Title: Toriko 21
Author/Artist: Mitsotoshi Shimabukuro
Distributor: Viz Media
American Release Date: April 1, 2014
Format: Manga
Genre: Action, Shonen, comedy
Publisher Age Rating:
Overall Personal Rating: A-
An adventure in the hunt for ultimate food.
Synopsis:
Still on the trail of of the Bubble Fruit, Toriko and Komatsu meet Master Chin Chin-Chin, one of the four Gourmet Living Legends. Wow, he is odd. He takes them to Chowlin Temple where the Bubble Fruit grows.
The temple is a strange place where chefs and convicts study to understand and have gratitude for food and by extension, life. Shu is the assistant instructor who provides the training for Toriko and Komatsu. They must endure many trials to honor food, and it is driving them crazy.
A monster threatens the temple and the Gourmet Corp. isn’t farm behind. As the battle rages on…continued in the next volume.
Commentary:
What makes Toriko different and is its strength is all the wonderfully weird food and animals (in essence food too). This volume focuses on the spirituality of food, the connection to it and gratitude for it. A person who can truly find this in themselves, will find it serves their entire lives.
The people look goofy and cartoonish. Okay, I know it is a cartoon, but the backgrounds are more realistically drawn. The combination plays into the quirkiness of the series. All of this really bizarre food stuff is a normal reality for Toriko and the other characters. Another cool and odd thing was a set of butcher knife Numchucks. Kitchen utensils are weapons. Now, don’t think too hard about the battles, the cooking/cutlery techniques used on people is rather gruesome and would be psychotic in our world.
The characters are interesting and oddly enough, usually someone a person can relate to. And with the ultimate quest for food in an eat or be eaten world, this series is entertaining.
Another series with the quest for a perfect meal but without the battles and set in a Japan reality is Oishinbo A La Carte. If you want to learn about Japanese food for real, this is a fun way to do it.
Overall Grade: A-
A unique manga and approach to food. This volume has all the story and elements that a Toriko fan is looking for. Maybe even a bit more as Toriko has reached his limit.
