The new cooking anime Iron Wok Jan! is already making noise with its wild cooking battles and over-the-top characters. Episode 2 just dropped on July 12, 2026, and fans are now looking ahead to Episode 3. The anime, which is based on the famous 1990s manga by Shinji Saijyo, brings back the intense rivalry between two cooking styles—one focused on winning at any cost and the other on serving food with care.
Iron Wok Jan! Episode 3 is scheduled to release on July 19, 2026. New episodes come out every Sunday. For viewers in the United States, the release time is 2:00 a.m. PT / 5:00 a.m. ET. In Japan, the show airs on TV Tokyo at 5:30 p.m. JST.
The series will have a total of 12 episodes. Here is the full release schedule for the first season:
- Episode 1 – July 5 (Available now)
- Episode 2 – July 12 (Available now)
- Episode 3 – July 19
- Episode 4 – July 26
- Episode 5 – August 2
- Episode 6 – August 9
- Episode 7 – August 16
- Episode 8 – August 23
- Episode 9 – August 30
- Episode 10 – September 6
- Episode 11 – September 13
- Episode 12 – September 20
What Is Iron Wok Jan! About?
Iron Wok Jan! follows Jan Akiyama, a teenage chef who believes cooking is a battle. He arrives at the Gobancho restaurant in Tokyo’s Ginza district to fulfill his grandfather’s dying wish—to defeat his old rival, Mutsuju Gobancho. At the restaurant, Jan meets Kiriko Gobancho, the granddaughter of his grandfather’s enemy. Kiriko believes cooking should be about making customers happy, while Jan thinks winning is everything.
The story is set in 1995, keeping the original manga’s time period. The anime brings back the retro feel of the 90s with its art style and character designs. The show is produced by TROYCA studio and directed by Ei Aoki.
What Happened in Episode 1?
Episode 1, titled “Flames and Meetings” (Die Begegnung mit dem Feuer), introduces viewers to the world of Iron Wok Jan!. The episode opens at Gobancho, a high-end Chinese restaurant in Ginza. Kiriko Gobancho, the 16-year-old granddaughter of the owner, is shown preparing the restaurant’s famous golden fried rice.
Late one night, after the restaurant closes, a stranger walks in and orders fried rice. When he tastes it, he throws it in the trash, saying he can do better. He then goes into the kitchen and makes his own fried rice, showing off his skills. This stranger turns out to be Jan Akiyama, the grandson of a rival chef. He demands to become a trainee at Gobancho.
The episode sets up the main conflict between Jan and Kiriko. Jan sees cooking as a competition where only winning matters. Kiriko believes in serving food that makes people happy. The episode ends with a special segment that takes viewers back to 1995, when the manga first came out, showing pages from the original comic.
What Happened in Episode 2?
Episode 2, titled “An Explosive Duo” (Un duo explosif), aired on July 12, 2026. In this episode, Jan and Kiriko join forces to take down an arrogant food critic. The critic has been insulting the restaurant’s dishes, and the two rival chefs must work together to prove him wrong.
The episode shows Jan’s unapologetic and aggressive cooking style. He does not care about friendship or teamwork—he just wants to crush his opponents and prove his grandfather’s cooking style is the best. Fans have noted that the show feels like a more extreme version of other cooking anime, with Jan acting as an anti-hero who stops at nothing to win.
The episode also continues to develop the relationship between Jan and Kiriko. While they are rivals, they are forced to cooperate when a common enemy appears. Their different philosophies about cooking create tension, but they also complement each other in the kitchen.
Where to Watch Iron Wok Jan! Episode 3
Iron Wok Jan! is streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll worldwide, excluding Japan and China. In Japan, the anime airs on TV Tokyo and is also available on ABEMA for fastest web streaming.
For viewers outside Japan, Crunchyroll is the only platform where you can watch new episodes as they come out. The episodes are available with English subtitles. There are no free streaming options currently available. You can also watch through the Crunchyroll Amazon Channel.
Each episode runs for about 24 minutes.
Cast and Crew
The voice cast for Iron Wok Jan! includes:
- Kikunosuke Toya as Jan Akiyama
- Ikumi Hasegawa as Kiriko Gobanchō
- Kōhei Amasaki as Takao Okonogi
- Kenjirō Tsuda as Narrator
- Masuo Amada as Nichido Otani
- M.A.O as Celene Yang
- Takahiro Sakurai as Kei Sawada
- Taishi Murata as Tomohide Jun
- Yūsuke Kobayashi as Yuji Kawahara
- Tomokazu Sugita as Ryūji Bitō
The opening theme song “Hien (Fire Banquet)” is performed by Genin wa Jibun ni Aru., and the ending theme “Naita Akuma (The Devil Who Cried)” is performed by EMUNIMINI.
The anime is directed by Ei Aoki at studio TROYCA. Makoto Uezu handles the series scripts, and Masako Matsumoto designs the characters. The music is composed by Tomoki Kikuya.
Why Fans Are Excited
The manga Iron Wok Jan! originally ran in the 1990s and gained a dedicated following for its crazy cooking battles and over-the-top characters. This is the first time the series has received a TV anime adaptation.
Fans of the manga are excited to see the story brought to life after so many years. The anime stays true to the original setting of 1995 and keeps the retro art style that made the manga popular. Early reviews have praised the show for its fun atmosphere and the chemistry between Jan and Kiriko.
One reviewer noted that the show feels like a throwback to 90s anime, with exaggerated facial expressions and over-the-top reactions. The cooking scenes are also a highlight, with detailed animation that makes the food look delicious.
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What to Expect in Episode 3
While the exact plot of Episode 3 has not been revealed, the series is expected to continue the cooking battles between Jan and his rivals. Based on the manga, upcoming episodes may feature more extreme cooking challenges, including dishes that push the boundaries of what is considered edible.
The show’s official description promises “unhinged cooking battles” where the characters “defy ethics and treat cooking like magic”. Jan is described as a “demonic Chinese chef” who will stop at nothing to win. Viewers can expect more wild dishes, intense competition, and the ongoing clash between Jan’s win-at-all-costs attitude and Kiriko’s focus on serving good food.
The series is produced by NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan and is part of the Summer 2026 anime season.
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