m\o

Vai HD1VW11V8 UN

BUT YOUHAVEN'T

BEENWINNING

SNOU&Hf

HAVEFORGOTTEN,

BUT WEHAVE WON

BEFORE,you KNOW.

WHATARgTALKING

ABOUT?Wg WIN AT

TIMES ANPWE LOSE AT

TIMES.

youJUST

WATCH/ THIS TIME,YOU MUSTCHOOSE

SOMETHINGyou CAN

WM WITH/

OKAY,I'll WINTHEN/

KURITASAN,

WE'RECOUNT-IN© ONyou.

THERE HASNEVER BEENA TIME HE'SWON WHENHE TOLP MB

WOULD.

WE'LL.POOUR

ON SISN: TOZAI NEWS COMPANY

WE'VE BEENRECEMNS A L.OT

OP COMMENTSFROM THE REAPERS

ON IT/ SO I WASWONDgRIN© IF YOU

COUH3 00SOMBTHIN©

SOON,

RECENTLY, MOST OFTHE ULTIMATE VERSUS

SUPREME MENUMATCHES HAVE SEENCONNECTS!? TO THE"TASTE OF JAPAN'S

PREFECTURAL FOOPS"PROJECT, SO WE WANTTO SEE MATCHES WITH

OTHER SUBJECTS.

SEE...THEY CAN

AFFORP TOBE NICE TO

US.

THE rerroT/MSS

HAPPILyAGREEP

THAT'SBECAUSE

THEy ALSOSAIP THE

TQZAINSWSCOULP

CHOOSE THESUBJECTFOR THEMATCH.

190

THATSOUNDS

UIK6AVBRYGOODIDSA.

UH-HUHSUREsopy wiuu

UIKB THS RiceBALLS CHIBF

COOK AIKAWAWIUU MAKE

SO I WASWONDERING IP

you COUUDCOME UP WITH

SOME RICE8AUUS.

TVS FISHTIN "THECRAB

VERSUSTHE

MONKEY"STARTEPBECAUSEOF A RICE

BALL.

THEJAPANBSB

PgOPUg HAVgA SPgCIAU

ATTACHMENTTO RICgBAUUS.

THATSOUNDS

UIKgFUN.

MANy FOLK-TAUgS HAVgRICg BALLS

IN THgM.

AH/ "OMUSUB1KORORIN

SUTTONTON."

THERe'S A STORyWHgRg AN OIPMAN ©IVgS HISRICg BAtl. TO A

MOUSg ANPReceives AFORTUNe IN

Re-ruRN.

I UIKgTHAT

STORYAUOTTOO.

193 PICTURE: SHIMIZU KOZO, "OMUSUBI KORORIN" / FAMOUS (JAPANESEFOLKTALES FOR THE MOTHER ANP CHILP, VOL. 1 CSHOSAKUKAN)

yAMAOKA-SAN, KURITA-

SAN, COULPYOU DO MS A

FAVOR?

ON SI©N: COMPANY CAFgTBRIA

I'M THINKINGABOUT

SgLL-ING RICeBALU-S AT THB

COMPANyCAFgTBRIASOMgTIMB

SOON.

OH?RICB

BAULS?

you CAN TAKgTHBM DOWN TOA PARK NBARBy

TO BAT AS ABOX LUNCH...

AND IT'LL SB ANice SNACK FORTHOSB WORKINGLATE AT NIGHT.

QUITB A LOT OFpgopue WHO so

DOWN TO THECONVgNI6NCBSTORB TO Buy

RICE BAULS.

SO I WANT THEMTO COMB TO THB

COMPANYCAFBTgRIA

WHgRB I CANPROVIDB THBM

WITH MUCHBBTTER RICB

BALLS.

YOU KNOWHOW THE DRIED

SBAWBED OF THERICE BALLS SOLDAT THE CONVE-NIENCE STORES

IS WRAPPED

FRESHLY MAPSRICE BALLSARE GOOD,BUT THfiy

ALSO HAVEA DIFFERENTTASTE AFTER

A WHILE.

...AND yOU'RSSUPPOSED TO

WRAP THE RICEIN THE SEA-

WEED BEFOREYOU EAT IT.

KNOWWHATyou

MEAN

IT TASTESBEST WHEN THESEAWEED SETS

MOIST ANDCOMES TOGETHER

AS ONE WITHTHE RICE.

DON'T THINKTHAT'S RIGHT.THE SEAWEEDISN'T JUST

SUPPOSED TOBE CRUNCHy.

IT WASHIS WAV

OFASKINGHER TO

MAKE HIMA RICEBALL.

MY LITTLEBROTHER

WOULD SAy TOOUR GRAND-

MOTHER,"GRANNY,

HMMH, HMMH."

I'M FROMA POORFAMILY...

...SO I COULDN'TEAT ANY KIND OF

LUXURIOUSSWEBTS LIKE

THE CHILDRENTHESE DAYS.

HMM,THIS IS

SETTINGINTER-

ESTING.

I'MSURPRISEDIVS NEVER

GIVENSERIOUSTHOUGHTTO RICEBALLS

BEFORE.

LET'S ASKTHE COMPANY

CAFETERIAGOVERNING

COMMITTEE TOHELP US TOO.

IT SOUNPSSRgAT.SPECIAL

RICE BALLSFROM THECOMPANY

CAFETERIA.

IT TASTESDIFFERENT

EVENTHOUGHIT'S THE

SAME

RICE ISINTER-

ESTINGISN'TIT?

AND IT'SFUN TO

BAT RICEBALLS.

...DEPENDINGON IF IT'S IN ABOWL OR IN

THE SHAPE OFA RICE BALL.

194

GOOPIDEA. I'MAUU FOR

RICEBAUUS.

OFTEN MAKERICE BAW-S AT

HOME, SOKNOW A BIT

ABOUT THEMTOO.

ON SISN: CONFERENCE ROOM

COULDYOU ALU

GIVE yOURIPBASTHENP

you BREAK UPTHE SA1.TEP

COD ROE INTOSMAUU

CRUMBS AND

MY FAVORITEIS SAL.TEPCOP ROE

RICE BAUU.

197

THEN OURGRANP-MOTHER

WOUL.P MAKEHIM A RICE

BAUL. MIXEPWITH MISO.

ANPMyUITTUE

BROTHERWOUUP SAT IT

LIKE THEREWAS NOTHIN©

BETTER ONTHIS EARTH.

RICE BALLSREAUL-y PO

HAVE ANIMPORTANT

PUACS IN THEJAPANESE

HEART.

IT'S SOMETHINGMORE THANJUST A

OF FOOP.

KNOW... I'MGOING TOINTROPUCE

My FAVORITERICE BAUU AT

MEETING.

OKAy, I'VESOT TOSOANPSET IN

CONTACTWITH THE

COMMITTEEMEMBERS.

I'M A MASTER OFRICE BALLS.

I'UU INTROPUCETHE VARIOUS

KINPS OF RICEBAUUS My WIFE

UKES.

HOLP ON.My WIFE'SFAVORITERICE BAU.

IS...

196

YOU PLACETHE

UMEBOSHIIN THg

CENTER OFTHE RICE

THEUMESOSHIRICE BALL

IS TOTALLYA MUST-HAVE FOR

ME.

WHAT IWANT AT THE

COMPANyCAFETERIA IS ATAKUAN RICE

BAH,.

THE FLAVOR OFTHE BLACK

SESAME ANPTHE SOUR-

NESS OF THEUMEBOSHI IS iGREAT MATCH

...ANPCOAT THgRICg BALL

WITHBLACK

SBSAMS.

ANP THgNYOU WRAP

THAT INPRIEP

SEAW0EP.

THE SIMPLETASTE OF

THE TAKUANHELPS you

RELAX.

you CHOPTHE SALTY

TAKUANINTO

SMALLPIECES...

...ANPPUT THATINTO THECENTEROF THE

RICEBALL.

199

ANP THENyou WRAP IT

IN PRIEPSEAWBEP.

you PLACEONE LARGE

PIECE OF THESALTEP

COP ROE.

ANP IN THECENTER OF

THE RICEBALL-

IT WAS MYMOTHER'S

SPECIALTY, SOIT BRINGS

BACK LOTS OFMEMORIES

FOR MS.

IT'S NOTJUST

GOOP-IT'S

&KSAT,

HMM...THAT

SOUNPSGOOP.

THE MISOGIVES

OFF SUCHA SAVORY

SCENTWHENyou

GRILL IT.

you GRILLTHE OUT-

SIPE OF THERICE BALLTHAT YOUCOATEP

WITH MISO.

IT'S GREATTO HAVE

AFTERYOU'VEHAP A

PRINK ORTWO.

THE RICEBALL I WANT

THEM TOHAVE AT THECAFETERIA...

...ISAMISORICE

BALL.

198

I SEE.THAT'S

A iGOODIDEA.

BUT YOUPON'T

WRAP THEIT SOUNDS ABIT WESTERN,

BUT MAYO,SALMON ANDsoy SAUCE

MAKE A GOODMATCH.

AND youPLACE A

LARGE DABOF THAT

INSIDE THERICE BALL.

IT'SINTER-ESTINGTO SEE

SOMANyVARIA-TIONS.

yAMAOXA-SAN, WHyPON'T you

TELL USyouR

FAVORITE

LET'SGO

WITHIT.

THAT'SNOT IT. HUH?

IS THEMEETINGOVER?

THE NEXTULTIMATE-SUPREME

MENUMATCH.

WE'VE ALL.GOT

OTHERIDEAS TOSHARE.

I WANTASAUTEDSALMON

RICE BALL

THAT SOUNDSNICE.

PEOPLE WILLLOVE IT IP you

MAKE THATUSING GOOD

TAKUAN.

1 ...ANPWRAP IT

WITHPRIEPSEA-

WEiSP.

...BREAK ITINTO SMAUUpieces/ ANPPUT THAT IN

THE RICE3AL.U...

YOU GRILLTHE FATTY

SALTEDSALMON-

IT'S ACLASSIC

RICE BALLTHAT

WOULD BENICE TOHAVE.

...THEN ADD ALITTLE BIT OFSOY SAUCE

AND MIXTHEM

TOGETHER.

you MIXMAYONNAISE

INTO THESALMONFLAKES...

ANDTHERE'S AMODIFIEDVERSION

OF IT

MOPIFIEPVER-SION

UIKE youSAJP, THERICE BAUUIS A VBRy

IMPORTANTSUBJECT.

OH MV,THIS IS

TURNINGOUT TO

86 A BIGPEAU.

COMg TO THINK OPIT, THg THINGSPUACgP INSIPS

THB RICg BAUU-ASWEUU AS THg RICg

ITSEUF-ARE AUUcuossuy KNIT

INTO JAPANESECUUNARy

CHIgP COOKAIKAWA, THIS

MATCH WIUU BS AGREAT OPPORTUNITyFOR you TO COMgUP WITH THB RICB

BAUUS FOR THBCAFgTBRIA.

THAT'SGRBAT/

you'vg GOTTO PO THgRICg BAUU

MATCH/

HOW CAN WgPO A MATCHBgTWBBN THE

UUTIMAT5MgNU ANP

THB SUPREMgMBNU OVERSOMETHINGMBASl-y L.IKg

A RICg BAUUP/

RICB BAt-USARg SUCH

ASCRUBSyFOOP. IT'S

OUT OP THEQUESTION/

youPON'TGBT IT,

POyoup

203

IT'UU BgA MATCHABOUT

RICBBAUUS.

WHATP/RIGS BALLS

AS THBSUBJBCT OF

THE NEXTMATCHP/

AFTBR USTBNINGTO

TAUK ABOUT THETYPES OF RICB

BAUUS

I'VE RBAUIZEPTHAT RICBBAUUS ARE

THE BPITOMBOF THE

JAPANESEPIET.

A RICE BAUUITSEUF IS SMAUU,BUT THE WORUP

OF RICE BAUUS ISVERY UARGE. ANP

THE IMPORTANTTHING IS HOW

you UOOK AT IT.

THg EPITO-M6 OF THEJAPANESE

I THINK IT'S ATOPIC FIT FOR

A MATCHBBTWEEN THE

UUTIMATEMENU ANP

THE SUPREMEMENU.

HUH?HOW

COULPyou

TELLP

ARE YOUSAYING

THAT WE'RECOMPLETE

IPIOTS WHOKNOW

NOTHING?

WHAT'STHAT

SUPPOSEDTO MgANP

ON SISN: SOURMET CLUB

WAS ASTOUNPBPWHEN THEy

PROPOSEP RIGSBALLS FOR THE

NEXT TOPIC.

WE THOUGHTWE'P TELL you

ABOUT IT FIRST/BUT WE'LL TURNIT TOWN RIGHT

AWAy.

205

NO MATTERHOW MUCHWE TALK TOTH6M, THBy

WON'TACCEPT

SAILS ASBEING AWORTWTOPIC.

THAT'SANOTHBRREASON I

CHOSE RICEBALLS AS THBTOPIC FOR THENEXT MATCH.

IF WE DOA MATCH

BETWEEN THEULTIMATE

MENU ANPTHE SUPREMEMENU OVERRICE BALLS

WE'RE SURE THATKAIBARA yDZAN

WILL UNPERSTANE?THB REASON

BEHINP wny weCHOSE RICE BALLS

I'M SURE THAT MOREPEOPLE IN JAPAN

WILL REALIZE WHATA PEEP-ROOTBP

CONNECTION RICEBALLS HAVE

TO JAPANESECULINARy CULTURE.

IF yOZANPOESN'T

ACCEPT RICEBALLS AS A

TOPIC...

IT ONLyMEANSHE'S AS

UNCULTUREPAS you

TWO ARE.

BUT IF XAIBARA •

204

SOTHgyAGRggDTOTHg

RICg BAH-MATCH/

ON SISN: T5ZAI NEWS COMPANY

wg'RgGOING TO

NggDYOUR

HgUP WITHTHIS,

AIKAWA-SAN.

OF COURSg.gVgN IF YOU

TSI.U Mg NOTTO HgUP,1'L.U STIUU

BAR@g IN.

ACTUAUL.y,THgRgIS ONgKINP OF RICgBAH. I'D UOVg

TO TRy...

OH My,WHAT ISTHIS? STARTED

MAKINGTHgM,THgNP

207

youDON'T

<*\ MIND IT' BgIN©

RICgflBAUUSP

L

THATIS AN

INTgR-gSTINCSTOPIC

INDggD.

THgN THgy ARg©OIN© TO

Rg©RgT TH61RSHORTSIGHT-

6DNESS.

IFTHgUUTIMATg

MgNU SIDgHAS CHOSgNRICg BAW-S

UUST FOR THgFUN OF IT...

BU...BUTKAIBARASgNSgl

MAKING RICgBAL.US FOR

THg SUPRBMgM6NU ISTOO...

1 RICEBAUUSBXTRBMBUySOPHISTI-

CATEP.

206

THE TOPICFOR TODAY'S

MATCHBETWEEN THE

ULTIMATEMENU AND

THE SUPREMEMENU 19 RICE

BALLS.

CAN'T WAIT TOSEE WHAT KINDOP RICE BALLSARE GOING TOBE INTRODUCED

HERE TODAY.

WE TRIEDTO PURSUE

THE DEEPCONNECTION

BETWEEN RICEBALLS ANDJAPANESECULINARYCULTURE.

HERE ISOUR

OFFER-ING.

USSTART

WITH THEULTIMATE

MENUTHEN.

IT'LLHELP

US GETMORE

POINTS/

THIS ISINTERESTING.

CAN USETHIS IN THE

MATCHAGAINST THE

SUPREMEMENU/

I WANT TOUSE THISFOR THE

RICEBALLS.

REALLY?/AAAH...THIS IS

GETTINGEXCITING/

JL208

RICE BALL MATCH

HOW ISTHIS A D6SPPURSUIT OFUAPAN6S6CUUINARYCUUTUR6?

210