Fruits of Labor

Food is life. Without nourishment, all living things would cease to exist. But nowadays, many of us take food for granted. After all, the stuff we put in our mouths has already been preserved, refrigerated and packaged for our convenience. But, what would happen if all that were taken away? Food would become the most precious and sought-after commodity in the world. After all, our survival depends on it.

Gourmet Hunter Toriko is searching for the tastiest foods imaginable. However, even someone like Toriko takes food for granted. Sure, he appreciates it when it's right in front of him, but his level of gratitude and respect is lacking for someone whose whole life is centered on food. And because of this, Toriko is not able to maximize his talents, frittering away strength and accuracy with wasted motions. In order to learn how to honor food and to unleash their true power, Toriko and his partner Komatsu travel to the famed Chowlin Temple, where they'll undergo a rigorous training regimen unlike any they've ever experienced to obtain the elusive Bubble Fruit!

Tempestuous Training

Even before setting foot inside Chowlin Temple, Toriko and Komatsu's training begins! First off, they need to be in a respectful and appreciative mood to even see the darn thing to begin with, and if they slack for even a second while walking through its sacred halls, the temple itself attacks them!

In order to get the Bubble Fruit, Toriko will have to learn how to approach it in a respectful manner. Sounds easy, but when you're used to hunting down food like Toriko, getting rid of your predatory instinct is no simple feat.

In order to truly honor the food, Toriko and Komatsu will have to undergo a rather interesting training regimen that'll challenge their mental, rather than their physical, capabilities. I know, I know what you might be thinking. Training? In a Shonen Jump manga? No way handsome editor who wrote this fantastic article! But the training that Toriko and Komatsu undertake is like nothing they've ever done before! Grabbing individual grains of rice with a 5-foot-long chopstick? Meditating to grow a strange Rose Ham flower? Cacti that attack you should you not be grateful? But how can all this tedious training help them become stronger?

How indeed? Find out how to honor your food in Toriko volume 21!