Iron Wok Jan Episode 1 Review: Akiyama Jan vs. The Gobanchou Family

Cooking is love? Nah, cooking is battle! Reviewing Episode 1 of Iron Wok Jan as the ruthless Akiyama Jan takes on the legendary Gobanchou family.

Most of us think that cooking is love, and most cooking anime also tell us that cooking is love. An easy example for everyone is Sanji from One Piece and Komatsu from Toriko, both of them always tell us cooking is about love, and it's something we should really care deeply about. But today, there is an anime telling us the exact opposite answer: cooking is not about love, but about competition.

Source: TVアニメ「鉄鍋のジャン！」公式 Official X account

Iron Wok Jan: The Amazing Cooking Journey of Akiyama Jan

Iron Wok Jan is actually quite unique compared to other shonen, or even isekai cooking anime. Most anime treat cooking as a way to heal or warm people, but in Iron Wok Jan, the main character, Akiyama Jan, views cooking purely as a competition he must win. After watching Episode 1, I can truly feel that it is unique and trying to tell us something different.

Don't get me wrong, just because it is trying to tell us something different doesn't mean it is bad. But I think it is something we must keep in mind, since there are scenes that will leave us absolutely mind-blown. After watching so many cooking anime like Toriko, Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill, and Restaurant to Another World, viewing cooking as a brutal competition does feel quite weird. However, it is actually pretty realistic, as getting first place is always highly seductive to people in real life.

For those who haven't heard of this title before, Iron Wok Jan is a cooking anime where we follow the main character, Akiyama Jan, and see him present all kinds of dishes. The dishes in this anime are quite unique, and since there may be people who don't know what a wok is, I will do a quick explanation here.

A wok is a real cooking tool and the ultimate weapon mainly used in Chinese cuisine, also known as Chuka in this anime. Using a wok, a specialized frying pan, gives dishes a unique aroma. This aroma is essentially the hidden spice of Chinese cuisine, and a lot of people, including the Japanese, absolutely love it. Coming back to the title, Iron Wok Jan, once you know that a wok is used for Chuka cuisine, it becomes easy to guess that this anime focuses heavily on Chinese cooking.

Source: TVアニメ「鉄鍋のジャン！」公式 Official X account

Honest Review: Is Iron Wok Jan a good anime?

I think Iron Wok Jan is unique, and a good anime at the same time. Let's first talk about the good parts. The production team did a great job with the animation, the whole episode is really fluid, the cooking action looks great, and most importantly, the "heat" among the characters is incredibly well done.

Personally, one of the highlights of Iron Wok Jan is the incredible "heat" among the characters. Akiyama Jan has an aggressive personality, and because he views cooking purely as a competition, his appearance instantly heats up the entire show. It is incredibly interesting to see him picking fights with absolutely everyone.

Although I don't want to spoil too much in this post, given the title Iron Wok Jan, it isn't difficult to guess whether Jan or his opponents will win, especially in the first few episodes. To be honest, just like any other cooking anime, Iron Wok Jan features a lot of dialogue, but Jan brings a level of heat that ultimately makes those conversations incredibly interesting to watch.

Source: TVアニメ「鉄鍋のジャン！」公式 Official X account

Besides that, another thing that amazed me about Iron Wok Jan is the pacing of the cooking. As someone who has watched a lot of cooking anime, I usually find they have slow pacing because cooking involves so many steps. From sourcing ingredients and preparation to the actual cooking, these steps take time and are unskippable, since that's what makes a cooking anime interesting in the first place. For great example, Toriko.

Especially for dishes like stews or curries, the cooking scenes can be long and boring, so for the most part, anime will just fast-forward through them. But because Chuka cuisine is all about high-speed cooking, and the characters already have so much fiery energy, the entire watching experience feels incredibly fast and engaging. The boring preparation scenes are kept to a minimum in Iron Wok Jan, letting us focus on watching how amazing, high-heat Chinese dishes are actually made.

Source: TVアニメ「鉄鍋のジャン！」公式 Official X account

Honest Opinion: Is Iron Wok Jan a Perfect Must-Watch for Everyone?

Although I had a great time watching Episode 1 and truly think Iron Wok Jan is an interesting anime, no show is perfect. I would highly recommend Iron Wok Jan to anyone who loves cooking anime, but it might not be for everyone. At the end of the day, it is still a cooking anime, so if you aren't interested in the culinary genre, this show might not really resonate with you.

Besides that, Iron Wok Jan focuses on Chuka cuisine. While it is an amazing and absolutely delicious style of cooking, the characters in the anime often use animal organs or other unusual ingredients in their dishes. These ingredients are quite common in Asia, and people love them, but for Western viewers, it might take some time to get used to them.

Iron Wok Jan is truly different from the mainstream cooking titles you may have watched before. Its pacing, character development, and storytelling will definitely give you a taste of that classic 1990s vibe. So, if you are looking for a completely fresh experience, Iron Wok Jan is the anime for you. But if you are looking for a cozy, heartwarming cooking show, then this might not be what you need.

AnimeOshi — Meet Your Anime Alter Ego

One thing I've genuinely been enjoying on AnimeOshi lately, their Avatar System. You get to build your own custom chibi-style anime avatar, and it shows up across your profile and every review you drop. It's such a fun way to express yourself as a fan, and honestly, it makes the whole reviewing experience feel way more personal. If you're into anime and haven't tried it yet, what are you waiting for? Go make your avatar.

Useful Questions About Iron Wok Jan for Those Who Haven't Watched It

Iron Wok Jan may have some moments that will completely blow your mind, but it is also a fascinating anime for discovering incredible culinary creations. Even though the show features intense "heat" and uses some unusual ingredients, in the end, every single dish looks absolutely delicious. Now that I've shared my thoughts, you might have some questions of your own, so I've put together a quick FAQ below. I hope this section helps you out!

Watch it if: You love delicious food and are currently looking for a satisfying anime to sink your teeth into. Once again, although the anime uses some pretty weird ingredients, it is truly amazing and will definitely make you crave them.

Skip it if: You are looking for a cooking anime that will warm your heart. Unlike famous isekai cooking titles, you won't really feel any cozy warmth from Jan's dishes, even though his talent is incredible and the food looks amazing. Since I haven't read the original manga, I am really looking forward to the upcoming episodes to see if Jan eventually becomes someone who speaks about love, or if he goes with even more "heat"!

Should you watch it weekly or wait to binge it? Usually, for a cooking anime, I would suggest watching it weekly. After all, we are always hungry, and seeing delicious food is a great weekly treat! However, Jan has a very unique personality, and I'm not entirely sure if everyone will resonate with him right away. Because of that, I think waiting to binge-watch it might actually be the better choice, as it will allow you to see what kind of person Jan eventually becomes.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Conclusion:

Thank you so much for reading this post! If you were wondering what to expect from Iron Wok Jan, or whether it's the right show for you, I hope this breakdown gave you the information you needed. For those of you who prefer to wait for community feedback before diving in, I highly recommend checking out AnimeOshi.

AnimeOshi also just dropped a new avatar system, you can unlock anime-themed profile pictures based on how much you engage with the community. The more you rate, the more you unlock. It's a genuinely fun way to build out your anime identity on the platform. Worth checking out while you're there.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.