New Blog Project: Itadakimasu!

A while back, I approached the lovely Pat and asked what he'd like to see me write about on my blog - since I had make a request of his awesome feminist anime blog *shameless plug*. However, instead of asking for a thousand words on the "wonder" that is Yui or twenty reasons why Sawa-chan would make the perfect wife (which, because it's him I'd likely have written), he offered advice and an idea. Unluckily for him, I loved the suggestion and so the ship has now sailed on the moe adoration front and I am instead embarking on a new project: blogging about food in anime.

From the moment Pat suggested it, I knew it was perfect for me as outside of the nerd realm, my main interest is cooking, and I personally find that these two interests coincide more frequently than you would think. The main way this tends to happen is that I'll spot some tasty looking morsel in an anime I'm watching and get the desire to try it, which is the main reason that I now own a rather sizeable number of Japanese cookery books.

So now, amongst the shounen babblings, and other anime and manga related ramblings, I intend to look at food in a variety of ways. I will likely take a glance at the importance of food within a given anime, and possibly blog an entire food-related series as I watch it. I also will likely focus posts on particular dishes, and maybe even share a recipe or two from my own experiences. Basically, if it's food-related and in anime (or manga) form, then the chances are I'll find something to write about it.

So, to start things off and tie this all in with the unofficial Bleach month I've got going on, I wanted to share one of my favourite food-related omake. In the Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book at the end of episode 183, Renji comments on how hungry he is, and Hisagi proclaims that he will take him somewhere where they can eat well and for no cost. Cue the Gotei 13's resident punching bag and joke of a vice-captain, Omaeda, who allows the oher two to finish off his "leftovers" for free much to Hisagi's joy and Renji's disgust.

What I like most about this omake is that the promise of free gourmet food really brings out a more fun and lively side of the usually calm and serious vice-captain. Having served under justice-obsessed asshat Tousen for so long, Hisagi generally has a sense of dignity about him, so when faced with a bowl of complimentary rice that turns him into a human hoover and causes Renji to question whether he even has any pride, you can't help but giggle. Thus is the power of food, especially upon a cash-strapped shinigami.

The moral of the story: there's no room for pride when you have the the promise of a free meal!