Genre(s): Shonen / Ridiculous Comedy / Food
Age-Appropriateness: 7+ (depending on translator)
Platforms: Crunchyroll, Hulu, Funimation
Episodes: 144 (147 including One-Piece and DBZ cross-over episodes)
TheAwersome Rating: 7.7 / 10 (Worth watching, bingeable, not a must-see)
Premise: In a bizarre future, the world is somewhat returned to a Jurassic-type state where giant plants and animals abound. As such, there are TONS of new wonderful ingredients for making delicious food! The world is run by the International Gourmet Organization, and food is king. The better food you eat, the more your inner Gourmet Cells are activated, granting greater power, to get better ingredients, etc. etc. Follow Komatsu, an aspiring chef as he partners with the Bishokuya (Gourmet Ingredient Bounty Hunter) Toriko as they adventure gathering bizarre, delicious ingredients, and find new ways to cook them. But be warned, a dangerous organization seeks to capture the best ingredients for nefarious purposes…
TheAwersome’s Thoughts: This was one of the first anime I watched all the way through and enjoyed nearly every minute of it. We watched with a fansub which explained the myriad of puns which are an integral part of this show’s charm. I can’t say how the translation/sub is on the “official” platforms. This show is a hilarious pile of the best looking food you’ll see, with a bizarre and exciting premise. Strong bromance friendships abound, with a few heart-warming episodes here and there. The final season does tend to drag battles out a bit, but not quite DBZ level. If you’re down for a shonen (battle anime, think things like Naruto, DBZ, Bleach, YuGiOh, general Saturday Morning fare) that doesn’t take itself too seriously, love to see creative food-based plants and monsters, puns, and food in general, be sure to give this one a look.
TLDR: A delightful, pun-heavy shonen centered on fantastical cooking and food.
You’ll likely enjoy this if you enjoyed:
- The ridiculousness of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
- A long-haul shonen like Naruto
- The passion for food of Food Wars
At a Glance Anime 