As part of the one hundredth anniversary celebrations of the Tåozai News, journalist Yamaoka Shiråo, who works for the newspaper, is assigned to create the Ultimate Menu, and he starts with an examination of the basic elements of Japanese cuisine. - (Baker & Taylor)

The best selling and most beloved food manga of all time!

As part of the celebrations for its 100th anniversary, the publishers of the Tozai News have commissioned the creation of the "Ultimate Menu," a model meal embodying the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine. This all-important task has been entrusted to journalist Yamaoka Shiro, an inveterate cynic who possesses no initiative--but also an incredibly refined palate and an encyclopedic knowledge of food.

Japanese Cuisine introduces us to the fundamental ingredients--rice, sashimi, green tea, and dashi (cooking stock)--that constitute the soul of the Japanese kitchen. In each story we learn about the proper preparation and presentation of different dishes, as well as their history and cultural significance. The result is a moveable feast of a book, as informative as it is engaging. - (Simon and Schuster)

Manga writer and essayist extraordinaire Tetsu Kariya graduated from prestigious Tokyo University. Kariya was employed with a major advertising agency before making his debut as a manga writer in 1974 when he teamed up with legendary manga artist Ryoichi Ikegami to create Otoko Gumi (Male Gang). The worlds of food and manga were forever changed in 1983 when Kariya, together with artist Akira Hanasaki, created the immensely popular and critically acclaimed Oishinbo. - (Simon and Schuster)

Library Journal Reviews

Journalist and cynical foodie Yamaoka Shirô is tasked with creating "The Ultimate Menu" for the Tôzai News as part of its 100th anniversary celebration. Yamaoka has amazing culinary skills, but a rival newspaper has in mind a "Supreme Menu" and retains Shirô's arrogant gastronome father to design it. This fictional manga has nonfictional intent: to give cooking buffs and armchair culinary anthropologists both enjoyment and insight re: Japanese food. Each episode features a different dish or facet of preparation embedded in the overall story about the two competing teams. Fantastically popular in Japan with over 100 volumes, Oishinbo ("the gourmet") is being recompiled for Americans into attractive theme-based collections with recipe samples and copious translator's notes. This volume introduces Japanese kitchen basics: rice, sashimi, green tea, and dashi (cooking stock). The otherwise merely serviceable art renders the food exceedingly well, and additional translated volumes are lined up for sake, ramen, raw fish dishes, and vegetables. Entertaining and informative for both public and academic libraries, plus specialty cooking collections. Rated teen and up but probably belongs in adult collections, with topic-specific cataloging.—M.C.

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 10 Up—This is the first title in a manga series that will highlight thematic selections from the more than 100 Oishinbo volumes published since the 1980s in Japan. The premise is that rival newspapers (an almost charmingly outdated notion these days) are competing to create "The Ultimate Menu," a meal that will embody "the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine." Tension sizzles as the volatile and oft-misunderstood Yamaoka is pitted against his famous bulldozer of a father, Kaibara. Each "course" in this menu features an in-depth exploration of an aspect of Japanese culture and cuisine, from the intricacies of chopstick making and use to the importance of holistic cooking to the integrity of a dish. The artwork is static, with simplistic characterization and expression that does little to add depth to the story. Fluidity between panels is slightly lacking, too. Color recipes and detailed notes on the text are included. All said, clearly the author has a passion for Japanese cooking, and his enthusiasm is contagious. A pinch of Rebel Without a Cause served with a generous spoonful of Iron Chef, this book will be snapped up by the ever-growing ranks of Japanophiles, as well as foodies.—Shannon Peterson, Kitsap Regional Library, WA