Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma (aka Sōma of the Shokugeki) is a popular anime adaptation of the manga created by Yūto Tsukuda. Announced in 2014, the series was initially broadcast on major streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu. Starting with the third season, Crunchyroll obtained licensing rights, expanding its availability to anime fans worldwide. The anime was produced by the renowned Japanese animation studio J.C. Staff, known for creating numerous acclaimed series each year. Notably, they were also responsible for the final seasons of The Disastrous Life of Saiki K and One Punch Man, both beloved by anime enthusiasts. Directed by Yoshitomo Yonetani, the adaptation of Food Wars! began airing on April 4, 2015, and delivered a total of 85 episodes over five seasons. Following the conclusion of Food Wars: Season 5 (titled The Fifth Plate), fans have eagerly been waiting for a sixth season. Will there be a sixth plate of Food Wars!? Let’s explore.
What is the Plot of Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma?
Yukihira Souma is a spirited young chef with a burning desire to surpass his father’s culinary prowess and take over their family restaurant one day. However, Souma’s plans are disrupted when his father, Jouichiro, announces he’s closing the restaurant to travel the world and hone his cooking skills further.
Instead of leaving Souma adrift, Jouichiro challenges his son to enroll in Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, a prestigious school infamous for its grueling curriculum and incredibly low graduation rate. At Tōtsuki, students compete in high-stakes cooking duels known as shokugeki. For Souma, it’s the ultimate stage to test his abilities, build new relationships, and push himself to the limit. But can Souma rise to the top in a school where failure is the norm and success is a rarity?
Food Wars! Seasons: A Closer Look
Season 1: A Delicious Start
The first season of Food Wars! set the stage brilliantly. It introduced a vibrant cast of characters, thrilling culinary battles, and, of course, Souma’s infectious determination. With humor, creativity, and jaw-dropping food presentations, the show quickly carved a niche for itself. Every episode brought a blend of tension and excitement, making it a hit among both anime enthusiasts and casual viewers. The first season truly captured the essence of what makes the series special: the joy of cooking and the fierce competition of shokugeki battles.
Season 2: The Flavor Intensifies
In the second season, The Second Plate, the stakes are raised as Souma and his peers tackle the Autumn Elections and the high-pressure Stagiaire internships. While the focus shifted heavily toward the intense shokugeki battles, some fans felt the character-driven charm took a backseat. However, the season ended on a high note, with the “restaurant rescue” test offering a satisfying conclusion to the arc. Despite its flaws, The Second Plate maintained the series’ strong momentum.
Season 3: Meeting the Elite Ten
Season 3, The Third Plate, kicks off with the introduction of the Elite Ten Council, Tōtsuki’s top-ranking students. Initially portrayed as untouchable culinary titans, their human side begins to emerge as the season unfolds. This season leaned more heavily on high-stakes shokugeki battles and extravagant food presentations, but it also started to scale back the humor and character interactions that fans had come to love. While some viewers found this shift disappointing, the intense rivalry and dynamic storytelling kept the series engaging.
Season 4: The Climactic Showdown
The Fourth Plate continues to build toward a dramatic resolution. The battles grow more intense, and the stakes feel higher than ever as Souma and his allies face formidable challenges. While the pacing felt rushed at times, this season tied up several key storylines, leaving many fans expecting it to be the final chapter. However, the announcement of a fifth season surprised audiences, extending the journey just a little longer.
Season 5: A Bittersweet Finale
The fifth and final season, The Fifth Plate, brings the story of Souma and his peers to a close. While it offered a sense of closure, many fans felt that it didn’t fully recapture the magic of the earlier seasons. The challenges lacked the same inventiveness, and the pacing felt hurried. Nonetheless, the season delivered heartfelt moments and a satisfying conclusion to Souma’s journey, making it a bittersweet farewell for long-time fans.
Will there be a sixth season of ‘Food Wars!’?
As of December 21, 2024, J.C. Staff or its licensees have not announced a renewal of the series for a sixth season. The fifth season, titled The Fifth Plate, was officially designated as the final season. The manga series, which served as the source material for the anime, has been fully adapted, leaving no additional content for a continuation. Furthermore, the studio’s upcoming projects for 2025 do not include any mention of a new season for the anime, instead they mainly focused on One-Punch Man 3.
Despite Food Wars! being one of the most popular anime series, to evaluate the likelihood of a sixth season, several factors need to be considered. One of the most important is the availability of source material. Anime adaptations often rely on their respective manga series, and Food Wars! is no exception.
The manga, written by Yūto Tsukuda and illustrated by Shun Saeki, was serialized in Shōnen Jump+ magazine starting in 2015. The series concluded with 36 volumes, achieving significant popularity; its final volume ranked 13th on the best-selling manga list of 2019. With its conclusion in 2019, the manga has no new chapters to adapt, making a sixth season highly improbable.
Food Wars! is a highly popular anime series, with an impressive run of five seasons. Few anime manage to sustain such longevity, which speaks to its success and widespread popularity. A key factor in maintaining this continuity is strong disc sales. Food Wars! currently ranks 61st on MyAnimeList based on popularity. If there were enough source material, we could expect another season of the anime.
However, the series has already exceeded expectations with an additional Season 5. Initially, Season 4 was thought to be the final season. On October 4, 2019, the anime’s original manga officially concluded, and no new chapters have been released since. Given this, the possibility of an additional season seems unlikely. Based on our analysis, we do not expect a sixth season of the series. However, in the world of anime, surprises are always possible.
| First aired | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
| Season 1 | 24 | April 4, 2015 | September 26, 2015 |
| Season 2 | 13 | July 2, 2016 | September 24, 2016 |
| Season 3 | 24 | October 4, 2017 | June 25, 2018 |
| Season 4 | 12 | October 12, 2019 | December 28, 2019 |
| Season 5 | 13 | April 11, 2020 | September 25, 2020 |
| Season 6 | N/A | Not expected | |
What Could Have Been Expected from a Sixth Season of Food Wars!?
If Food Wars! had continued with a sixth season, fans would have hoped for a return to the core themes that made the series beloved. This includes more focus on character-driven narratives, deepening relationships among the Polar Star Dormitory residents, and exploring Souma’s personal growth. A new season could have introduced fresh rivals, potentially from international culinary schools or professional cooking circles, while also delving into innovative and lesser-known global cuisines.
Expanding beyond Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, Souma might have faced challenges in the real world, such as international competitions or running his own restaurant. Supporting characters like Megumi, Takumi, and Erina could have seen further development, while unresolved Nakiri family drama might have added intrigue.
To keep the stakes high, a sixth season would need to raise the tension in shokugeki battles, with real consequences for wins and losses. Ultimately, fans would have expected a satisfying and well-paced conclusion, tying up loose ends and showing the characters embarking on their individual journeys, all while reigniting the creative and emotional spark of the series’ early seasons.