It has been reported by Kuai Technology on July 21st that the topic “The protagonist of ‘Chūka Ichiban!’ is executed” has recently trended on Weibo.
The latest plot update for the sequel manga， “Chūka Ichiban! Kiwami，” has revealed a shocking turn of events.
According to reader feedback， in chapter 182， the protagonist， Liu Maoxing (Aki Liu)， is defeated in a cooking duel against Pandu and ultimately faces a grim fate of “execution.”
The manga depicts Liu Maoxing willingly putting his life on the line to vanquish the threat posed by the Tai Chi Culinary World. He engages in a high-stakes culinary battle with the top expert from the mysterious Tai Chi Culinary World， Tianwang， with the “Ancestor” serving as the judge. The penalty for the loser is “dismantling” and execution.
Liu Maoxing prepared a dish where macaroni was stuffed into dumplings， seasoned with minced garlic and doubanjiang (bean paste)， served with Chinese broth and cream. Although Pandu reportedly praised the dish， Liu Maoxing ultimately lost the competition and was executed on the spot.
For many born in the 1980s and 1990s， “Chinan Chef” (Chūka Ichiban!) was a rare and high-quality animated work from their childhood. The series， originally a manga created by Yoshio Sawai， was serialized in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Magazine from 1995 to 1999. Its anime adaptation aired in 1997 and gained significant popularity domestically.
The inspiration for the protagonist， Liu Maoxing， is widely understood to be Chen Kenmin， a renowned Sichuan cuisine chef in Japan. His legacy is such that Mapo Tofu remains one of the top three most beloved Chinese dishes among Japanese people today. The show’s influence was so profound that it taught many viewers the importance of well-crafted tools and visually appealing food， emphasizing the idea that “kitchenware that doesn’t glow is not good kitchenware” and “dishes that don’t glow are not good dishes.”
As the official sequel launched by Yoshio Sawai after a 20-year hiatus， “Chūka Ichiban! Kiwami，” serialized since 2017， has carried the childhood nostalgia for many readers from the 80s and 90s.
However， the protagonist’s tragic ending in the latest chapter has clearly exceeded the expectations of most fans. This dramatic turn has drawn comparisons from some netizens to other beloved childhood culinary-themed franchises， with comments such as: “It seems that chefs from our childhood memories never had good endings. ‘Little Genius Chef’ was like that， and so is ‘Chūka Ichiban!’. My childhood is over.”
Conversely， some readers remain optimistic， suggesting: “This might be a foreshadowing by the author， with potential resurrection or a plot reversal in the future.” The unexpected demise of a beloved character， particularly in a series associated with positive childhood memories， sparks significant emotional responses and discussions among its long-term fanbase.
