Scan barcode
vasa_bee's review against another edition
4.0
Super interesting and informative, learned a lot about Japanese fish!
neven's review
4.0
A celebration of Japanese cooking, in comic-book form. Very good at 1. giving me recipe ideas, 2. making me hungry.
captainfez's review against another edition
4.0
Into the seas and rivers, the lakes and streams! This volume of Oishinbo covers all things fishy - as long as your definition of 'fishy' includes life-ending parasites.
(For the purposes of this instalment, it does. Also, yuck.)
This collection of stories mashes up, as ever, different elements of the book's run. There's the usual competitions, but the rich and powerful come into play more, too. The concept that money can't buy experience or discernment crops up a couple of times, and we see relationship drama between Yamaoka and Kurita for the first time. There's more comedy than in some of the other instalments I've read, but the usual trope of Yamaoka acting as a saviour - for an orphanage (albeit indirectly) or a small child - appears in spades.
What's interesting about the stories gathered here is that Kaibara and Yamaoka's split is given a lot more time than in other volumes. Sure, it's been something key to others, but here the soap opera levels are truly cranked. Kaibara is a lot more open about shitcanning his son's abilities and decisions, even as he is exposed as a sore loser on occasion. He's also presented as a figure who can help his son if asked, which is something not seen before. It's interesting to me that the deepening of his character - exposure of his flaws and often-hidden tenderness included - occurs when he's at his most SHOUTY DAD.
It's refreshing to read some stories that balance drama and comedy with the dissemination of information. There's a lot to process here, which could be seen as boring for people who either don't like fish, or who are unfamiliar with the fish covered here. There's a lot on technique, and a lot on the role that habitat and development plays on the taste of a once-scaled dinner. There's also a fair thread of 'food culture is fucking stupid' running throughout, too.
But then, there's also the parasite stuff. It's pretty full-on, and will probably result in you looking askance at any raw fish in the future. Sure, it's answered in a way that challenges taboos with a scientific response, but yeesh.
(Sidebar: if you dig this intestinal worm stuff and you're ever in Tokyo, go to the Meguro Parasitological Museum because 1) it rules and 2) it's gross.)
To be fair, this volume won't be for everyone, and not just for the unexpected food visitors. The section on ikezukuri will seem strange to non-Japanese readers in a way that I'm pretty sure it wouldn't to the original audience of the work, as the concept of serving still-alive fish is considered cruel by many. For me, though, I took it as I did the other parts of the volumes I've read that cover things I am not particularly familiar with: a window into something I may not condone or be interested in experiencing for myself. It's how things are in a place I don't come from, and it's intriguing, even if indefensible.
This volume of the Oishinbo saga is a little uneven, but it was a lot of fun because it conveyed so much enthusiasm. I'm keen for the next course, of course.
(For the purposes of this instalment, it does. Also, yuck.)
This collection of stories mashes up, as ever, different elements of the book's run. There's the usual competitions, but the rich and powerful come into play more, too. The concept that money can't buy experience or discernment crops up a couple of times, and we see relationship drama between Yamaoka and Kurita for the first time. There's more comedy than in some of the other instalments I've read, but the usual trope of Yamaoka acting as a saviour - for an orphanage (albeit indirectly) or a small child - appears in spades.
What's interesting about the stories gathered here is that Kaibara and Yamaoka's split is given a lot more time than in other volumes. Sure, it's been something key to others, but here the soap opera levels are truly cranked. Kaibara is a lot more open about shitcanning his son's abilities and decisions, even as he is exposed as a sore loser on occasion. He's also presented as a figure who can help his son if asked, which is something not seen before. It's interesting to me that the deepening of his character - exposure of his flaws and often-hidden tenderness included - occurs when he's at his most SHOUTY DAD.
It's refreshing to read some stories that balance drama and comedy with the dissemination of information. There's a lot to process here, which could be seen as boring for people who either don't like fish, or who are unfamiliar with the fish covered here. There's a lot on technique, and a lot on the role that habitat and development plays on the taste of a once-scaled dinner. There's also a fair thread of 'food culture is fucking stupid' running throughout, too.
But then, there's also the parasite stuff. It's pretty full-on, and will probably result in you looking askance at any raw fish in the future. Sure, it's answered in a way that challenges taboos with a scientific response, but yeesh.
(Sidebar: if you dig this intestinal worm stuff and you're ever in Tokyo, go to the Meguro Parasitological Museum because 1) it rules and 2) it's gross.)
To be fair, this volume won't be for everyone, and not just for the unexpected food visitors. The section on ikezukuri will seem strange to non-Japanese readers in a way that I'm pretty sure it wouldn't to the original audience of the work, as the concept of serving still-alive fish is considered cruel by many. For me, though, I took it as I did the other parts of the volumes I've read that cover things I am not particularly familiar with: a window into something I may not condone or be interested in experiencing for myself. It's how things are in a place I don't come from, and it's intriguing, even if indefensible.
This volume of the Oishinbo saga is a little uneven, but it was a lot of fun because it conveyed so much enthusiasm. I'm keen for the next course, of course.
captainfez's review
3.0
We're getting to the pointy end now. This is the penultimate volume of Viz's collections of extracts from Oishinbo, and so it's time for something subtle. Something both representative of Japan and its culture, and of hearth and home. Something to get excited about.
Something like rice.
Yeah, you heard me. And that's perhaps why this volume received only three stars from me: it's interesting enough, and certainly contains some specifically scientific discussion that harks back to the parasite chat of the fish volume. But it's not a world-beater.
Did I end up thinking differently about rice? Yes, I did. Did I learn some things about rice I didn't know? Absolutely. It just didn't seem to spark as much as other volumes, though, and I suspect that it's because Kariya's stories here are assembled in a way that highlights the importance of rice - and traditional styles of eating - to the Japanese identity. There's that sense of the Yamato spirit - Yamaoka digs in to government personalities about the irresponsibility of diminishing the importance of the domestic rice market in a way that's almost comical in its intensity.
But then there's this.
Er, yeah. I guess that's one of those things that doesn't translate too well to readers outside of Japan, even if Yamaoka is calling the "research" cover out. Still, it was a bit odd for me to see this louche food lover and defender of the importance to let nature take its course calling for the whaling industry to get a fuckin' move on.
Yamaoka's dickishness in general seemed to be more in the foreground in this volume, which was a bit annoying, given that he'd previously been presented as a bit cooler than he is. I suppose that's part of the slapstick nature of Oishinbo that probably appears in a more pronounced form in the original. But it seemed jarring to me, here.
Of course, Japanese identity and whaling aren't the only notes sounded through this collection. Again, as in the vegetables volume, Kariya riffs on the importance of sustainable farming, and on the problems caused by pesticides to the food chain. It's good stuff to keep in the foreground for real life purposes, but given that we had a hefty dose of it only last volume, it seems repetitive.
More interesting to me is the increased tenderness towards family and childhood memories that appears in this volume. Kaibara and Yamaoka have a little bit of horn-locking as expected, but there's a lot of talk about the fact rice acts as a comfort food: that it recalls mothers. That everyone - even the homeless - have this affinity towards something as simple as the rice ball: it's the glutinous common denominator. It's the thing that brings feuding friends together, the thing that can take on as many flavours, as there are people based on what you add to it.
I won't lie: I wanted to rustle up some rice after reading these stories. But for me, the desire to chow down stayed longer (and affected me more) than storyline specifics did. It's a shame, but I've faith that the next volume will provide the satisfaction I'm looking for. Oishinbo's been pretty good, so a misstep once in a while is fine with me.
Something like rice.
Yeah, you heard me. And that's perhaps why this volume received only three stars from me: it's interesting enough, and certainly contains some specifically scientific discussion that harks back to the parasite chat of the fish volume. But it's not a world-beater.
Did I end up thinking differently about rice? Yes, I did. Did I learn some things about rice I didn't know? Absolutely. It just didn't seem to spark as much as other volumes, though, and I suspect that it's because Kariya's stories here are assembled in a way that highlights the importance of rice - and traditional styles of eating - to the Japanese identity. There's that sense of the Yamato spirit - Yamaoka digs in to government personalities about the irresponsibility of diminishing the importance of the domestic rice market in a way that's almost comical in its intensity.
But then there's this.
Er, yeah. I guess that's one of those things that doesn't translate too well to readers outside of Japan, even if Yamaoka is calling the "research" cover out. Still, it was a bit odd for me to see this louche food lover and defender of the importance to let nature take its course calling for the whaling industry to get a fuckin' move on.
Yamaoka's dickishness in general seemed to be more in the foreground in this volume, which was a bit annoying, given that he'd previously been presented as a bit cooler than he is. I suppose that's part of the slapstick nature of Oishinbo that probably appears in a more pronounced form in the original. But it seemed jarring to me, here.
Of course, Japanese identity and whaling aren't the only notes sounded through this collection. Again, as in the vegetables volume, Kariya riffs on the importance of sustainable farming, and on the problems caused by pesticides to the food chain. It's good stuff to keep in the foreground for real life purposes, but given that we had a hefty dose of it only last volume, it seems repetitive.
More interesting to me is the increased tenderness towards family and childhood memories that appears in this volume. Kaibara and Yamaoka have a little bit of horn-locking as expected, but there's a lot of talk about the fact rice acts as a comfort food: that it recalls mothers. That everyone - even the homeless - have this affinity towards something as simple as the rice ball: it's the glutinous common denominator. It's the thing that brings feuding friends together, the thing that can take on as many flavours, as there are people based on what you add to it.
I won't lie: I wanted to rustle up some rice after reading these stories. But for me, the desire to chow down stayed longer (and affected me more) than storyline specifics did. It's a shame, but I've faith that the next volume will provide the satisfaction I'm looking for. Oishinbo's been pretty good, so a misstep once in a while is fine with me.
beorn_101's review against another edition
3.0
I never knew, or thought I would read, this much about the differences in sushi and sashimi.
Oishinbo manages to strike a fine balance between informative information about Japanese food and culture, as well as fictional story that has characters often ridiculous enough to offset the rather basic story concept.
I really enjoyed reading about the lazy but kind hearted main character, putting food elitist in their place, and finding interesting ways food is served.
I would suggest finding one of the A la Carte volumes that covers food you are interested in. I am not a fan of sushi, and while this book did educated me a lot on the love of sushi, it was not something I could personally enjoy as deeply. I partly read a volume called the Joy of Rice, which I enjoyed a lot more, as I also enjoy rice!
A fun read, that also let me feel more knowledgeable about Japanese cuisine; however, lacking a deep central plot, each story feels very saturday morning cartoonish, entertaining, but not deep enough that I was dying for more.
Oishinbo manages to strike a fine balance between informative information about Japanese food and culture, as well as fictional story that has characters often ridiculous enough to offset the rather basic story concept.
I really enjoyed reading about the lazy but kind hearted main character, putting food elitist in their place, and finding interesting ways food is served.
I would suggest finding one of the A la Carte volumes that covers food you are interested in. I am not a fan of sushi, and while this book did educated me a lot on the love of sushi, it was not something I could personally enjoy as deeply. I partly read a volume called the Joy of Rice, which I enjoyed a lot more, as I also enjoy rice!
A fun read, that also let me feel more knowledgeable about Japanese cuisine; however, lacking a deep central plot, each story feels very saturday morning cartoonish, entertaining, but not deep enough that I was dying for more.
ellanorte's review against another edition
4.0
Encontré este manga en la biblioteca y lo cogí pensando que este era el primer tomo. Aunque no lo sea, es muy fácil entender de qué va la historia en general. Divertido viaje a través de la cocina y cultura japonesa, en este caso centrado en el pescado. 100% recomendado.
Las únicas pegas que le pongo son los personajes y la trama, aunque entiendo que solo son la excusa para mostrar los distintos platos.
Las únicas pegas que le pongo son los personajes y la trama, aunque entiendo que solo son la excusa para mostrar los distintos platos.
bi_n_large's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fascinating_rhythm's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fcannon's review against another edition
3.0
Better than the ramen edition, I think. Have to see which of these fish are available locally.