When watching anime there are few things as joyful or as strangely soothing as watching scenes related to food. Think back to your favourite anime and you’ll find yourself warmly remembering food moments, from the sumptuous feasts of Spirited Away to the ramen making scene in Ponyo and even the bento box lunches sometimes seen in series like Sailor Moon. There’s something about the colours, the movements and the animated perfection of food, both preparation and consumption, in anime that’s intensely captivating.
Now you can enjoy all of those moments directly in your Instagram feed thanks to @anime.foodi, an account that features hundreds of images and customised video clips of food from anime. In just a few months since it began the account’s follower count has grown to over 40,000 and continues to rise each day. @anime.foodi is the brainchild of 19-year-old college freshman Christina, an avid anime fan who has always been captivated by the way food looks in the medium. We reached out to Christina to share some of her favourite posts from the account and to ask her about the soothing effects of her visual feast.
What made you want to start @anime.foodi?
I’ve always had an interest in anime. And I always think about how beautiful anime food is! On a visual level, the work that artists put into the detail of each and every show is absolutely extraordinary. I noticed that there wasn’t really any anime food accounts on Instagram or Twitter; I always enjoyed it, so I thought others would as well.
What do you think makes a good anime food post?
Beautiful detail and eye-grabbing colours and effects. As well as sounds — mostly ASMR noises — that are very pleasing and have a calming effect to most people.
How do you source your posts?
I usually research some of my favourite anime on YouTube, or ask my followers what their favourites are to include their opinions on my account.
Do you cut and edit a lot of clips yourself?
Yes! All my clips are edited by me. I usually enhance all sounds as well.
You have over 40,000 followers at the moment, why do you think people like your account?
I feel like it’s a very nice getaway account for most people. It can be very relaxing or simply for satisfaction of seeing their favourite anime and their food. Running the page makes me happy knowing that people feel calm when they see it.
Do you have a favourite post?
One of my favourites is this compilation video, it’s so calming and relaxing that it feels like your your grandma is giving you a nice warm hug [laughs]. I also enjoyed making this clip about sweets and breakfast foods set to the song Coffee. But it doesn’t get much more satisfying than this video, the anime it’s from, Isekai Izakaya, is truly the best for anime food graphics. I absolutely recommend it.
Anime food is so perfect looking, have you ever seen food in anime and then decided to make it yourself?
Yes! There are many YouTube videos showing how to cook anime foods for yourself. I tried making ramen from Ponyo and it turned out pretty well! But I’m personally not the best cook so I wouldn’t trust my opinion.