Food Wars The Third Plate Episode 18 Review: For Whom

Just when I thought we were about to get a major plot twist that would mess up the entire show’s narrative, well, we didn’t.

Japanese Original Episode Title: 誰が為に

Plot

The judges are about to taste Akira’s dish, which looks quite phenomenal in terms of introduction and context, but not so much in presentation. It kind of looks like something you would eat in a takeaway chicken shop. They are thoroughly impressed, their clothes come off, you know the drill. Just when they’re about to declare Akira’s dish superior to that of Yukihira’s, they realize they have not yet tasted both sauces. And I’m like ‘Oh. Yukihira won again.’

So they do taste the sauce, and after a lot of unnecessary symbolic imagery, they realize that the dishes are equal in terms of taste, but not in terms of research. Apparently, Yukihira spent quite a bit of time experimenting and seeking out ingredients in the Hokkaido mountains, so his dish has a lot more depth to it, so he naturally wins (again).

After a dramatic cutscene where Jun specifically explains to Akira that she does not want him to join Central and that she doesn’t care about the research lab as much as he does, Jun shows up at the match after the verdict and slap his face off telling him he’s just a kid and he should be spending more time socializing with his friends. Uh…

Yukihira adds more to that point by saying that Akira’s work lacked passion and that he needs to find somebody to cook for. Okay.

Episode Highlights

Jun’s ethics: Unlike Akira’s flimsy sense of good and bad and his inability to deal with the loss of his precious spice lab, Jun is there to teach him a lesson. Don’t team up with the bad guys, or you’re no better than they are. What a revelation.

Bringing it close to your mouth: Am I the only one who thought bringing the fried bear close to their mouths would release some sort of unbelievable stench? I mean, obviously, that was not the case, but it did look that way until they said it’s a good smell.

Plot twist, not: I honestly thought for a second that we would get to see Yukihira expelled. Well, maybe not expelled but going through a process of suspending his expulsion or something? My expectations of the show are not high enough for such a radical plot twist. What sort of shonen allows its protagonist to be kicked out of the contest? Yeah. Sigh.

Fighting imagery: So very redundant. It feels as if the show is either very low on content at the moment so they’re constantly trying to increase the size of the episodes by just adding random pointless segments of screen time that have absolutely nothing to do with the plot. Not to mention the fan service. Naked Akira, hmm.

The tradition: So it is true, the Nakiris possess the ability to not only rip their own clothes when extremely excited but also those of their near bystanders. I can already picture it – the show ending with either Erina getting naked when tasting Yukihira’s food or a whole stadium getting naked due to a Nakiri excitement. Place your bets.

Themes & Trivia

Honey and balsamic vinegar: Once more, the show surprised me with its culinary knowledge prowess. Honey and balsamic vinegar are indeed a match made in heaven and often encountered in Italian-style dishes. I personally like using it as salad dressing, along with some extra virgin olive oil.

Amur cork tree: One of the 50 fundamental herbs of traditional Chinese medicine, this tree can be encountered in numerous countries in Asia, and even North America. The Ainu people used it as a painkiller.

As if anything would ever change

Moral of the story – hard work is more important than talent. I can’t say I completely disagree.

How did you find this Food Wars episode? Let us know in the comment section! And don’t forget to check the rest of the Spring 2018 anime reviews on MANGA.TOKYO!

NEXT TIME: Declaration of War (宣戦布告)