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Iron Wok Jan

Iron Wok Jan (鉄鍋のジャン!) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shinji Saijyo. It was serialized in Akita Shoten's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion from 1995 to 2000, with its individual chapters being collected into 27 volumes. The manga follows a chef named Jan Akiyama as he works in a high-end Chinese restaurant.

A sequel, titled Iron Wok Jan! R: The Summit Operations, was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion from December 2006 to November 2010, with its individual chapters being collected into 10 volumes. A spin-off written and illustrated by Bingo Morihashi, titled Tetsupai no Jan!, was serialized in Takeshobo's magazine Kindai Mahjong from August 2015 to December 2017, with three volumes being published. Another sequel, titled Iron Wok Jan 2nd, was serialized in Fujimi Shobo's magazine Monthly Dragon Age from January 2017 to 2019, with seven volumes being published. An anime television series adaptation produced by Troyca is set to premiere in 2026.

Plot

One night after the restaurant closed, a boy walks into a high-end Chinese restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, and orders fried rice. After being served, the boy realized that it was of poor quality, he throws it away and enters the kitchen to make fried rice himself. The boy's name is Jan Akiyama, the grandson of Kaiichiro Akiyama, the "master of Chinese cuisine". Eventually, Jan, who believes that cooking is a battle, begins working in the restaurant with other chefs like Kiriko.

Characters

Akiyama family

  • Jan Akiyama (秋山 醤)
  • Jan Akiyama is a 16-year-old talented young chef and the male protagonist of the manga. His grandfather is Kaiichiro Akiyama, the "master of Chinese cuisine".
  • Kaiichiro Akiyama (秋山 階一郎)
  • Kaiichiro Akiyama is known as the "master of Chinese cuisine". Kaiichiro raised Jan until his tastebuds began to fail, at which point he sent Jan to Gobancho and committed suicide by self-immolation.
  • Minki Tou (桃 明輝)
  • Minki Tou is Jan's grandmother and Kaiichiro's wife.
  • Baku Akiyama (秋山 爆)
  • Baku Akiyama is Jan's father and Kaiichiro's son.

Gobanchou family

  • Kiriko Gobanchou (五番町 霧子)
  • Kiriko Gobanchou is one of the best cooks in Gobanchou, her family's Chinese restaurant in Ginza. She is the same age as Jan.
  • Takao Okonogi (小此木 タカオ)
  • Mutsuju Gobanchou (五番町 睦十)

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Shinji Saijyo, the series was serialized in Akita Shoten's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion from 1995 to 2000.[2] Its individual chapters were collected into 27 volumes.[3] It was re-released into 16 volumes between December 2004 and September 2007.[4][5] The manga was licensed in English by ComicsOne before the license was transferred to DrMaster.[6] Collectively, they published the manga's 27 volumes in English between December 15, 2002, and December 28, 2007.[7][8]

A sequel, titled Iron Wok Jan! R: The Summit Operations (鉄鍋のジャン!R 頂上作戦), was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion from November 9, 2006, to December 9, 2010.[9][10] Its individual chapters were collected into ten volumes.[11]

A spin-off series, titled Tetsupai no Jan! (鉄牌のジャン!) and written and illustrated by Bingo Morihashi, was serialized on Takeshobo's Kindai Mahjong magazine from August 12, 2015, to December 28, 2017.[12][13] Its individual chapters were collected into seven volumes.[14] Another sequel manga, titled Iron Work Jan 2nd, was serialized in Fujimi Shobo's magazine Monthly Dragon Age from January 7, 2017, to 2019.[15][16] Its individual chapters were collected into seven volumes.[17]

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced on December 15, 2025. It will be produced by Troyca and directed by Ei Aoki, with series composition handled by Makoto Uezu, characters designed by Masako Matsumoto who is also serving as chief animation director, and music composed by Tomoki Kikuya. The series is set to premiere in 2026 on TV Tokyo and its affiliates.[18][19][20]

Reception

Comics Worth Readings Johanna Draper Carlson liked the use of caricatures to dramatize the manga.[21] Manga Lifes Michael Aronson commended the manga for its art and its ability to appeal to audiences.[22] Animefringes Ridwan Khan liked the "love-hate relationship" between Jan and Kiriko.[23] IGNs A.E. Sparrow felt the artist did a great job in making a cooking competition as compelling to watch "as watching two feudal clans go to war".[24]

Further reading

External links

References

  1. Jason Thompson. House of 1000 Manga - Iron Wok Jan Anime News Network, August 5, 2010, retrieved December 16, 2018^
  2. Jason Thompson. Manga: The Complete Guide Del Rey Books, July 3, 2012^
  3. —^
  4. —^
  5. —^
  6. Christopher Macdonald. New Comicsone Aquisitions [sic] Anime News Network, July 26, 2002, retrieved February 21, 2009^
  7. Shinji Saijyo, Keiko Oyama. Iron Wok Jan Volume 1 (Iron Wok Jan (Graphic Novels)) [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback) 2002^
  8. Iron Wok Jan volume 27 (End) DrMaster, retrieved April 1, 2009^
  9. http://www.akitashoten.co.jp/w-champion/2006/50 Akita Shoten, retrieved November 20, 2015^
  10. http://www.akitashoten.co.jp/w-champion/2011/2 Akita Shoten, retrieved November 20, 2015^
  11. —^
  12. http://kinma.takeshobo.co.jp/kindai-mahjong/3538/ Takeshobo, retrieved November 20, 2015^
  13. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/263191 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, December 28, 2017, retrieved January 14, 2026^
  14. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/271447 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc, March 1, 2018, retrieved January 14, 2026^
  15. Rafael Pineda. Iron Wok Jan! Chinese Cooking Manga Gets New Series Anime News Network, January 15, 2017, retrieved January 20, 2021^
  16. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000003.000117818.html Asia TokyoWorld Co. Ltd., October 19, 2023, retrieved January 14, 2026^
  17. https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/321909000352/ Kadokawa, retrieved January 14, 2026^
  18. Egan Loo. Iron Wok Jan! Manga Gets TV Anime by Director Ei Aoki, Troyca in 2026 Anime News Network, December 15, 2025, retrieved December 15, 2025^
  19. TV Anime 'Iron Wok Jan' Official. December 15, 2025, retrieved December 17, 2025^
  20. Joanna Cayanan. Iron Wok Jan! Anime's Teaser Video Unveils Main Cast, More Staff Anime News Network, February 15, 2026, retrieved February 15, 2026^
  21. Johanna Draper Carlson. Iron Wok Jan! Book 1 Comics Worth Reading, March 24, 2006, retrieved February 21, 2009^
  22. Michael Aronson. Iron Wok Jan v1 Manga Life, retrieved March 22, 2009^
  23. Ridwan Khan. Iron Wok Jan! Vol.1 Animefringe, February 2003, retrieved March 22, 2009^
  24. A.E. Sparrow. Iron Wok Jan Vol. 20 Review IGN, November 27, 2006, retrieved March 22, 2009^