is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shinji Saijyo. It was serialized in Akita Shoten's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion from June 1995 to March 2000. The manga follows a chef named Jan Akiyama as he works in a high-end Chinese restaurant and competes in various cooking competitions.
A sequel, titled Iron Wok Jan! R: The Summit Operations, was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion from December 2006 to November 2010. 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. Another sequel, titled Iron Wok Jan 2nd, was serialized in Fujimi Shobo's magazine Monthly Dragon Age from January 2017 to 2019. An anime television series adaptation produced by Troyca aired from July to September 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 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". He believes cooking is a competition and even goes out of his way to choose the most strange and difficult ingredients in order to thoroughly crush his opponents in culinary contests.
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 is Jan's grandmother and Kaiichiro's wife.
Baku Akiyama is Jan's father and Kaiichiro's son.
Gobanchou family
Kiriko Gobanchou is one of the best cooks in Gobanchou, her family's Chinese restaurant in Ginza. She is the same age as Jan. She believes cooking is about heart and despises Jan for his arrogant attitude and often cruel methods.
Other characters
Media Manga Written and illustrated by Shinji Saijyo, Iron Wok Jan was serialized in Akita Shoten's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion from 1995 to 2000, with its individual chapters were collected into 27 volumes, and subsequently re-released into 16 volumes between December 2004 and September 2007. The manga was licensed in English by ComicsOne before the license was transferred to DrMaster. Collectively, they published the manga's 27 volumes in English between December 15, 2002, and December 28, 2007.
A sequel, titled , was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion from November 9, 2006, to December 9, 2010. Its individual chapters were collected into ten volumes.
A spin-off series, titled and written and illustrated by Bingo Morihashi, was serialized on Takeshobo's Kindai Mahjong magazine from August 12, 2015, to December 28, 2017. Its individual chapters were collected into seven volumes. Another sequel manga, titled , was serialized in Fujimi Shobo's magazine Monthly Dragon Age from January 7, 2017, to 2019. Its individual chapters were collected into seven volumes.
Anime An anime television series adaptation was announced on December 15, 2025. It is 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 aired from July 5 to September 20, 2026, on TV Tokyo and its affiliates. The opening theme song is , performed by Genin wa Jibun ni Aru, while the ending theme song is , performed by Emunimini. Remow is licensing the series for streaming on Crunchyroll.
Episodes
Reception Comics Worth Readings Johanna Draper Carlson liked the use of caricatures to dramatize the manga. Manga Lifes Michael Aronson commended the manga for its art and its ability to appeal to audiences. Animefringes Ridwan Khan liked the "love-hate relationship" between Jan and Kiriko. 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".
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