Title: Toriko Volume 20
Artist and Author: Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro
U. S. Distributor and Publisher: Viz Media
U. S. Release Date: Feb. 4th, 2014
Format: Manga / paper back / 200 pages
Genre: shonen, action, adventure, comedy
Publisher Age Rating: T
Overall Personal Rating: B+
Synopsis:
The rivalry between the two superpowers of the Age of Gourmet heats up when IGO President Ichiryu pays a visit to Gourmet Corp.’s headquarters in the Gourmet World. Things come off a little edgy and it looks like there is only one outcome for these family rivals.
Meanwhile, Toriko and Komatsu set off on a world-spanning journey in search of some bizarre – and stinky – ingredients needed for a massive sushi roll that will guide them to the next item on their training list. In order for Toriko to find the location of Chowlin Temple it take a world class sushi roll to point the way and Toriko must collect all the special ingredient for this very special roll. Will his efforts pay off and lead him to the elusive Chowlin Temple?
Commentary:
Toriko is by far and away one of the strangest mixtures of genres that are currently in print in the U. S.. This crazy mixture of food and battle manga is both imaginative and insane at the same time. I find Toriko to be one of the most refreshing Shonen Jump titles because it is fun and atypical with the over the top food that sits at the center of this series.
I wish I could say that the characters are new and different, but they easily fall into a standard fair for shonen personalities. They are all very much stereotypical and very predictable. That doesn’t make it bad, it just helps found the series so that the surrounding world can shine. It is rather reassuring that these goofy humans play their part in this special series and that it allows the culinary aspects of the world they live in take center stage.
Overall Grade: B+
Toriko is one of the series that everyone should give it a chance. I think that with the approach to a battle mange could win over some hardcore anti battle or shonen readers. It will also show the shonen fans that a battle series doesn’t have to be so static or formulaic. Toriko gives us a rich environment that take us on some very special journeys. If there is anything that I would change it would have to be some of the more simplistic characters. I guess that if this world would have a little more complex characters it would take it the next level. I could easily see Toriko going completely off the deep end the way that Bobobo-Bo did and losing focus and also the fan base that loves continuity of story. Keep it coming, I can’t wait to see what is on the next course.
