Why are they always eating in anime?

[RuneLouie]

I've always wondered why do they show so many times the characters eating.

There's at least one scene in an episode... but it could be more.


I'm guessing it has to do with the importance of food in Japanese culture?


Funny thing, every time I see them eating I get hungry myself and have to find something to eat. :sd:

[Ty]

Real people generally do eat everyday..... I'm not sure why the depiction of such seems odd to you. :sd:

[Suwako Moriya]

Eating is a part of everyday life so having scenes of eating in anime kinds adds a real life touch to the series which is good for a show to have sometimes. Still one thing I've noticed is nothing ever seems to taste average. Either it's uber-delicious or the person gags after eating.

[Lego]

I love the delicious looking food in anime, man do some characters eat well.

[ADC]

They get hungry. You'd eat, too, if you were hungry. :shrug:

[Suwako Moriya]

I love the delicious looking food in anime, man do some characters eat well.

Some of the food in anime makes me jealous.

[Speedy Boris]

No kidding, specifically the meat they always seem to make. I'd love to have some of that.

[Sensuifu]

I love the delicious looking food in anime, man do some characters eat well.

Some of the food in anime makes me jealous.

seriously, ramen is easy to come by.

kidding aside, you too can savor what delicious looking foods hit their palates, just as long as there's an Asian specialty food/goods store that carries them ;) ...unfortunately the ones that do are a long drive away from me :(

[Shiroi Hane]

Real people generally do eat everyday..... I'm not sure why the depiction of such seems odd to you. :sd:
People use the toilet a lot but you don't see that a great deal in anime. Or TV in general, with the exception of old police dramas and Babylon 5.

[touma]

Eating is often done for comic effect. Like the tiny girl who eats more than 12 sumo wrestlers. That is, she eats more food than they do. She does not actually eat 13 or more sumo wrestlers. :sd: At least I have not seen that yet. :D

Also, having a family, or other group, engaging in conversation while eating is a good way to give some information to the viewers. A scene with people just standing around talking about a plot point can seem rather forced. A discussion during a meal seems more natural, in my opinion.

[Mr. Nail Bat]

Real people generally do eat everyday..... I'm not sure why the depiction of such seems odd to you. :sd:
People use the toilet a lot but you don't see that a great deal in anime.

The reason for this is: the sight of a person enjoying a good meal is an aesthetically pleasing one. Whereas the sight of a person enjoying a good crap... not so much.

[TAS]

Real people generally do eat everyday..... I'm not sure why the depiction of such seems odd to you. :sd:
People use the toilet a lot but you don't see that a great deal in anime.

The reason for this is: the sight of a person enjoying a good meal is an aesthetically pleasing one. Whereas the sight of a person enjoying a good crap... not so much.

Unless it's this one... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFVoLz88hiU

[ADC]

Er … wasn't that Kikuko Inoue as the mama cat? :(

[Sensuifu]

Real people generally do eat everyday..... I'm not sure why the depiction of such seems odd to you. :sd:
People use the toilet a lot but you don't see that a great deal in anime.

The reason for this is: the sight of a person enjoying a good meal is an aesthetically pleasing one. Whereas the sight of a person enjoying a good crap... not so much.

Unless it's this one... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFVoLz88hiU


funny how the kid struggles as if constipated. Nevermind toilet training, I think learning the basics of thoroughly chewing your food for easy digestion comes first. That, or get a little more fiber in the diet. :laugh:

[aagranov]

Eating is a part of everyday life so having scenes of eating in anime kinds adds a real life touch to the series which is good for a show to have sometimes. Still one thing I've noticed is nothing ever seems to taste average. Either it's uber-delicious or the person gags after eating.

Actually that's not unrealistic. My meals tend to be uber-delicious or make me gag.

[RuneLouie]

Well, I don't think you can buy there most of the food (if not all) that's shown in anime feasts ... or just when they're having a meal at a bar. :P



... I DO like those scenes. I just wonder since it is shown very often. You don't see that as many times in an American cartoon.

Besides, one thing would be to show it in one episode and then wait at least 2 or 3 later. But they're always eating. That's what sparkles my attention.

[Sensuifu]

Well, I don't think you can buy there most of the food (if not all) that's shown in anime feasts ... or just when they're having a meal at a bar. :P


Those banquets tend to be exaggerated anyways. :P I think the majority of foods you see most characters dining on are common enough to find ingredients for. Some dishes might just be more time-consuming to make than others. For snacks or small meals, or special ingredients, I'm sure they're available at Asian markets.


... I DO like those scenes. I just wonder since it is shown very often. You don't see that as many times in an American cartoon.

Besides, one thing would be to show it in one episode and then wait at least 2 or 3 later. But they're always eating. That's what sparkles my attention.


I see what you mean, though I'm thinking you're focusing on specific genres of anime that tend to display these kinds of scenes. Sort of like the way you see characters running off to school with toast in their mouths, or those pan scenes? I think they're just as typical as onsen scenes given the type of anime.

[Ty]

Real people generally do eat everyday..... I'm not sure why the depiction of such seems odd to you. :sd:
People use the toilet a lot but you don't see that a great deal in anime. Or TV in general, with the exception of old police dramas and Babylon 5.
That's a far more private body function than eating is. People eat around each other hence it is portrayed in shows. They generally do not crap around each other hence that is generally not outside of hentai. Any other poorly thought out observations I can dismantle? I rarely get the opportunity since people are usually busy doing it to me. :P

[The Great Bear]

Because they're hungry?

Maybe the writers and animators are hungry. They always say you should write about what you know.

:P

[jecca-neko]

kidding aside, you too can savor what delicious looking foods hit their palates, just as long as there's an Asian specialty food/goods store that carries them ;)

I've got one near me but considering I can't read Korean (my large Asian grocery store is a Korean place, but they do sell all kinds of stuff) and I don't even know what the hell these ingredients are supposed to look like makes it hard. You should've seen me in the Asian Mart last week staring at stuff in an aisle trying to figure out if it was something I needed for a recipe or not. :sd:

[Garasharp K7]

Eating is often done for comic effect. Like the tiny girl who eats more than 12 sumo wrestlers. That is, she eats more food than they do. She does not actually eat 13 or more sumo wrestlers. :sd: At least I have not seen that yet. :D

I reckon Guu has, though I've never seen her eat any in either series or ova, I wouldn't put it past her. :laugh:
She did devour a whole ocean's woth of aquatic life, though. Not the same as sumo wrestlers, but there were still blubbery mammals involved. :grin:

[Sensuifu]

kidding aside, you too can savor what delicious looking foods hit their palates, just as long as there's an Asian specialty food/goods store that carries them ;)

I've got one near me but considering I can't read Korean (my large Asian grocery store is a Korean place, but they do sell all kinds of stuff) and I don't even know what the hell these ingredients are supposed to look like makes it hard. You should've seen me in the Asian Mart last week staring at stuff in an aisle trying to figure out if it was something I needed for a recipe or not. :sd:

yeah, it can be difficult if the store doesn't tag stuff in a language you can read. Though most of the Asian markets I've been to have a lot of their items labeled in English. It's probably best to look up the recipe beforehand. That, or print a screencap of the dish, take it to the store, and see if someone's willing to help you id what you need.

[Lego]

Don't remind me of Shuffle's Oh man, I caught you taking a dump, how sexy!" scene.

[Kellory]

Food is pretty important. It's a social exercise as well as just being natural. Heck, if you watch regular TV closely you'll see them eating and drinking a lot too. Probably almost every episode for many sitcom's. I cant think of many episodes of Star Trek, for example, where Picard was not drinking Earl Grey.

Eating and drink is also means you have something to do with your hands. In any form of acting this is important. Even in Anime, hands need to be doing something to appear natural. So, you eat and drink.

On a cultural level, food is also important. If it is an unscheduled visit, one usually brings food to avoid the uncomfortable experience of the host not being prepared to greet you properly. Either way, food is generally served at some point during a visit as a sign of courtesy. If you are at a person's house, there is food served at some point. Since many shows feature going to someone's place, you see food.

Food times are also social occasions. Friends are often scattered in different classes, so lunch is one of the few times during the school day they can meet up. Hence, if the scene calls for everyone to be together, it's pretty much got to be lunch or after school.

And of course, when your out...you eat. Again, to be fairly realistic if you are out with your friends on the town, or at a festival, you'll probably have something to eat. Same deal with Anime. Many shows today are about getting many parts of people's daily lives fairly realistic.

But, ultimately, there is a lot more eating and drinking going on in other shows than you might think. Watch carefully, it's almost always happening.

[Lego]

To pick up on a theme you mentioned, how many times as food been sort of a "love ambassador" for shows or manga?

a lot

:grin:

[meganly_chan]

Well, people need to eat :P But seriously, I think food is a big part of Japanese culture, at least from what I've noticed. Anime usually features a character with a crazy obsession for food, and/or an ability to eat twice their body weight.

[ADC]

Well, people need to eat :P But seriously, I think food is a big part of Japanese culture, at least from what I've noticed. Anime usually features a character with a crazy obsession for food, and/or an ability to eat twice their body weight.
I liked how Fuu actually went from thin and sexy to female sumô wrestler once she'd done that.

[Kellory]

To pick up on a theme you mentioned, how many times as food been sort of a "love ambassador" for shows or manga?

True. At the same time the phrase "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach" isnt exactly a Japanese phrase either.

My point is that food and eating is a universal thing. Most shows feature people eating at some point during the episode really. It's the perfect social setting. Plus it can set the way for numerous gags.

In most relatively recent shows, people are always eating. Whether it be American or Japanese. Heck, look at one of Disney's most enduring pictures. The scene in Lady and the Tramp. What are they doing? They're eating. Yes, you know the scene, it's that famous. Even if you havent seen Lady and the Tramp, you know what scene I'm talking about.

I'm not saying the Japanese dont put a lot more effort into having people eating than we do in the US. But it is fairly natural. Anime simply tends to magnify and exaggerate eating much as it magnifies and exaggerates most parts of daily life. To make it more interesting and fun and comedic.

Even look at Star Trek. Where are some of the most memorable scenes from. Yup, 10 Forward, Quarks Bar, and the messhall/Captain's mess. You always see people there, there are always scenes there, because people are always eating. It's natural and is plot friendly without being too obvious.

[Sensuifu]

Well, people need to eat :P But seriously, I think food is a big part of Japanese culture, at least from what I've noticed. Anime usually features a character with a crazy obsession for food, and/or an ability to eat twice their body weight.

I don't know, but maybe obesity epidemic + kids + food + gluttonous imagery = NO-NO in the U.S.?
It's no wonder The Real Ghostbusters got pulled. People were complaining about Slimer setting a bad example for the kiddies. not really. :P

[Lego]

Oh I agree, but I guess for a lot of stuff if you can draw anything why not go over the top? Some of those sundaes look really good.

[pianocello]

I think one extreme example is Ayumu Nishizawa (Hayate no Gotoku). Every episode has her eating something.

[mike.motaku]

Because they're hungry?

Maybe the writers and animators are hungry. They always say you should write about what you know.

:P

Yeah, because they'd die otherwise! and then the show would be really sad and, like, over. :grin:
When I was little, I always wondered about the Hardy Boys and their friends. They always ate but they never went near the toilet. :confused:

[Suwako Moriya]

I think one extreme example is Ayumu Nishizawa (Hayate no Gotoku). Every episode has her eating something.

Ah, but that's why we love her. Also I'd still like a spin-off where she's the lead and oh she can take the student council trio along with Hinagiku along with her.

[The Great Bear]

When I was little, I always wondered about the Hardy Boys and their friends. They always ate but they never went near the toilet. :confused:

That is one of the great cosmic mysteries.

I think one extreme example is Ayumu Nishizawa (Hayate no Gotoku). Every episode has her eating something.Ah, but that's why we love her. Also I'd still like a spin-off where she's the lead and oh she can take the student council trio along with Hinagiku along with her.

I'm surprised Fudce hasn't seen this yet. Too busy partying in the new year.

And you can never get enough of The Food Girl, or Hinagiku, or the Council Trio.

[Suwako Moriya]

I'm surprised Fudce hasn't seen this yet. Too busy parting in the new year.

He's probably too busy staring at images of Ayumu Nishizawa to respond.

And you can never get enough of The Food Girl, or Hinagiku, or the Council Trio.

True and perhaps maybe one day I'll actually start making progress in the series again, but right now I want to wait off for certain reasons.

[Ty]

I think one extreme example is Ayumu Nishizawa (Hayate no Gotoku). Every episode has her eating something.
It's that rare situation where a girl with a food fetish can be portrayed as cute. It also helps that in the no rules world of anime girls can get away with it without the usual unfortunate consequences.

[Suwako Moriya]

It also helps that in the no rules world of anime girls can get away with it without the usual unfortunate consequences.

That's because in the case of girls like Ayumu Nishizawa, they're actually using the extra calories as an energy source to power their cuteness, sexiness, etc, whatever the case may be.

[Fudce]

I think one extreme example is Ayumu Nishizawa (Hayate no Gotoku). Every episode has her eating something.
I have to stop you there. It is a common misconception that Ayumu "The Food Girl" Nishizawa has been seen eating in every episode. In some episodes she's ordering food, in others she's preparing food, and even talking about food in some.
But yes, Ayumu Nishizawa is pretty much the postergirl for eating foods in anime, but she always does it in a cute way.

I'm surprised Fudce hasn't seen this yet. Too busy partying in the new year.
I don't know why I didn't see this post, and I haven't even touched the drink yet. I think I need to.


It also helps that in the no rules world of anime girls can get away with it without the usual unfortunate consequences.

That's because in the case of girls like Ayumu Nishizawa, they're actually using the extra calories as an energy source to power their cuteness, sexiness, etc, whatever the case may be.
Ayumu Nishizwa burns the calories by worrying about Hayate, walking around trying to find places that meet her high expectations of food. (She likes food, but you'll always see her trying to find the best food. Not just any food in any place will do)

As to the primary question of why do they eat so much in anime? Because they're hungry?
:noodle:

[aagranov]

What I'd like to see is more gym scenes(characters working out). They have a nice gym in "Sky Girls". Also saw characters working out in "Soko No Strain".

[ADC]

I'm all for the gym scenes, myself, but I'd be just as happy if they skipped the gym scenes and went straight to the locker room scenes.

… What?

[aagranov]

I'm all for the gym scenes, myself, but I'd be just as happy if they skipped the gym scenes and went straight to the locker room scenes.

… What?

That's a bit pervy, no? I just like to see exercise more glorified in the culture. Too much fatassed-ness abounds.