Art by TAa
Original Story by TYPE-MOON
Food Direction by Makoto Tadano
Translated by Ko Ransom
If you have been in the anime community for a while, the Fate franchise likely needs no introduction. Over the past decade, there have been numerous spin-offs and adaptations of Fate works, and they only continue to grow in number. That said, fans aren’t always looking for another epic battle over the holy grail, and sometimes they just want to relax with their favorite characters. Today’s Menu For The Emiya Family is here to satisfy that need, taking a drastic departure from the heavy narrative of the main series and instead showcasing the cast of Fate/Stay Night cooking together in their daily lives. The result is a charming story that entertains its readers at every opportunity.
Today’s Menu For The Emiya Family follows a fairly simple structure. Each chapter follows a member of the Fate/Stay Night cast as they cook food for their friends and family. What helps differentiate each chapter is both the situational and seasonal circumstances behind each dish. Sometimes Emiya and his friends want to highlight a specific ingredient or feed a particular craving on a relaxing day. Few people are satisfied with eating the same type of food all the time, and Emiya Family brings that reality into its narrative.
Given the tone of the story, the characters of Emiya Family have a lighter personalities than their main series counterparts. This allows characters that would otherwise be enemies, such as Shirou and Caster, to be able to converse with each other in a friendly setting and even cook together. More sides of the cast that we don’t often see in main Fate works get to shine through, which allows readers to get even more invested in their favorite characters. It provides a consistent source of entertainment for long-time fans of the Fate franchise, and strengthens the laid-back feel of the series.
One of the best parts about the food in Emiya Family is that it is based on actual recipes. Makoto Tadano serves as a food consultant for the series, and helps TAa decide on which dishes will be cooked in each chapter. Tadano also includes the full recipes to each dish between chapters, allowing for readers to cook the food they see in the book on their own. It’s clear that Emiya Family not only wants people to read about the joys of cooking, but also experience that joy first hand.
TAa’s artwork is another huge highlight of the series. Their character designs stay true to those seen in previous incarnations of the Fate franchise, but are drawn in a softer style that better fits the slice of life structure. Even more impressive is their artwork for the food shown in the series. Each meal comes to life on the page and provides further impact to the quality of each dish. Just like Shirou and his friends, seeing the food that they prepare makes you want to dig right in.
Despite being one of many existing Fate spin-offs out there, Today’s Menu For The Emiya Family understands that the best things aren’t always complicated. The series isn’t a particularly deep or provoking read, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s about seeing the characters you love go about their daily lives and finding happiness with those around them. Sometimes you need a break from the endless fighting and simply want to sit down around the dinner table for a good meal.
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