Food Wars The Third Plate Episode 21 Review: The Pioneer of the Wastelands

WOWOWOW, was that an intense flashback and some actual character development? AND ONLY ONE BOOB SHOT? Am I still watching the same show?

Japanese Original Episode Title: 荒野を拓く者

Plot

Souma and his daddy are sitting in the train bar and Dojima is chatting to Aldini and Tadakoro. It so happens that they’re speaking of the same thing: Saiba’s youth and how his journey as a prodigy chef ended abruptly due to him not managing his priorities. Listen to these workaholics and learn something.

Long story short, Saiba was the best chef ever. Unbeatable in matches, delighting everyone who ever tasted his food. Doijima and Nakiri were his close pears, always following his steps and walking by his side in his quest towards culinary excellence. After a bright series of culinary endeavors, Saiba was invited to the BLUE Concours for new talent, where he was expected to show his talent and amazing everyone with a new dish. However, after having had enough of corporate bullshit and dealing with high levels of anxiety (this is what basically happens in the real world – in Food Wars, he just wasn’t ‘having fun’ anymore – #animelogic), Senzaemon encouraged him to take a break from Japan and cooking. He went abroad, had a kid, and opened a casual dinner. Sounds about right.

Episode Highlights

Drinking with daddy: I’m going to skip the fact that Yukihira is the most oblivious character ever and completely blanked his father’s painful life story. I’m just wondering if this was an indication to him having had a few drinks (which reminded me of the ‘rice juice’ episode from Season 1). Saiba seemed to be enjoying a nice whiskey, but brah, really, a chef like you, ice cubes? What happened?

How extra is that intro: I have been skipping the intro for the better part of this season because – let’s face it – it is ridiculous. But once in a while, when I find a victim that wants to watch this absurdist show with me, I watch it again, and today was one of these times. What the hell is going on with this opening? How can people even conceive anything so ridiculously extra?

Speaking of extra: In continuation to the previous statement, what is the deal with these absurd travelling, fighting metaphors? Saiba walking alone in the desert, being beaten in the face by driftwood, his right leg frozen… what the actual hell is going on?

Just talk about anxiety: He just wasn’t having fun anymore. He just wasn’t having fun anymore. Because dealing with mental health issues is not cool, so we can’t really speak about this, no no no.

Nakiri’s emo villain origins: Well, that explains a lot. Nakiri was a limey emo kid that got disillusioned because of the fall of his icon. That totally explains him being a douchebag and mentally abusing his child, oh yes.

Themes & Trivia

BLUE: Thinking of how this show is always a good source of info for culinary matters, I looked up that BLUE thing Saiba was supposed to be going to before he went through a mental breakdown. Well, it doesn’t exist. Poop.

San or Han?: San (さん) (sometimes pronounced han (はん) in Kansai dialect) is the most commonplace honorific and is a title of respect typically used between equals of any age.

Why don’t you love me daddy?

I enjoyed this episode. Not because the plot was good, or there was some major breakthrough to it; I think what made a difference is that this episode actually had a plot.

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: To the Final Battleground (決戦の地へ)