Eat Like Your Favorite Character—From Bento to Yakisoba

August 17, 2020
Ault serves up Japanese cuisine that she either discovered or saw depicted in anime in this dutiful collection. Recipes begin with a brief story line synopsis and a mention of how the dish figures into the plot. A typical example, based on the Tokyo Ghoul series, begins, “In an alternate Tokyo, ghouls live secretly in society and survive on the flesh of humans,” before describing the comforting power of the stewed meat and potato dish, nikujaga, which is served at one point to an ailing character. Recipes are peppered with cultural and culinary facts; cream stew, readers learn, was created to aid Japanese school children in their dairy intake after WWII and turns up in more than 15 anime series. Difficulty levels run the gamut from a simple spaghetti with ketchup sauce to a much more involved miso chashu ramen made with a flavorful braised pork. There is a handy chart for composing bento boxes, as well as an insightful chapter on street food options, like the pancake and octopus balls, takoyaki, that turn up in Mob Psycho 100. But, while many of the main dishes are lovingly photographed, there is not a single illustration to showcase any of the hundreds of anime tales that are referenced. It’s a no-brainer for anime buffs, but those less well-versed in the genre will likely feel left out of the picture.