A cooking show that has ecchi elements?
Hello, we’re back with more Shokugeki no Soma but this time, it’s BD quality media and we start with season 1.
The episode begins with Sōma Yukihira challenging his father, Joichiro Yukihira, to a cooking duel for the 489th time, with Mayumi Kurase as the judge.
As Soma forces Mayumi to try his failed creation, aka the Grilled Squid Tentacles Dressed in Peanut Butter, ecchiness ensues.
Later that night, Sōma expresses his desire to surpass his father and take over Restaurant Yukihira one day. Just then, an urban life planner, Yaeko Minegasaki walks into Restaurant Yukihira with her assistants, and threatens to close down the restaurant for the development in the city. Yaeko further threatens Sōma by stating that failure to cook a dish in her satisfaction will result in her closing down the shop. Sōma agrees to the challenge as Yaeko leaves.
The next day, as Sōma returns from middle school to Restaurant Yukihira, he notices the kitchen supplies in his restaurant have been sabotaged, presumably, by Yaeko and her assistants. Just then, Yaeko pops by again, telling and threatening Sōma to cook her a meat dish, in which Sōma accepts, despite having no meat resources. A few moments later, to everyone’s surprise, Sōma cooks up his dish, Roast Pork, Just Kidding, a relatively meaty dish out of nowhere. As Yaeko’s assistants question Sōma’s methods, Sōma replies that he used thick bacon slices and potatoes he bought for the following day’s breakfast. However, Yaeko, unimpressed, adamantly decides to vacate the restaurant despite Sōma’s efforts. Sōma then tells her to try the dish first before judging the restaurant’s worth, in which she does.
Just as Yaeko takes a bite, she falls for the dish’s aroma and taste. Sōma then explains that he learned this dish from a failure in the past. However, Yaeko still refused to qualify the dish as a meat dish. Sōma then takes the dish away from her, telling her that he’ll dispose of it, in which Yaeko stops him from doing so. Sōma, knowing that she had already fallen for the dish, tells her to never come back again, in order for her to continue eating the dish. Yaeko then accepts his request as she finishes her dish along with her assistants. As the latter finished the dish, they comically collapse on the floor in defeat, as Sōma walks away victoriously.
Later that day, Jōichirō returns to the shop, telling Sōma that he will have to close the shop temporarily for a few years due to a friend’s offer to work in New York. Sōma, shocked, attempts to stop his father. However, Jōichirō tells Sōma to enroll in Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, a superior elite school where only less than 10 percent of the students graduate. Sōma, having no choice, reluctantly accepts. Meanwhile, inside Tōtsuki Academy, Erina Nakiri appears and belittles a student’s dish, claiming that it was terrible.
So apparently this was the best ecchi anime in the season in which it aired on tv in Spring 2015.
I have to say that I was quite satisfied with the first season as a whole due to the fine performances and superb animation that lived up to the original art really well. The best part was how JC Staff made it even more over the top.
So if you like the mange, definitely watch. If you have not read it, give both a try.
I honestly cannot wait for more to come in the recently announced 4th season airing this fall.
