Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma (2015–…): Season 2, Episode 4 - The Pursuer - full transcript

And now, the fourth bout
of the Fall Selection!

Takumi Aldini will go up against
Subaru Mimasaka,

but this match will be held as a Food War!

FOOD WAR

A Food War in the middle of the Selection?

Is that even possible?

The necessary conditions
have all been met.

HEAD OF THE FOOD WARS ADMINISTRATIVE
BUREAU, HISANAO KAGEURA (34)

The administrative bureau acknowledges
this as a legitimate Food War.

A Food War knows neither time nor place!

Up till now, ratings have been
a cumulative score from the five judges,

TAKUMI ALDINI
SUBARU MIMASAKA

...but in this bout,
each person gets just one vote.

In other words, it will be held
under the rules of a Food War.

-A Food War! Wow!
-And now...

here come the competitors!

Brother...

Must be rough,
havin' such a no-talent brother.

Pick it up.

Huh?

You're a boor, so allow me
to teach you some etiquette.

If you pick that up, it will prove
that you accept this challenge.

This is a battle...

in the manner of a duello!

An Italian will always
respond to an insult.

Should I win, you will throw yourself
to the ground and apologize

for defiling my mezzaluna
and my brother's good name!

THE PURSUER

Ah! Yukihira! Megumi!

Jeez, where have you been?

W-well, we were with Takumi-kun and
Mimasaka-kun till just a little while ago,

but no one said anything about a Food War!

Mimasaka planned
on a Food War right from the start.

That's the kind of guy he is.

BEWARE OF STRANGERS

When he sets his eyes on a student,

he'll investigate him thoroughly,

provoke and threaten him...

do whatever it takes to get him
onto the battlefield.

And he's already won
ninety-nine Food Wars.

Ninety-nine?

The theme is dessert!

FOURTH BATTLE DESSERT

Let the cooking...

begin!

Their ingredients...

They're exactly the same!

I have brought documents regarding Subaru
Mimasaka's prior Food War victories.

This is a list of what
both contestants made.

What the...

He's won all his matches by making
the same dish as his opponent?

Semifreddo...

That's the name of the confection
you and I are making.

Semifreddo
combines the coldness of ice cream

with the fluffiness of cake.

You're gonna make one
with a top layer of crushed pralines

followed by a layer
of fresh cream ice cream.

For the third layer,
you'll be using sponge cake.

Am I right?

All your snooping has paid off, huh?

You think you can beat me
using the same recipe?

Don't underestimate the Aldinis!

Mimasaka is using the Food War system
as his personal plaything.

He forces his opponents
to bet their utensils.

He tramples their pride as a chef
by taking the tool most important to them.

Who does he think he is, Benkei?

That guy's just twisted.

They say that in one Food War
he took his opponent's prized knife,

a memento of her mother,
while laughing wildly.

So then Takumi-kun must have bet...

his mezzaluna!

D-don't you worry!

Just look at Takumicchi.

He's not shaken at all!

Yeah, his movements are precise.

When you're making sweets,

even the smallest mistake
in measurements can ruin them.

That's how precise you have to be,

but a big lug like Mimasaka couldn't...

Th-that's some serious precision!

It's as if he's embroidering...

...like a young bride!

See ya later, Aldini.

Next up are...

some tweaks of my own!

Takumi-kun is whipping
the whites and yolks together,

but Mimasaka-kun is making his cake
by whipping them in separate bowls!

Subaru Mimasaka thoroughly
investigates his opponent.

He pilfers every last detail of their
trial dishes to predict what they'll make.

And then, he mixes things up
to make something

one step beyond that of his opponent.

Whipping them together
will result in a genoise,

which has a refined but dense texture.

Conversely, whipping them separately
will make a biscuit,

which expands due
to the amount of air it contains.

It absorbs syrup well
and has a velvety texture.

Y'know, mine will absorb as much
of that sweet syrup as possible.

You chose something
with a smooth, gentle texture.

You've done that
since you've come from Italy.

But when you taste these side by side,
mine will have the stronger flavor.

So he constantly makes
his own adjustments,

bringing his chances
of losing close to zero, eh?

All right, next it's time to make
the syrup using this liqueur.

He's using limoncello?

That's an Italian liqueur
made using lemons.

Normally, rum or amaretto
is used for a coating syrup.

For him to use something like this...

He knows about limoncello panna cotta!

There's a specialty at Trattoria Aldini,
your family restaurant,

that makes ample use of this.

That's how I knew you were
bound to use it in a semifreddo.

Has he really read my every move?

Oh, I'm not done mixin' things up yet.

My fresh cream incorporates mascarpone
cheese to give it added depth,

just like in that curry pasta you made
during the preliminaries.

Well? How's it feel to get shown up
by havin' your own tricks used against ya?

Director, can we allow this match?

In a Food War, all that matters
is the dish presented.

Subaru Mimasaka has done nothing
to warrant remonstration.

Subaru Mimasaka's
only interest is in winning.

To that end, he explores
even the most minute of details.

He mimics their very personalities,
becoming them.

It's especially easy
to rattle impulsive people like you.

You look all cool and calm on the outside,

but when it comes to cooking,
you're hot-headed.

You have love and pride for your homeland,

and that sentiment
always presents itself in your dishes.

I'm so happy!

You're exactly the kind
of person I expected!

He constantly observes
his opponent, laying them bare.

Subaru Mimasaka
is truly the King of Stalkers!

This guy's even weirder than I imagined!

Takumi has to come up with
some kind of new technique too!

But how could he possibly have time?

At this rate, is he just gonna lose?

My brother has what it takes
to handle himself on the spot.

There's no way an Italian man
could lose at dolce!

He's completely figured out
the recipe I was going to make.

What do I do?

Whip the eggs separately and start over?

No, there's no time.

Isn't there something, anything I can do?

Once I put it in the oven,
I can't make any changes to the cake.

Should I add diced lemon
to increase the fragrance?

No, that would affect
the texture, which is key.

Yo, there!

If you don't start baking soon,
you ain't gonna make it, right?

Takumi put his cake in the oven too!

If he's going to change anything,
it can only be the toppings or the sauce.

But Takumicchi doesn't have any
ingredients left to change things up!

Time is limited.

I have to move forward with the prep work.

I'm bound
by the very rails I've laid down.

All right, we're down
to the last 30 minutes!

They're both done baking!

Huh? Mimasaka's cake
is darker than Aldini's, ain't it?

You're right. How come?

A biscuit joconde, eh?

It substitutes almond powder
for much of the flour used in the cake.

The result is a richer,
deeper sponge cake.

He made another change!

The more pride a guy has, the more
he seizes up like that in a pinch.

It's scary to put out
a dish knowing you'll lose.

The same goes for you, right?

Aldini!

If I lose here...

why did I even come to Japan?

Brother!

Don't make that face, little brother.

Just remember the clamor
of the Aldini kitchen.

Believe in what was cultivated there!

I guess I'll have to do it.

To win this battle, I'll look at myself...

and my recipes up till now...

and exceed them!

Okay, it's done.

Oh, it's beautiful!

This is the semifreddo made
to eclipse Takumi Aldini's dish?

Yes...

The pralines accentuate
the sweet aroma of the almonds,

with a layer of what looks
like half-thawed ice cream.

Each element was treated with precision.

This is a surface-level idea,
one mimicking that of his opponent.

I doubt the flavors will amount to much.

Well, let's have a taste.

The three layers have differing textures.

That's clear simply
by inserting the spoon.

The bracing sweetness of the lemon
spreads across the tongue

while the aroma
of almonds tickles the nose!

The flavors come together perfectly,
not clashing in the slightest!

It's sweet, but mellow.

It's like it's bringing out my inner girl!

I opted for a biscuit joconde
because it pairs great with pralines.

The rich aroma
of the almonds in the cake--

Shut up!

Have you no conviction
as a chef, damn you?

I'm afraid I don't know what you mean.

"The devil is in the details."

That's the source of my conviction.

I've analyzed my opponent's strengths
and wasted no effort in trying to win.

What's so bad about that?

I don't want to admit it...

I don't want to admit it,
but this is drawing me in!

He's a scoundrel...

He's a scoundrel!

He's a scoundrel! He's a scoundrel!

INNOCENT * CONTRAST
LYRICS: YUTO TSUKUDA

He's a scoundrel, he's a scoundrel

I hate him but he's cool

But that smiling face puts
my feelings in a loop

But please, use those sweets
to step on the accelerator of love

He's a scoundrel, he's a scoundrel,
he's a scoundrel...

I became a young girl
without even realizing it!

It was a sublime dessert, one that
reduced Aldini to a mere pretty boy!

At this rate, he has no chance of winning!

Huh?

The heck? You're still gonna serve?

Drop the attitude.

I'm a professional chef.

A guest must always be brought his dish.

That dish...

It's different from the semifreddo
he was working on.

You're right.

There's a wafer-thin layer between
the cream and the sponge cake!

A fourth layer?

Please...

work!

How intense!

Like a wind blowing
across the Mediterranean.

I've eaten semifreddo
several times before,

but this...

It's different from all of them!

The flavor of the lemon is so powerful!

What is this golden layer?

It's an English lemon curd.

Lemon curd...

It was a favorite of the British royalty,
and has a rather long history.

This paste has an elegant aroma that
pairs with the sweet tartness of lemon.

It melts in the mouth along
with the sponge cake

made using yolks and
whites beaten together.

Such a delicate texture!

It wouldn't have worked with a coarser
cake made with separated yolks and whites.

The ingredients
of lemon curd are eggs, sugar,

lemon juice and grated peel, and butter.

But I thought
you had very little butter left.

I used this instead...

Olive oil.

What's more, that's no ordinary olive oil.

Truly an Italian way of thinking!

The refreshing scent of olives
is a good match for lemons.

I concede defeat when it comes
to the semifreddo's cake.

It's no match for the impact of
the biscuit joconde's sponge cake.

So it hit me that I had to bet victory
on the flavor of the lemon.

If I could use lemon curd to accentuate

the lemon's briskness
and mild flavor depth,

there'd be no way
I could lose to his semifreddo!

To think, adding a new twist by using
something invented in England!

That too is quite Italian,
a display of one's own originality!

In other words, this should be
called "Lemon Curd Italiano,"

an all-new condiment!

Even under the gun like that,
he invented a new flavor!

Takumi, Isami...

Take these with you when you go to Japan.

It's Aldini Family Olive Oil.

I'm sure it will help you.

That Aldini oil did help us.

The moment it hit me,
I felt like I heard something.

The switching of the rails...

of surpassing the recipes of the past.

Oizumi-dono, it would seem you've noticed.

Director!

Hey...

What is it?

What's so funny?

"What," you ask?

Don't say something so pitiful.

I know everything about you!

It's obvious
if you compare the two, right?

My semifreddo
has way more depth of flavor!

'Cause I added a secret ingredient...

Preserved lemons!

That's a condiment common
in Moroccan dishes,

made by pickling whole lemons
in brine for several weeks.

It's an all-purpose ingredient that
tempers acidity, saltiness, and bitterness

for a mellower, more refreshing flavor.

I added the sliced fruit and brine
to the sponge cake, pralines, and sauce.

Its slight bitterness should have brought
out the sweetness of the semifreddo.

I had faith in you.

I was betting
there's no way you'd give up,

that you'd come up with some twist

using the adaptability
you've honed in the kitchens!

And you've always
got your lucky olive oil at hand!

Then it was just a matter of copying you.

I read your intentions,

and the only idea I arrived at
was an Italian-style lemon curd!

How cute you are!

You've gone in circles,
all in the palm of my hand.

I saw through everything
of yours, everything,

and you never even realized it!

It's so close...

The slimmest of margins you'd
never notice without eating them both.

And yet...

There are two things
that dominate your thinking.

One is the bond with your brother Isami.

The other is a rematch with Soma Yukihira.

How does it feel having
been robbed of them both?

Diablo...

It's unanimous!

I gotta celebrate this, my 100th victory.

Thanks.

The winner of the fourth bout
is Subaru Mimasaka!

This concludes the first battle
of the Fall Selection.

RYO KUROKIBA
AKIRA HAYAMA

The second battle will be held
one week from today.

SOMA YUKIHIRA
SUBARU MIMASAKA

As with the first battle,
the match card will be decided at random.

It will be announced today.

That is all.

43RD FALL

I totally can't accept this!

What's with that stalker?

I understand, but don't take it out on me.

Takumi-kun must be pretty shocked.

I'd like to try to make him feel better,
but I don't know what to say.

Soma-kun?

I'm leavin'.

Jeez, Yukihira!

You're really okay
not saying anything to him?

Yo.

Mimasaka?

How'd you get in Yukihira's room?

I had a spare.

Can I help you?

Yeah, there's somethin' I wanna tell you.

Okay, fine, hang on a sec.

I'll make some tea.

Say, Mimasaka, you eaten dinner yet?

I've got some beef stew I made earlier.

You wanna have some?

Thanks, I appreciate it.

He should smack the heck
outta that guy right now!

Yukihira's treatin' him
like he's some guest!

The match card for the second battle...

has just been decided.

Yeah?

It's gonna be Kurokiba
vs. Hayama, and me...

vs. you, Yukihira.

Huh? So you came here
just to tell me that?

You get it, right?

Let's make this a Food War.

That knife you're always using...

If I win, it's gonna be mine.

In return, I'll offer up...

Soma Yukihira...

I know what gets you really angry.

There's no way you can look away

when someone you've acknowledged
is wrongly insulted.

That Italian guy was kinda pitiful, huh?

He was utterly defeated
before he could settle things with you.

His future and his pride
as a chef are in tatters!

Well? Get angry.

C'mon, get angry!

Your good friend has been made a fool of!

Yeah, it's too bad.

But this won't be enough to crush him.

And one more thing...

You're the one
to feel sorry for, Mimasaka.

What was that?

I've figured out your game.

Replicating Takumi's cooking
takes a whole lot of skill,

so why'd you do
such a worthless challenge?

That "worthless challenge" beat Aldini.

As a chef, I'm way above--

No, you're not.

All you did was leech off
his hard work, right?

His cooking
comes from trying out new dishes,

of countless failures
before finding something that shines.

I pity you.

You don't know the true joy
that comes from cooking.

That's how you could laugh
at a challenge like that.

All you care about is some superficial
victory to steal others' pride.

I don't acknowledge you as a chef.

I'll do a Food War,

but I want more than just that mezzaluna.

You'll give up all ninety-nine wins
you've stolen up till now.

Huh? Cut the crap.

That ain't worth it!

There's gotta be somethin'
to match a hundred people's utensils--

Then if you win, I'll quit being a chef.

I'll quit...

being a chef.

Subtitle translation by
Javier Lopez