The world of anime is known for its captivating stories, dynamic characters, and stunning visuals. But beyond the action and drama, there's another element that often captures the hearts (and stomachs) of viewers: food. The amount of detail and attention that animators give to anime food can sometimes turn the lousiest nitpicker into an anime foodie. In almost every anime series or movie, we see the main character or yandere chowing down on a bowl of ramen or taking a bite out of a rice ball. Anime food has been a delicious window into Japanese culture for decades. These animated scenes show viewers worldwide how amazing and exciting Japanese cuisine can be. From warm bowls of ramen to colorful bento boxes, anime food helps people learn about Japan’s tasty traditions in a fun and engaging way. But with so many foods to choose from, what should an anime fan (or non-fan) try first?
Iconic Anime Dishes
Ramen: A Symbol of Friendship and Happiness
Ramen is one of those foods that has taken on a life of its own. While many don’t know how ramen became such an instant hit with anime fans outside of Japan, it may be due to the popular long-running series Naruto. Ramen was not only seen as food, but also a symbol of friendship, family, and happiness. Japanese ramen is made of broth, noodles, and different toppings.
Onigiri: The Versatile Rice Ball
Better known as a rice ball, onigiri is a quick snack made out of Japanese rice and often wrapped in seaweed. This easy snack can be found in almost every anime series. Onigiri was particularly controversial when it featured in Pokémon. The dub edit gave the snack a name that viewers outside of Japan would be more familiar with, such as ‘sandwiches’. Fast forward to today, and onigiri has become a beloved, recognizable anime food.
Katsudon: A Winner's Meal
Not only did the flamboyant anime series, Yuri!!! on Ice bring us a non-traditional gay show, but it also featured some delicious treats. Every time Yuuri Katsuki wins, he’s allowed to eat this tasty dish. But, he continually breaks this rule. Wouldn’t you too? Katsudon is a heavenly mix of deep-fried pork cutlet, eggs, and rice.
Dango: A Sweet Trio Treat
At the beginning of Mugen, Jin, and Fuu’s weird and epic adventure in Samurai Champloo, the trio are looking for food. When they see a food stand along the road, they spend what little they have on “dango.” The spherical snacks are made from mochiko (rice flour), and they can be eaten year-round.
Read also: Healthy food access with Highmark Wholecare explained.
Taiyaki: The Fish-Shaped Pastry
Almost every comedy and romantic anime series has a perky little girl eating “taiyaki.” But just because it’s shaped like and looks like a fried fish, doesn’t mean it’s an actual fish. Although the origin of the fish shape is unknown, many suggest that taiyaki got its form based on the expensive sea bream.
Beyond the Basics: Exploring More Anime Food
Curry: Japan's Adopted National Dish
While technically not a Japanese food, curry is consumed so often that it can be considered a national dish. The Japanese version is somewhat thicker and sweeter than its Indian counterpart.
Pocky: The Sharing Snack
Pocky is a popular Japanese biscuit stick coated in chocolate. It comes in a wide range of flavors including strawberry, cookies and cream, melon, matcha green tea, and much more. So Pocky is the perfect snack to share with anyone, anytime, anywhere. A perfect example is Yomi and Kagura from Ga-Rei Zero who regularly share a box of Pocky as a symbol of their friendship.
Ramune: The Bubbly Challenge
Ramune is one of those soft drinks that you’ll need 007 anime foodie skills to drink. The marble inside seals the bottle, so the top of the bottle stays in place by the pressure of the carbonation in the glass.
Omurice: Western Influence, Anime Favorite
You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Western cuisine influenced one of the most favorite anime foods to hit the screen. Omurice consists of an omelet made with fried rice and topped with ketchup making it the perfect comfort food. Omurice is probably one of the most iconic/well-known dishes in Japanese cuisine, and it sounds like such a simple thing to make. Eggs on top of fried rice (with other various additions like onions or meat); I feel like, really, anyone can make it for something to fill themselves up with. It’s been shown in tons and tons of anime such as The Garden of Words, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon, Mob Psycho 100, and I assume other shows that I haven’t seen. I think what makes it well-known in the entertainment side of Japanese culture are the different drawings of cute pictures or words made out of ketchup.
Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run
Miso Soup: A Comforting Classic
Miso soup is a must-try Japanese comfort food.
Takoyaki: Seafood Delight
Takoyaki is the perfect snack for anime foodies who love seafood. The perfect way to make this ball-shaped Japanese snack is to fill them with minced or diced octopus (tako), deep fried flour-batter, pickled ginger, and green onions. In Assassination Classroom, Korosensei makes takoyaki with the octopus that Karma killed (as a powerplay move). He gives one to Karma, who immediately spits it out due to the spiciness.
Tamagoyaki: The Rolled Omelet
A makiyakinabe is a rectangular cooking pan and is the must-have kitchen appliance for any anime foodie. The makiyakinabe is used to make these rolled and grilled omelets which are often seen at sushi restaurants. To make the perfect Japanese-style tamagoyaki, you’ll need to roll several layers of cooked eggs in a makiyakinabe.
Parfaits: The Ultimate Dessert
While breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, the course we look forward to most is dessert. Parfaits may not be traditionally Japanese, but they are the ultimate dessert in Japanese cuisine.
Burgers: A Global Treat
The hamburger may feel like a quintessentially American food, but burger lovers exist all over the world - including some of your favorite anime. Key burger-featuring anime include Cowboy Bebop, Dragon Ball GT, Ranma 1/2, and One Piece. One interesting note about burgers in anime: They don’t just favor the traditional beef patty. Looking for your own Japanese-inspired burger to fill you up? Try the new Tori Katsu Burger, available at KFC restaurants in Singapore.
Read also: Mobile Dining Revolution
Anime Series That Celebrate Food
Spirited Away: A Magical Feast
Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away is filled with magical, unforgettable scenes, but few are as iconic as the lavish spirit banquet. In this memorable sequence, Chihiro’s parents indulge in a feast of mysterious, sumptuous foods, which ultimately leads to their transformation into pigs. “Spirited Away” has some of the best anime food ever! This scene showcases the indulgence and excess associated with food, contrasting with the simple, wholesome meals later in the film.
My Neighbor Totoro: Simple Joys
In My Neighbor Totoro, the meal scenes are understated yet deeply meaningful. One of the most touching moments involves the simple joy of opening a carefully packed bento box. The carefully made meals show the deep connection between the characters. Studio Ghibli is famous for its vibrant anime food!
Food Wars! (Shokugeki no Soma): Culinary Battles
When it comes to anime food, Food Wars! (Shokugeki no Soma) is in a league of its own. In Food Wars, cooking becomes an intense competition. Students at Totsuki Culinary Academy battle to create the most creative and delicious dishes. “Food Wars” is famous for its inventive dishes. The show generally highlights food through detailed presentations and cooking techniques. Characters also have dramatic reactions when tasting dishes. Food Wars! is an anime that brings the art of Japanese cuisine to life in a way that has inspired food lovers and aspiring chefs worldwide. One of said dishes is ochazuke, shown in episode seven. It’s considered one of the most traditional and basic Japanese dishes since it really only consists of two ingredients; them being tea poured on top of rice. But you can also add various ingredients to them like cooked salmon, ginger, konbu (salted kelp), to really add some more flavor to the mix, plus you can switch up the kind of tea you use (green tea is usually the standard for this dish). At first, I wasn’t really intrigued by the idea of just eating a bowl of rice submerged in tea, but since I’ve garnered a love of green tea recently, it doesn’t seem like a bad thing to at least try. Plus, the endless combinations of additional ingredients you can add sounds like it can really help with the flavor and overall enjoyment. “Gotcha” Pork Roast (Food Wars! Confession: I haven’t seen this show. I’ve only heard of this dish since I watched another YouTube channel, Feast of Fiction, re-create it, and it looked like a really nice dish to eat. Mashed potatoes wrapped in bacon with a nice sauce to top it off; when you read that, it doesn’t sound that exciting but thankfully Shokugeki no Souma brilliantly shows off and explains the cooking process that can absolutely make your mouth water for this dish.
Dagashi Kashi: A Sweet Dive into Traditional Snacks
Are you looking for awesome snacks commonly featured in anime? Check TokyoTreat! Dagashi Kashi takes a different approach by focusing on the world of traditional Japanese snacks, or dagashi. The series is about the quirky interactions between characters who run a dagashi shop, and the episodes have many explanations for these beloved treats. This show heavily features dagashi! Image via Mr. Anime food fans will appreciate the deep dive into Japan’s snack culture. The exploration covers the history and unique flavors of different snacks.
Amaama to Inazuma: Cooking with Love
If you’re unfamiliar with the anime Amaama to Inazuma, it’s a heart-warming slice-of-life revolving around a single, busy father who has the desire to learn how to cook and make incredible dishes for his young daughter, rather than repeatedly buying her convenience store bought food. One of the dishes featured in that anime is okonomiyaki, a savory pancake dish made up of your usual pancake elements like flour and eggs, but also includes various ingredients ranging from meat to vegetables. Actually, the word “okonomiyaki” literally means “grilled how you like it”, implying that you can pretty much add anything your heart desires in this dish. Aaaand, cooking YouTube channel Binging with Babish actually recreated the okonomiyaki dish from Amaama to Inazuma so if you’re interested in learning how to make it, you can go check that one out.
Tamako Market: Mochi and Community
Tamako Market is about a family of mochi bakers! In Tamako Market, mochi is a traditional Japanese rice cake. Tamako, the daughter of a mochi shop owner, lives and works in her family’s business. Her interactions with friends and neighbors often involve sharing mochi, showing how food connects people.
The Art of Food in Anime
The visual representation of food in anime has been pretty darn impressive in recent years, whether that be in various slice-of-life anime or shows that actually have a focus on cooking and food. One of my favorites doesn’t exactly fit in those examples, but it’s absolutely worth mentioning the incredible art direction Shinkai Makoto went towards in a scene for his short film, The Garden of Words. The way he shows different cooking aspects like cutting vegetables, how the food looks gorgeous and super appetizing, or even seeing the steam coming out of a piping hot dish; my goodness, that is a superb way of expressing food and cooking in anime. That being said, I’ve seen many anime that feature mouth-watering dishes that both are interesting to watch being made and make it seem pretty easy to cook.
A Balanced Anime Diet
Just like it’s important to eat seasonally to get the freshest produce, it’s also important to watch some seasonal anime to ensure you are enjoying the freshest content available. Just like healthy carbs are important to maintain a stable blood sugar level, to give you slow burning energy, and to keep your tummy feeling full, Long Run anime series as part of your daily Otaku routine are important continuous stories that keeps you grounded and comfortable in the anime world. A Long Run anime (an anime with lots of episodes) are amazingly versatile and they can be something you binge or watch one episode at a time. And Long Run anime are vital for filling in gaps between anime series, seasonal anime, or when you just can’t find a new anime you want to watch. Because Long Run anime are so long, you have a constant anime companion that is always there for you to watch. Much like fruit and veg add vital nutrients and vitamins into a healthy diet, introspective anime like series in the shojo and slice-of-life genre also add important depth and personal meaning to your anime watching experience. Nothing builds muscles like protein and exercise, and nothing gets an Otaku pumped for anime like an action packed adventure ride! Just like many new to healthy eating might mistakenly think that the only way to add protein into their diet is through meat or eggs, many new to anime mistakenly think that the only genre that has action is shonen anime like the Dragon Ball series, Naruto, or One Piece. But, much like you can find protein in a variety of unexpected foods like beans or seeds, you can find action in a variety of anime. Though Otakus (or anyone else) shouldn’t have a diet overloaded with sugar, that doesn’t mean that you have to avoid it completely! Used along with a wide variety of spices, a little bit of sugar can enhance flavors and make healthy food more enjoyable. Just like a little bit of sugar helps the veggies go down, a little bit of artistic or avant garde anime can spice up your viewing diet. Non main stream anime can help you look at more common anime from a different perspective and it can expand your horizons of what is possible in animation and even stretch the boundaries of what is anime! But be careful and remember to enjoy artistic anime in moderation.