Hello and welcome Project Nitsuj and welcome to the second part of Food Wars S3. After a shocking first half, the second half of the season would go on to air several months down the line instead of continuing into the next season. This was all a part of a new practice a lot of studios at the time were doing with their ongoing anime. Rather than air the second half of their anime in the next season, they would delay it for a couple of months and then restart anime. Yeah it pissed off a few fans, but at the same time it did allow studios to take a break to focus on other projects and extra time for third-party studios to fix animation errors or in-between animation. Let’s see how Souma and the others contend with a school out to get them. This is Food Wars S3 part 2.
Opening and Ending Theme
The opening for the second half is “Symbol” by Luck Life. Out of all the openings this was my favorite of the bunch. The symbolism within the opening is amazing and perfectly encapsulates the situation the characters are in. Prisoners trapped in a corrupted school where they’re told to fall in line or else. On top of that the singer is really good here. If you’ve watched Bungou Stray Dogs then you’ll know this band is really good and pulls you into the song.
The ending is “Atria” by Fo’xTails. I’m gonna have to retract my previous statement season two’s ending and say that this ending was my favorite. It’s a very feel good ending of the characters chasing after those in front of them and trying to catch up. I think my favorite moment is at the start where we see Souma and Joichiro on the ground exhausted and covered in dirt, but still smiling because they had fun and that’s what matters the most to them. I do like how the guitar starts the song and ends the song.
Episodes 13-15
The second half of the third season starts with the announcement of the advancement exam an exam that will decide whether or not you can become second year students, or at least that was the original intent. In truth, this is Azami telling students to pick their sides. They can either choose to follow him and his teachings or become a rebel and get weeded out. As you would imagine, Souma and the others in the Polar Star dorm are prime targets with most of them being scared for their lives and giving up hope right away (oh come on you’ve survived worse). That night, Souma receives a visit from Erina (hey now, looks like somebody wants to try Souma’s secret menu. Give her your cream pie special Souma. I’m sure she’ll enjoy it) and talks about how she first met Joichiro (aka how Erina gained a DILF fetish). As a child Erina was constantly doing taste tests because of her God Tongue and when your tongue is on a higher level, you can’t help but be disappointed in what doesn’t live up to your standards and that’s what happened to Erina. No food, no matter how good it looked or how well it tasted (from a normal man’s perspective) could ever live up to Erina’s standards that is until she came across Joichiro who was visiting Senzaemon and cooked him a meal. Erina smelled the food, got hungry, and Joichiro made her a dish where after one bite Erina considered it to be the best dish she ever had (we found the tin girl’s heart). It was the first time that she felt that cooking food was fun (scene here: https://youtu.be/0TdW24eHc30) and then Azami came and began the training from Hell (you ruined it for her). While Erina admits that she enjoyed the wonderment of Joichiro’s cooking, she also understands the principles of Azami’s cooking as she’s seen first-hand imperfect dishes and how insulting it can be. These two different viewpoints of cooking have caused Erina to not know what food means to her and doesn’t know what to do anymore (well this explains why she’s been on the sidelines not choosing a side on who to stand with). Souma decides to make her a dish to help her decide what kind of chef she wants to be and to also get his vengeance against her for calling his dish disgusting during the entrance exam (scenes here: https://youtu.be/J0BA7S2XjAk and https://youtu.be/HjyXNzcxelQ). The dish he creates is chicken’s egg tempura bowl and even though it goes against everything that Erina has been taught to believe she can’t help but get a foodgasm because of how delicious it is (of course she won’t admit it). When asked why he would create a dish like this not knowing what the outcome of it would be, Souma simply said it’s was more fun this way and he’s right (while making a dish by the book is fun, adding in your own unique flavor gives the dish something new and makes it unique. In other words, going off the pages is fun. Scene here: https://youtu.be/W53RAnUJ8z4). After finishing the dish, Erina finally knows what she wants to do and calls for everyone to gather outside the dorm tomorrow morning where she announces that she’s going to train them to survive the advancement exam (scene here: https://youtu.be/CPCphjzViiM).
Episode 14 is the start of the advancement exam. The exam will be taking place in Hokkaido where the students will be given various tests (i.e make a good dish. Or in Azami’s mind. Make the dish using my methods or I expel you. (Student): But why are we making the dish this way instead of- (Azami): Question me again and I cut you) and travel all across Hokkaido (a regular tour de north). In order to get prepared for the exam, Erina (wearing a sexy teacher outfit) teaches (or hammers in) everyone in the Polar Star dorm about the Hokkaido region, the various foods, and what they expect to see with Ikumi and the Aldini brothers joining in as well (hardship loves company. (Isis): Isn’t that misery loves company? (Nitsuj): Is there really a difference? Scene here: https://youtu.be/qeCAMqWcEuY). After a week of studying the advancement exams begin where we see that Souma and the others are already being singled out. They’ve been placed into groups of 5 where their first exam is creating a delicious salmon dish. A simple task except Souma’s group along with the rest of the Rebels (suck it Central) have been given bad salmon while everyone else has been given good salmon (oh God, it’s the camping trip all over again. You literally set them up for failure. Fuck you). It’s clear that Azami is using this exam to eliminate anyone who opposes him and his teachings. The only Rebel who escapes his wrath is Erina who was with other students already under Azami’s control because of how valuable she is to him. Back to the exam, they have until sundown to finish their dish and with that bad salmon their chances are slim. So instead of using the bad salmon, they instead head out and find a fresh spring salmon and create a dish that goes against Central’s teachings but is so delicious that the instructor has no choice but to pass them (scenes here: https://youtu.be/u3tgxq9u9ts and https://youtu.be/IimcgQJBzLE). The other Rebels also pass the exam as well and they hop on a luxury train (give the academy this, they travel in style) to their next destination. On the train ride a few of the characters stop by Erina’s room and invite her to check out some stuff as a way to thank her for everything she’s done (the real Erina has finally shown herself and I like it). Souma also stops by where they share a moment by gazing at the starry sky together and Erina isn’t annoyed by his presence (scene here: https://youtu.be/Z_WZciuk_YY).
Nothing much to say in episode 15. In stage 2 of the exam, everyone is told to make a delicious noodle dish using the ingredients provided or by using ingredients they find or buy at the store in 3 hours. The Rebels get to go last where all the ingredients have been used up (why am I not surprised?) and they can’t leave to get ingredients from the store because they’re in the mountains and there’s a snowstorm so nobody will come to pick them up (not even Uber or Lyft drivers will make that drive). Despite this setback the Rebels still prevail thanks to Erina’s lessons from Hell and use potatoes to make their dish and pass (scenes here: https://youtu.be/3bmD-9ZoHu0 and https://youtu.be/K-sz9Cqr_DQ). They get some down time after the exam and see the sights Hokkaido has to offer (scene here: https://youtu.be/tAalGuL9V7A, a moment of calm before the storm). Once they return to the train, they find out that the third part of the exam has the Rebels facing off against the members of the Elite Ten (they’re finally getting serious). Takumi and Megumi will be facing off against Rindo while Souma will be facing off against the newest member of the Elite 10, Akira (scene here: https://youtu.be/ZoOPCej43wg, traitor).
Episodes 16-18
So, after getting over the initial shock of Akira (he’s gone edgelord on us) being a traitor, episodes 16-18 gives us the shokugeki between Souma and Akira (rematch~). The theme of their dish will be bear meat (scene here: https://youtu.be/BD57nudvNlM, ugh~, man that’s stuff nasty. The smell alone is enough to kill your appetite) and Souma quickly learns how difficult it is to cook this stuff because of its smell. In order to nullify the smell, spices are required (which means Akira has a huge advantage going into this) and Souma can’t seem to find one to give him the surefire win (scene here: https://youtu.be/jSKJHu1lABA). Even with Kuga’s help Souma still can’t find the answer that will give him the win (scenes here: https://youtu.be/VZXNOZcgKWY and https://youtu.be/yy3Ac9vLGDE). We find out from Dojima that Akira is a hostage just like the rest of the students. When Azami took over he cut off Jun’s sponsors and threatened to shut down her lab and confiscate her research. Akira agreed to become Central’s lapdog in order to protect Jun and as a result became an Elite 10 member (scene here: https://youtu.be/0GyYdmgyN3Y). The day of the shokugeki arrives where the judges are Soue the father of Alice (he’s the normal one in the family) and his assistants, these twin girls named Bertha and Sheila (scene here: https://youtu.be/YJL8VnM4Pmg). Souma and Akira both decide to create a fried bear meat dish where Souma astoundingly finishes his dish first (have you not been paying attention!? Those who serve their dish first lose 90% of the time). Souma’s dish is a fried bear meat cutlet which impresses the judges, but Akira presents his which blows the judges away. While the judges admit Akira’s dish is superior to Souma’s dish (game over), this is a two-part challenge where the winner will be decided on taste and sauce. This is where Souma turns the tide of battle and manages to create a sauce that was vastly superior to Akira’s sauce using caramelized honey and balsamic vinegar. In the end, Souma wins and Akira receives a surprise visit from Jun who smacks him saying she doesn’t need her lab or research to continue to do what she wants to do. She just wanted Akira to have a normal life (have you seen the school he’s in? Normal life was never an option) and be friends with everyone (scene here: https://youtu.be/iPFZvX0pG5Q?t=617). The episode ends with the arrival of Azami’s assistant who tells Akira he’s been expelled due to his loss (does this mean Souma gets his seat?).
Episodes 19-21
In episode 19, we see that Souma, Erina, Takumi, and Megumi are the only ones left standing (I personally think Rindou allowed them to win because she wants them to crush Central) while the others were defeated by the Elite 10 (well they are side characters, it was to be expected) and expelled. The remaining Rebels decide the only way to save everyone is to challenge the Elite 10 to a shokugeki (scene here: https://youtu.be/49xkuOYTmj8), but Azami refuses to accept their challenge until Joichiro and Senzaemon show up (and Azami just jizzed his pants seeing his beloved senpai. Erina as well because her first crush is standing before her). Joichiro calls for a Regiment de Cuisine, a team elimination shokugeki battle between the Rebels and the Elite 10 who are loyal to Central. If the Rebels win, everyone’s expulsion is revoked, the Rebels become the new Elite 10, and Azami must resign. If the Elite 10 win, the Rebels are all expelled (no worries, we’ll start our own cooking school. With blackjack and hookers. In fact, forget the whole school) and Joichiro will join Central and follow Azami’s way of cooking (somebody get Azami a towel, he’s drooling). Azami accepts and says they’ll hash out the details at a later day (Azami: Right now, I need to find a bathroom to take care of some business. Scene here: https://youtu.be/0YdbJzdQf-8). Dojima and Joichiro offer to train the group and this leads to a three on three battle between Takumi, Megumi and Dojima against Souma, Erina and Joichiro. The theme for their match will be the national dish of France: hachis Parmentier (aka Shepherd’s pie or cottage’s pie. A ground meat pie with a crust or topping of mashed potatoes. You can also add in vegetables such as peas, carrots, or celery to the filling). Senzaemon adds the rule that the teams are not allowed to say a single word to each other while cooking. Dojima’s team gets off to a good start while Joichiro’s team collapses and breaks the rules (as to be expected when you put a father and son together). Joichiro seems to be ignoring all the basics of how to make the hachis Parmentier and just making whatever he wants throwing off his team (if Dojima is order, then Joichiro is chaos).
At the start of episode 20, Souma figures out what Joichiro is planning and begins cooking with Erina following suit (scene here: https://youtu.be/oYZvddEi8kU). Joichiro’s cooking is a big contrast with Erina’s cooking. Erina’s cooking is perfection while Joichiro’s is wild and unpredictable. He’s trying to get Erina to come out of her comfort zone and not be afraid in the kitchen (just like the students in the Polar Star dorm. They go off the eaten path to present something new and that’s what she needs to start doing). Both teams are successful and finished the hachis Parmentier and our four young chefs taste them to decide who wins. Both sides point at the other as they say both sides feel like a jam session and this event paid off as all four chefs have an idea of what the other one’s cooking is like in a team situation. The next day the group meets up with Azami and the traitors (fuck all of you and your baby mamas. (Mira): You know some of them are girls right?) where they hash out the location of the event and what the stakes are. Azami demands that Erina return to his side as she is a part of the Elite 10, but in a surprising moment she relinquishes her title to officially join the side of the Rebels (scene here: https://youtu.be/Uy5YnxejuqY. She’s entering her rebellious phase. I’m so proud of her).
In episode 21 while Erina sleeps after coming down from her adrenaline rush after standing up to her dad, everyone else gets to hear the backstory about Joichiro and what happened in the past. As a student Joichiro proved to be a cooking prodigy (scene here: https://youtu.be/GXcnyuuB_ns). Along with Dojima and Azami, they ruled the academy and no one could touch them especially Joichiro. He’s competed in and won a number of competitions and shokugekis which earned him the nickname Demon (scene here: https://youtu.be/oI0ox5f_vdE, which completely offsets his personality which is that of a trickster). Sadly, all the victories began to take a toll on Joichiro as everyone (including himself) were expecting him to perform even better next time (the constant need to one up yourself. I’ve been there). Just when Joichiro was about to participate in this big competition known as BLUE he has a nervous breakdown which resulted in him losing his passion for cooking (scene here: https://youtu.be/NHMic7bOXN4). Joichiro soon left the school to rediscover his passion for cooking where he found his wife who helped rediscover his passion until she died. This resulted in him falling into depression until he was pulled out of it by Souma as the boy took up cooking to make his dad happy and Joichiro just couldn’t help but be inspired by his son.
Episodes 22-24
For the final episodes 22-24, the time has come at last for the Regiment de Cuisine where of course the Rebels are being booed at as the students have become brainwashed by Azami (they drank the Kool-Aid, and it was orange flavored. That’s the worst of the bunch) and their friends are locked in a cage (why don’t you just hang them over a pit of boiling lava. I’m sure the school has a budget for it). In a surprising twist we do see that Souma managed to recruit Isshiki, Kuga, Mimasaka and Tousuku to make this an even 8 vs 8 battle (scene here: https://youtu.be/Q2Rln1U36WA). For the first round it’s Souma, Tousuku and Isshiki representing the Rebels against Nene (kon nene~) and the newest members of the Elite 10, Jurio and some other person, who just signed his own death warrant by insulting Isshiki’s underclassmen (scene here: https://youtu.be/szOn8VS6CmI). Souma takes on Nene (mata nene~) where their theme is soba and Isshiki takes on Jurio where their theme is eel (scene here: https://youtu.be/W–icgnbUmk) and the judges are members of the World Gourmet Organization (or WGO. If there’s anything food related, you can bet the WGO will be involved in some way. Scene here: https://youtu.be/EQcYhwYRALM. https://youtu.be/Y5JxIrn4OVs). Like I said these last episodes just focus on these two battles (were they needlessly stretched out in order to finish out the season? Yes). We see Nene is determined to win so that she can face Isshiki in the next round because she’s always resented him. When they were kids Isshiki would always master something quickly while Nene struggled (oh boohoo. So he’s a quick learner. Big deal). Getting back to the cooking we see Jurio present his dish first which is an eel stew dish while Isshiki presents a Hitsumabushi dish (aka Unadon which translates to eel bowl. It’s basically steamed white rice topped with fillets of eel grilled in a style known as kabayaki, similar to teriyaki). Isshiki wins easily and forces Jurio to apologize to the students of the Polar Star dorm (scene here: https://youtu.be/zyAOx6pfHSo, the lesson here is don’t insult Isshiki’s juniors). Tousuku also wins easily (again, the person he was going against was so pointless that I don’t remember their name). As for Souma and Nene, Nene presents a soba dish that includes kakiage sakura shrimp tempura which makes it all the more delicious. Souma presents his dish which is a yakisoba dish that is different from your ordinary soba dish and he wins. The judges point out that the cold temperature affected the taste of Nene’s soba while Souma’s took into account the temperature and the people he was serving (scene here: https://youtu.be/0ljB0PDC_78). So the first round is a sweep for the Rebels and Azami calls for a short break before the second battle (yeah, because this isn’t going to be the sweep you were expecting).
Current Thoughts
And that was the third season of Food Wars. Out of all the seasons this is the season that covers the most stories and arcs from the manga. We got the moon festival, the school takeover, the exams, the rematch between Souma and Akira, Joichiro’s past, and now the team battle that will ultimately decide the fate of the school and its students. It’s a lot to take in and cover, but for the most part this season does a good job covering all of them until the end where they were stretching out that first battle in order to reach the end of the season. The introduction of Azami was great as you see the fear in Erina’s eyes whenever she’s around him. She is legitimately afraid of her own father and the anime doesn’t do him in favors in making him a likable character. He spits on the different styles of cooking out there and demands that everyone conforms to his ideas of cooking or be thrown out. His views are so narrowminded and unfair. Speaking of cooking styles, I was proud to see the character growth and development of Erina this season. I like how the members of the Polar Star dorm welcomed her with open arms and her slowly accepting their unorthodox styles of cooking, respecting them and even giving it a try herself where she discovers amazing new possibilities she wouldn’t have discovered before. I like how she becomes friends with everyone and helps them get ready for the exams as she wants her friends to pass no matter what. Even as the season ends, she overcomes the fears of her father and stands up to him in order to fight for her friends. Even her relationship with Souma seems to be improving as they’re now having normal conversations without her completely dismissing him showing us that a part of her has come to both respect him and like him. It was also nice to see all the members of the Elite 10 and see their different personalities working off each other. I’m looking forward to the next season and seeing their styles of cooking which made them the top students in the school. While there wasn’t much growth on Souma’s part I’m not really all that mad about it as it seems like he’s reached the point where we won’t see that much physical growth with his character, but instead see the mental growth of his cooking as he continues to find new ways to beat his opponents. His battles against Eizan and Akira were good as he shut Eizan up and gave everyone new hope. His rematch against Akira was a little bit predictable but at the same time good as Souma managed to fight with his strengths and pull off what many would consider to be an upset victory. If I had to name my one complaint from this season it would have to be how nothing really came from the Moon festival. Aside from the introduction of Azami, the Moon festival just felt pointless as I was expecting to see something come out of Kuga and Souma’s competition and the fact that it gets pushed under the rug so quickly made me mad. Especially since they dedicated so much time to it. If the end result was to show Azami at the end than the festival could have been used a lot better than what we got. Still, a good season that does a good job covering a lot of arcs and events. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in next season. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.