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Iron
Wok Jan!
Vol.1
2002
Publisher: ComicsOne
Writer: Shinji Saijyo
Artwork: Shinji Saijyo
Translation: Sahe Kawahara
Price: $9.95 US/R135.00 SA
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Occasionally I am surprised by a comic’s ability to whisk
me away into another world while still being entertaining and educational
all at the same time. Iron Wok Jan! is one of those
rare books/manga which does all three of the above masterfully.
Jan is a sixteen year old Chinese chef in training.
After being taught to cook by his Grandfather he leaves home and
starts working at the Gobancho restaurant, the
# 1 Chinese restaurant in all of Japan. He battles for the number
one spot with his arch rival, Kiriko, the daughter
of the head chef at Gobancho.
A wildly informative and entertaining adventure
into the world of oriental cooking. The story will grab you and
keep you interested throughout this two hundred page volume. You’ll
be surprised at how excited you can get about cooking and you’ll
be eagerly anticipating the next issue after reading this one.
The story is a mixture of comedy and high action drama.
There are also some really great character moments throughout this
book which help in our understanding of the high-pressure professional
world of cooking that the cast live in.
There is an equal amount of fast-paced art as there are static based
panels. The frenetic cooking scenes are rendered amazingly well
with some great high speed ‘Manga’
linework. This volume is in the traditional black and white [greyscale]
and reads right to left as do most traditional based manga comics
these days.
Via the use of some great textures and halftone patterns
the art really comes to life and is a perfect example of how black
& white manga art can be just as visually appealing as a full
colour comic.
This manga was amazing, as not only did it thoroughly entertain
me but it educated me at the same time and it wasn’t the slightest
bit painful or forced. I wanted to learn more as I turned each page
and each chapter took me deeper and deeper into the world of Iron
Wok Jan!, a true escape. No matter who you are,
man or woman, adult or child, make sure you read this comic book
as it’s a must have for readers everywhere!
Score 10/10
Reviewed By:Iain Duncan
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Comic Reviews
