Photo: Screenshot
Run out of stuff to watch? Join us as we excavate the streamers' back catalogues for the shows we might have missed.
Samurai Gourmet follows the life of 60-year-old Takeshi Kasumi, a recent retiree who feels a bit adrift without work and unsure of what to do with his newfound freedom. He tentatively starts exploring the food of his neighbourhood and discovers the joys of eating freely. The show is based on a slice-of-life manga, so the stakes are exceptionally low.
Kasumi is a shy and startled man whose anxieties revolve around whether to order a second beer at lunch, whether to take his sunglasses off inside, and whether to finish a meal he doesn't like, lest the chef take offence. He's aided in his journey by visions of a masterless samurai, who makes him that little bit braver so he can do what he really wants to do.
It's a gentle, wholesome comedy about getting out of your head and finding beauty in the mundane. Samurai Gourmet honours the journey of an old man on a new path and - through beautiful, soft-focus visuals - honours the journey of food too; the care and attention with which it's made, the respect for how it's served, and the joy of truly savouring that first bite.
Is it worth a watch?
Story: 4/5 (very low stakes - but that's the beauty of it)
Production: 5/5 (dreamy cinematography)
Bingeability: 4.5/5 (only 12 episodes around 20 minutes each)
If I liked this one, what shall I watch next?
Midnight Diner: Tokyo (Another hidden gem from Netflix Japan: A restaurant chef encounters people from all walks of life who enter his diner in the wee hours of the night. He offers them delicious meals and insightful advice).
Samurai Gourmet is currently streaming on Netflix.