Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma is one of those anime that grabs your attention with sizzling animation, mouth-watering dishes, and intense culinary battles that put Iron Chef to shame. 🍳🔥 It’s a show that knows how to entertain—and for a good while, it does that exceptionally well. But let’s be honest here: just because a dish looks good doesn’t mean it tastes great. Underneath all the glossy visuals and theatrical foodgasms, there are some pretty big issues that start to boil over the longer you watch. Whether it’s character missteps, plot holes, or “why is everyone suddenly naked?” moments, the problems in Food Wars are too glaring to ignore.
This list is here to serve up the spiciest critiques of the series 🍜—from wasted character arcs to the show’s questionable obsession with over-the-top fan service. If you’ve ever watched Food Wars and thought “Okay, but…why though?”, then you’re definitely in the right place. It’s time to turn the heat up and dig into the Top 10 Biggest Problems With Food Wars! 👨🍳🔥 Let’s get cooking… or complaining. Maybe a bit of both.
10. The Soma Yukihira Dilemma: He Never Breaks and That’s a Shame
When you consider everything Soma Yukihira was faced with, you’d expect the guy to crack just a little, right? Like… have a moment of doubt, or reveal a deeper, more vulnerable side. Most other characters in Food Wars! went through real losses—emotional breakdowns, failures, and moments that forced them to grow. But not Soma. Nah, this guy is the anime version of Superman in an apron, floating through battles with a grin and a bucket of plot armor. 💥👨🍳
Now, don’t get me wrong—I get it. He’s the main character, the energetic guy we’re all supposed to root for. But where’s the depth? Where’s the “I’m not good enough” arc? Why does it feel like everyone else gets better character development than Soma himself? It’s like the writers gave him one flavor and stuck with it, while everyone else got the full course meal. That’s just sad. It’s not just one of the problems with Food Wars, it’s a silly decision.
9. Takumi Aldini vs Soma Yukihira Was a Wasted Rivalry
Ever since the first season, we’ve seen how Takumi Aldini took Soma’s cocky and egotistical attitude personally, wanting to challenge him and beat him in a Food War. It became a bit of a running gag, sprinkled with humor and charm—Takumi declaring himself Soma’s rival, even if Soma never really acknowledged it. 😅
And while the gag worked early on, it felt like it was building toward something bigger—a full-blown battle or a moment of reckoning. But we never got it. Sure, their bond evolved, and their friendship grew stronger, but why not give us a proper Food War conclusion? Without that payoff, it just feels like wasted buildup. If there was no plan to pull the trigger, they could’ve easily spent that screentime developing other key plot points.
8. Erina Nakiri & Joichiro Saiba: The Most Wasted Relationship in Food Wars
Let’s keep it real for a second. When you build up the anticipation of Erina Nakiri having some sort of emotional connection with Soma Yukihira’s father, Joichiro Saiba, over the course of two entire seasons, I fully expect you to actually do something with that! 🙄
Erina literally sets a table for Joichiro, dreaming of the day he’ll eat her food—a promise he made to her back when she was just a kid. He’s been one of her biggest inspirations, a culinary legend she looks up to more than anyone. And yet, when the two finally meet? Absolutely. Nothing. Happens. 🤯
So what does go down? Well, Joichiro rolls up just in time to help Soma challenge Nakamura in a team Shokugeki, and while Erina is right there, front and center, the writers somehow forget to give them even a single meaningful moment. 😤 No emotional dialogue. No reflection. Not even a proper hello. And it’s mind-boggling, considering the emotional groundwork they spent seasons laying down!
Why spend all that time hyping up Joichiro cooking for Erina’s grandfather and her younger self if it’s just going to be tossed aside when they finally share a scene? 🤷♂️ Let’s not forget, Erina literally runs back in a panic just to grab her Grande Cuisine book, which has a photo of her and Joichiro tucked away inside. That scene screamed emotional significance—but nope, no follow-up. No payoff. Just a massive missed opportunity that could’ve added so much more heart and depth to Erina’s character arc.
Honestly, it’s a tragic case of build-up with zero delivery. And for a show all about flavor and impact, this was one of the blandest choices they made. 🍜 Thus, it’s one of the biggest problems with Food Wars! 💤
7. Terrible Splitting of Seasons – Bad Watching Experience. What’s Up With the Season Splitting? Seriously.
The 1st season of Food Wars is directly connected to season 2, as it wraps up the Fall Selection arc—and yet, the two seasons are separated? What on earth happened? 🤔 Why on earth did they decide to cut off the climax of season 1 and just toss it into season 2? It makes no sense. There wasn’t even a proper finale to season 1, so why split it at all? They could’ve just trimmed some of the filler episodes ✂️ and made a smoother transition or condensed the pacing issues in season 2.
And this isn’t a one-time thing either. The same problem repeats with season 3 and 4, where the Group Food War between Nakamura’s squad and Joichiro Saiba’s rebels gets split. Again, it’s the climax of a major arc being pushed into the next season. Why? 😩 Were they afraid we wouldn’t come back to watch more unless they cliffhanged us into submission? The season splitting is terrible, plain and simple. It breaks momentum and makes it hard to enjoy the flow of the story. 🚫🍽️
6. Soma’s Love Story With Erina Falls Flat – Isn’t Believable
Soma Yukihira and Erina Nakiri are like oil and water—they just don’t mix. While Erina constantly denies Soma’s talent by mocking his food, even though she secretly loves it, there’s zero genuine romantic chemistry between them for most of the series. Sure, they tease each other, and a bond does start to form around seasons 3 and 4, but that bond feels strictly platonic. Just two people who don’t see eye to eye learning to respect one another. Nothing more.
Then suddenly, boom, season 5 arrives, and out of nowhere Soma is fighting for Erina’s affection like he’s been hopelessly in love this whole time? What?! There wasn’t a single romantic moment between them before, and now it’s like we’ve jumped timelines into a fanfiction. This is terrible writing—plain and simple. To make things worse, Soma actually had three solid love interests with chemistry and emotional groundwork: Megumi, Ikumi (Mi-Meat), and the girl from the Yukihira Diner. Any of them would’ve made more sense! But instead, we’re force-fed this awkward, out-of-nowhere romance that makes the entire fifth season feel cringey and tone-deaf. What a waste. 💔
5. No Romantic Relationships? Why Tease Us?
First and foremost, let me just say that romantic relationships aren’t necessary for a good fan-service show, but when you tease us with sooooo many relationships and never pull the trigger to make things official, you’re just joking around, and honestly, it’s not funny. 😂 Sure, the first few seasons are fine, and even seasons 3 and 4 can be forgiven, but for season 5 to have no concrete relationships? That’s just disappointing. Let me break it down for you, okay?
Ryou and Alice: The Wasted Potential 💔
Let’s talk about Ryou Kurokiba and Alice Nakiri, because their relationship is one of the biggest teases in all of Food Wars! From the very beginning, there’s this undeniable chemistry between them—the fiery hothead chef and the cool, confident genius. It’s the perfect opposites-attract scenario. They’re always together, bickering like an old married couple, with Alice constantly dragging Ryou around like her personal sous chef-slash-bodyguard. But… are they actually together? 🤔
Well, here’s the frustrating part—we never find out. Not once is the relationship status confirmed. There’s no hand-holding, no blushing moments, no sweet confessions. Not even a kiss. Zilch. Zero. Nada. We get just enough to hope they’re a thing, but not enough to know. And come on, they would’ve made such an iconic power couple! Imagine the dual dishes, the emotional layers, the rivalry-turned-romance dynamic—it would’ve added some much-needed flavor to the character drama. 🍽️❤️
Listen, I’m not asking for a soap opera in the kitchen, but when the chemistry’s this strong, why not just make it official? Even a single moment of vulnerability between them could’ve taken their connection to the next level. Alas, this ship is forever floating in limbo. 🛳️💔
Soma and the Girls: Can We Get Some Closure? 😬
Let’s get one thing straight—Soma Yukihira is not short on admirers. From the soft-spoken sweetheart Megumi Tadokoro, to the confident and bold Ikumi “Meat-Meat” Mito, to the tsundere queen herself Erina Nakiri, and even the cute girl back at the Yukihira Diner, there’s clearly something going on here. The dude’s got a whole harem of potential love interests, and you’re telling me we don’t get a single romantic payoff? Not one?! Come on, don’t act like you didn’t want some closure—we all did. 😩
The problem isn’t that Soma stays single—it’s that the show flirts with romance constantly, without ever committing to anything. Are they friends? Is there tension? Is someone crushing hard? YES to all of it—but it goes absolutely nowhere. They tease these relationships, especially between Soma and Megumi or Erina, just enough to keep you hopeful. Then it’s business as usual, like the last 100 emotional scenes didn’t happen. No confessions. No Hugs or Kisses. Nothing. It’s like romantic limbo, and it’s infuriating. 😤💔
And the worst part? They had YEARS to build this up. Five whole seasons, and they couldn’t give us even one concrete moment to hang onto. No “I like you,” no bittersweet goodbye, no future promise, nothing. Just a time skip and poof—it’s over. So many great characters, so much chemistry left on the table. It’s not just sad—it’s a total waste of potential. And when it comes to romantic storytelling, that’s one dish they completely forgot to season. 🍜💔
4. How Season 5 Butchered Joichiro Saiba’s Legacy
Season 5 of Food Wars is infamous for a laundry list of missteps, but one of the biggest crimes is how it utterly destroys everything they built up with Joichiro Saiba. You mean to tell me that the legendary chef—the man every top-tier character admired and respected—loses 5-0 to some new guy… off screen?! Seriously? After all that build-up? 😤
Joichiro was positioned as the final mountain Soma would one day have to climb, and the emotional and narrative weight of that was massive. So to have him casually taken down, without a single frame of that battle, is lazy storytelling at its finest. It’s as if the writers knew they couldn’t logically explain how Asahi could beat him, so they just skipped it. And worst of all, this ruins the path they were clearly setting up—Soma earning the right to challenge and beat his father. That arc? Gone. Wasted. All that potential thrown into the garbage for a rushed, unearned twist that left fans scratching their heads. 👎🔥
3. Asahi Saiba’s “Superpower” is a Joke That Breaks Food Wars Logic
Listen, I’m all for a new “bad guy” showing up and proving they’re a culinary force to be reckoned with. That kind of shake-up can be exciting when done right. But there’s a fine line between introducing a powerful chef and straight-up shoving plot armor down our throats—and Cross Knives is exactly that. This idea that Asahi Saiba can magically absorb the skills of other chefs just by wielding their tools? Yeah… that’s not innovative storytelling—that’s lazy writing at its finest. 🤦♂️🍽️
Let’s get this straight: If Asahi can cook with the same proficiency as ANY chef by simply using their knife, then what’s the point of having other characters? He renders everyone else obsolete. Their growth, their skill development, their personal journeys—all trashed in one ridiculous move. And it gets worse. We watch legends like Joichiro Saiba and Tsukasa Eishi—two of the most skilled and respected chefs in the series—lose to Asahi without putting up a real fight. Off-screen. With no explanation. It’s not suspenseful, it’s not smart—it’s cheap.
So let me get this straight—Asahi Saiba can use someone’s cooking tools and instantly become as good as them? Wait, what?! So he’s just straight up superhuman now? Ooooookaaaaay! 😵💫 What kind of logic-breaking madness is this?
Look, I’m all for taking creative swings, but you can’t just throw out everything the show has built up for four seasons—the grounded world, the consistent rules, the emotional stakes—and replace it with some cartoonish gimmick. Cross Knives isn’t clever. It’s not cool. It’s a plot device that stomps all over the core values of the series: skill, growth, and passion. This isn’t a bold new direction—it’s a total misfire. A culinary catastrophe. 🍜 More on that in the worst characters list! 💀
2. Food Wars Season 5 Finale – A Bland Ending to a Once-Spicy Series
It’s the fifth and final season of Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma, and if there was ever a time to turn up the heat, this was it. Fans stuck around through every plate-flipping battle, every wild cooking technique, and all the ridiculous-yet-hilarious foodgasms because they believed the series was building toward a satisfying, emotional, and flavorful finale. Instead? What we got was a rushed, clumsy, and poorly executed mess, that felt more like a microwave reheat than a lovingly prepared final course. 😤
They Skip Soma and Erin’s Cook Off: Are We Joking Around?
Let’s start with the biggest offense—Soma vs. Erina, the final showdown, happens off-screen. Yes, the big duel we’d all been waiting for? The culmination of their love/hate, rival/friendship dynamic? We don’t see a single second of it. We saw what Soma cooked, but how did Erina win? What was her final dish like? How did her mother react to it? Did it symbolize her growth or resolve anything thematically? Well… who knows? Because none of it is shown. The story skips over the most important moment of the series, wraps it all up with a lazy time jump, and just tells us, “Yeah, Erina won, Soma lost. The end.” 🙄
And speaking of wrap-ups, the ending is over before you can even digest what’s happening. Ten minutes. That’s all they gave us to say goodbye to a huge cast of characters we’ve followed for years. No emotional send-offs, no touching final scenes for characters like Megumi, Takumi, or even Isshiki. Just a sudden shift to everyone visiting the Yukihira Diner for a nice meal, acting like everything’s wrapped up in a neat little bow. 🍚
What Happens to Our Favorite Characters? We Don’t Know.
Oh, and then there’s the Asahi Saiba twist. You know, the “villain” with the absurd “Cross Knives” power? Yeah, turns out he’s actually Erina’s half-brother, making her romance plotline with Soma even messier and more awkward. Talk about forced drama that adds nothing but confusion. 🤯
The tragedy of Season 5 is that it completely squanders years of build-up and character development. Joichiro Saiba, once painted as a legend, loses off-screen too. The central romance angle? Forced and unearned. The side characters? Forgotten. The finale? A shallow goodbye that doesn’t honor the journey we’ve taken with these chefs.
We expected fireworks, but they didn’t even bother to light the stove. 🔥 Talk about problems with Food Wars!
1. Season 5 Feels Like an After Thought – You Can Skip It
When you tie together the strong arcs of Season 1 and 2, and then elevate the story with the epic build-up of Season 3 and 4, you naturally expect Season 5 to be the grand finale — the cherry on top. So what happens when that story arc is already complete by the end of Season 4? Well… you scramble for new ideas. And that’s exactly what happened.
Instead of carefully evolving the story, Season 5 hits the reset button and drops us into a bizarre, disjointed mess. Suddenly, there are random new villains who feel like they’ve been pulled from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, not Food Wars. People wielding chainsaws and guillotines? Really? It’s ridiculous. It’s excessive. And most importantly — it adds nothing. If anything, it destroys the beautifully layered world and culinary stakes that were built up across the first four seasons. It’s like the writers just threw logic, tone, and consistency out the window.
Asahi Saiba Ruins Season 5 – That’s a Fact
Then there’s Asahi Saiba—one of the worst-written antagonists in modern anime. He shows up out of nowhere, defeats Joichiro Saiba OFF-SCREEN, has a laughably dumb “Crossed Knives” ability (seriously, we’ll talk about that in the next section), and what’s his goal? To marry Erina Nakiri. Um, what? The cherry on top? He’s actually her half-brother. I wish I was joking. It’s the kind of twist that makes you question every decision that led to it.
And to make it worse? We barely even get to see the Food Wars battles we’ve been hyped for. The pacing is rushed, the matches are skipped or glossed over, and the emotional payoffs never arrive. It’s a narrative car crash. 🚗💥
So yeah—if you’re thinking of watching Season 5, don’t. Save yourself the time, the frustration, and the heartbreak. Because this isn’t the satisfying final course we were promised… it’s an overcooked, underseasoned mess. 🍽️💀
For a show that prided itself on elevating cooking to an epic art form, Food Wars ended on a note so bland, it felt like someone served us plain rice and called it a feast. 🍽️💤
