# Food for the Soul (日々は過ぎれど飯うまし)
**Food for the Soul** (日々は過ぎれど飯うまし, *Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi*, abbreviated *Hibimeshi*) is a Japanese original slice-of-life television anime about five new female university students who eat, cook, and deepen their friendship through the daily search for good food. The series was produced by P.A.WORKS with a character and story concept by the manga artist あっと, creator of *[Non Non Biyori](https://www.edgepedia.org/non-non-biyori)*, and it began broadcasting on Japanese stations on Saturday, April 12, 2025.[1](https://hibimeshi.com/) • [2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAmzXI4q_Y)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Original TV anime (no preceding manga or novel), 12 episodes, broadcast from April 12, 2025[1](https://hibimeshi.com/) • [2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAmzXI4q_Y) • [3](https://ad2217.hatenablog.com/entry/2025/06/30/130000) |
| Premise | Five first-year female university students form a circle called the 食文化研究部 (Food Culture Research Club) and share cooking, eating, and campus life[4](https://www.aniplex.co.jp/lineup/hibimeshi/story/) |
| Creative source | Character and story concept and manga storyboard work by あっと (author of *Non Non Biyori*)[1](https://hibimeshi.com/) • [5](https://mantan-web.jp/article/20241231dog00m200031000c.html) |
| Direction and animation | Directed by 川面真也 and 春水融; animated by P.A.WORKS[1](https://hibimeshi.com/) |
| Cast | 河合まこ (嶋野 花), 古舘くれあ (加隈亜衣), 小川しのん (青山吉能), 比嘉つつじ (乾 夏寧), 星なな (会沢紗弥), モコ太郎 (もえのあずき)[1](https://hibimeshi.com/) |
| Manga adaptation | Comic adaptation drawn by Quro, serialized from March 15, published by KADOKAWA[5](https://mantan-web.jp/article/20241231dog00m200031000c.html) • [1](https://hibimeshi.com/) |
## Premise and story
The story follows 河合まこ, a first-year university student living on her own who cooks for herself daily as a hobby. One day 小川しのん, a childhood friend from elementary school who attends the same university, approaches her with urgent energy, accompanied by 比嘉つつじ and 古舘くれあ. The three invite まこ into a circle they are founding, the 食文化研究部 (Food Culture Research Club). Taken aback by the sudden reunion and the invitation, まこ declines. Days later, while gazing at a restaurant's showcase, she is approached by くれあ, who helps out at the eatery her mother runs; the sauce cutlet bowl she had long wanted to try arrives at her table, and her entry into the group follows from there.[4](https://www.aniplex.co.jp/lineup/hibimeshi/story/)
The club itself is built on a comic deception. In the second episode it is revealed that the dignified name 食文化研究部 is a dummy circle title that しのん attached to the club merely to secure a club room; the members' real aim is to laze about together. When a staff member checks on the circle's activities, the group must produce proof of genuine activity within a day, and cooking becomes the expedient that saves it.[4](https://www.aniplex.co.jp/lineup/hibimeshi/story/) • [6](https://anime-no-mikata.com/archives/3681)
Later episodes extend the club's range beyond the campus. A fifth member, the extremely shy 星なな, joins in episode 4, and the bonding of this conversation-wary newcomer over skewers and sandwiches became a widely discussed highlight.[7](https://anime-no-mikata.com/archives/3891) Episode 5 follows くれあ and しのん after obtaining their driver's licenses on a drive that reaches the [Tsukiji fish market](https://www.edgepedia.org/tsukiji-fish-market), ending in a barbecue by the sea.[4](https://www.aniplex.co.jp/lineup/hibimeshi/story/) In episode 9 the club runs a curry stall at the university festival; advised by a senior named さくら, まこ develops a deer-meat soup curry using game meat, and the stall sells out.[4](https://www.aniplex.co.jp/lineup/hibimeshi/story/) Episode 10 takes the five to an old folk house with a hearth and sunken hearth (irori) belonging to まこ's grandmother, where the group cooks rice in a wood-fired stove.[4](https://www.aniplex.co.jp/lineup/hibimeshi/story/) • [8](https://anime-no-mikata.com/archives/4998)
## Production and staff
**A food-focused studio.** The official introduction bills the show as the culmination of "PA-meshi," a nickname for the appetizing food animation of which P.A.WORKS has built a reputation.[1](https://hibimeshi.com/) The series is credited to an unusually collaborative creative core: あっと supplies the character and story concept and produces the manga storyboards, while the credited "original work" is listed as team apa. 川面真也, who directed the *Non Non Biyori* anime, and 春水融, who worked on *The Quintessential Quintuplets ∬*, share the director's chair; 比企能博 handles series composition, and 満田一 (known for *Kiratto Pri☆chan*) is the character designer and chief animation director. 水谷広実 composes the music and 高寺たけし directs the sound, with animation production by P.A.WORKS.[1](https://hibimeshi.com/) • [5](https://mantan-web.jp/article/20241231dog00m200031000c.html)
Individual episodes were scripted mainly by 比企能博, with 星野七海 credited for episodes 6 and 7.[4](https://www.aniplex.co.jp/lineup/hibimeshi/story/)
## Broadcast, distribution, and merchandise
The series ran weekly from April 12, 2025 on terrestrial stations, BS, and streaming platforms.[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAmzXI4q_Y) • [9](https://nyaotaro.com/archives/2900) Broadcast outlets included Asahi Broadcasting Corporation and BS11.[10](https://corp.asahi.co.jp/ja/tv/objective/category/main/0111111111117/teaserItems3/0/linkList/0/link/koko202506.pdf) • [11](https://corp.bs11.jp/ir/library/presentation/main/0/teaserItems1/09/linkList/06/link/kessannsetsumeikai%25202025-4Q%2520Scripts.pdf) It streams in Japan on Netflix, ABEMA, Hulu, U-NEXT, DMM TV, Prime Video, TELASA, and J:COM STREAM, among others.[12](https://filmarks.com/animes/4661/6308/vod) • [13](https://www.netflix.com/jp/title/82034903?s=i&vlang=ja)
On October 1, 2025 the official site announced a delay and date change for the Blu-ray and DVD releases of volumes 5 and 6.[1](https://hibimeshi.com/) BS11, which aired the series, ran its first online lottery in partnership with the model-maker Kotobukiya, with an order period from August 8 to September 7, 2025 and a planned delivery around December 2025.[11](https://corp.bs11.jp/ir/library/presentation/main/0/teaserItems1/09/linkList/06/link/kessannsetsumeikai%25202025-4Q%2520Scripts.pdf) • [14](https://corp.bs11.jp/ja/ir/irnews/auto_20250806531423/pdfFile.pdf)
## Manga adaptation
A comic adaptation drawn by Quro, the artist of *Asteroid in Love*, began serialization on March 15, 2025 under the same title, published by KADOKAWA under its Alive+ label.[5](https://mantan-web.jp/article/20241231dog00m200031000c.html) • [1](https://hibimeshi.com/) The manga broadly follows the anime's storyline while adding original episodes, and from October 17, 2026 it began serializing a fully original continuation story titled 日々は過ぎれど飯うまし おかわり ("Oikawa," literally "seconds"), picking up after the anime's ending.[15](https://w.atwiki.jp/aniwotawiki/pages/58816.html)
## Reception
Viewers and reviewers placed the show in the direct lineage of wholesome slice-of-life anime. The series was widely described as a "飯テロ" (food-torture) anime whose detailed depictions of dishes such as the sauce cutlet bowl of episode 1 and the mountain-vegetable grated-yam set meal at Mount Takao's Yama Biko Chaya leave viewers hungry.[16](https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/kikaku/2079408.html) A commentary piece by the critic 星島カナタ called it a return to the classic, well-made everyday-life anime after a period in which such shows were scarce.[17](https://note.com/anime_blog/n/n096236a533bf) Japanese viewer comments collected in roundups praised the realistic food drawing and the gentle pacing, noting that the story moves slowly and suits viewers seeking a relaxing watch rather than a fast plot.[18](https://hannoumatome.com/blog-entry-1459.html)
## References
1. [TVアニメ「日々は過ぎれど飯うまし」公式サイト](https://hibimeshi.com/)
2. [TVアニメ「日々は過ぎれど飯うまし」本PV (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAmzXI4q_Y)
3. [ネギ式アニメ感想：日々は過ぎれど飯うまし](https://ad2217.hatenablog.com/entry/2025/06/30/130000)
4. [ストーリー | 日々は過ぎれど飯うまし | アニプレックス オフィシャルサイト](https://www.aniplex.co.jp/lineup/hibimeshi/story/)
5. [MANTANWEB「日々は過ぎれど飯うまし」制作発表記事](https://mantan-web.jp/article/20241231dog00m200031000c.html)
6. [アニメのミカタ「日々は過ぎれど飯うまし」2話感想](https://anime-no-mikata.com/archives/3681)
7. [アニメのミカタ「日々は過ぎれど飯うまし」4話感想](https://anime-no-mikata.com/archives/3891)
8. [アニメのミカタ「日々は過ぎれど飯うまし」10話感想](https://anime-no-mikata.com/archives/4998)
9. [アニメノススメ『日々は過ぎれど飯うまし』まとめ](https://nyaotaro.com/archives/2900)
10. [朝日放送テレビ 放送番組の種別](https://corp.asahi.co.jp/ja/tv/objective/category/main/0111111111117/teaserItems3/0/linkList/0/link/koko202506.pdf)
11. [日本BS放送 2026年8月期 重点施策](https://corp.bs11.jp/ir/library/presentation/main/0/teaserItems1/09/linkList/06/link/kessannsetsumeikai%25202025-4Q%2520Scripts.pdf)
12. [Filmarksアニメ 配信サービスまとめ](https://filmarks.com/animes/4661/6308/vod)
13. [Netflix 日本版タイトルページ](https://www.netflix.com/jp/title/82034903?s=i&vlang=ja)
14. [日本BS放送 ニュースリリース (2025年8月6日)](https://corp.bs11.jp/ja/ir/irnews/auto_20250806531423/pdfFile.pdf)
15. [アニヲタWiki(仮) 日々は過ぎれど飯うまし](https://w.atwiki.jp/aniwotawiki/pages/58816.html)
16. [GAME Watch イッキ見アニメ特集](https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/kikaku/2079408.html)
17. [アニメ批評ラボ（仮）星島カナタ](https://note.com/anime_blog/n/n096236a533bf)
18. [海外の反応・日本人の反応まとめ](https://hannoumatome.com/blog-entry-1459.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Anime and manga › Anime series, episodes, and franchises › Anime television series, 2020s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license