I had Food for the Soul on my radar as the show was created by Atto, the author of Non Non Biyori. It also has the Non Non Biyori anime’s director Shinya Kawatsura and music composer Hiromi Mizutani in the same roles. I really like Non Non Biyori. It’s very much CGDCT to a T, very light on plot but very high on charm and atmosphere. A shame that the anime skipped a lot of chapters and with all the key figures attached to it moving onto Food for the Soul, we probably won’t get any more of it. Still, that show was such a joy that I want to give its “successor” a whirl.
Food for the Soul follows Mako Kawai, a first-year college student with a passion for cooking and food. Mako wants to try various new foods but because of her anxiety, she’s reluctant to eat a restaurant by herself. Parallel to this, we see three women – Shinon Ogawa (Yoshino Aoyama), Tsutsuji Higa (Natsume Inui), and Kurea Furutachi (Ai Kakuma) – attempt to get approval from the university admin for their Food Culture Research Club. Following yet another rejection, Shinon spots Mako on campus and approaches her. Mako soon recognizes Shinon as “Oshinko”, a childhood friend that she hasn’t seen in years. The following night, Mako salivates over a local restaurant’s sauced katsudon and musters the courage to enter when she learns that Kurea’s family runs the place. When the restaurant runs out of katsudon bowls, Kurea offers to use ingredients she was saving for herself to make one last bowl for Mako. Touched by Kurea’s kindness, Mako decides to join the Food Culture Research Club so that she can befriend the group and try new foods.
Anyone who follows the blog will know that I gravitate towards shy and anxious characters so big surprise, I really like Mako. Her love for food and fear of going to places by herself is something I instantly relate with. There’s also some great humor done with her, such as her little freakout when Shinon approaches her and her overanalyzing how she did in her first meeting with the club. Kurea also makes a good first impression as this down to earth girl whom Mako can open up to. Plus, having Kurea work part-time at one of the restaurants Mako eyes is a smart way to get the character overcome her fear. I am a little surprised at how the episode downplays Shinon a bit. You’d think since she’s an old friend of Mako, the episode would explore that reunion but it sort of puts her aside in favor of Kurea. The character does however offer a couple good laughs in the premiere, most notably at the end.
So since Mako joins the Food Culture Research Club, the club now has the minimum number of members it needs to be approved by the admins and obtain a club room. Mako is understandably excited to try new foods with her new friends, what with this club being called the Food Culture Research Club. To her disappointment however, Shinon reveals that the premise of the club is entirely made up and its real purpose is to provide the girls with a club room for them to chill in. Not having Mako immediately say she quits is a missed opportunity but I forgive the episode since it least has Shinon trying to amp up the others and the only one who plays along is Tsutsuji. I’m going to go a whim and assume that Episode 2 will have Mako use her cooking skills, possibly with help from Kurea, to convince the club in taking an actual interest in food. I’ll definitely check out Episode 2. Coming off of Non Non Biyori, the show has some big shoes to fill but it is by people who are very familiar with CGDCT and the premiere has me optimistic over how things will pan out.
Watch Food for the Soul on Crunchyroll
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