Get Jiro is the perfect slice of blood-splattered pulp fiction.
The series, based on the 2012 graphic novel by Anthony Bourdain and Joe Rose on DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint, follows the trail of bloody vengeance paved by the mysterious master sushi chef Jiro (voiced by Brian Tee, Chicago Med) as he is out for bloody vengeance.
Jiro runs a small sushi shop on the outskirts of a quasi-post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, where the only real, tangible, enjoyable thing in the world is food. This creates a power dynamic where chefs are extremely powerful figures and have built bloody criminal empires based on demand for quality food.
The tone of the series is set at the jump when Jiro beheads a man affiliated with the big chef/crime boss Bob (an impeccably cast Titus Welliver, The Westies) for using soy sauce on the sushi Jiro prepared for him. From there, the audience, like Jiro, is thrust into the culinary-crime world of this not-so-far-into-the-future City of Angels.
This world finds Jiro embroiled in a war between Bob and his vegan arch-nemesis Rose (Alison Pil, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), who is hellbent on taking over Bob’s empire to avenge his slaughter of her farming commune in the past … and she may be a bit drunk on power, too.
The concept of all-powerful chefs as crime lords is a unique conceit, and it works terrifically because the series takes it seriously. And it needs to, because imagery of people in chef outfits murdering each other, using food trucks as assault vehicles, and assassins hiding their weapons in baguettes would otherwise be Ricky and Morty-esque levels of unseriousness. If we’re being honest, these scenes are absurd, and shows like Archer or Hit Monkey play violence on this level for laughs. Here, however, the over-the-top violence is used to complicate Jiro’s path of vengeance, as he has to decide whether to stay on his mission or help those struggling in the impoverished outskirts who are victims of the violent whims of the chef/mobsters.
It also creates a fascinating, multi-layered world that reveals something new about itself every episode. New corners of this world unlock new insights into Jiro, the city’s power dynamics, and the motivations of the supporting characters. The more engrossed viewers become in the world, the more they engage with how it constantly shatters and molds the characters’ lives. This isn’t merely blood-and-guts pulp fiction; it is a much richer, emotional story told throughout the series.
Get Jiro, in terms of viewing, is a perfect multi-episode or full season binge. The episodes are lightning-quick 20+ minute stories, so watching once a week can leave anyone hungry for more. The best way to fully consume this series is to make a big viewing meal. Whatever fans decide to get their hands bloody with this series, Get Jiro is one of the must-watch series of 2026.
