Toriko (2011)

Toriko is all about food. When I started watching it, it reminded me a bit of Yakitate Japan! and some other series about something edible that I can't really recall right now... but though it's reminiscent of series I've watched in the past it's still completely different. Mainly because Toriko is crazy-strong, and he's already crazy strong in the first episode. Luffy (from One Piece) and Toriko do share a few characteristics, and their being crazy-strong is one of them, so it's not strange that the first episode of Toriko was a mashup between the two series, featuring the whole Strawhat Crew and Toriko + Komatsu all together in an adventure on some mysterious/dangerous but also very delicious island. Something that could fit in both worlds. It was a surprisingly wellmade mashup as well, the characters actually go along well together, though no serious is cut out for two main characters with the strong main-character-personality that both Toriko and Luffy air.

In One Piece the world is in the great age of pirates. In Toriko the world is in the gourmet age, an age where everybody is striving to find the greatest ingredient. The ingredients are everywhere too. Most of them are exotic-looking animals and plants, but there are even edible rocks, soup that looks like air, seasoning made of ice and all kinds of interesting edibles. Part of the thrill in this series is the food, and the incredible flavors portrayed every time somebody eats something tasty, but there's also a lot of action and a great deal of comedy as well. All the main characters are crazy strong except for Komatsu, the chef. It's kind of like Dragon Ball where all the Saiyayins are inhumanly strong... and then there's Kirurin (is that spelled right?). The characters balance each other well though, and in difference from Dragon Ball nobody is strong enough to blow up the planet. It doesn't get out of proportion in the same way, though the displays of power do tend to reach for the edge.

As in all series that have a plot, there are bad guys. There is tension. There is suspense. There is also nothing that really gives you chills. Maybe because it's a show for kids? In a way it's way more outbound than Dragon Ball ever was, without going too far. Do you catch my drift? Probably not. Nobody can catch a drift. ;) Summing it up though, it's a great series. Another great thing about it, is that it keeps delivering new things in every episode. new ingredients. New animals. New people. It doesn't go around in circles or jump into flashbacks. Well, not yet at least, let's hope the series stays as innovative and dynamic as it is already. Banzai!

 rated 4/5: fo shizzle