Season 2 of the TV anime series " Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill, " based on the light novel by Eguchi Ren, which originated on the novel submission website " Shosetsuka ni Naro, " will air on TV Tokyo from midnight on October 7th. The story follows Mukoda Tsuyoshi (Mukoda), an ordinary office worker who is summoned to another world and uses his unique skill, "Online Supermarket," to order products from his home world and cook meals using modern seasonings. This marks the first new TV anime series to air in roughly two and a half years, since Season 1 aired from January to March 2023. Popular voice actor Yuma Uchida, who plays Mukoda, lists "driving, games, cooking, yakiniku" under "Hobbies and Skills" in his profile, revealing that he regularly enjoys cooking. We spoke to Uchida about his thoughts on cooking.
Food is motivation
Uchida says, "I didn't cook at all when I was a child.The only time I made curry for my grandmother's birthday was when I became an adult, and it wasn't until I was older that I started to like cooking."
"I started baking sweets a few years ago and have come to enjoy cooking ever since. When you buy sweets, you end up eating them endlessly, don't you? That's what got me started, trying to think about calories and make more creative ways to cook them. I think the first thing I made was a cheesecake or a chocolate cake. It was actually quite easy to make and a success. I had the impression that baking sweets was difficult, so I was happy that I succeeded, and from then on I started to like cooking."
Uchida, who was originally an obsessive person, became addicted to cooking.
"I've been making things like pasta before I got into it, but it's a fun dish because you can really get into it. It's simple but deep. I also enjoy stews and braised dishes. For example, with braised pork, there's the joy of waiting. You simmer it for a long time, 1-2 hours, checking the flavor halfway through... it becomes delicious by taking the time to do so. I also like the time spent waiting. It makes me want to try different things."
When asked about the dishes he would like to try in the future...
"I have lots of dreams, but there was a time when I was obsessed with making dashi, so I'd like to try my hand at Japanese cuisine. Bowls are great, aren't they? Simple but difficult. If I learn how to make dashi, I'm sure I can apply it to all sorts of things, so I'd like to study it. There are lots of cookbooks out there. Because you start with the form, just reading one is satisfying, and it makes me feel like I've accomplished something, so it's fun. I think cooking is entertainment. When I see professionals cooking together, I feel like there are similarities with our work. Watching professionals working together to cook makes me think that cooperation is important in acting as well. Professionals are amazing, after all!"
In addition to cooking, she also loves eating, and food is a source of motivation for her.
"As I've grown older, I've come to like food more and more. I used to be a picky eater, and I think it was a real struggle for my parents. But when I started working, I had more opportunities to eat a variety of foods, and I learned that there are so many delicious things out there. I'll never forget the time when I treated myself to yakiniku for just 500 yen after starting my current job. I thought, ``I can eat it for 500 yen!'' and went, and it was so delicious that it made me want to work hard just to reward myself. Food motivates me. Food gives me energy and fills my heart. Food connects people, so it's something that's very important to me."
◇ Hungry anime
Season 2 of "Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill" will be the first new work in about two and a half years.
"It went by so quickly. It's a work with a strong healing element, and even while recording it, my heart felt warm and fuzzy. I was happy to receive feedback saying, 'It was heartwarming,' and to know that everyone felt so warm inside. I'm also happy to be able to deliver such a work again."
There's a term for it, "food terrorism," but watching the show makes you hungry. Apparently, his appetite was stimulated even during the filming.
"It makes me hungry. Before the pictures are even ready, we sometimes record while watching footage of the food, and it looks really delicious. When Mukoda cooks, he explains the process, so it's like a cooking class. The excitement builds as you wait for the finished product. When we take a break, I hear the staff say things like, 'That looks delicious...' It's a great set (laughs). We're having fun making the show, but it does make us hungry. Season 2 is no different, and it's a great set."
Uchida, who loves cooking, seems to have a lot of interesting menu items...
"They all look delicious. The way they express the juiciness of the meat is especially amazing. It's hard to choose which one is the best... I love Rockbird, so maybe the soft-boiled, melt-in-your-mouth oyakodon? It must be difficult to express the soft-boiled, melt-in-your-mouth texture, but it's beautiful and looks really delicious. It makes me hungry. I've had the opportunity to cook a variety of dishes for the stream. The first one I made was shogayaki, and it was absolutely delicious. The meat they prepared was also amazing, and I was really excited. It's been quite a while since I last had it. I felt the great potential of shogayaki. I can't stop talking about food."
What kind of dishes will be featured in Season 2?
"I think Season 2 will be even more surprising than the last time, with people saying, 'I can't believe this is what you get at an online supermarket!' It's amazing! There are also classic home-cooked meals. Season 2 is sure to make you hungry. The power of online supermarkets is sure to increase, so I hope you'll look forward to it."
◇Moisturizing and healing
Uchida plays Mukoda, who is summoned to another world, but was originally an ordinary office worker. Uchida plays Mukoda while cherishing his "ordinary" nature.
"When I was cast for the role of Mukoda, I felt a personal sympathy for him, as he is of the same generation as me. Mukoda has work experience, is calm, and has a mature side to him. I am trying to portray that. In season 2, the number of characters will increase, and you can see his humanity through his conversations with each character. Mukoda basically speaks to everyone on an equal footing, which is what I like about him. The key is to be able to have proper conversations as a working adult, so I am making sure to value that."
What kind of dishes will Mukoda serve and what kind of performance will he show in Season 2?
"The theme of this work is things we can all relate to in our daily lives: traveling with friends and eating delicious food. It depicts things that bring daily joy and a sense of fulfillment, and enrichment to life. I hope that watching this anime will make you want to eat with family and friends, and that it will make you realize the importance of spending time with delicious food. It's also a work that you can easily watch, so I hope you'll watch it when you want a little relaxation."
The happy smile on Uchida's face when she talked about food was striking. Season 2 seems to be an anime that will bring joy and healing to your daily life and naturally make you smile.
