Isekai Izakaya: Koto Aitheria no Izakaya Nobu

Isekai Izakaya is a series I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Not because it's so bad but because it is so different. The approach is original to a point that it doesn't even feel like an anime. The point of the series is to offer a trip to Japanese cuisines and food culture.

The entire series centers around this certain Japanese restaurant and its customers who tend to change episodically. In generally, our customers have the role of foreigners who are absorbing and experiencing the Japanese kitchen for the very first time. This is executed in rather immersive self-insert manner. We end up seeing episodes where customers ... describe what type of a food they want (many of the characters seem to be real culinary pros) and our kitchen master prepares what they requested, but in the Japanese way.

Our customers serve the idea and add to the viewing experience. They vary from rather manly men to small children. Even the adult men can occasionally almost lose their self-control over food because they are just that hyped to try it out. In generally, character reactions are powerful. They are living in the moment, not currently caring about anything else than the food that is being prepared and then eaten. When characters are finding the concept this fascinating, it's easy to share their interest.

From it's setting, I'd compare this work to Thermae Romae, the award-winning series centering around Roman bath architect who travels in time to modern Japan to discover the future of bath houses. Isekai Izakaya is on parallel with Thermae's idea, and not only that, every episode we see ends with a live action segment where real Japanese master(s) shows us the recipe behind the current episodic dish and shows from scratch how it was made. The simple idea for the anime and the execution that relies on love for food create an atmosphere that is bound the make the viewer hungry for more.

Isekai Izakaya is nothing less than an unique piece of anime and for that reason its target audience will be very limited. There are bound to be viewers who won't even see why such a series was made. I find it very hard to believe that any underage person would ever find this show appealing. This is an anime for adults. To me, this was nothing less than fresh air. I appreciate everything this anime did and accomplished. Those who are planning to move to Japan should also consider watching this.

I don't normally write reviews, but after seeing so many people bashing this one and comparing it to Isekai Shokudou Restaurant to Another World I just had to.

First I will say, I enjoyed both, however This one is the better anime for a few reasons.

More thought and effort was put into this one then Shokudou. Shokudou doesn't bother to try and explain or have anything resembling a plot or story line. It is just new episode = new character and new dish. The previously introduced characters (except the waitresses) become nothing but background fodder to make the restaurant seem busy, making only ... occasional cameos to support new characters. In my opinion, while enjoyable, the writing was lazy, focusing on a large amount of characters with no regard to story telling. The plot is nonexistent

Izakaya explains why the 2 started the restaurant, why their door connects to another world, the characters are more the just one shots, and there is an actual story - restaurant endears itself to regular customers, corrupt noble tries to take restaurant, customers low-key save the day. In terms of actual story telling, this is the better of the 2.

This show reminds me of Isekai Shokudou, only less stellar in both quality and storytelling. And granted, both the former and latter are based on light novels of their respective names, of which Izakaya Nobu premiered in 2014 and Shokudou the year after. Yet, when the anime adaptations of both series came out, it was pretty obvious that the production here by Sunrise wouldn't garner the popularity of the latter by Silver Link the year prior.

To create the diversity, I will list what's the same and what's not for both series:

Similarities:
Both series exist in another world (which gives rise to the tiring Isekai genre ... troupe) through restaurants, offering occupants (where they are able to access the place from) to experience food like they have never tasted before. As expected, they leave the place in happiness, laughter and whatnot, just to come back again for more.

Differences:
Isekai Shokudou offers diversity by featuring what seems to be like the episodic formats of people from different walks of life: Either both mortal or angels or whatnot, to come experience the numerous food to their liking. Izakaya Nobu on the other hand, the restaurant just stays at that very same place in Aitheria, and the numerous stories ensue with the workers (Shinobu, Taishou) about the events happening in Aitheria, and nothing more.

The deal-breaker (at least for me)? Isekai Shokudou at least tries its best to offer that diversity by watching the various people, may it be fairies, humans on their journey to experience food they won't experience again (coming on the next day of Satur (which is present-day Saturday)), the once-in-a-lifetime food. Isekai Izakaya Nobu is pretty much the same, just instead of Shokudou's diverse people-centric plot, it's specific to the day-to-day events of the townsfolk of Aitheria and just feels meh.

The characters in both series serve their purpose, but as mentioned, Isekai Shokudou beats this series down by a long shot. Shokudou's restuarant occupants are far more interesting to learn and appreciate their backgrounds, but Izakaya Nobu is far too generic, and generally unimpressive, but not bad either.

Of course, with a runtime of 15 mins per episode, and reading the manga adaptation at the same time, I just barely made it through all the way. The adaptation is of course faithful, but the stories contained are short. I'd guess why we got the live-action Nobu Plus segment for the last half of the show (aside from the ED), and that offers real places and recipes for any aspiring people learning to cook. With that said, art and animation is OK, nothing to write home about.

And music? It's minimal to the point of oozing and satisfying everyone's tastebuds with all the SFX of the cooking (sizzles and fizzs and such) that wants to make you give a try. The ED is also generic but fine by my tastes. Prosit!

In all senses though, if you love anime and are a foodie, I can recommend this series, though I'd much rather quote Isekai Shokudou as the superior must-watch, because everything in Shokudou is memorable compared to what's offered here. Not a bad show overall, but not something that I would come back to in the future.

I've seen people knocking this anime because they feel that it falls short of the other anime Isekai Shokudou which aired a while ago. Both animes do have a lot of similarities, but this anime does have some differences that imo, make it at least on par, if not superior at times. One of the best thing is the continuity and the ending. For starters, this anime takes place in the same land so we always get to see some kind of continuity with the usual guards or others coming in compared to Isekai Shokudou where the door opens to different worlds all over.

The characters ... are great in both anime, especially with the addition of Eva here. Compared to customers seeing a random door and deciding to open it to see what's up, this anime has customers hearing about the restaurant's reputation, coming in to try it and leaving surprised as ever. There's a feeling of caring for the customers in both anime and they both have their share of good stories (Isekai Shokudou gets a bit of an edge here imo).

The animation, art and sound overall are quite comparable though at times, I've felt that Isekai Izakaya has more realism attached to it due to the way some of the interactions take place. Not to mention that most characters are human in some way or form while we have monsters and all kinds of fantasy creatures in Isekai Shokudou. Dishes just look fantastic in both and will make you want to try them!

Finally, while this anime does have less airing time since it airs every 2 weeks at about 20 minutes compared to the weekly 20 minutes of Isekai Shokudou, this anime presents a little segment called NobuPlus where they focus on showing the cooking of certain dishes and provide some information about restaurants that cook that specific dish. While it's obvious that Isekai Izakaya is doing some advertising especially with the Japan logo at the end, it's still a fun watch overall and shouldn't be a deterrent.

In my opinion, if you're a fan of food anime, you owe it to yourself to at least watch several episodes of this anime.Don't let the score dissuade you and make your own decision on whether this lives up to your expectations or not!

If you like Alcohol and Fried Food this is your anime. I don't know about you but this is the anime I watch when I'm eating or/and drinking. Have in mind that Izakaya is like a japanese restaurant/ bar where you go drink a lot and eat a lot so this is what the anime is all about: Alcohol especially sake and beer.So 18+ is a must for viewers.

Story 8/10 : the story is weak for my standard but it is not like you are not gonna enjoy it, it may seem silly but i find funny and enjoyable.

Art 9/10: Wow the food ... and the beerl looks really apettizing! there is not a lot to see landscape-wise. the anime revolves around the izaka so that is where you gonna spend most time watching. Although for the last 5-10m you are gonna watch an old dude eating or a young dude cooking which is new.

Sound 8/10: ok ending and op , OST are ok nothing memorable.

Characters 8/10: some are forgettable maybe the chef and the girl assistant are good , the guard are the funny characters and that's it.

Enjoyment 10/10: As I say before I love the food and the beer and how the anime convey us that eating and drinking are one of our life pleasure. However, i would like the anime to be more lengthy. the old dude is ok but since I know i wont have the opportunity to go to japan is a miss. The cooking dude is great very creative maybe one day i will try cooking those dishes he teaches us.

Overall 9/10 : Is a Very good anime and i like it , it is very forgettable though. But the food and watching the characters eating and drinkinking alcoholbrings joy to me :). It is not an anime most people would like, cause it is all about characters drinking and enjoying their food so if you like to watch people this people eating and drinkin this is the anime for you cause I know at least it did work for me :)

This show is a real hidden gem, and deserves more respect.
It would be easy to overlook this, as it came out during the same time that many other "Isekai" shows came out. Dismissing this based on that would be a true crime.

This show is like two shows in one.
You have the anime portion, where you have your regular cast, with frequent newcomers.
The star of the show is, of course, the food. So hearing everyone talk about their food, what they like, and seeing their reactions to food that they're not familiar with, allows you to enjoy and appreciate the food through their experience.
Then ... you have a live-action portion, with an alternating host, who either goes to a real-life restaurant to eat the food featured in the episode, or gives you a quick and informative cooking lesson on how to make the dish yourself.

There is so much to love about this show, and I hope everyone gives it a try.
Prosit!

Title: A Wholesome Culinary Getaway

"Sekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World" served up a delightful and refreshing experience that left me feeling satisfied, I feel like after watching so much anime this was a nice palette cleanser for me

What was really nice was the show was able to have a good balance between a relaxed tone and keeping me some what engaged the conflicts were never taken super seriously and I can appreciate that. It managed to avoid diving too deep into heavy themes, allowing me to kick back and simply enjoy the ride.

Now the food animation, shall we? It was nothing short ... of spectacular. Each dish felt like it came out of a movie. a feast for the eyes most definitely The attention to detail was impressive and added a layer of authenticity to the culinary experience.

The characters were something else to point out . They brought a dynamic energy to the show, enhancing the overall enjoyment. There were few characters that got on my nerves especially one that just kept screaming the whole episode. But honestly enjoyed them with their individual quirks and personalities. It's clear that thought and care went into crafting these characters.

Now, there were moments when I found myself wondering how much longer the show would go on but for the most part it was really nice and calming

I do wish they would have explored deeper Shinobu and the chief's original world, I can't deny that the focus on character development was well-handled. Especially given the show's emphasis on food presentation, the journey of the characters mattered most, and it was executed effectively.

All in all "Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World" is a wholesome anime for anyone seeking a mix of relaxation and engagement. the show excels at delivering a heartwarming experience that caters to the eyes i genuinely did enjoy it

Story: A nice story with a few twists. Now everyone is going to relate this to Isekai Shokudou (Restaurant to Another World) and I feel its a fair comparison and there are two things that completely change what this show is compared to Isekai Shokudou. This restaurant's door is fixed, the front door of Nobu is in one spot, in one city, for the entire series. This means repeat characters like in RtAW but more interaction between them at the trade-off of not having any variety of species or unique pallet/dietary needs. As well as Nobu being able to become more widely known. The second ... change is all due to Nobu+, at the end of every episode is a short thing talking about the food in the show (sometimes how to make it, sometimes where to get it) which brings the attention to the food a lot more than RtAW encouraging home cooking.

Art: The early episodes are very "busy" with what's on-screen and they might have tuned it down as they went further into the show or I might have simply gotten used to it. Other than that the food looks good though character design can be lacking.

Sound: Nice sizzle and an excellent crunch. The sound effects for the show do very well accentuating the animation making the food seem even better. The only real mark against it is the lack of an enjoyable soundtrack, OP, or ED

Character: Not as involved as at first glance. The characters work in Izakaya Nobu and until very late in the series, they don't seem to even step into the new world. The first mentions of even trying something new for the new world palate is ep13 and the first time they seem to get Any ingredients from the new world for their food is ep15 when they find that the new world has very good quality eel for super cheap (they don't seem to buy or incorporate anything else till the very last episode when ale is brought to them as an apology) This was somewhat disappointing though understandable as the show leans towards encouraging home cooking. Overall I feel our "Mains" don't change or even do much in the story and all the character comes from the side cast. Id go so far to say that the MC titles for quite a few of the episodes would better fit Gernot, Nikolaus, and Hans the three guardsmen who have the most involved conversations or relationships in the show.

Enjoyment: I enjoyed it, maybe less than "Restaurant to Another World" but I give it the same score of 7 for its inclusion of Nobu+ its inclusion almost changing the category I would put the two shows in.

Isekai boom as a new, emerging genre is still on-going. Despite it is indeed booming, we are talking about quantity here. Quality wise, many isekai animanga have gone down. Then the question is, does this title follows this trend, as one more isekai-themed product that has no notable quality? The answer is both yes and no.

There are surely notable things in this title as an anime. The shop itself is depicted as cheerful and heart-warming. The chef was voiced by Tomokazu Sugita. The food looks delish. There are manly characters and cute girls there. Etc. Those things are concept that were properly executed - except ... one thing, the directing.

Directing an anime means affecting the total quality of the product which covers many things. But i want to stay focus on two things, mainly character design and the nuance that this anime gave.
Honestly, the character design is kinda disappointing. While the design allows for smooth animation because of its simplicity, the design looks too round and dull. While it's not something that bad, but it's not a pleasant to the eyes either. I feel the character design was directed to fit with the nuance depicted in the anime.
The second is the nuance. I can't help but feel that the nuance is kinda dull too. It might be too cheery, without any sharpness or refinement to add. Sure thing the food looks delicius, but that's it.
If we add the first problem and the second problem, then we'll get overall sensation that this anime is truly dull. Only introducing foods with a rough narrative and story.

That concludes this title as an anime : It's totally dull. But that doesn't mean it'll be the same thing if we talk this title as overall, meaning we include the original light novel and the manga version.
Let me say this, the light novel and the manga are far more better than the anime version. The manga version has a sharp design and tidy drawings. The light novel version has a pretty solid narrative. This title (overall) primary charm is the solid story and narrative with reappearing characters. It's really like we are building a wall, stone by stone. The completed wall is really something to see. Sadly, the anime doesn't have this charm (maybe yet).

As closing statement, i recommend to read the light novel and manga instead of watching the anime version. But it's really up to you, there's even a original story in the anime that the light novel and manga don't have. It might be worth to continue watching this if you are a truly fan of this title.

Cant half tell that this is sponsored by some sort of Japanese cultural or tourism bureau, however that's fine.

It's not for everyone but is a nice little shortish episode length show that has a pleasant atmosphore for the show itself, then spends a few minutes showcasing particular Japanese food, or Japanese dining areas around a particular location. (focusing on the food of that episode). It's not for everyone but if you're looking to put you're feet up for 15 minutes and watch something between coming home and getting ready to make dinner, this anime is perfect.

As I said it's not going to be ... to everyone taste, but for those who are looking for this particular niche it is fantastic.

Highly recommend for those seeking inspiration.

I found this anime in a Youtube channel, caught to watch it. So far I think Isekai Izakaya is good anime, so let's dig in :
1. story : 7 , good, unique but somewhat repetitive : New chara, enter store, appetizer, toriaezu nama, enjoyment
2. Art : Pretty inconsistent so 6
3. Sound : 7, good and catchy but not extraordinary
4. Character : 6, what do you expect from a short episode?
5. Enjoyment : Warm environment and New perspective in Medieval setting so 8
I excited to watch this anime because seemingly warm character and relaxed atmosphere and crossing between japanese and medieval europena culture. But as ... show progressed, there is some problem like inconsistent art and some "hanged" episode with seemingly unfinished story.
Overall, I enjoy the manga more but this anime is really good anime for enjoyment and light stories, don't expect anything bizarre or extraordinary, sit back and enjoy!

Honestly nothing about this series really stands out to me in particular, but everything still kinda just works. It never fails to put me in a good mood, as the story is always upbeat and playful, not to mention that the food always looks delicious. I rated the art as mediocre only because the style is quite basic, but the illustration of each dish actually makes everything look super delicious. Often times while watching this I'll get cravings for things I haven't even thought about in ages. I really do like this show, and I recommend it to anyone who just needs a pick me ... up and likes innocent, fun shows. Plus, every episode is really short, so its like a nice little dose of good vibes.

Not a bad anime. I enjoyed the continuity of it and the juxtaposition of real world out one door and another out the front. But I didn't like how short the episodes were. only about half the episode length is actually anime. the rest is taken up by re-creating the recipe or modifying it. Not terrible but I don't watch an anime for that. If they added it on to a regular length then it would be better. On the whole if you're looking for an anime to pass the time then this is ok. If you're looking for something to really draw you ... in, look elsewhere.

Though the episodes are split between the anime and live action segments, this anime is worth watching if you not only want to see the food that’ll make you hungry for it, but also learn how to cook some what I consider to be easy dishes to do yourself, and plan to visit some restaurants in Japan that are shown in the live action segments.

The plot is that there’s a restaurant that serves food to their medieval customers, who eat them up and enjoy them. Its art style is good and the characters are people you’d want to have meals with, unless they are bad ... patrons. There is some plot for each episode regarding the customers, but they are resolved with food made by Taishou, who makes the food, who is helped by his server, Shinobu.

Would I recommend watching this? Yes. The medieval characters are people who are in need of something good to eat after a long day of responsibilities, most of the time, and good food is the solution. The live action segments are also informative and helps you with not only making meals yourself but also find restaurants in Japan you can spend your money on, with moderation or with gusto depending on you as a customer.

I'm just going to say this in the first sentence, You're missing out on absolutely nothing by skipping over this Isekai anime.

If I were to make a comparison I would compare this show to Michael Jordon's Space Jam because they're both advertising something to you, only one's advertising Basketball shoes while the other is advertising Japanese Culinary arts to foreigners, which is a shame because the show suffers for it.

The show's greatest strengths lies in how it portrays Japanese Culinary arts in Japanese establishments, and customer reactions and commentary on the food as they eat. There's really no plot line to talk about for this ... show as it's just a business owner and his cute waitress serving food to their customers with some given background information. The show does have a bit of drama when some wealthy patrons set their eyes on the restaurant but can't delve too much into it without spoiling anything for those who are genuinely interested in watching it.

The animation itself is okay but nothing to write home about.
The music is passable at best and not very memorable.

Where the show is at it's weakest is the lack of character development and lack of unique characters.

At the end of each episode the show plays a clip of a food critique going in a Japanese restaurant and trying out various foods that were showcased in that episode. This segment of the show can either be a high point for someone who likes Japanese cuisine or an incredibly low point of the show for people who are uninterested.

Overall, this is an okay enough Isekai anime for you to just kill time and watch or let it play in the back ground while you're cooking dinner, however for people who enjoy Isekai anime, It's safe to skip this one over and watch something else.