Shokugeki no Souma: Gou no Sara

Food Wars! The Fifth Plate

Aired: 2020-04-11

Status: FINISHED

Ratings: 71/100

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Ecchi

Tags: Food, Shounen, Male Protagonist, Nudity, Crime, Primarily Teen Cast, Circus, Super Power, Incest, Anti-Hero, Tanned Skin, Assassins, Educational

Total Episodes: 13

Duration: 24 min

Studio: J.C.STAFF

Source: MANGA

Format: TV

Season: SPRING

Release Year: 2020

Season No: 1

Director: Tomoyuki Shitaya

Watch:Official Site, Twitter, Crunchyroll, iQ, YouTube

Synopsis

The fifth and the final season of Shokugeki no Souma.Yukihira Souma has been helping out his family diner, honing his skills. With his father's recommendation, he decides to enroll into "Totsuki Saryo Culinary Institute", a school for the most elites of the culinary world. During his time there, he has grown so much as a chef through studying hard with friends and competing against rivals in shokugeki battles. Souma has now moved up a grade and he has finally grasped what he has always hoped for; the first seat at the Totsuki Ten Masters Council. In the meantime, an invitation to a world-class cooking competition known as "BLUE" arrives to Totsuki. "BLUE" is one of the most authentic gastronomic tournaments for young chefs seeking fame. However, there's been a change to this year's system and themes are all out of ordinary!(Source: Official Website)

Trailer

Characters

Souma Yukihira

MAIN

Erina Nakiri

MAIN

Rindou Kobayashi

SUPPORTING

Hisako Arato

SUPPORTING

Jouichirou Yukihira

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Lanterby

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Tommy Revolver

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Natsume Sendawara

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Eishi Tsukasa

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Terunori Kuga

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Shun Ibusaki

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Isami Aldini

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Sarge

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Sonoka Kikuchi

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Marcant

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Momo Akanegakubo

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Senzaemon Nakiri

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Subaru Mimasaka

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Gin Doujima

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Don Kama

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Courage

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Charme

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Megumi Tadokoro

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Nene Kinokuni

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Ikumi Mito

SUPPORTING

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Fifth Plate – A Bittersweet Finale

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Fifth Plate, the fifth and final season of the beloved anime, aired from April 11 to September 26, 2020, bringing an end to Soma Yukihira’s culinary journey at Totsuki Culinary Academy. Produced by J.C.Staff and directed by Yoshitomo Yonetani, this 13-episode season, subtitled Gou no Sara (The Fifth Plate), aimed to wrap up the story of Soma’s quest to become a top chef and surpass his father, Joichiro. However, while the season delivered some satisfying moments, it left many fans with mixed feelings due to pacing issues, new character introductions, and a rushed conclusion.

Plot Overview: The BLUE Tournament and New Challenges

The Fifth Plate picks up in the summer of Soma’s second year at Totsuki, where he and his friends face their final exams. The first episode tasks the Elite Ten with running a beach house restaurant, aiming to earn 3 million yen in just three days despite being given a dilapidated property. This challenge sets the stage for the season’s main arc: the BLUE, a prestigious global cooking competition for chefs under 25. Totsuki secures three slots for the event, leading to a “Blue Prequel” battle royale among students to determine the representatives.

The season introduces Saiba Asahi, a new antagonist and leader of the Noir chefs, a group of underground cooks with unique, often bizarre abilities (like Sarge’s chainsaw cooking or Marcanta’s juggling pots). Asahi’s infiltration of Totsuki as a teacher under a false name and his unsettling pursuit of Erina Nakiri as a “prize” add controversial twists, especially with the reveal of his familial connection to Erina. The BLUE tournament becomes the backdrop for high-stakes Shokugeki battles, culminating in a climactic showdown between Soma and Erina, where Soma’s diner-inspired dish aims to save Erina’s mother, Mana, from her culinary despair.

Strengths: Animation and Emotional Highs

Despite its flaws, The Fifth Plate retains the vibrant animation and mouthwatering food visuals that made Food Wars! a standout. J.C.Staff’s depiction of dishes, from Asahi’s globally inspired creations to Soma’s unpretentious diner fare, continues to captivate, with the series’ signature “foodgasm” reactions still delivering humor and flair. The opening theme, “Last Chapter” by Nano Ripe, and the ending, “Crossing Road” by Mai Fuchigami, complement the season’s emotional and competitive tone.

The season shines in its quieter moments, particularly in exploring Erina’s relationship with her mother, Mana, and her growth as a chef. Soma’s decision to cook a dish for Erina in the final episode, rather than focusing solely on victory, underscores the series’ themes of friendship and personal growth, offering a heartfelt conclusion for fans invested in their dynamic.

Criticisms: A Rushed and Repetitive Recipe

Despite these strengths, The Fifth Plate disappointed many fans, earning a reputation as the weakest season. Critics point to its repetitive structure, which mirrors the fourth season’s conflict against the Elite Ten but replaces them with the less compelling Noir chefs. The introduction of Asahi and the Noir group felt forced, with underdeveloped backstories and cartoonish abilities that clashed with the series’ earlier grounded tone. For instance, Asahi’s leadership of Noir and his rapid rise as a villain lacked depth, leaving questions about the group’s origins unanswered.

The season’s pacing drew significant criticism. With only 13 episodes, the BLUE tournament felt rushed, and the resolution of major plotlines—like Mana’s backstory and Soma and Erina’s relationship—was crammed into the final episode. Fans noted that the season neglected side characters, focusing heavily on Soma, Erina, and Asahi, which diluted the ensemble dynamic that made earlier seasons engaging. The animation quality also took a hit, appearing grainier compared to the polished first season, and the once-fresh “foodgasm” reactions felt overdone.

The controversial Asahi-Erina subplot, particularly his pursuit of her as a “bride” and the half-sibling reveal, alienated some viewers for its unnecessary drama and questionable execution. Many felt the season strayed from the series’ core focus on culinary creativity, veering into exaggerated shonen tropes with supernatural-like cooking abilities.

Reception and Legacy

The Fifth Plate received mixed reviews, with a 3.6/5 rating on AlloCiné and polarized fan reactions. Some praised its emotional closure, with IMDb rating the finale at 8.4/10 for its Soma-Erina showdown, while others, like Geek Gals and ScotScoop, gave it lower marks (3/5) for its repetitive and rushed narrative. Fans on X expressed disappointment, with some choosing to end their watch at Season 4, citing the manga’s similarly criticized final arc. However, the season’s global popularity, boosted by Crunchyroll’s simulcast and Toonami’s English dub run from March to June 2023, kept it relevant.

The season’s conclusion left fans divided over its open-ended finale. While Erina’s acknowledgment of romantic feelings for Soma satisfied some, others felt the lack of closure on characters’ futures was unsatisfying, especially given the manga’s completed status. Posts on Reddit and X suggest hope for OVAs to address unresolved threads, but J.C.Staff has not announced further projects, with the manga’s Le Dessert epilogue offering a slightly different canon.

Conclusion: A Final Course with Mixed Flavors

Food Wars! The Fifth Plate aimed to serve a grand finale but stumbled under the weight of its ambitions. While it delivered vibrant visuals and emotional moments, its rushed pacing, underdeveloped new characters, and repetitive structure left many fans hungry for more. For those who loved the series for its heart and culinary creativity, the season still offers moments of brilliance, but it’s a bittersweet end to Soma’s journey. Fans can stream all seasons on Crunchyroll, Netflix, or Hulu, with OVAs providing additional content. Whether The Fifth Plate satisfies depends on whether you savor its emotional highs or crave the tighter storytelling of earlier seasons.

For more details on Food Wars!, visit Crunchyroll or check out the manga’s Le Dessert chapters for an alternate perspective on the finale.