Gourmet Girl Graffiti

A perfect way to end the series. I have mixed emotions after watching this episode. It feels nostalgic, happy, and bittersweet at the same time. There’s even a small detail that makes it clear that this really is a Shaft production. Was it an enjoyable watch? Absolutely. The variety of food did become more limited as the series went on, and some of the selections toward the end were questionable, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the series. I just wish the food shown during the next-episode preview had gotten more attention because it looked delicious. Overall, I had a great time watching this anime. It’s the kind of series that leaves you feeling warm and satisfied by the end, and I’m definitely hoping for a second season. There’s still plenty of content from the original source that hasn’t been adapted, so it would be nice to see the series continue.

It seems like this episode and the previous one have been switched around. Being the second-to-last episode, it was a rather odd decision to add a new mystery to the story. Nevertheless, it made me curious about Ryo’s parents, although the episode itself doesn’t really give much information about them. The featured food is quite appropriate for exam season, with two dishes being featured this time. The first one caught my attention the most because it is incredibly simple to make. It almost feels like cheating again, especially since even Kirin herself can prepare it.

I was only partially right. It's almost spring, and there's a rather late character introduction in this episode. She had already been appearing in previous episodes, so I had started to think that she wasn't going to be introduced at all throughout the anime. The featured food feels like cheating, considering it isn't even homemade but it does seem fitting for the kind of food the new character would normally eat. I pretty much get the message of this episode as well. It's about Ryo sharing how good it feels to have a meal with someone else, much like what she experienced in the first episode.

It's quite disappointing that autumn didn't get much of a food selection, and somehow this episode managed to skip Christmas entirely and jump straight to New Year's Eve. It was regrettable, but at least the episode featured a very common dish eaten on New Year's Eve. At this pace though, it wouldn't surprise me if the next episode skips ahead to spring.

This episode revolves around sports day, an event typically held during autumn. There's even a surprising side of Ryo in this episode. Just like in the previous episode, she barely gets to cook and I honestly thought that was going to be a one-time thing. The lesson here reminds me of the one from when Hachiman made a "delicious" cookie in Oregairu. While the idea is similar, this episode adds another ingredient to the mix and that ingredient is nostalgia.

Since it's the start of autumn, it's only fitting that the featured food matches the season. However, Ryo won't be the usual one cooking this time. Instead, she finds herself learning another valuable lesson, or perhaps two, especially after the events at the end of the episode 🤭. One thing that caught my attention was the scene at the beginning. On its own, it comes across as rather suggestive, especially when compared to how the scene actually plays out in the episode. P.S. There’s a surprisingly strange thing Kirin does in this episode that goes unexplained, with Shiina casually treating it as if it were perfectly normal.

Another summer-themed episode, but this time it includes a bit of fan service. It's nowhere near ecchi territory, but I'd still consider it fan service nonetheless. Much like the previous episode, this one is also lacking on summer-themed dishes. Instead, it included an out-of-season dish, which is oddly feels fitting. After all, sometimes you end up craving something that doesn't match the weather, like wanting ice cream on a cold day.

While summer-themed episodes often revolve around beach trips, this one chooses a different setting while still preserving the atmosphere associated with the season. It also reveals a surprising side of Shiina and gives viewers a glimpse into her family, adding more depth to her character. My only minor complaint is that the episode doesn't feature as many summer-themed dishes as I had expected.

Compared to the food-filled excitement of the previous episode, this one takes a much quieter and more emotional approach. It follows Ryo as she takes a trip down memory lane, allowing viewers to learn more about her late grandmother and the memories they shared. That said, the opening scene feels like something straight out of a fever dream if you watch it without any context. However, it's actually taken from a later scene in the episode, so its meaning becomes clear once you reach that point.

After the cherry blossom festival from the last episode, this one is basically a rice dish festival with Shiina instead of Akira, with plenty of mouthwatering rice dishes on display. Watching this episode was torture, not because it was bad but because every single dish looked absolutely amazing. Seriously, don't watch it on an empty stomach. Another enjoyable highlight is Ryo's brief fourth-wall-breaking moment, which adds a touch of self-aware humor, making it seem as though she's proudly presenting her dishes to the viewers.

This episode centers around a cherry blossom viewing festival, giving Ryo and Kirin the opportunity to get to know each other on a deeper level. It also includes a few yuri-bait moments, while Studio Shaft's signature visual style continues to shine throughout the episode. While the episode still features some homemade cooking, it mainly showcases popular Japanese festival foods, which all look incredibly delicious. Fun fact: Kanto/Tokyo style tamagoyaki contains sugar or mirin for a subtle sweet and savory flavor. That's why Kirin remarks that it's sweet.

Are you looking for cute girls doing cute things, delicious-looking homemade dishes, and a relaxing, heartwarming slice-of-life anime? If so, this might be exactly what you're looking for. Right from the first scene, I could tell it was a Studio Shaft production because of its unique visual direction. The food is beautifully animated and looks so delicious that it made me want to cook some of the dishes myself. The story is undeniably cute and as for the characters' reactions to eating the food, they're not the usual over-the-top, exaggerated expressions seen in many food anime. Instead, they're presented in a more subtle yet somewhat fan-service-oriented way. The only thing that really bothered me was Kirin's footsteps. Whenever she walks, it sounds like there's a plunger stuck to the bottom of her feet. Honestly, I found it pretty distracting and a little off-putting.