Toriko, Vol. 8

The BB Corn arc ended rather quickly and now we get into the Century Soup arc. As I recall from the anime, this is much longer. We get introduced to more of this “Gourmet” world with what is apparently the “capital” city of the human world, Gourmet Town (why it's translated as “Town” is beyond me). A short bout of exploration, we finally get introduced to a second female character - an old lady chef who's apparently a “living legend”. I'm really amused though, 8 volumes and only 2 females. Anyway, it's also from this legendary chef that we get more confirmation of Komatsu's instinct and talent for ingredients. And all this lead to the need to find the Century Shop in Ice Hell.

Side note: Just another observation based on the anime. This Century Soup arc is the last time we really get to see other bishoukuyas as something a bit more than just a single-scene footnote. Like the Hunter X Hunter I suppose, these minor characters just stop getting mentioned. But I feel that it's kind of a waste, as they bring the setting to life, that it's not just Toriko and his friends who are doing this stuff.