Oishinbo
Oishinbo | |
The cover of Oishinbo volume 102. | |
美味しんぼ | |
---|---|
Genre | Drama, Cooking |
Manga | |
Written by | Tetsu Kariya |
Illustrated by | Akira Hanasaki |
Published by | Shogakukan |
English publisher | |
Demographic | Seinen |
Magazine | Big Comic Spirits |
Original run | October 1983 – ongoing |
Volumes | 110 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Yoshio Takeuchi |
Studio | Studio Deen |
Network | TV Asahi |
Original run | 17 October 1988 – 17 March 1992 |
Episodes | 136 |
Anime television film | |
Oishinbo: Kyūkyoku Tai Shikō, Chōju Ryōri Taiketsu!! | |
Directed by | Iku Suzuki, Yoshio Takeuchi |
Studio | Studio Deen |
Network | Nippon Television |
Released | 11 December 1992 |
Runtime | 90 Minutes |
Anime television film | |
Oishinbo: Nichibei Kome Sensō | |
Directed by | Yoshio Takeuchi |
Studio | Studio Deen |
Network | Nippon Television |
Released | 3 December 1993 |
Runtime | 89 Minutes |
Oishinbo (美味しんぼ, lit. "The Gourmet") is a long-running cooking manga written by Tetsu Kariya and drawn by Akira Hanasaki. The manga's title is a portmanteau of the Japanese word for delicious, oishii, and the word for someone who loves to eat, kuishinbo.[1] The series depicts the adventures of culinary journalist Shirō Yamaoka and his partner (and later wife), Yūko Kurita. It has been published by Shogakukan between 1983 and 2008 in Big Comic Spirits, before resuming again on February 23, 2009,[2] and collected in 110 tankōbon volumes, currently making it the 7th longest manga released. The series was a perennial best-seller, selling 1.2 million copies per volume,[3] for a total of more than 130 million[4]
The series received the 1987 Shogakukan Manga Award for seinen/general manga.[5] It was adapted as a 136-episode anime television series broadcast on TV Asahi from October 17, 1988 to March 17, 1992 plus two sequel anime television specials.
It is licensed in English in North America by Viz Media,[6] which published the first volume January 2009.[7]> Seven volumes from the Oishinbo a la Carte (美味しんぼア・ラ・カルト Oishinbo A Ra Karuto) series were published from January 2009 to January 2010. These editions are thematic compilations (and thus jumping back and forth in continuity), making the English editions effectively a "best-of of a best-of". These volumes are:
- Oishinbo: Japanese Cuisine (January 20, 2009; a la Carte volume 20) ISBN 1-4215-2139-3[8]
- Oishinbo: Sake (March 17, 2009; a la Carte volume 26) ISBN 1-4215-2140-7[9]
- Oishinbo: Ramen & Gyoza (May 19, 2009; a la Carte volume 2) ISBN 1-4215-2141-5[10]
- Oishinbo: Fish, Sushi & Sashimi (July 21, 2009; a la Carte volume 5) ISBN 1-4215-2142-3[11]
- Oishinbo: Vegetables (September 15, 2009; a la Carte volume 19) ISBN 1-4215-2143-1[12]
- Oishinbo: The Joy of Rice (November 17, 2009; a la Carte volume 13) ISBN 1-4215-2144-X[13]
- Oishinbo: Izakaya: Pub Food (January 19, 2010; a la Carte volume 12) ISBN 1-4215-2145-8[14]
Main characters
The names here are in western order (family name last). The official English language manga volumes use the Japanese naming order (family name first).
- Shirō Yamaoka (山岡 士郎 Yamaoka Shirō) Voiced by: Kazuhiko Inoue
- Yamaoka is the protagonist of the series. He is a journalist for the Tōzai News (東西新聞社 Tōzai Shinbun) and the head of its "Ultimate Menu" project.
- Yūko Kurita (栗田 ゆう子 Kurita Yūko) Voiced by: Mayumi Shō
- Kurita is Yamaoka's coworker. She assists him in the "Ultimate Menu" project. She later becomes his wife. They have two children, Yōji (陽士) and Yumi (遊美).
- Yūzan Kaibara (海原 雄山 Kaibara Yūzan) Voiced by: Chikao Ōtsuka
- Kaibara is Yamaoka's father and rival. Kaibara trained Yamaoka, but the two had a falling out. The relationship worsens when Kaibara begins to work for the "Supreme Menu" project of the Teito Times (帝都新聞 Teito Shinbun), a rival newspaper. Kaibara is also the founder and director of the "Gourmet Club." Kaibara is also an artist, and also the author of the "Dictionary of Poetic References."
- Daizō Ōhara (大原 大蔵 Ōhara Daizō) Voiced by: Osamu Saka
- Ōhara is the publisher of the Tōzai News.
- Kyōichi Koizumi (小泉 鏡一 Koizumi Kyōichi) Voiced by: Seizō Katō
- Hideo Tanimura (谷村 秀夫 Tanimura Hideo) Voiced by: Shunsuke Shima
- Tanimura is the director of the arts and culture department of the Tōzai News.
- Tomio Tomii (富井 富雄 Tomii Tomio) Voiced by: Osamu Katō
- Tomii is the deputy director of the arts and culture department
- Tōjin Tōyama (唐山 陶人 Tōyama Tōjin) Voiced by: Kōsei Tomita
- Tōyama is a famous ceramicist and gourmet.
- Seiichi Okaboshi (岡星 精一 Okaboshi Seiichi) Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto
- Okaboshi is the owner and chef of Yamaoka's preferred socializing space.
- Mantarō Kyōgoku (京極 万太郎 Kyōgoku Mantarō) Voiced by: Takeshi Watabe
- He is a wealthy businessperson and a gourmet.
- Noriko Hanamura Voiced by: Rei Sakuma
- Kinue Tabata Voiced by: Rin Mizuhara
- Mariko Niki (近城 まり子 Niki Mariko) Voiced by: Saeko Shimazu
- Mariko Niki, originally Mariko Futaki (二木 まり子 Futaki Mariko), is one of Yamaoka's and Kurita's coworkers. For many early volumes she romantically pursues Yamaoka. When Yamaoka realizes her intentions in the chapter "The Spirit of the Sardine," Yamaoka tells her that he is not interested in marrying her, even though if he did, he would gain financial and social advantages.[15]
- The Futaki family, at that time, did not have a male heir. In Japanese tradition, wealthy families without male heirs adopted one of the husbands into the family, so he could become a male heir. The Futaki family wanted Yamaoka to marry into the family so he could become the male heir. Teruko reveals this to Yamaoka in the chapter "The Spirit of the Sardine."[15]
- Chairman Futaki (二木会長 Futaki-kaichō)
- He is Mariko's grandfather.
- Takashi Futaki (二木 崇 Futaki Takashi)
- He is Mariko's father.
- Teruko (輝子)
- Teruko is Mariko's aunt.
- Inspector Nakamatsu (中松警部 Nakamatsu-keibu) Voiced by: Norio Fukudome
- Tokuo Nakagawa (中川 得夫 Nakagawa Tokuo)
- He is the head chef of the "Gourmet Club."
- Fuyumi - Fuyumi becomes Okaboshi's wife[16]
- Dr. Iwakura - Dr. Iwakura is Tanimura's former elementary school classmate.[17]
- Tatsunojō "Tatsu" Hanamikōji (花見小路 辰之丈 Hanamikōji Tatsunojō) is a homeless man. He collects leftovers from various restaurants in Ginza, so he knows which ones have the highest quality food. He introduced Yamaoka to Okaboshi's restaurant.[18]
- Arthur Brown (アーサー・ブラウン Āsā Buraun) is an American friend of Yamaoka and Kurita. He speaks very strange Japanese. He does not use correct grammar, and he uses archaic Japanese and does not properly use idioms.[19]
- Haru is the wife of Ozawa. Both had been previously married, and remarried each other. Out of habit he calls her "Haru-san."[19]
In the Japanese language, the members of the Futaki family are distinguished by the honorifics. The grandfather is "Chairman Futaki," the father is "President Futaki," and Mariko is "Futaki-san."[15]
Media
Manga
Chapter list
No. | Release date | ISBN | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
01 | November 30, 1984[20] | ISBN 4-09-180751-8 | ||
|
Anime
Episode list
# | Title | Original airdate |
---|---|---|
1 | "Ultimate Menu" "Kyūkyoku no menyū" (究極のメニュー) | October 17, 1986 |
2 | (士郎対父・雄山) | |
3 | (野菜の鮮度) | |
4 | "Living Fish" "Ikita Sakana" (活きた魚) | |
5 | (そばツユの深味) |
Video games
- Oishinbo: Kyukyoku no Menu 3bon Syoubu (Family Computer, 1989, developed by TOSE)
- Oishinbo: DS Recipe Shuu (Nintendo DS, 2007, published by Namco Bandai Games)
Reception
In the 1980s Japan had an upsurge in popularity in the gurume movement, called the "gourmet boom." Iorie Brau, author of "Oishinbo’s Adventures in Eating: Food, Communication, and Culture in Japanese Comics," said that this was the largest factor of the increase in popularity of gurume comics. The series's first episode sold around one million copies. The popularity of Oishinbo the comic lead to the development of the anime, the live action film, and many fansites. The fansites chronicle recipes that appeared in the comic book.[1]
Tetsu Kariya, the writer of Oishinbo, said in a 1986 interview that he was not a food conoisseur, and that he felt embarrassed whenever food experts read the comic.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Brau, Lorie (Fall 2004). "Oishinbo's Adventures in Eating: Food, Communication, and Culture in Japanese Comics". Gastronomica 4 (4): 34–45. doi:10.1525/gfc.2004.4.4.34.
- ↑ "Oishinbo Cuisine Manga to Resume in Japan Next Week". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
- ↑ "Hanasaki Akira 花咲アキラ". The Ultimate Manga Guide. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ↑ "美味しんぼ:来春フジでドラマ化 原作者・雁屋哲構成で初の完全オリジナル 主演・松岡は続投". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2008-12-17. Archived from the original on 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
- ↑ "小学館漫画賞: 歴代受賞者" (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ↑ "Amazon: Viz Adds Gaba Kawa, Heaven's Will, Oishinbo". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ↑ "Viz Media Satisfies Hungry Manga Fans with the Release of Oishinbo". Anime News Network. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2009.
- ↑ "Oishinbo: Japanese Cuisine, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ↑ "Oishinbo: Sake, Vol. 2". Viz Media. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ↑ "Oishinbo: Ramen and Gyoza, Vol. 3". Viz Media. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ↑ "Oishinbo: Fish, Sushi and Sashimi, Vol. 4". Viz Media. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ↑ "Oishinbo: Vegetables, Vol. 5". Viz Media. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ↑ "Oishinbo: The Joy of Rice, Vol. 6". Viz Media. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ↑ "Oishinbo: Izakaya--Pub Food, Vol. 7". Viz Media. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Kariya, Tetsu and Akira Hanasaki. Oishinbo a la Carte Izakaya: Pub Food. 263. Viz Media.
- ↑ Kariya, Tetsu and Akira Hanasaki. Oishinbo a la Carte Izakaya: Pub Food. 265. Viz Media.
- ↑ Kariya, Tetsu and Akira Hanasaki. Oishinbo a la Carte Izakaya: Pub Food. 264. Viz Media.
- ↑ Kariya, Tetsu and Akira Hanasaki. Oishinbo a la Carte Izakaya: Pub Food. 269. Viz Media.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Kariya, Tetsu and Akira Hanasaki. Oishinbo a la Carte Izakaya: Pub Food. 270. Viz Media.
- ↑ "美味しんぼ 1" [Oishinbo 1] (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
External links
- Oishinbo (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia