Mister Ajikko

Mister Ajikko (ミスター味っ子) 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 Mister Ajikko II, was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Evening from August 2003 to January 2012, with its chapters collected in 13 volumes. Another series, titled Mister Ajikko Bakumatsu-hen, was serialized in Asahi Shimbun Publications'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 (日之出食堂) 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 (味吉陽一)
Youichi, the 14-year-old head chef of his family's restaurant, is a prodigy with fierce pride in his craft. After his mother recognizes his talent, he takes over the kitchen, creating innovative dishes. His skills impress Ajiou, leading to an invitation to the Ajiou Building, where he defeats an Italian chef in a spaghetti battle. Known for his competitive streak—dubbed his 'sickness' by his mother—he rarely backs down from cooking battles but remains loyal to friends. His only losses come from an unofficial match and failing to recreate his late father's signature dish.
Noriko Ajiyoshi (味吉法子)
Noriko is the owner of Hinode Eatery, having taken over after her husband's death. While managing all aspects of the restaurant, she leaves the cooking to her son Youichi unless he is away. Though skilled herself, she often samples his dishes to offer feedback. She observes that Youichi shares his late father's personality and culinary passion, and consistently supports him in his cooking competitions.
Takao Ajiyoshi (味吉隆男)
Takao was Youichi's late father and the former owner of Hinode Eatery, having passed away approximately five years before the main events. A skilled and passionate chef, he left behind a cookbook of recipes and techniques that Youichi frequently consults. However, the book is missing a crucial page detailing a rare soup recipe, which later becomes significant.
Mitsuko Yamaoka (山岡みつ子)
Mitsuko is Youichi's classmate and a part-time waitress at Hinode Eatery, assisting both as a favor to his mother and to stay close to him—though he remains oblivious to her romantic interest. Prone to jealousy when other girls distract him, she lacks strong cooking skills but enthusiastically supports Youichi, often taste-testing his creations. Exclusively appearing in the anime, she also helps explain specialized cooking techniques during competitions.
Shigeru Yamaoka (山岡しげる)
Shigeru is Mitsuko's 7-year-old brother who frequently visits Hinode Eatery, preferring Youichi's cooking over his sister's. He often samples dishes and enjoys free meals at the restaurant. An enthusiastic baseball fan, he appears exclusively in the anime series.

Ajiou Company

The Ajiou Company (味皇料理会) 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 (村田源二郎) / Ajiou (味皇)
Genjirou Murata, known as Ajiou, has led Japan's culinary world for thirty years as head of the Ajiou group. A skilled chef with refined taste, he personally oversees his empire and nurtures promising talent. Recognizable by his gray hair, beard, and traditional Japanese attire, he takes particular interest in Youichi after their first meeting, frequently appearing at his cooking battles and occasionally providing venues. To dispel retirement rumors, he establishes the "Ajiou Company Grand Prix Contest" for young chefs. In the manga's two competitions, Youichi ties for first in the initial event and wins the second outright.
Taro Tareme (垂目太郎) / Shintaro Tareme (垂目森太郎) (anime)
Ajiou's personal secretary, whose name reflects his droopy-eyed appearance, accompanies the executive at all times. Dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase, he handles practical matters such as payments and transportation arrangements.
Yoshio Marui (丸井善男)
Marui leads the Italian cooking department at Ajiou Company, a stout man distinguished by his thick black mustache. His first encounter with Youichi occurs when the boy outperforms him in an Italian cooking class, sparking a spaghetti battle that ends in Marui's defeat. Graciously accepting the outcome, he becomes one of Youichi's most steadfast allies, offering guidance before competitions and occasionally assisting at Hinode during Youichi's absences. After celebrating his 41st birthday with a friendly duel against Youichi—where they jointly defeat a robotic opponent—Marui returns to Italy. He holds the distinction of being the second recipient of the Golden Plate, a decade before Youichi earns his.

Aji Shougun Group

The Aji Shougun Group (味将軍グループ) 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 (堺一馬)
Sakai is Youichi's primary rival, another 14-year-old culinary prodigy recognized by his distinctive fang when smiling. Their first confrontation occurs when Sakai, under the employ of a developer seeking to demolish Hinode, challenges him to a curry battle—which Youichi wins through innovative use of pineapple and coffee. The rivals face off repeatedly, including in both GP Contests where they tie once before Youichi claims victory. Formerly holding a Yellow Plate for Japan's top institutional chefs, Sakai ultimately opens his own curry shop adjacent to Hinode, inspired by their competitions.
Kazuya Konishi (小西和也)
Konishi is a meat specialist with shaggy dark hair and a prominent cleft chin. His first encounter with Youichi occurs during a steak competition, where he loses to the young chef's innovative heated plate technique. After a second defeat in the GP Contest's opening round, he accepts the outcome with greater composure and becomes a recurring supporter, often observing Youichi's battles and assisting at Hinode. Though briefly affiliated with the Aji Shogun Group, he later pursues training as a sushi chef.
Hyouta Nakae (中江兵太)
Nakae is a Kyushu-based chef in his early twenties, known for his dedication to cultivating his own ingredients. Towering and muscular with long dark hair and a characteristic nose bandage, he stands apart from Youichi's other rivals through his consistently good-natured demeanor. Their first encounter results in Nakae's victory—one of Youichi's rare defeats—though their friendly rivalry continues in the second GP Contest, where Nakae falls short in the final steak battle. His associates later challenge Youichi unsuccessfully. Nakae previously competed for three specialty plates (Red for International cuisine, Blue for seafood, Green for herbal/medicinal dishes) to earn the right to face master chef Kazuma.

type	tv series
director	Yasuhiro Imagawa Nobuyuki Nakamura (chief episode director) Yūji Yamaguchi (chief episode director)
producer	Gotsu Heita Tomoyuki Ikeda Kenji Uchida Toru Hasegawa
writer	Noboru Shiroyama (chief writer, 1–75) Jinzō Toriumi & Otori Kobo (75–99)
music	Daito Fujita
studio	Sunrise
network	TXN (TV Tokyo)
first	October 8, 1987
last	September 28, 1989
episodes	99

Plot

Characters

Hinode Eatery

Ajiou Company

Aji Shougun Group

Other rivals

Media

Manga

Other series

Other series

Anime

External links

References