My cousins Brian and Jason turned me on to Yakitate! Japan, a japanese comic book (manga) about bread making…Volume 11 has just been scanlated! You’re all probably wondering, “bread making comics?” If you’re even a nominal fan of the Iron Chef series on The Food Network, you might enjoy this manga. It’s highly melodramatic, but filled with interesting (I assume) true tips about baking. Think “Rocky” meets “baking contests” and you’re in the ballpark…just don’t dwell on the Sylvester Stallone aspect too much.

The inset shows a piece of bread that has just been punched. “Well made bread has elasticity, and will bounce back!” Did I mention this manga totally rocks?