Food Wars! artist Shun Saeki is now a free agent. On November 1, Saeki announced the end of a years-long exclusive contract with Shueisha, the publisher behind Weekly Shonen Jump, and opened the door to new illustration, character-design and manga work (short-term projects only for now). It's a good moment to look back at the series that made Saeki's name, and at whether the Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma anime is still worth a watch in 2026.
Quick answer
Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma is a cooking-battle shonen written by Yūto Tsukuda and drawn by Shun Saeki, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2012 to 2019. J.C.Staff adapted it into five TV seasons (2015–2020, 86 episodes), all streaming on Crunchyroll in North America. SenpaiRanks tracks season 1 at 8.00 Consensus, the franchise's best entry; scores slide season by season to 7.29 for the final season, The Fifth Plate. Saeki ended his exclusive Shueisha deal on November 1, 2026.
What Saeki's announcement actually says
Per ANN, Saeki thanked readers for their years of support, confirmed he's taking inquiries for illustration, character design and manga art, and said he can't commit to long-running projects at the moment. Since Food Wars ended he's stayed close to Jump: two one-shots with Monogatari author NisiOisin (2019 and 2020) and Tenmaku Cinema, a 2023 Weekly Shonen Jump series reunited with Tsukuda that ran April to September plus a bonus chapter. No new project is announced yet.
Food Wars watch order (and where it peaks)
- Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma (2015, 24 episodes): 8.00. The academy setup and the Autumn Election. This is the one everyone recommends.
- The Second Plate (2016, 13 episodes): 7.90. The election finals and the Stagiaire arc.
- The Third Plate (2017, 12 episodes): 7.84. Moon Festival and the start of the Central takeover.
- The Third Plate: Totsuki Train Arc (2018, 12 episodes): 7.80. The rebellion pays off.
- The Fourth Plate (2019, 12 episodes): 7.62. The BLUE tournament begins.
- The Fifth Plate (2020, 13 episodes): 7.29. Rushes the ending.
Is Food Wars worth watching?
Yes, for the first three seasons. The formula is simple, Soma Yukihira cooks diner food against elite rivals and the judges have exaggerated, very fan-service-heavy reactions, but Saeki's art sells every dish and the tournament arcs pace well. The drop-off is real: the last two seasons compress a lot of manga and SenpaiRanks voters noticed. Watch through the Totsuki Train Arc, then decide.
Our food and cooking anime ranking puts Food Wars next to Dungeon Meshi and Silver Spoon, and the Weekly Shonen Jump anime board has its magazine peers. For another Jump franchise moving formats, see JoJolion's English release plans. Vote on the Food Wars anime page.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Did Food Wars artist Shun Saeki leave Shueisha?
A: He ended his exclusive contract with Shueisha on November 1, 2026 and is now open to new short-term work.
Q: How many seasons of Food Wars are there?
A: Five TV seasons from J.C.Staff, released 2015 to 2020, totaling 86 episodes.
Q: Where can I watch Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma?
A: All five seasons stream on Crunchyroll in North America.
Q: Is Food Wars worth watching?
A: The first three seasons are strong; SenpaiRanks rates season 1 at 8.00. The final two seasons score lower.
Q: Is there a Food Wars season 6?
A: No. The Fifth Plate (2020) adapted the end of the manga, which finished in 2019.