The other semifinal of the Fall Classic ended without a single winner, setting up the unprecedented three-way final. Now we watch that battle play out in full as Soma has to see off both Ryo Kurokiba and Akira Hayama if he is to climb to the top of the heap among all first-year students.
Creative Staff:
Story: Yuto Tsukuda
Art: Shun Saeki
Contributor: Yuki Morisaki
Translation: Adrienne Beck
Production: Mara Coman (Touch up art and lettering), Izumi Evers (design), Jennifer LeBlanc (editor)
What They Say:
The Fall Classic concludes with a historic first—a three-way battle for the Finals! The ingredient chosen to grace the grandest stage is an autumn staple, pike. But with such a tight time limit, what incredible dishes can finalists Soma, Hayama and Kurokiba possibly create?!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Gin Dojima made the interesting suggestion that the semifinal between Kurokiba and Hayama be declared over but with no winner. Instead, both would go on to face Soma in the finals of the Fall Classic. Sanzemon Nakiri, who seems to relish bold gestures, immediately agrees. Just when one thinks that Food Wars cannot top itself in terms of topping itself, it goes that one extra step beyond. All that remains before we leave the battle arena and regroup in prep mode is for the theme of the final contest to be announced: mackerel pike, a fish that is in season during the autumn. The key ingredient was chosen with deliberate intent to help all three contestants as it is known for its fragrance (Hayama’s specialty), its prized use in seafood (Kurokiba), but it is also a fish that is served in everyday fare, not just haute cuisine (Soma).
But it’s not that easy for our hero. Kurokiba is an expert in choosing the freshest fish from his long work as a primarily seafood-based chef. Soma may be competent at choosing fish, but he lacks the advanced expertise that Kurokiba has honed over a decade—the time Joichiro once told him it would take to master the ability to pick out purely by sight the freshest example of just one kind of fish. While it would seem that Hayama, too, should be handicapped in the same way as he’s not a seafood expert, his nose’s sensitivity is such that he can allegedly smell which fish are the freshest based upon the compounds that eventually lead to decomposition giving off recognizable scents (what is he, a dog? The human sense of smell in general cannot even come close to those of several other species…but this is fiction, I know). So, for all of his skills and experience, Soma simply cannot compete.
So Kurokiba thinks. So Hayama thinks. So everyone seems to think. Soma is finished.
As usual, that’s a mistake since he’s the protagonist and there is a lot more story to go (as vol. 19 just came out in Japan earlier this month). How will Soma deal with his lack of fish spotting talent?
The key, again as usual, is to recall what Soma’s real cooking skill is: creatively deploying the experiences he has gathered over time. If he cannot find the freshest fish with the best flavor on the day of the match, he’ll just have to manufacture a fish with comparable flavor. Time for him to gain new experiences, mainly by drawing upon the expertise of his three friends who engage in food preparation and manipulation specifically aimed at inducing a greater depth of flavor: Ryoko Sakaki, our fermenter; Shun Ibusaki, our smoker; and, of course, Ikumi Mito, our meat-aging expert.
While we do get some further backstory for both Kurokiba and Hayama during the preparation stage of the arc, our focus is largely on Soma and his various attempts to create a fish that will be able to compete against the peak condition ones Kurokiba and Hayama will bring to the table (literally). The battle itself rolls out in grand fashion (would anyone expect anything else from this series?), topping itself yet again with the way the final match will be timed.
As you might expect, we get some fun and cute surprises (another Nakiri makes an appearance…with her own quirks and eccentricities). We have knowing looks among some of the spectators (while most are confused about Soma’s fish, it almost seems like one character noticed something). What especially sticks out well is how Shun Saeki draws these intimate little cameo panels wedged in-between the larger, grand action frames. Erina in her luxury box. Soma’s reaction to the “timer” being revealed. Hayama’s smug smile of satisfaction after his dish has managed to impress even Alice. They give us so much information with just what in an anime adaptation will become nothing more than a two-second glance. Blink and you miss it…and all the information it contains.
I don’t want to spoil the joy of the judging or the judges. Nor the side-discussion which ends the volume, showing a master manipulator that his plans have not gone unnoticed by others…and will all come to naught.
In Summary:
The final battle of the Fall Classic is upon us, as Soma must face off against Kurokiba and Hayama in a three-way war to see whose cuisine will reign supreme among the first-years (excepting Erina, of course). The key ingredient is pike and the race is on to find the perfect fish. When Soma’s fish-picking skills are shown not to match up to those of his opponents, what will he do? What he always does? Out-think them and out-innovate them. The secret of his dish, however, stays hidden until the next volume.
Content Grade: A-
Art Grade: A-
Package Rating: A-
Text/Translation: A-
Age Rating: Teen+ (16+)
Released By:Viz Media
Release Date: June 7th, 2016
MSRP: $9.99
