MANGA REVIEW | "Crazy Food Truck" - Volume Three [FINALE]
As the final pages of Rokurou Ogaki’s Crazy Food Truck began flipping onwards, I started to wonder if this was the best way to end it. The characters of Gordon and Arisa are both fun and charming, and getting to know them on this culinary road trip has been one of the most fulfilling reads in a long time. But then I realized that its ending truly was fit for a duo like Gordon and Arisa. After all, if you are going to live an extreme life, then your death should also be one hell of a spectacle!
But before the crescendo hits, Gordon and his former subordinates need to save Arisa from a whacked-out prince. It’s a rescue mission straight out of The A-Team, with truck’s a-rolling and cannons a-blazing! While the prince simply gives Alisa back to Gordon, it’s the reveal of what the prince has been protecting that has everyone shocked. Well, okay, not Gordon and Arisa; it just makes them hungrier.
After a reunion with Myna, Arisa tells her friend what she aims to do. The news doesn’t settle well with Gordon’s former army buddies, with word reaching Sarah. It’s here when the truth behind both Gordon’s past and who Arisa truly is all laid out. While Arisa’s past isn’t quite shocking, it’s how Gordon escaped death from Sodom that winds up being sort of hilarious.
The narrative for Crazy Food Truck winds down with a twist involving our two leads. While it really shouldn’t come as a surprise for when it happens, the sight of the two together might raise an eyebrow for some. But once you realize what these two have gone through together, it makes sense that their bond would grow in such a fashion. However, there’s very little time for Gordon and Arisa to enjoy themselves; the army’s come a-knockin’, and they are looking for a fight!
It all ends with the ultimate kind of Mexican standoff, as Gordon and Arisa literally throw everything at those who are trying to snuff them out. Thankfully, some old friends come in to aid in their fight to survive, with Sarah using her helicopter in a truly badass way! Unfortunately, the writing is on the wall for Gordon and Arisa, and our final sight of them will no doubt leave readers a little sad.
However, Crazy Food Truck is a manga about living your life the way you want to. Throughout its three volumes, we witnessed Gordon and Arisa enjoying every sight, sound, and taste they could experience. Yes, they had some trouble, and their story ends in a massive bulletstorm, but there was nary a sign of regret from either of the two. Sometimes you just need a little food and action in life to be satisfied, and Gordon and Arisa certainly managed to get both by the barrel-full.
I’m sad to see Crazy Food Truck end. Even with its short journey, the people, places, and foods that graced Ogaki’s story will stay with me for a very long time. Maybe we’ll luck out and get a short anime or movie based on it somewhere down the line. (Note to potential producers: Nick Offerman as Gordon!) I look forward to seeing what Ogaki conjures up next in the manga world. Once he’s ready to unveil his next work, I sincerely hope it’ll be as wild and fun as Crazy Food Truck was!
VOL. 3 RATING:
FINAL GRADE (series):
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
