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V a i
HD1VW 11V8 UN
BUT YOU
HAVEN'T
BEEN
WINNING
SNOU&Hf
HAVE
FORGOTTEN,
BUT WE
HAVE WON
BEFORE,
you KNOW.
WHATAR g
TALKING
ABOUT?
Wg WIN AT
TIMES ANP
WE LOSE AT
TIMES.
you
JUST
WATCH/ THIS TIME,
YOU MUST
CHOOSE
SOMETHING
you CAN
WMWITH/
OKAY,
I'll WIN
THEN/
KURITA
SAN,
WE'RE
COUNT-
INON
you.
THERE HAS
NEVER BEEN
A TIME HE'S
WON WHEN
HE TOLP MB
WOULD.
WE'LL.
POOUR
ON SISN: TOZAI NEWSCOMPANY
WE'VEBEEN
RECEMNSA L.OT
OPCOMMENTS
FROMTHE REAPERS
ONIT/ SO I WAS
WONDgRINIF YOU
COUH3 00
SOMBTHIN
SOON,
RECENTLY, MOST OF
THE ULTIMATE VERSUS
SUPREME MENU
MATCHES HAVE SEEN
CONNECTS!? TO THE
"TASTE OF JAPAN'S
PREFECTURAL FOOPS"
PROJECT, SO WE WANT
TO SEE MATCHES WITH
OTHER SUBJECTS.
SEE...
THEY CAN
AFFORPTO
BE NICE TO
US.
T H E rerro
T/MSS
HAPPILy
AGREEP
THAT'S
BECAUSE
THEy ALSO
SAIPTHE
TQZAINSWS
COULP
CH OOSE T H E
SUBJECT
FOR THE
MATCH.
190
THAT
SOUNDS
UIK6A
VBRY
GOOD
IDSA.
UH-HUH
SURE
sopy wiuu
UIKB THS Rice
BALLS CHIBF
COOK AIKAWA
WIUUMAKE
SOI WAS
WONDERINGIP
you COUUD
COME UP WITH
SOME RICE
8AUUS.
TVS FISHT
IN"THE
CRAB
VERSUS
THE
MONKEY"
STARTEP
BECAUSE
OF A RICE
BALL.
THE
JAP ANBSB
PgOPUg HAVg
A SP gCIAU
ATTACHMENT
TORICg
BAUUS.
THAT
SOUNDS
U I K g
FUN.
MANy FOLK-
TAUgSHAVg
RICg BALLS
INTHgM.
AH/ "OMUSUB1
KORORIN
SUTTONTON."
THERe'SA STORy
WHgRg AN OIP
MANIVgSHIS
RICg BAtl. TOA
MOUSg ANP
Receives A
FORTUNe IN
Re-ruRN.
I UIKg
THAT
STORY
AUOT
TOO.
193 PICTURE: SHIMIZUKOZO, "OMUSUBI KORORIN" / FAMOUS(JAPANESE
FOLKTALES FOR THE MOTHER ANP CHILP, VOL. 1 CSHOSAKUKAN)
yAMAOKA-
SAN, KURITA-
SAN, COULP
YOUDO MS A
FAVOR?
ONSIN: COMPANY CAFgTBRIA
I'M THINKING
ABOUT
SgLL-INGRICe
BALU-SAT THB
COMP ANy
CAFgTBRIA
SOMgTIMB
SOON.
OH?
RI CB
BAULS?
you CANTAKg
THBM DOWNTO
A P ARK NBARBy
TOBAT AS A
BOX LUNCH...
AND IT'LL SB A
NiceSNACK FOR
THOSB WORKING
LATE AT NIGHT.
QUITB A LOT OF
pgopueWHOso
DOWNTOTHE
CONVgNI6NCB
STORB TO Buy
RICE BAULS.
SOI WANT THEM
TOCOMB TOTHB
COMP ANY
CAFBTgRIA
WHgRB I CAN
P ROVIDB THBM
WITH MUCH
BBTTER RI CB
BALLS.
YOU KNOW
HOW THE DRIED
SBAWBED OF THE
RICE BALLS SOLD
AT THE CONVE-
NIENCE STORES
IS WRAPPED
FRESHLY MAPS
RICE BALLS
ARE GOOD,
BUT THfiy
ALSO HAVE
A DIFFERENT
TASTE AFTER
A WHILE.
...AND yOU'RS
SUPPOSED TO
WRAP THE RICE
IN THE SEA-
WEED BEFORE
YOU EAT IT.
KNOW
WHAT
you
MEAN
IT TASTES
BEST WHEN THE
SEAWEED SETS
MOIST AND
COMES TOGETHER
AS ONE WITH
THE RICE.
DON'T THINK
THAT'S RIGHT.
THE SEAWEED
ISN'T JUST
SUPPOSED TO
BE CRUNCHy.
IT WAS
HIS WAV
OF
ASKING
HER TO
MAKE HIM
A RICE
BALL.
MY LITTLE
BROTHER
WOULD SAy TO
OUR GRAND-
MOTHER,
"GRANNY,
HMMH, HMMH."
I'M FROM
A POOR
FAMILY...
...SO I COULDN'T
EAT ANY KIND OF
LUXURIOUS
SWEBTS LIKE
THE CHILDREN
THESE DAYS.
HMM,
THIS IS
S E T T I N G
I N T E R-
E S T I N G .
I'M
SURPRISED
IVS NEVER
G I VE N
SERIOUS
T HOUG HT
T O R I CE
BALLS
BEFORE.
LET'S ASK
THE COMPANY
CAFETERIA
GOVERNING
COMMITTEE TO
HELP US TOO.
IT SOUNPS
SRgAT.
SPECIAL
RICE BALLS
FROM THE
COMPANY
CAFETERIA.
I T T AS T E S
DI FFE RE N T
E VE N
THOUGH
IT'S THE
SAME
RICE IS
INTER-
ESTING
ISN'T
IT?
AND IT'S
FUN TO
BAT RICE
BALLS.
...DEPENDING
ON IF IT'S IN A
BOWL OR IN
THE SHAPE OF
A RICE BALL.
194
GOOP
IDEA. I'M
AU U FOR
RICE
BAUUS.
OFTEN MAKE
RICE BAW-S AT
HOME, SO
KNOW A BIT
ABOUT THEM
TOO.
ON SISN: CONFERENCE ROOM
COULD
YOU ALU
GIVE yOUR
IPBAS
THENP
you BREAK UP
THE SA1.TEP
COD ROE INTO
SMAUU
CRUMBS AND
MY FAVORITE
IS SAL.TEP
COP ROE
RICE BAUU.
197
THEN OUR
GRANP-
MOTHER
WOUL.P MAKE
HIM A RICE
BAUL. MIXEP
WITH MISO.
ANPMy
UITTUE
BROTHER
WOUUP SAT IT
LIKE THERE
WAS NOTHIN
BETTER ON
THIS EARTH.
RICE BALLS
REAUL-y PO
HAVE AN
IMPORTANT
PUACS IN THE
JAPANESE
HEART.
IT'S SOMETHING
MORE THAN
JUST A
OF FOOP.
KNOW... I'M
GOING TO
INTROPUCE
My FAVORITE
RICE BAUU AT
MEETING.
OKAy, I'VE
SOT TO
SOANP
SET IN
CONTACT
WITH THE
COMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
I'M A MASTER OF
RICE BALLS.
I'U U INTROPUCE
THE VARIOUS
KINPS OF RICE
BAUUS My WIFE
UKES.
HOLP ON.
My WIFE'S
FAVORITE
RICE BAU.
IS...
196
YOU PLACE
THE
UMEBOSHI
IN THg
CENTER OF
THE RICE
THE
UMESOSHI
RICE BALL
IS TOTALLY
A MUST-
HAVE FOR
ME.
WHAT I
WANT AT THE
COMPANy
CAFETERIA IS A
TAKUAN RICE
BAH,.
THE FLAVOR OF
THE BLACK
SESAME ANP
THE SOUR-
NESS OF THE
UMEBOSHI IS i
GREAT MATCH
...ANP
COAT THg
RICg BALL
WITH
BLACK
SBSAMS.
ANP THgN
YOU WRAP
THAT IN
PRIEP
SEAW0EP.
THE SIMPLE
TASTE OF
THE TAKUAN
HELPS you
RELAX.
you CHOP
THE SALTY
TAKUAN
INTO
SMALL
PIECES...
...ANP
PUT THAT
INTO THE
CENTER
OF THE
RICE
BALL.
199
ANP THEN
you WRAP IT
IN PRIEP
SEAWBEP.
you PLACE
ONE LARGE
PIECE OF THE
SALTEP
COP ROE.
ANP IN THE
CENTER OF
THE RICE
BALL-
IT WAS MY
MOTHER'S
SPECIALTY, SO
IT BRINGS
BACK LOTS OF
MEMORIES
FOR MS.
IT'S NOT
JUST
GOOP-
IT'S
&KSAT,
HMM...
THAT
SOUNPS
GOOP.
THE MISO
GIVES
OFF SUCH
A SAVORY
SCENT
WHEN
you
GRILL IT.
you GRILL
THE OUT-
SIPE OF THE
RICE BALL
THAT YOU
COATEP
WITH MISO.
IT'S GREAT
TO HAVE
AFTER
YOU'VE
HAP A
PRINK OR
TWO.
THE RICE
BALL I WANT
THEM TO
HAVE AT THE
CAFETERIA...
...ISA
MISO
RICE
BALL.
198
I SEE.
THAT'S
A i
GOOD
I DEA.
BUT YOU
PON'T
WRAP THE
IT SOUNDS A
BIT WESTERN,
BUT MAYO,
SALMON AND
soy SAUCE
MAKE A GOOD
MATCH.
AND you
PLACE A
LARGE DAB
OF THAT
INSIDE THE
RICE BALL.
IT'S
INTER-
ESTING
TO SEE
SOMANy
VARIA-
TIONS.
yAMAOXA-
SAN, WHy
PON'T you
TELL US
youR
FAVORI TE
LET'S
GO
WITH
IT.
THAT'S
NOT IT.
HUH?
IS THE
MEETI NG
OVER?
THE NEXT
ULTIMATE-
SUPREME
MENU
MATCH.
WE'VE ALL.
GOT
OTHER
IDEAS TO
SHARE.
I WANTA
SAUTED
SALMON
RI C E B AL L
THAT SOUNDS
NI C E.
PEOPLE W I L L
L OVE I T I P y o u
MAKE THAT
USING GOOD
TAKUAN.
1 ...ANP
WRAP IT
WITH
PRIEP
SEA-
WEiSP.
...BREAK IT
INTO SMAUU
pieces/ ANP
PUT THAT IN
THE RI C E
3AL.U...
YOU GRILL
THE FATTY
SALTED
SALMON-
IT'S A
CLASSIC
RICE BALL
THAT
WOULDBE
N I C E TO
HAVE.
...THEN ADD A
LITTLE BIT OF
SOY SAUCE
ANDMIX
THEM
TOGETHER.
you MIX
MAYONNAISE
INTO THE
SALMON
FLAKES...
AND
THERE'S A
MODIFIED
VERSION
OF I T
MOPI
FIEP
VER-
SION
U I K E y o u
SAJP, THE
R I C E B AU U
I S A VB Ry
I MPORTANT
SU B JE CT.
OH MV,
THIS IS
TURNING
OUT TO
86 A B I G
PE AU .
COMg TO THINK OP
IT, THg THINGS
PUACgP INSIPS
THB R I C g B AU U -AS
W E U U AS THg R I C g
I TSE U F-ARE AU U
cu o ssu y K N I T
INTO JAPANESE
CUUNARy
CHIgP COOK
AIKAWA, THIS
MATCH WIUU BS A
GRE AT OPPORTU NI Ty
FOR you TO COMg
UP WITH THB RICB
B AU U S FOR THB
CAFgTBRIA.
THAT'S
GRBAT/
you'vg GOT
TO PO THg
RICg BAUU
MATCH/
HOW CAN Wg
PO A MATCH
BgTWBBN THE
UUTIMAT5
MgNU ANP
THB SUPREMg
MBNU OVER
SOMETHING
MBASl-y L.IKg
A R I C g B AU U P/
RICB BAt-US
ARg SUCH
ASCRUBSy
FOOP. IT'S
OUT OP THE
QUESTION/
you
PON'T
GB T I T,
PO
youp
203
IT'UU Bg
A MATCH
ABOUT
R I C B
B AU U S.
WHATP/
RIGS BALLS
AS THB
SUBJBCT OF
THE NE XT
MATCHP/
AFTB R U STB N I N G
TO
TAUK ABOUT THE
TYPE S OF R I C B
B AU U S
I 'VE R B AU I Z E P
THAT R I C B
B AU U S AR E
THE B PI TOMB
OF THE
JAPANE SE
PI E T.
A R I C E B AU U
I TSE U F I S SMAU U ,
B U T THE W O R U P
O F R I C E B AU U S I S
VE R Y U AR GE . AN P
THE I MPORTANT
THI N G I S HOW
you UOOK AT IT.
THg E PI TO-
M6 OF THE
JAPANESE
I THI N K I T'S A
TOPI C FI T FOR
A MATCH
B B TW E E N THE
UUTIMATE
MENU ANP
THE SU PR E M E
MENU.
HUH?
HOW
COULP
you
TELLP
ARE YOU
SAYING
THAT WE'RE
COMPLETE
IPIOTS WHO
KNOW
NOTHING?
WHAT'S
THAT
SUPPOSED
TO MgANP
ON SISN: SOURMET CLUB
WAS ASTOUNPBP
WHEN THEy
PROPOSEP RIGS
BALLS FOR THE
N E X T TOPIC.
WE THOUGHT
WE'P TELL you
ABOUT IT FIRST/
BUT WE'LL TURN
IT TOWN RIGHT
AWAy.
205
NO MATTER
HOW MUCH
WE TALK TO
TH6M, THBy
WON'T
ACCEPT
SAILS AS
BEING A
WORTW
TOPIC.
THAT'S
ANOTHBR
REASON I
CHOSE RICE
BALLS AS THB
TOPIC FOR THE
NEXT MATCH.
IF WE DO
A MATCH
BETWEEN THE
ULTIMATE
MENU ANP
THE SUPREME
MENUOVER
RICE BALLS
WE'RE SURE THAT
KAIBARA yDZAN
WILL UNPERSTANE?
THB REASON
BEHINP wny we
CHOSE RICE BALLS
I'M SURE THAT MORE
PEOPLE IN JAPAN
WILL REALIZE WHAT
A PEEP-ROOTBP
CONNECTION R ICE
BALLS HAVE
TO JAPANESE
CULINARy CULTURE.
IF yOZAN
POESN'T
ACCEPT RICE
BALLS AS A
TOPIC...
IT ONLy
MEANS
HE'S AS
UNCULTUREP
AS you
TWO ARE.
BUT IF XAIBARA
204
SOTHgy
AGRggD
TOTHg
RICg BAH-
MATCH/
ON SISN: T5ZAI NEWS COMPANY
wg'Rg
GOING TO
NggD
YOU R
HgUP WITH
THIS,
AIKAWA-
SAN.
OF COU RSg.
gVgN IF YOU
TSI.U Mg NOT
TO HgUP,
1'L.U STIUU
BAR@g IN.
ACTU AU L.y,
THgRgIS ONg
KINP OF RICg
BAH. I'D U OVg
TO TRy...
OH My,
WHAT IS
THIS?
STARTED
MAKING
THgM,
THgNP
207
you
DON'T
<*\ MIND IT
' BgIN
RICg
flBAU U SP
L
THAT
IS AN
INTgR-
gSTINCS
TOPIC
INDggD.
THgN THgy ARg
OIN TO
RgRgT TH61R
SHORTSIGHT-
6DNESS.
IFTHg
U U TIMATg
MgNU SIDg
HAS CHOSgN
RICg BAW-S
UUST FOR THg
FUN OF IT...
BU ...BU T
KAIBARA
SgNSgl
MAKING RICg
BAL.U S FOR
THg SU PRBMg
M6NU IS
TOO...
1 RICE
BAU U S
BXTRBMBU y
SOPHISTI-
CATEP.
206
THE TOPIC
FOR TODAY'S
MATCH
BETWEEN THE
ULTIMATE
MENU AND
THE SUPREME
ME N U 19 RI CE
BALLS.
CAN'T WAIT TO
SEE WHAT KIND
OP RICE BALLS
ARE GOING TO
BE INTRODUCED
HERE TODAY.
WE TRIED
TO PURSUE
THE DEEP
CONNECTION
BETWEEN RI C E
BALLS AND
JAPANESE
CULINARY
CULTURE.
H ERE IS
OUR
OFFER-
ING.
US
START
WITH THE
ULTIMATE
MENU
TH EN.
IT'LL
H ELP
US GET
MORE
POINTS/
THIS IS
INTERESTING.
CAN USE
THIS IN THE
MATCH
AGAINST THE
SUPREME
MENU/
I WANT TO
USE THIS
FOR THE
RICE
BALLS.
REALLY?/
AAAH...
THIS IS
GETTING
EXCITING/
JL
208
R IC E B A L L M A T C H
HOW IS
THIS A D6SP
PURSUIT OF
UAPAN6S6
CUUINARY
CUUTUR6?
210