Yakitate!! Japan, Volume 20

Are you ready for the Iron Chef of bread?! Manga shall not live by bread alone. England. France. Germany. What common thread binds these three nations together? Answer: each is famous for producing unique, distinctive, delicious bread. But what about Japan, home to rice and delicacies of the sea? Is there not a doughy, gastronomic delight they can claim as their own? The answer is no...until now! Kazuma Azuma, a 16-year-old-boy blessed with otherworldly baking powers, has taken it upon himself to create Ja-pan, the national bread of the land of the rising sun! In the seventh round of the Yakitate!! 25 baking competition, an old rival of Kawachi's comes back to challenge him again. After his first defeat, the bitter loser abandoned his family to live in the forest with wild pigs--which could very well give him an edge in the latest competition. Can the Pantasia team trust that Kawachi's ham-handedness won't ruin their chances of taking home the bacon? Meanwhile, sweet, syrupy danger awaits, as a Dutch cook with a thing for flapjacks prepares to beat Pantasia with pancakes!

Takashi Hashiguchi was the recipient of Young Magazine Gekkan Shinjinsho (Newcomer’s Award) in 1987 from Kodansha and received an honorable mention for the Tetsuya Chiba Award. He made his debut in 1988 with Combat Teacher. Hashiguchi says that for a time he tried his hand at being a comedian, but differences with his partner led him to return to manga. His major works include Street Fighter II Bakusho Yon-koma Gag Gaiden (Street Fighter II Hilarious 4-panel Gag Outside Story), Chosoku Spinner (High Speed Spinner), Windmill, Scissors, and Yakitate!! Japan. His most recent series, Saijo no Meii (The Ultimate Great Doctor) is currently serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday.