Manga and gastronomy: a lively story with plenty of flavour

Very popular in Japan, culinary manga comes in all sub-genres: from Kodomo for young children, to Seinen or Josei for adults, via Shonen and Shōjo for teenage boys and girls respectively. There's something for everyone: poetic, didactic, fantastic or purely entertaining. Far from being chauvinistic, the mangakas venture beyond their borders, as far as France, to paint a portrait of global gastronomy. Fast food is even discussed, but we've taken a closer look at some of the tastiest manga.

La Cantine de minuit by Yarô Abe (Le Lezard Noir, 2009 - 2023)

LeLezardNoir

A cult series in Japan since its launch in 2006, La Cantine de minuit has given more than one French chef a head start. Yaro Abe's pure, fine line portrays a group of touching, gourmet night owls who all frequent a small restaurant open from midnight to seven in the morning. Through them, the reader discovers a rich and varied Japanese cuisine that's not just about sushi. This delicate 12-volume manga has been adapted as a TV series in Japan under the name Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories. The first two seasons have been available on Netflix since 2019, but nothing beats Yarô Abe's refinement and subtlety.

The solitary gourmet. Script: Masayuki Kusumi and Jirô Taniguchi - Drawing: Jirô Taniguchi (Casterman, reissued 2016)

©Casterman

In modern Japan, Goro Inogashira, a businessman working in the import-export business, takes advantage of his lunch break to escape to unusual, often popular, restaurants, thanks to a variety of special dishes. Like one of Proust's madeleines, each meal, each culinary encounter, evokes memories or awakens his spirit, prompting him to reflect on life. Melancholic, philosophical and poetic, Le Gourmet Solitaire has spawned a sequel: Les Rêveries d'un gourmet solitaire.

Les Années douces Intégrale - Script: Hiromi Kawakami - Drawing: Jirô Taniguchi (Casterman, 2020)

©Casterman

At the peak of his art, Jirô Taniguchi sublimates Hiromi Kawakami's intimate story with his light, uncluttered lines. Gastronomy is not at the heart of the story, but it is omnipresent in the background. In her regular café, Tsukiko meets a refined man more than thirty years her senior, none other than her former Japanese language teacher. They become accomplices and meet up regularly for meals, mushroom-picking, shopping for chicks at the market... all suspended culinary moments that fill the chaptered memories of these Sweet Years.

Hell's Kitchen by Gumi Amazi, Mitsuru Nishimura (Kana, 2013 - 2013)

DarkKana

An entertaining 13-volume series, Hell's Kitchen, by Gumi Amazi and Mitsuru Nishimura, has nothing to do with the famous New York neighborhood. The story takes the reader on an encounter with an unusual demon: Dogma. He feeds on the souls of chefs, but can't find anything appetizing to put under his tongue. So he decides to train young Satoru, who can't even cook an egg, to become a tasty chef. Fantastic and full of twists and turns, this Shōnen is a must for ages 7 to 77.

Food wars! Script: Yûto Tsukuda and Yuki Morisaki. Drawing: Shun Saeki (Delcourt, 2020)

DelcourtTonkam

As a child, Sôma fell into the cooking pot of his parents, who own a restaurant. As a result, he naturally wants to take over the family business when the time is right. His plans are turned upside down the day he learns that his father has accepted a position in a New York palace. To compete with his genius, the young man joins the prestigious Totsuki culinary school: the beginning of a series of incredible adventures that spans 36 volumes. A huge success, the series was made into an anime. A special edition of Food Wars - Chef's Speciality, a recipe book featuring the characters, was also published on September 27, 2023.