Main Feature: B-grade Gourmet MangaWe featured gourmet manga on imagine-nation in 2009 and return to the theme this year because the golden age of food manga has begun! Such works as Houchounin Ajihei, Mister Ajikko, Ajiichimonme and COOKING PAPA have gone on to become TV cartoons or dramas as well. Japan's fascination with food and cooking goes from strength to strength and the gourmet manga genre has diversified, too, now including everyday dishes, eating competitions and even a French chef who slips back in time to 16th century warlord Japan. And then there's the manga about prison inmates who fantasize about their favorite dishes without a single scene of real cooking or eating anywhere to be found. We cover the whole gamut of food and eating and discover new dimensions to the Japanese gourmet manga oeuvre.

Creator's interview: Takashi Kurihara Japanese Manga Artist
Takashi Kurihara graduated from the Department of Graphic Design at Tama Art University and debuted as a manga artist in 1999 after winning a Monthly Afternoon magazine prize with Anahoru-hitobito. His animated films include ROBOTTING (in collaboration with Kunio Kato) and Happy Bogeys and his first manga book, Tuno Byou, came out in 2004. Kurihara also took part in the Touch My Katamari videogame project. We profile the artist and his novel approach to animation.