Every time an issue of Iron Wok Jan! comes out, I think "this is the one where the novelty will wear off." I mean, this is a manga about cooking, and I generally find that after a few volumes of any manga, I'm getting ready for the story to wrap up or take off in a stronger direction. Iron Wok Jan! continues to be a favorite, however, as Saijyo reveals more and more of his characters, introduces a lot of interesting notions about the world of Chinese cooking and blends action, humor and a surprising amount of sincerity in each issue. We've spent two issues on a giant cooking competition, and I find that rather than wanting it to be over so we can see what comes next, I'm just anxious to see whatever comes next, and plan to happily read this book for as long as it's produced.
Saijyo's structure in this issue is a fairly simple one. He's got three competitors, and though two of them have had a fair amount of character development already, he wants to give each their moment to shine. So he contrasts their modern-day actions, cooking against one another in a tournament, with their past actions, showing why each of them decided to become a chef or how they developed the lessons and techniques that they are using in the modern-day tournament. I was particularly taken with likable antagonist Celine Yang and her sweet regional accent and manner, but the darker, driven nature of Jan and the pure-hearted optimism of Kiriko is entrancing as well.
While building up these individual characters, Saijyo also introduces us to their dishes and through these dishes, into the larger elements of Chinese cuisine. There's educational value to be found in Iron Wok Jan! as well as entertainment, as Chinese cooking seems more deeply involved in philosophy and more one part of a balanced life than Western cooking can often be. Learning the subtle definitions of noodles, or seeing some of the flashy techniques and imaginative cuisine that each character comes up with, somehow becomes as exciting as a car chase or a gunfight in Saijyo's hands. The spinning, manic, almost angry style that characterizes Jan's cooking is particularly exciting to watch.
The central conflict here, though, is not between characters but between philosophies. Saijyo (or perhaps Kawahara) makes the point a little too forcefully at times, bordering on repeating themselves, but the notion that each chef has a different idea what cooking is all about speaks to how important cooking is to these characters, and thus gives birth to the life-and-death stakes each character equates with the contest. Jan's defiance in coming back to cook dessert and Kiriko's surprising popularity both take on greater life as we realize that this isn't just food or even just a job to them, these are important elements of their life and basic philosophy being challenged.
I'm always amazed at how engaging Iron Wok Jan! can be, as I'm drawn into the drama of a conflict between talented individuals and find myself anxiously awaiting the answer to seemingly crazy cliffhangers like "what dessert will Jan make?" Though there's certainly an element of goofy fun to be had in the over-the-top portrayal of competitive cooking, the fun is balanced with strong characters, phenomenal action and a great story.
