Academy. Faced with the situation where they can no longer cook freely due to the establishment of the Central Gourmet Agency under Azami, Soma and his friends rebel and are labeled as traitors to the academy.

Despite being harassed during the second-year promotion exam, Soma and his friends work together to pass the test, but the Central Gourmet Agency's interference continues, and in the end, his friends are expelled. Driven into a corner, Soma and his friends decide to have a Regimental Shokugeki against the new Totsuki Top Ten under the Azami administration. Although they win the first match with a landslide victory, the fierce battle that will decide their fate has only just begun. As the 2nd BOUT approaches, will Soma and his friends be able to take the top ten spots and save their friends? This battle is depicted.

■ Characters

The main character, Yukihira Soma, is voiced by Matsuoka Yoshitsugu. He is a first-year student at Totsuki Culinary Academy and trains hard at his family's restaurant, Yukihira, to become a better chef than his father. With the cooking skills he has developed in the kitchen since he was three years old and his fearless personality, he takes the school by storm.

Erina Nakiri is voiced by Hisako Kanemoto. She is a first-year student at Totsuki Saryo Academy, the granddaughter of the school's president, and the 10th seat of the Totsuki Ten Elite Council. She has an exceptional palate and has been working as a taster at famous restaurants since she was a child. She doesn't approve of Soma's cooking and is often strict with him, but on the other hand, she is obsessed with shoujo manga.

Megumi Tadokoro is voiced by Minami Takahashi. She is a first-year student at Totsuki Saryo Academy High School, and has a kind and timid personality. She tends to be bossed around by Soma, and when she first enrolled she was at the bottom of the class due to her stage fright, but through her encounters with Soma and the others she has grown and is strong enough to make it to the Autumn Selection Finals. She is from Tohoku and is good at handling vegetables and cooking local cuisine.

Isshiki Kei is voiced by Sakurai Takahiro. He is a second-year student at Totsuki Culinary Academy and the only second-year student who lives in the same Polar Star dormitory as Soma and the others. He is a caring senior who always has a smile on his face, but his true intentions and cooking skills are unknown. He is often seen wearing a nude apron.

Teruki Kuga is voiced by Yuki Kaji. He is the former third seat of the "Totsuki Ten" and is active alongside Tosuke Megijima.

Akira Hayama is a first-year student at Totsuki Culinary Academy and a spice expert with a superhuman sense of smell. In the "Autumn Selection" finals, he won the championship after an unusual three-person final. When he was a child, he met Jun Shiomi on the outskirts of the slums.

Ryo Kurokiba is a first-year student at Totsuki Saryo Culinary Academy and Alice's aide. He is usually absent-minded, but when he puts a bandana on his head, his personality changes completely and becomes violent. He grew up in a fishing port and has a wealth of knowledge about seafood. He made it to the finals of the "Autumn Selection" tournament.

Takumi Ardini is a first-year student at Totsuki Culinary Academy and an exchange student from Italy. He transferred to the school in his second year of junior high school and has been helping out at his family's trattoria (a diner) since he was young with his twin brother, Isami. He specializes in Italian cuisine prepared on-site and considers Soma his rival. He is very popular with the girls and has a fan club at the school.

Subaru Mimasaka is a first-year student at Totsuki Culinary Academy High School, and despite his large physique, he excels at delicate tasks.

Eiji Tsukasa is the first in the "Totsuki Ten" and is voiced by Akira Ishida.

Kobayashi Rindo is the second-placed member of the "Totsuki Ten" and is voiced by Itou Shizuka.

Akanegakubo Momo is the fourth seat of the Totsuki Ten and is voiced by Kugimiya Rie.

Saito Somei is the fifth member of the Totsuki Ten and is voiced by Konishi Katsuyuki.

Kinokuni Nene is the sixth of the Totsuki Ten and is voiced by Hanazawa Kana.

Eizan Ezuya is a second-year student at Totsuki Culinary Academy and the ninth seat on the Totsuki Ten Elite Council. Since the "Mozuya" incident, he has been hostile towards Soma. He has a talent for food consulting and has been involved in numerous projects since middle school. His cooking skills are unknown, but expectations are high.

Nakiri Azami is Erina's biological father and an alumnus of Totsuki Academy. He was expelled from Totsuki many years ago, but it seems he is plotting something...? Erina is very afraid of him.

Joichiro Kohei runs a diner called "Yukihira" in the downtown area. He suddenly closed the restaurant and now travels around the world cooking.

■ Staff

The director is Yonetani Yoshitomo, the series composition is Yasukawa Shogo, the character design is Shimotani Tomoyuki, the assistant director is Suzuki Yohei, the sub-design is Kobayashi Atsushi, the art director is Bizen Koichirō, the color design is Ito Yukiko, the director of photography is Kurosawa Yutaka, the editor is Kondo Yuji, the sound director is Aketagawa Jin, and the music is by Kato Tatsuya.

■ Episode

Episode 1: "What I Want to Protect"
Episode 2: Strobe Shines
Episode 3: "Solidarity of Hope"
Episode 4: Aim for Victory!
Episode 5: It's Over for You
Episode 6 "A Blade"
Episode 7: "Two Queens"
Episode 8 "Your Profile"
Episode 9: First and Second Place
Episode 10: How to make a killer dish
Episode 11 "Song of Hope"
Episode 12 “Reborn “Totsuki Ten Masters””

■ Related works

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma

■ Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Chronos" by STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION, and the ending theme is "Emblem" by nano.RIPE.

■ Evaluation and impressions

"Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: Shin no Sara" is a very attractive coming-of-age story with a cooking theme. The protagonist, Yukihira Soma, meets various chefs at Totsuki Culinary Academy and grows as a person, moving and exciting the viewers. In particular, the appearance of Nakiri Azami adds depth to the story, making the battle between Soma and his friends even more tense.

The characters are also very unique, and each character has a distinctive charm, such as Takumi Ardini, Soma's rival, and Erina's contrast between her strictness and her love of shoujo manga. The cooking scenes are also depicted very realistically, making viewers feel as if they are there.

The music also adds to the atmosphere of the work, with the opening theme "Chronos" being energetic and the ending theme "Emblem" being gentle and touching. Overall, the story, characters, music, everything is of a high standard and has the power to draw the viewer in.

■ Recommendation points

"Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: Shin no Sara" is recommended not only for those who love cooking, but also for those who love youth stories and battle elements. In particular, the cooking scenes are depicted realistically and deliciously, so you can enjoy it visually as well. In addition, it is full of elements of a youth drama, such as character growth, friendship, and rivalry.

Furthermore, the appearance of Nakiri Azami adds depth to the story, making the battle between Soma and his friends even more tense. This is a must-see for anyone who wants to experience this tension and emotion. The music also adds to the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Chronos" and the ending theme "Emblem" are sure to capture the hearts of viewers.

■ Summary

"Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: Shin no Sara" is a very attractive work as a youth story with a cooking theme. The protagonist, Yukihira Soma, meets various chefs at Totsuki Culinary Academy and grows, moving and exciting the viewer. In particular, the appearance of Nakiri Azami adds depth to the story, making Soma and his friends' battles more tense. The characters are rich in personality, and the depiction of the cooking scenes is very realistic, allowing the viewer to experience the realism as if they were there. The music also adds to the atmosphere of the work, and overall, the story, characters, and music are all of a high standard, and have the power to draw the viewer in. This work is recommended not only for people who like cooking, but also for those who like youth stories and battle elements.