Anime Pilgrimage RTT

Yakitate!! Japan – episode 53

January 30, 2006 on 2:02 pm | In Yakitate!! Japan | 2 Comments

“A letter of challenge from Kirisaki!! The start of a new program, Yakitate!! 9!”

Some of the most inspired comedy Yakitate!! Japan has ever offered.

Spoiler level: arc concept revealed

After celebrating their grand win at the Monaco Cup, the members of the Southern Tokyo Pantasia branch learn that Pantasia has been bought by St. Pierre. Yukino is initially disgusted to learn that she has not been made president of Pantasia, but lightens somewhat when she discovers she has been given command of St. Pierre.

With Tsukino appointed as the president of Pantasia, earlier squabbles for supremacy seem irrelevant until, once again, Kirisaki raises the stakes. His proposal is the competition “Yakitate!! 9”: nine regional battles to create exclusive breads across Japan – winner takes Pantasia once and for all.

To prove that he is serious, Kirisaki offers one of his gopan creations to his opponents, and the playing field is switched to Takitate!! Gohan. Kirisaki truly is the world’s number one. Without hesitation, Tsukino decides to accept the challenge. Kuroyanagi has to face some tough choices as well.

This episode largely serves as set up, and makes one wonder just what Kirisaki is hoping to pull with his deals. The preview makes it look like he’s trying to lull the Pantasia members into a false sense of security with a lousy baker, but the stakes will undoubtedly be raised higher. Given the sort of competition he is planning, it does not look like there will be any real need for sabotage.
The only real failing of this episode is dressing Kuroyanagi up so hideously at the end.

Onto the obvious high point: Takitate!! Gohan! was high level genius. It was a throwaway joke in the newcomer’s battle, but to bring it and back and to such an extreme level was truly unexpected (Shiroyanagi! Brilliant!).

Yakitate!! 9 gives Yakitate!! Japan a chance to return closer to its true roots, as the theme is inevitably japan rather than worldly bread. I look forward to this arc, as there is so much potential for upsets and surprise bakers (my money’s on Mochiyama!).