Few foods inspire as much passion and partisanship as the dish of noodles in broth known as "ramen." Hot or cold, plain or miso, from fancy fusion creations to humble roadside takeout, ramen is truly a beloved food, one that can give rise to fierce loyalty or fiercer criticism (not to mention the occasional fistfight). In this volume of Oishinbo, Yamaoka and company inquire into the "soul of ramen," from the flour used in the noodles to the chickens used in the broth. And where there's ramen, there's gyôza: little dumplings made with a variety of fillings and served as a side dish. Will Yamaoka be able to create an "ultimate" gyôza before Kaibara creates a "supreme" one?
Manga writer and essayist extraordinaire Tetsu Kariya graduated from prestigious Tokyo University. Kariya was employed with a major advertising agency before making his debut as a manga writer in 1974 when he teamed up with legendary manga artist Ryoichi Ikegami to create Otoko Gumi (Male Gang). The worlds of food and manga were forever changed in 1983 when Kariya, together with artist Akira Hanasaki, created the immensely popular and critically acclaimed Oishinbo.
