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Growing up, I happily enjoyed watching cooking shows with my mother, as I played with toys in the living room floor. I liked watching her cook, and when I grew, I began joining in. I remember one Christmas, I received an Easy Bake Oven, an unusual toy for a boy, but I couldn't have been happier. Now, at 27, I pride myself on my own recipes and ability as a chef. When Shokugeki no Soma was announced for an anime adaptation, it was [cleverly] marketed to be as "Iron Chef: the Anime." Intrigued, I picked up the manga immediately and fell in love by the ... end of Chapter One. The tight, snappy art style and character design struck me immediately and as I read, I adored each new character and savoured every challenge, every dish presented therein a delight to my eyes and imagination.

The beauty of Shokugeki no Soma is that this isn't as advertised- it's not a simple set of battles in Kitchen Stadium. While the Shokugeki is an important part of the narrative, Shokugeki no Soma is a shounen. As you read on and/or continue to watch, you see Soma and Co. mature and grow, even right down to the length of their HAIR. You watch them struggle and learn and sharpen their skills while forming relationships and looking toward futures brighter than one can imagine. The story evolves, much like Soma's transforming furikake gohan served to Erina at the beginning of the story. Framed as a coming of age story with a premise of school life, the use of food battles known as Shokugeki spice up the story enough in between character interactions in a way that facilitates growth.

Speaking of Spice, let's talk specifically about this adaptation, beginning with sound design. The ED of the first season, Spice by Tokyo Karankoron, is an absolute delight, with every ED and OP to follow adding something great to the energy of the show. The music found throughout the episodes is wonderful and dynamic, covering a range of motifs as broad as there are cuisines, from character themes to battle themes and beyond. The effects are also a delight, from bubbling pots to swift, snappy chops, the sound design is believable and appropriate.

Visually, the show ranges from your standard faire of high school life and kitchen shenanigans to outright foodgasms using hyperbolic exaggerations of the taster's reaction to the main ingredients in a given dish. Let's not forget the main attraction- the show's about food, so the food in this looks absolutely amazing. Veggies look crisp, meat looks fleshy and fatty, and liquids look smooth and clear. The show has its moments where it looks slightly generic when focusing on just simple character action, but during the drama, which there is a lot of, and the action, which is also aplenty, the detail is kicked into overdrive and the show really comes into its own. The animation follows this principle to match the art quality.

The characters are loveable and dynamic- noone gets left behind and every main and relevant side character experiences a range of emotions and experiences which goes a long way towards making them feel real.

Altogether, Shokugeki no Soma is an array of tasty little morsels served up to you in a tight, neatly wrapped little bento that you can't help but be both satisfied by and ready for seconds after. 9/10, this faithful adaptation only suffers a one point loss for those moments in which the visual quality takes a backseat during lighter moments. It has become one of my three favourite modern anime and I cannot wait for it to catch up to the incredible manga, which by the way gets a complete 10/10 for me. OAGARIYO.