Gourmet Cells

Gourmet Cells (グルメ細胞, Gurume Saibō) are physical embodiment of savoriness and Appetite Energy, the source of life and all known ingredients. They were first discovered in the Gourmet Jellyfish by the "Gourmet God" Acacia 605 years ago.^[1] The cells have extreme regenerative and strength-enhancing qualities, can empower evolution, but most importantly greatly enhance flavor of any organism they are part of.^[2]

Origin and History[]

13.7 billion years ago, at the birth of the universe, the Gourmet Big Bang generated Gourmet Energy, the foundation of Gourmet Cells.^[3] Monster Trolls and Appetite Demons later developed to serve the Appetite.^[4]

For over five billion years, Nitro have cultivated planets by administering Gourmet Cells and then stressing them with environmental disasters, like the Gourmet Solar Eclipse, and with predators, like Appetite Demons.^[5] The Nitro started the process on Earth several hundred million years ago when a meteorite containing Gourmet Cells struck the planet.^[6][7] They became source of all life and ingredients on the planet, also inducing incredible evolution of organisms and environment.

Infusion[]

There are two known ways to infuse Gourmet Cells into a living being that does not contain them. The first and safest method is through "ingestion": where one must regularly intake pill or food items containing Gourmet Cells (Like those from the Gourmet World), at which point the cells will begin to slowly conform and adapt to the consumer's body as the consumer continues to eat them. ^[8] However, this method takes far longer to have an effect on the body and there are many cases where the cells are never able to adapt and give no physical enhancements to the consumer.^[9]

The second method is through "injection": which involves directly injecting Gourmet Cells into the body via syringe. This method is the more dangerous of the two but also the fastest, as direct injection causes the injected cells to adapt faster, and thus the time it takes for them to adapt to the body is overwhelmingly fast when compared to the safer method. However, this method has many risks for if the cells do not properly adapt they begin to invade the body and mutate it, turning the injected individual into a horrific-looking monster, or worse it may end up killing them. An example of mutants created via injection are the members of the Gourmet Corp. and the ancient ancestors of the denizens of Hex Food World, Kingdom of Hope, and Blue Grill. It should be noted that those who become mutant monsters can still breed and their descendants will inherit their monstrous traits and become a unique species of their own.^[9]

When a human successfully adapts Gourmet Cells into their body, they gain overwhelming life force and power. Enhancements common to many implantees generally include: extremely increased physical strength, speed, general athleticism, stamina, endurance, and senses. As long as calories are available, the cells also grant incredible regenerative power. This amazing vitality granted to a Gourmet Cell user is often reflected in their appearance, as the vast majority of the male users possess incredibly muscular physiques. A few, such as Jiro, Mansam, and Chin Chinchin are even capable of releasing more of their power to become monstrously muscular giants.

The cells can also grant a wide variety of outright inhuman abilities or grant superhuman senses. Examples include: Sunny's ultra-sensitive prehensile hair, Coco's poison generation, incredible vision and advanced use of synesthesia, Tommyrod's compound eyes and remote control of limbs through insect ganglia, and Midora's use of blending and camouflaging with the environment. Gourmet Cells also seem to increase the compatibility and effectiveness of transplants (as in the case of Grinpatch's multiple arms and Elg's Herac body) and symbiotic relationships between organisms (as with Tommyrod and his internally-bred army of insects).

Gourmet Cells also have extremely high energy demands, so users must frequently consume large amounts of delicious food, lest the cells begin uncontrollably devouring their body at the cellular level. So far only Toriko, Starjun and Midora are stated to have been born with their Gourmet Cells (although in Toriko's case he appears to have red and blue gourmet cells).

Because of the incredible and wide-ranging abilities of the Cells (and in particular their ability to increase fighting strength), most if not all the high ranking Gourmet Hunters, Saiseiya, Chefs, IGO members, and some criminals have them. Many of these, such as the members of the Gourmet Corp, seek out new and rare ingredients specifically to increase their fighting strength.

Development[]

An individual's Gourmet cells 'evolve' when they consume delicious foods that suit them and the 'tastes' of the cells; this enhances the strength of the user and their abilities. Certain individuals can also develop new abilities or resistances as a response to harsh new environments, instantly creating adaptations which allow the user to survive. Training one's Gourmet Cells to adapt to a variety of such environments is an integral part of training to survive in the Gourmet World. 

Appetite Energy[]

The greatest advantage afforded by Gourmet Cells is the Appetite Energy they manifest internally. Versatile and highly powerful, mighty predators can externalize this energy by drawing out their overwhelming desire to devour prey. The energy can then be used to generate a variety of powerful effects. However, the ability to manipulate Appetite Energy is not an automatic consequence of Gourmet Cell infusion. Even very powerful individuals with strong Gourmet Cells are only able to semi-consciously manifest a degree of Appetite Energy on the instinctual level at best. Truly mastering the energy's incredible power requires its conscious manipulation and a taxing degree of mental control.

Limitations[]

While all of these qualities of Gourmet Cells make them extremely powerful and useful, it has been shown that they do have limitations. Their strength and regeneration-enhancing qualities are dependent on the user's calorie intake and their mental state and fortitude. Mental training in disciplines such as Food Honor can make a vast difference in how effectively and efficiently the Cells expend energy. Sufficiently powerful techniques can also simply exceed the powers of an individual's Gourmet Cells, such as when Elg's Cells (which were boosted in regenerative power through his fusion with the Herac) were nonetheless overwhelmed by Brunch's continuous electrical attacks.^[10]

Gourmet Cells are also prone to manipulation as stated by Mansam and demonstrated by NEO's leader Joie. When Gourmet Cells become active, there is a possible chance of permanent scars appearing on the user's body in specific areas (most likely the face as shown by most Gourmet Cell users with scars). These scars do not disappear as the Gourmet Cells allow them to stay instead of healing them like any other wounds. These scars can either form on their own or they can be formed through the process of using dark techniques to "cook" the Gourmet Cell, both these methods will cause any current scars to grow longer as the Gourmet Cells become more active as shown when Teppei's scars grew longer after Joie manipulated him and when Toriko's scars grew slightly longer after using his Blue Demon during combat. When these scars are formed through the use of dark techniques or further grown, the user becomes prone to manipulation as shown by Joie when he manipulates many members of the IGO, Saiseiya and the Gourmet Corp. to joining the ranks of NEO. Mansam states that for the manipulation of Gourmet Cells to work, the Gourmet Cells must yield to the power of whoever manipulates it therefore the Gourmet Cells allow the manipulation to happen.

There are only two possible solutions to removing any form of manipulations of Gourmet Cells on its users; one is to remove the scars which the Gourmet Cells have allowed to stay, however this method is extremely difficult to achieve as the scars are deemed permanent; the other is to use an even greater power to the former manipulator however the dangers of this method is that if a person doesn't possess the techniques for manipulating Gourmet Cells, they will instead need to inflict a devastating damage to the manipulated person, which will result in either the person returning to normal or dying in the process due to the overwhelming damage. Shigematsu is first to experience the second solution through damage however before his mind could returned to normal completely, he has already suffered extensive damage through Toriko's attack and was devoured by Angler Birds while he was weakened. 

Appetite Demons[]

Main article: Appetite Demon

Just like many Food Spirits are capable of possessing living beings, Appetite Demons are powerful kinds of Monster Troll Food Spirits, that seemingly choose to possess beings with Gourmet Cells.

Those that are possessed by Appetite Demons tend to develop abilities based on those of their Appetite Demons. Examples of such abilities would be Sunny's ultra-sensitive prehensile hair, Coco's poison generation, Tommyrod's compound eyes and insect-like physiology, Zebra's voice powers and Toriko's Fork and Knife, and his unique nose. Appetite Demon wielders also seem to possess other abilities, that most probably also originate from their Demons, but are not confirmed, such as Coco's enhanced eyes and synesthesia, or Midora's mirror neuron and tongue. The demons will sometimes manifest outside of their body, such as in form of aura or intimidation, or if provided with enough energy, as physical beings.

It is possible to take control of the Appetite Demons (or for the Appetite Demons to revive themselves) by eating Acacia's Full Course Menu. It is even possible for Appetite Demon to suppress the host's own consciousness and gain control over their body, even if for a short time, as seen with Joie and Komatsu.

As Food[]

Even though Gourmet Cells are meant to enhance the flavors of ingredients, it is nearly impossible to eat and consume pure Gourmet Cells or a being completely made of Gourmet Cells (such as Appetite Demons). As stated by the Blue Nitro, any normal person eating Gourmet Cell will not be able to digest them, and over time, the stomach will just burst for accumulating too much of it. It's because of this the Blue Nitro rarely ever harvest CENTER, since the ingredient can kill them if they eat it for being pure Gourmet Cells. There have been, however, beings who were able to eat and digest them, with the only known way so far is one's cells overpowering the cells they are consuming.^[11] The only known individuals who are to do such a feat are Acacia^[12], Neo^[13], Jiro^[14], and Toriko.

References[]