IRON WOK JAN!

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MANGA ActionIron Wok Jan!

REVIEWS

• 

  Keima1987

  60/100
  A fun and surprisingly enjoyable cooking anime with a memorable protagonist and plenty of entertaining moments.

  Spoiler warning: I’ve tried to keep spoilers to a minimum, but read at your own risk.

  ---

  #__1. Introduction & Core Premise__ --- I didn't even know Iron Wok Jan existed until I stumbled upon the anime adaptation this season. And honestly, that's kind of funny because I actually love cooking in real life, but I've never really been interested in watching or reading stories about cooking. I've seen some cooking shows on TV over the years, but they're not really my thing. So I definitely wasn't expecting Iron Wok Jan to grab my attention the way it did. A big reason for that was Jan himself. --- # 2. Characters & Dynamics --- Jan is basically everything you would expect from an insufferable anti-hero. He's arrogant, selfish, competitive as hell and has absolutely no problem screwing people over if it means winning. He's not really someone you're supposed to look at and think "yeah, this is a great guy." And yet, somehow, I ended up liking him. There were plenty of moments where I wanted him to lose, especially when he was being a complete asshole, but then I'd still find myself rooting for him anyway. Even when I knew his attitude was fucking awful, there was something about watching him cook and seeing how seriously he takes what he does that made it hard not to get invested in him. The food critic definitely helped with that too. He's so unbelievably annoying that he basically made me side with Jan by default. Kiriko is clearly the kind of character you're supposed to root for. She's a genuinely good person and represents the kind of chef you would normally want to see succeed. But then you have this guy constantly getting in the middle of everything and acting like an absolute piece of shit, and suddenly you're sitting there thinking, "You know what, Jan, maybe you should destroy this guy." I actually really liked that dynamic because it made me root for Jan without the show ever having to make him a good person. I also really liked the stuff involving Jan's grandfather and his past. That was probably one of the most interesting parts of the story for me because it gives you a better idea of where Jan's whole mentality comes from. His attitude towards cooking isn't just about wanting to win for the sake of winning. There's clearly a lot behind it, and his grandfather plays a huge part in shaping the way he sees cooking and competition. I just wish the anime had spent more time on that side of the story. It felt like there was a lot more there that could have been explored, especially considering how important that history is to Jan's character. --- # 3. Pacing, Narrative & Worldbuilding --- The show definitely has its problems though. There are quite a few things that I wish had been explained better. Some ideas are introduced, seem like they're going somewhere, and then either don't get much attention or are left hanging. There are also characters and parts of Jan's story that I would have liked to see explored more. It sometimes feels like the anime knows exactly what it wants to show you, but doesn't always give the story enough time to properly develop everything around it. I don't want to be too harsh on that though because it's only a 12-episode first season. There's only so much you can fit into that amount of time, especially when you're trying to introduce a whole cast, establish Jan, explain his background, have different cooking competitions and still move the story forward. Some of the rushed feeling is understandable. At the same time, I still noticed it, and I think the series would have benefited from having more room to breathe. --- # 4. Style, Atmosphere & Presentation --- The cooking itself was also a lot more entertaining than I expected. Some of the dishes they come up with are completely ridiculous, but that's honestly part of the fun. Everything is taken to such an extreme that it becomes fun to watch. At the same time, I actually learned quite a few things about Chinese food, different regional dishes and some of the history behind them, which I wasn't expecting when I started watching this. Although, I have no idea how much of what they tell you is actually true and how much is exaggerated for the sake of the show, so I definitely wouldn't take everything as fact. I also liked the art more than I expected. It's nothing that blew me away, but the character expressions work really well, especially during the cooking competitions. Jan in particular can look completely fucking insane sometimes, and I have to admit that by the end of the season, I genuinely loved his laugh. It went from being this ridiculous maniacal laugh to something I actually looked forward to hearing whenever Jan was about to pull some crazy shit. --- # 5. Climax, Resolution & Final Impact --- The ending was actually something I liked. It doesn't completely wrap everything up, but it left me curious about what happens next with Jan and the rest of the cast. That's probably the best thing it could have done for me at this point. After spending the season watching Jan being an arrogant asshole and somehow slowly becoming one of the main reasons I kept watching, I actually want to see where his story goes next. I wouldn't say Iron Wok Jan is some revolutionary cooking anime or that it completely changes the genre. It's really not trying to do that. What it does have is a weirdly entertaining protagonist, some ridiculous cooking battles, a lot of exaggerated personalities and enough interesting ideas to keep you watching. I went into this knowing absolutely nothing about it and expecting very little, and I ended up having a genuinely good time with it. --- #**Final Score: 60/100** # [██████░░░░]
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• 

  1yudodis1

  90/100
  Hilarious and unhinged in all the right ways.

  On paper, Iron Wok Jan is a pretty standard story about a guy trying to fullfill his grandfather’s wish of defeating his arch nemesis. However, its bombastic characters, over the top presentation and generally unhinged energy got me laughing harder than I ever had at an anime in a very long time and it was genuinely a wild ride. (Note: I am not familiar with Chinese cuisine so I will be judging it purely on enjoyability and writing quality).

  The star of the show is most definitely its main character, Jan. Unlike your typical goody two shoes MCs that is trying to be the best, this guy is a major asshole of the greatest degree and he basks in it with full pettiness and absolutely no shame. Doesn’t matter who he is talking to (his peers, his superiors, or even the judges), his ego knows absolutely no bounds. You’d think his personality would get annoying pretty quickly, but the show does not hold back in demonizing his behavior and he regularly gets a taste of his own medicine. We also get a good look at his upbringing which helps to explain why he acts the way he does. Overall, I think the show does a great job portraying a refreshingly fun, antagonistic MC without letting him get too obnoxious.

  Not to be outdone, pretty much every other character in this show is equally unhinged. From their hilarious laughs, diabolical facial expressions and combative personalities, they perfectly match the MCs energy. They all have pretty distinct backgrounds and differing ideals, which contrast well with the MC’s attitude and provide for some fun showdowns.

  There was also clearly lot of love and care for the source material from its producers, since it was faithfully adapted despite it exploring some unsavory topics that may not sit well with modern sensibilities (like over the top physical violence). Even for out of date facts, they let them play out as is and then gave a modern explanation afterwards, which provided an interesting look on how Chinese cuisine in Japan evolved over time and the processes/ facts we take for granted these days. They also regularly reference the actual manga panels and even spent the last minute of the first episode glazing the hell out of the manga which I thought was hilarious.

  I will admit that the show’s main weak point is its animation. They tend to skip through a lot of the actual cooking process and just kinda explain things, in a more “tell, don’t show” kinda way (of course it doesn’t always play out this way but it’s the majority). The actual explanations themselves are quite interesting and the detailed stills look pretty, but if you are looking for a comprehensive and thorough demonstration of the cooking process, then you sadly won’t find that here.

  Overall, from my point of view as someone who is looking for a laugh and some entertainment, I had an absolute blast with show. Its up there with Hinamatsuri and FMP Fumoffu which made me laugh the most. If you love these shows and their over the top nature, then Iron Wok Jan will be right up your alley.

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