Mister Ajikko
Mister Ajikko is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Daisuke Terasawa. It was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1986 to 1990, with its chapters collected in 19 volumes.
It was adapted into a 99-episode anime television series by Sunrise, broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 1987 to September 1989.
A second manga series, titled ', was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Evening from August 2003 to January 2012, with its chapters collected in 13 volumes. Another series, titled ', was serialized in 's Sanada Taiheiki from December 2015 to September 2019, with its chapters collected in four volumes.
Plot
Youichi Ajiyoshi is a culinary prodigy who co-manages a restaurant with his mother. When food critic Genjirou Murata visits their establishment, he is astonished by the exquisite flavor and craftsmanship of Youichi's katsudon. Impressed, Murata invites Youichi to the Ajiou Building, where he competes in a spaghetti challenge against Marui, the resident Italian chef. Combining innovative techniques with a dedication to culinary excellence, Youichi triumphs. This victory marks the beginning of his journey to surpass rival chefs in pursuit of gastronomic mastery.Characters
Hinode Eatery
The Hinode Eatery is a local restaurant in an unnamed Tokyo neighborhood, also home to Ajiou Company. It serves affordable, simple Japanese fare, mainly catering to working-class patrons. However, as Youichi defeats more opponents, their winning dishes are periodically added to the menu.;Youichi Ajiyoshi
;Noriko Ajiyoshi
;Takao Ajiyoshi
;Mitsuko Yamaoka
;Shigeru Yamaoka
Ajiou Company
The Ajiou Company is the nation's largest culinary conglomerate. Though its exact operations are never specified, it likely oversees restaurant chains, cooking schools, and other food-related ventures.;Genjirou Murata / Ajiou
;Taro Tareme / Shintaro Tareme
;Yoshio Marui
;Motoyuki Shimonaka
;Hiroyuki Shiba
;Takeo Sekiba
;Seidou Yonemoto
Aji Shougun Group
The Aji Shougun Group is a shady rival to Ajiou, aggressively pushing local restaurants—including Hinode—out of business. They previously forced Youichi's father to close his traditional floating teahouse. While their food is good, they rely on flashy gimmicks like decorated trucks to draw crowds. When they target a restaurant, the owner often turns to Youichi for help.Other rivals
;Kazuma Sakai;Kazuya Konishi
;Hyouta Nakae
;Kohou Ryuu
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Daisuke Terasawa, Mister Ajikko was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from September 17, 1986, to January 11, 1990. Kodansha collected its chapters in 19 volumes, released from January 14, 1987, to March 15, 1990.Other series
A second series, titled , was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Evening from August 12, 2003, to January 4, 2012. Its chapters were collected in 13 volumes, released from June 23, 2004, to February 23, 2012.Another series, titled , was serialized in 's Sanada Taiheiki from December 26, 2015, to September 27, 2019. Its chapters were collected in four volumes, released from September 7, 2016, to December 20, 2019.
Anime
A 99-episode anime television series produced by Sunrise was broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 8, 1987, to September 28, 1989.The series was pitched for broadcast on the Food Network in the United States, but ultimately turned down.