I made the one mistake that all manga/anime lovers make— I started reading an awesome manga right before going to bed.
Story. 8/10
Nobunaga no chef is a manga about a modern day chef called Ken who mysteriously gets transported back into time to Sengoku era.
Thanks to his skills he is discovered by Oda Nobunaga, the Devil king himself.
The number one thing that Nobunaga values is skill, which Ken has in plenty, so they get along really well.
The story follows the great adventures and misadventures of Nobunaga....the military escapades, the negotiations with the Emperor, the Shogun, the warrior monks, etc. I have recently read lots of Historical fiction, especially isekai type, and the two that I love the most are this manga and Nobunaga Concerto.
This is mainly because I find the MC very relatable and likeable. The story is kept historically accurate, and yet very exciting.
If you love historical fiction, you’ll love this manga.
But wait, that’s not all. A huge part of this manga is about food. Ken is a MasterChef, he can sway emotions by his cooking, rejuvenate sapped soldiers, inspire disoriented diamyos, and also have a love sub-plot ongoing. Amazing, to say the least. And most importantly, things never become unrealistic. Seeing all these beautiful food panels makes my hungry. Lovers of shougeki souma, hear hear.
As the story progresses it gets more and more interesting, that is a big charm for any manga. Famous historical characters like Akechi Mitsuhide, Hideyoshi Hashina(Saru), Tokugawa Ieyasu, Takeda Shingen, Sen no Rikyu, Kennyo,etc make appearances in this manga. This is really pleasing for a history nerd.
Art. 8/10
I love the way that food panels are drawn. It looks so delicious, and rightfully so. As food is a big aspect of this manga.
The battle scenes are drawn really well, and the ongoing historical commentary helps us keep a track on what’s going on.
I also like how every character design seems unique, and seems similar to the historical descriptions of the people.
Characters. 8/10
The characters are the heart of any manga. The guys here are amazing. Ken is an outstanding guy. He is a skilled chef, a kind person who helps others, has guts to talk back to some of the scariest warlords. He is willing to work really hard to achieve what he wants, yet he never does anything immoral. He refuses to poison any opponent, refuses to betray his lord. And most importantly, he refuses to change history for his own benefit. He knows about events like various battles, Honno-Ji, death of certain warlords, etc. but he doesn’t corrupt the past. I love this type of protagonists, keeping things simple and fun.
Also....we see a large part of manga through Ken’s eyes, so we see how the famous historical people acted in private. Ken gets to talk to Nobunaga, but he is just a chef. So we don’t see him having deep discussions too often. With others, he is able to speak his mind more clearly.
Oda Nobunaga is shown as a strong, ambitious man, who is good at planning, good at reading people and also very pragmatic. Traditions mean shit to him. Efficiency over hierarchy. Also, he is a brave man. This bravery got him the name- Fool of Owari.
He feels no remorse in killing warrior monks... this got him the name - The Devil king.
Overall, he is based.
The Female lead is a blacksmith girl called Natsu. She is cute, smart and gives a light vibe to this manga. The romance aspect is thankfully not forced, it is developing naturally.
There are many other memorable characters here, Hideyoshi is fun, Akechi is shrewd....though not as shrewd as Matsunaga. That guy, well, he is something else.
Overall. 9/10
This is an amazing underrated hidden gem! So far I have read 106 chapters, you can read them all in 5-6 hours. The story is gripping and you’ll be transported to that time too—guaranteed.
Not recommended if you want a shonen about friendship, a highschool comedy, or some magic isekai harem,etc.
Highly recommended if you want a good history fiction, with isekai elements, action, drama, and lots of tasty food!
Read this manga, you cannot go wrong.
Thank you for reading!
