I’m a sucker for a good cooking manga. I’m even more a sucker for it when it’s pulled out of nowhere in a superpowered battle series and yet feels totally welcome. It’s why Toriko is so balls-on amazing under normal circumstances. And why it’s so lackluster now, when nary a character has had their muscles restored by a delicious cake in over half a year. So I’ve been satisfying my hunger* with a number of manga, most notably the raws of an almost-finished Akagi and the charmingly-amateurish classic Duwang scans of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. This week’s featured chapter comes from the latter, not for the unintentional comedy, but because this spaghetti looks really, really good:
But it doesn’t just look delicious, or even just taste delicious. It’s also a medical miracle that causes Okuyasu, the character eating, to lose two bad teeth, then regrow them in a matter of seconds.
These dramatic effects are produced by chef Tonio’s stand power, Pearl Jam. Contrary to what things may look like, it’s a helpful stand that leaves Okuyasu better than he started, also fixing a lack of sleep, a stiff shoulder, intestinal clogging, and a case of athlete’s foot through a delicious-looking, vicariously-enjoyed 5-dish meal. If I got to stick myself into one fantasy world just to try the food, I would still pick Toriko.** But if I got a chance to do it again, you bet I’d be booking my ticket to Chateau del Tonio.
*Pun totally, totally intended.
**Soup with the consistency of a hamburger and the taste power to make me grin like an idiot? Naturally occurring french fries? The world’s shiniest meat? Yes to all of the above.