Oishinbo

Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki created Oishinbo, a massive culinary saga that blends food culture with social commentary. The story follows Shirō Yamaoka, a journalist for the newspaper Big Comic Spirits, as he hunts for the perfect dish alongside his partner Yūko Kurita. Their journey spans from humble street stalls to high-end restaurants, exploring ingredients, history, and ethics along the way. Shogakukan serialized this work from 1983 until its first run ended in 2008, then resumed it briefly in 2009 before an indefinite pause in 2014 due to controversy over the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster coverage. By that time, the series had already amassed 111 collected volumes, making it one of the longest manga ever published and a perennial best-seller with over 135 million copies sold worldwide.[edit]