Gourmet (genre)

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Dishes of Japanese cuisine , also simple, the subject are often the stories of the genre

The gourmet genre ( Japanese Anim ル メ 漫画 ・ ア ニ メ , gurume manga / anime ) or cooking genre ( 料理 漫画 ・ ア ニ メ , ryōri manga / anime ) is a genre of Japanese comics and animation films, manga and anime . The works of the genre deal with cooking and eating - accordingly cooks, gourmets or restaurant critics are the focus of the stories. Some authors classify the Koch Manga as part of a professional genre in which the everyday work of one professional group is the focus.

Content

In series of the gourmet genre, a usual chapter or episode focuses on one dish and its preparation. The story of a series often follows a scheme in the Shōnen genre, which is usually aimed at young men and male adolescents : the rise of an outsider in the world of the profession or hobby, in this case the cook, gourmet or critic, is shown, who is ultimately the best his subject is or wants to become. The young cook is usually apprenticed to a master and according to the Japanese teaching tradition of Shugyō , he learns primarily through observation and imitation of the master. Some series also bring in the aspect of competition, in which the protagonist measures himself against his opponents in his subject. In addition to the actual plot and the conflict that arises over cooking, the series often offer the reader or viewer hints and tips on cooking and even recipes to cook at home. In addition to the series about professional chefs, there are also those who dedicate themselves to housewives or housewives and convey a simpler, more everyday approach to cooking.

The target group as well as the authors are mostly young men, so many of the series can be assigned to his genre. But works for younger or female audiences, i.e. shōnen or shōjo series, are also represented. Stories aimed at a female readership are more about sweets and are designed as love stories. It is common for the series to focus on a specific cuisine or gastronomy branch, so Cuisinier revolves around competitions between French chefs and Chūka Ichiban! brings its readers closer to Chinese cuisine. In addition to knowledge of recipes or kitchens, certain values ​​are often also conveyed. This can be an appreciation for tradition or for the available variety of food, an appreciation for simple meals, patience and mindfulness in cooking or hospitality . Some series show how everyday problems, including moral ones, can be solved through different or more conscious diets. Through the topic of cooking and eating, human relationships and social problems are explored.

A specialty is Ajimantei , a satire on the genre. In this series, cliché images of Japanese cooks or gourmets create meals that are either non-edible or seem completely stylish.

Stylistic devices

The style and narrative means largely correspond to those that are common in manga and anime, in particular the story manga with its long story arcs: cinematic narration with changing angles, perspectives and switching between close-up and long-distance shots. Dynamism is particularly placed in the food preparation scenes, which are staged similar to a sword fight. Onomatopoeia for every kind of activity underlay these scenes, up to and including words that are not supposed to describe tones, but texture or temperature of the food ( gitaigo ) . A hokuhoku over a hot sweet potato stands for its soft consistency. In contrast to the rest of what is shown, the dishes are shown in close-up photo-realistically. The masking effect associated with this contrast between the food and the characters makes it easier to identify with the characters involved and makes the food appear even more like a sensual experience. The fictionality of the simplified characters and their story is emphasized, as is the reality of the food shown. When looking at the food, the reader is torn out of the story for a moment and the narrative flow comes to a halt.

Classification and effect in Japanese culture and media

In Japanese culture , the ability to prepare meals and the regional and seasonal differences in the cuisine are of great importance. This is not only reflected in the gourmet genre, but in many manga and anime series in which eating and cooking become the subject of conversations or entire episodes. Although there are very few Japanese people who prepare their own food, especially among the younger ones, food and cooking are still highly valued. Dealing with the topic in the form of manga, anime or other media can be seen as a substitute for the lack of self-activity. The series can also promote new trends. That’s how the Yakitate !! Japan , which is about a boy who wants to become a baker, contributed to the fact that bread, and especially home-baking, became more popular in Japan.

Since the profession of cook in Japan is a traditional male domain, just as women work in the household according to the traditional role distribution and do not pursue professions, the protagonists are mostly male. The predominantly male reading and authorship also contributes to this. However, both the role model and the boundaries of the target groups and artists soften over time.

The aspect of competition between chefs can also be found outside of anime and manga in the Japanese media, as has been in the form of television shows since the Iron Chef cooking show in 1993.

history

One of the first series was the manga Hōchōnin Ajihei by Jirō Gyū and Jō Big , which appeared from 1973 to 1977 . Even before that, eating and cooking played a role in the manga, for example in Sazae-san , a series about a housewife that has been published since 1946. But the topic was not the focus for a long time. Tekka no Makihei by Yūichirō Ōbayashi and Yasuyuki Tagawa is the first to introduce the competitive aspect in which the young sushi chef competed against other students. Mikiya Mochizuki's Totsugeki Rāmen from 1970 is considered to be one of the earliest action cookery manga . During the height of the economic boom in Japan in the 1980s, a gourmet trend emerged that led to the popularization of the genre. The longest running and most successful series is the manga Oishimbo by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki , which has appeared in Big Comic Spirits magazine since 1983 .

Selected Works

In the following, works of the genre are listed that have been published internationally or have been received in specialist literature because of their special importance.

title Alternative title Year (s) genus
Aji Ichimonme 1987-1999 His
Ajimantei 1996-1997 His
Bambiino! 2004-2009 His
Bartender 2004-2011 His
Bonjour Koiaji Patisserie Bonjour Sweet Love Patisserie 2014-2015 Shōjo
Chūka Ichiban! 1995-1999 Shonen
Cooking dad 1985– His
Cuisine 2000-2001 His
Dungeon Meshi Delicious in dungeon 2014– His
Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma Shokugeki no Sōma 2012– Shonen
The gourmet - to enjoy the art alone Kodoku no Gurume 1994-1996 His
Hōchōnin Ajihei 1973-1977 Shonen
Isekai Izakaya Nobu 2014– His
Isekai Shokudō Restaurant to Another World 2013– His
Karē Naru Shokutaku Addicted to curry 2001– His
Kinō Nani Tabeta? What Did You Eat Yesterday? 2007– His
Kitchen no ohime-sama Kitchen Princess 2004-2008 Shōjo
Kofuku graffiti Gourmet girl graffiti 2012– Shōjo
Mister Ajikko 1986-1990 Shonen
Mix Vegetable 2005-2007 Shōjo
Muteki Kamban Musume Noodle fighter Miki 2002-2006 Shonen
Natsuko no sake Natsuko's sake 1988-1991 His
Oishimbo 1983– His
Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles 2013– His
Rāmen Hakkenden 2000-2009 His
Rokuhōdō Yotsuiro Biyori 2013– His
Seiyō Kottō Yōgashiten Antique Bakery 1999-2002 Shōjo
Shōta no sushi 1992-1997 Shonen
Sweetness and Lightning Amaama to Inazuma 2013– His
Taishi Kakka no Ryōrinin Le Chef Cuisinier de L'Ambassadeur 1998-2006 His
The Chef 1985-2013 His
Tekka no Makihei 1978-1981 His
Tetsunabe no Jan! Iron Wok Jan 1995-2000 Shonen
Toriko 2008-2016 Shonen
Totsugeki Rāmen 1970-1971 Shonen
Tsukiji Uogashi Sandaime 2000-2014 His
Yakitate !! Japan 2001-2007 Shonen
Yumeiro Cooking 1988-1990 Shōjo
Yumeiro patissiers 2008-2011 Shōjo

literature

  • Lorie Brau: Oishinbo's Adventures in Eating: Food, Communication, and Culture in Japanese Comics. In: Toni Johnson-Woods (Ed.): Manga - An Anthology of Global and Cultural Perspectives . Continuum Publishing, New York 2010, ISBN 978-0-8264-2938-4 , pp. 109-127.

Individual evidence

  1. a b Frederik L. Schodt: Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics . Kodansha America, 1983, ISBN 0-87011-752-1 , pp. 107-108.
  2. a b c d e f g h i Lorie Brau: Oishinbo's Adventures in Eating: Food, Communication, and Culture in Japanese Comics . In: Toni Johnson-Woods (Ed.): Manga - An Anthology of Global and Cultural Perspectives . Continuum Publishing, New York 2010, ISBN 978-0-8264-2938-4 , pp. 109-127 .
  3. a b c d e f Jason Thompson: Manga. The Complete Guide . Del Rey, New York 2007, ISBN 978-0-345-48590-8 , pp. 58-59 .
  4. Brigitte Koyama-Richard: One Thousand Years of Manga . Flammarion, Paris 2007, ISBN 978-2-08-030029-4 , pp. 166, 170 .
  5. 突 撃 ラ ー メ ン . In: 月刊 望月 三 起 也 . October 1, 2008, Retrieved September 19, 2015 (Japanese).