Anime Review: Food Wars! Season 2

Food Wars! Season 2 (UK Rating: 15)

Food Wars! follows a boy named Soma - a kid who was happy working day after day in his father's little local restaurant, Yukihira. He's helped out there since he was little and planned to one day take over his father's place. His father wasn't happy with this, though, as he wanted more for his son; wanted him to broaden his horizons, to see the world. Therefore, he forces Soma's hand. Soma's father closes the shop and sends Soma off to a culinary school. It's not a typical school, though, as this is Totsuki Fine Dining Academy, a place where only the best of the best can even pass. With a graduation rate of 10 percent, can Soma keep up with the best the world has to offer?

The first season saw Soma cause absolute chaos when he arrived at the school; a brash, arrogant youth with no formal training suddenly climbing the ranks and taking on some of the best junior chefs in the world… including taking part in some of the titular "Food Wars" - a challenge where two students face off as a method of settling disputes. Soma met some new friends, a few enemies, and most importantly plenty of rivals. Soma took plenty of classes, relearning the craft and ever-expanding, constantly risking expulsion, taking on cooking challenge after cooking challenge. The series culminated in the "Autumn Elections" - a grand culinary competition that showcased the best the show had to offer, giving each of the expansive cast an opportunity to shine as they attempted to get into the main event. The first season concluded just before these finals began; now, from the first episode, they begin in earnest.

This competition makes up the entirety of this second season and serves as the perfect opportunity to show off what makes this show so great: the recipes, the gorgeous art, and the great cast. Like all shonen, the protagonist of the show is always surrounded by an extended cast of friends and rivals. Each was introduced in the first season but not all of them received their character development. They take the spotlight here, instead. The demure Megumi is finally out of her shell and faces off against Alice's aide, the ferocious and passionate Ryo in a Ramen cook-off. These episodes give a glimpse into the child prodigy of Ryo who crushed a rough port of seamen beneath his young feet. Ryo seems a real challenger for the top spot, but so does Akira, who also gets some considerable character development in this episode, showing his rough childhood in the slums and explaining his love for his saviour, Jun.

The first season of the anime received a full 24 episodes and, sadly, this is receiving only 13 - strange really, considering that the third season that just concluded last month in Japan received a full season once again. It wraps up this part of the story nicely, at least. Finishing off the Autumn Elections and also giving a few extra episodes to set up the next big part of the story… so, 13 episodes in this collection, in both the original Japanese dub and the new English dub once again. The English dub again suffers from the same problems as in season one; some enjoyable performances from the main members of the cast, but the extra, smaller characters, being particularly low quality.

8/10

Great - Silver Award

Like the first part, it's easy to compare Food Wars! Season 2 with Gintama; silly, absurdist, comedy, and yet it becomes so much more - an absolutely wonderful show with so many likeable characters. This part of the story goes a long way to developing those characters and setting the groundwork for the big story developments to come, revealing the council of ten, beginning the grand Moon Festival for more snacking showdowns, culinary competitions, and Food Wars!.