Iron Wok Jan (Japanese: 鉄鍋のジャン!, Hepburn: Tetsunabe no Jan!) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shinji Saijyo. It was serialized in Akita Shoten's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion from 1995 to 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 premiered in July 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, Akiyama Jan)
Voiced by: Kikunosuke Toya[3]
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, Akiyanma Kaiichirō)
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, Tō Minki)
Minki Tou is Jan's grandmother and Kaiichiro's wife.
Baku Akiyama (秋山 爆, Akiyama Baku)
Baku Akiyama is Jan's father and Kaiichiro's son.

Gobanchou family

Kiriko Gobanchou (五番町 霧子, Gobanchō Kiriko)
Voiced by: Ikumi Hasegawa[3]
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, Okonogi Takao)
Voiced by: Kōhei Amasaki[3]
Mutsuju Gobanchou (五番町 睦十, Gobanchō Mutsuju)

Other characters

Nichido Otani (大谷 日堂, Otani Nichido)
Voiced by: Masuo Amada[4]
Celene Yang (セレーヌ楊, Serēnu Yō)
Voiced by: M.A.O[4]
Kei Sawada (沢田 圭, Sawada Kei)
Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai[4]
Tomohide Jun (荀 智秀, Jun Tomohide)
Voiced by: Taishi Murata[4]
Yuji Kawahara (河原裕司, Kawahara Yuji)
Voiced by: Yūsuke Kobayashi[4]
Ryūji Bitō (尾藤リュウジ, Bitō Ryūji)
Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita[5]

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Shinji Saijyo, Iron Wok Jan was serialized in Akita Shoten's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion from 1995 to 2000,[6] with its individual chapters were collected into 27 tankōbon volumes,[7] and subsequently re-released into 16 kanzenban volumes between December 2004 and September 2007.[8][9] The manga was licensed in English by ComicsOne before the license was transferred to DrMaster.[10][11] Collectively, they published the manga's 27 tankōbon volumes in English between December 15, 2002, and December 28, 2007.[12][13]

A sequel, titled Iron Wok Jan! R: The Summit Operations (鉄鍋のジャン!R 頂上作戦, Tetsunabe no Jan! R: Chōjō Sakusen), was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion from November 9, 2006, to December 9, 2010.[14][15] Its individual chapters were collected into ten tankōbon volumes.[16]

A spin-off series, titled Tetsupai no Jan! [ja] (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.[17][18] Its individual chapters were collected into seven tankōbon volumes.[19] Another sequel manga, titled Iron Work Jan 2nd [ja], was serialized in Fujimi Shobo's magazine Monthly Dragon Age from January 7, 2017, to 2019.[1][20] Its individual chapters were collected into seven tankōbon volumes.[21]

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.[11][22][3] The series premiered on July 5, 2026, on TV Tokyo and its affiliates. The opening theme song is "Hien" (火宴; Fire Banquet), performed by Genin wa Jibun ni Aru,[4] while the ending theme song is "Naita Akuma" (泣いた悪魔; 'The Devil Who Cried'), performed by Emunimini.[5] Crunchyroll is streaming the series.[23]

Episodes

No.Title [24][25]Directed by [a]Written by [a]Storyboarded by [a]Original release date [26]
1"Flames and Meetings"
Transliteration: "Honō to no Deai" (Japanese: 炎との出逢い)		TBATBATBAJuly 5, 2026 (2026-07-05)

Reception

Comics Worth Reading's Johanna Draper Carlson liked the use of caricatures to dramatize the manga.[27] Manga Life's Michael Aronson commended the manga for its art and its ability to appeal to audiences.[28] Animefringe's Ridwan Khan liked the "love-hate relationship" between Jan and Kiriko.[29] IGN's 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".[30]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Production staff information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.

References

  1. 1 2 Pineda, Rafael (January 15, 2017). "Iron Wok Jan! Chinese Cooking Manga Gets New Series". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  2. ↑ Thompson, Jason (August 5, 2010). "House of 1000 Manga - Iron Wok Jan". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Cayanan, Joanna (February 15, 2026). "Iron Wok Jan! Anime's Teaser Video Unveils Main Cast, More Staff". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hodgkins, Crystalyn (May 15, 2026). "Iron Wok Jan! Anime Reveals More Cast, July 5 Debut in Main Promo Video". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Cayanan, Joanna (June 24, 2026). "Iron Wok Jan! Anime's 'Alternate' Promo Video Reveals New Cast Member, Ending Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  6. ↑ Thompson, Jason (July 3, 2012). Manga: The Complete Guide (Google Books). Del Rey Books. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-345-53944-1.
  7. ↑ 鉄鍋のジャン 27 (27) (少年チャンピオン・コミックス) (コミック) (in Japanese). ASIN 4253052762.
  8. ↑ 鉄鍋のジャン (1) (MF文庫) (文庫) (in Japanese). ASIN 4840111863.
  9. ↑ 鉄鍋のジャン 16巻 (16) (MFコミックス) (コミック) (in Japanese). ASIN 4840119465.
  10. ↑ Macdonald, Christopher (July 26, 2002). "New Comicsone Aquisitions [sic]". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
  11. 1 2 Loo, Egan (December 15, 2025). "Iron Wok Jan! Manga Gets TV Anime by Director Ei Aoki, Troyca in 2026". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  12. ↑ Saijyo, Shinji; Oyama, Keiko (2002). Iron Wok Jan Volume 1 (Iron Wok Jan (Graphic Novels)) [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback). ISBN 158899256X.
  13. ↑ "Iron Wok Jan volume 27 (End)". DrMaster. Archived from the original on May 20, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2009.
  14. ↑ 週刊少年チャンピオン 2006年No.50 (in Japanese). Akita Shoten. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  15. ↑ 週刊少年チャンピオン 2011年No.2+3 (in Japanese). Akita Shoten. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  16. ↑ 鉄鍋のジャン!R 10―頂上作戦 (少年チャンピオン・コミックス) (in Japanese). ASIN 4253212700.
  17. ↑ 近代麻雀9月15日号 8月12日（水）発売！ (in Japanese). Takeshobo. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  18. ↑ 西条真二「鉄牌のジャン！」完、悪童ぶりと料理の腕で敵を粉砕する麻雀無敗伝. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. December 28, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  19. ↑ 【3月1日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. March 1, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  20. ↑ 累計発行部数800万部の料理バトル漫画「鉄鍋のジャン！」×ジビエ居酒屋「米とサーカス」がコラボレーション！　11月1日より「ダチョウカルパッチョ」「ハクビシン地獄鍋」「脳みそ茶碗蒸し」など7品を再現。 (Press release) (in Japanese). Asia TokyoWorld Co. Ltd. October 19, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2026 – via PR Times.
  21. ↑ 鉄鍋のジャン!!2nd　7 (in Japanese). Kadokawa. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  22. ↑ TV Anime 'Iron Wok Jan' Official [@tetsujan1995] (December 15, 2025). 『鉄鍋のジャン！』2026年TVアニメ化決定🥘超ティザーPVを初公開します🧑‍🍳 (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved December 17, 2025 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  23. ↑ Mateo, Alex (June 30, 2026). "Crunchyroll to Stream One Piece Heroines, BanG Dream! Yume∞Mita, The Frontier Lord Begins with Zero Subjects, More Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Sutōrī -Terebi Anime『Tetsunabe no Jan!』Kōshiki Saito-" ストーリー -TVアニメ『鉄鍋のジャン！』公式サイト- [Story -TV Anime『Iron Wok Jan』Official Site-]. tetsujan.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Watch Iron Wok Jan". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Hōsō Jōhō -Terebi Anime『Tetsunabe no Jan!』Kōshiki Saito-" 放送情報 -TVアニメ『鉄鍋のジャン！』公式サイト- [On Air -TV Anime『Iron Wok Jan』Official Site-]. tetsujan.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  27. ↑ Carlson, Johanna Draper (March 24, 2006). "Iron Wok Jan! Book 1". Comics Worth Reading. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
  28. ↑ Aronson, Michael. "Iron Wok Jan v1". Manga Life. Archived from the original on May 17, 2006. Retrieved March 22, 2009.
  29. ↑ Khan, Ridwan (February 2003). "Iron Wok Jan! Vol.1". Animefringe. Retrieved March 22, 2009.
  30. ↑ Sparrow, A.E. (November 27, 2006). "Iron Wok Jan Vol. 20 Review". IGN. Retrieved March 22, 2009.

Further reading

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Wok_Jan