ACF 244: Oishinbo A la Carte - Japanese cuisine manga from VIZ

Oishinbo A la Carte © Tetsu Kariya, Akira Hanasaki/Shogakukan Inc.

Oishinbo A la Carte
Story by Tetsu Kariya
Art by Akira Hanasaki
B&W, 260+ pages, rated "T" for teens
SRP $12.99 U.S./$15.00 CDN

It may not be absolutely true, but it certainly seems as if the Japanese have a manga for just about any subject you can name. Oshinbo (which translates as "The Gourmet") explores the surprisingly complex world of Japanese cooking and has sold over 100 million copies since the first volume appeared in 1983.

This fascinating and informative series now runs to over 100 volumes! VIZ media, under the VIZ Signature imprint, has compiled selected highlights into seven a la carte editions for English readers. This is the first one, and it's currently available..

Yamaoka Shiro, a journalist for the Tozai news, has been placed in charge of the paper's Ultimate Menu project. Dramatic conflict is present in the form of Shiro's father, a prominent artist and epicure. He founded and is director of The Gourmet Club. Father and son have an unpleasant history, and they miss no opportunity to deride and belittle one another. This provides the through-story for the characters' - and the reader's - journey through the world of fine Japanese cuisine.

The illustrations are first rate, and a diverse layout is employed, which keeps the pages visually interesting. I'm no authority on manga styles, but for me Hanasaki's drawings remind me a bit of master Ozamu Tezuka's work. And I mean that as a high compliment, not in any way a slight.

The book is laid out in traditional Japanese style, meaning it is read from right to left. This English version thoughtfully includes two pages at the front that identify the twelve main characters and a brief story summary. There's also a fourteen page glossary at the end.

I loved reading this manga and highly recommend it. I can't wait for the next volume, which is concerned with drink and is scheduled to come out this month.