Chūka Ichiban!


Chūka Ichiban! is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Etsushi Ogawa. It was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from October 1995 to May 1999. From 1995 to 1996 it was serialized as Chūka Ichiban!, however, during serialization, the character '真' was added, so from 1997 to 1999, it was serialized as. The story is centered on a boy whose aim is to become the best chef he could be.
An anime television series adaptation by Nippon Animation aired on Fuji TV from April 1997 to September 1998. In some other countries, the anime adaptation was also called Cooking Master Boy.
In November 2017, Ogawa started a sequel entitled Chūka Ichiban! Kiwami, published in Kodansha's Magazine Pocket app.
An anime adaptation of Shin Chūka Ichiban!, produced by Production I.G, aired from October to December 2019. A sequel has been announced.

Setting

The story takes place in 19th century China during the Qing Dynasty, where the Emperor was weakened and the country was close to chaos. It is also during a fictitious era called "The Era of the Cooking Wars". It was an era in which top chefs with different cooking styles tried their best to improve their skills and to become the best chef in China. It is a country where insulting a high-grade chef or fooling around with cooking could land a person in a jail, and impersonating a top-chef is as good as usurpation of authority. Chefs compete with each other in order to gain respect and even power, but also with the risks of losing everything.
In the manga, The country of China divided into four major regions: Beijing, Szechuan, Shanghai, and Guangdong.

Story

After the death of Mao's mother, Pai, who was called the 'Goddess of Cuisine', Mao becomes a Super Chef in order to take the title as Master Chef of his mother's restaurant. However, before he takes his mother's place as Master Chef, he continues to travel China in order to learn more of the many ways of cooking, in the hopes of becoming a legendary chef, just like his mother. During his journey, he meets great friends and fierce rivals who wish to challenge him in the field of cooking.

Underground Cooking Society

The Underground Cooking Society, also called the Dark Cooking Society, is an organized group which aims to control all of China through the cooking field. Even though they already have a strong influence all over the country, they still search for all eight of the Legendary Cooking Utensils in order to gain absolute power. They do anything to win and exterminate those who get in their way. When they see a great chef who may become a threat to their master plan or if a chef beats one of them, they'll continue to send chefs to challenge that person until they lose. Their training is very strict, and cruel, and most trainees don't survive and often kidnap young children and forcibly disconnect them from their family through murder. To initiate a chef whose survived the training, they would sometimes scar that person's face and/or body. Once inducted into the organization, there's no turning back and trying to escape is suicidal. Those who fail a task for the organization meet with a terrible end.
Members of the Underground are branded with the mark of the organization. They also have powerful skills called the Dark Cooking Techniques, known only by members of the organization or those that they challenge. They are the most feared organization in all of China.

Legendary Cooking Utensils

In ancient times, a meteorite fell from the sky and was first found by Master Chef Shui Lei. Shui crafted eight cooking utensils from the meteorite. Not only were those eight high-class cooking tools, they also had mystical effects on the food they were used on. The eight cooking utensils were so powerful that Master Chef Shui Lei had to store them in eight separate locations of China, so people wouldn't have to fight over them.
The Legendary Cooking Utensils have immense power, whether they are being used by good or evil. If they are used by good, they can bring about great results that would make people happy. If they are used by evil, they can have destructive powers that could devastate all of China. Also, if a Legendary Cooking Utensil is used on something other than cooking, its mystical powers would diminish.
Mentioned Legendary Cooking Utensils:

Main characters

;Liu Mao Xing
;Mei Li
;Si Lang/Shirou
;Xie Lu
;Lei En/Leon
;Tang San Jie
;Lan Fei Hong
;Pai

Minor characters

;Zhou Yu
;Ruoh
;Shao An
;Admiral Lee Hong Yue
;Liu Ke Lin
;Shan

Media

Manga

Chūka Ichiban! is written and illustrated by Etsushi Ogawa. It was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from October 11, 1995 to May 19, 1999. From 1995 to 1996 it was serialized as Chūka Ichiban!, however, during serialization, the character '真' was added, so from 1997 to 1999, it was serialized as. Kodansha compiled the first part into five tankōbon volumes published between February 14, 1996 and December 11, 1996. The second part was compiled into twelve tankōbon volumes published between May 14, 1997 and June 15, 1999.
In November 2017, Ogawa started a sequel entitled Chūka Ichiban! Kiwami, published in Kodansha's Magazine Pocket app.

Anime

1997 series

An anime television series adaptation by Nippon Animation aired on Fuji TV from April 27, 1997 to September 13, 1998.

2019 series

In 2019, it was announced that Shin Chūka Ichiban! would receive an anime television series adaptation and remake from 1997 series produced by Production I.G. Itsuro Kawasaki is directing and writing the series, with Saki Hasegawa designing the characters, and Jun Ichikawa composing the music. The series aired from October 11 to December 27, 2019 on the Animeism programming block.
After the final episode, it was announced that the series will be receiving a sequel.

Episode list

Anime theme songs

''Chūka Ichiban!''

;Opening themes
  1. by Maki Ohguro
  2. by Zard
  3. by Deen
;Ending themes
  1. by Arisa Tsujio
  2. "Mineral" by Kaori Nanao
  3. by Keiko Utoku

    ''Shin Chūka Ichiban!''

;Opening theme
;Ending theme