I am surprised that more people haven't written about this show. It has caused a cultural revolution, and has made such an impact that SNL even bothered to mimic the show. It is supposed to be melodramatic, and I love the dubbed voices. Almost every one I know who knows of this show loves it, and is addicted. Even though I would not want to eat some of the dishes at times, watching them put those dishes being put together is always interesting. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night I tape The Iron Chef. Its one of the best shows on television.

I love this show. The melodrama's the best part. I love the way it's set up like a sports show. I love the way the host is dressed like Liberace. I love the dramatic entrance of the theme ingredient. "And the theme ingredient is..." (tension mounts...what is it? what will it be???) "BROCCOLI!!!" Enter an enormous load of broccoli. I love the way some (not all) of the Japanese celebrities are so haughty, which makes them look like a fool since we Americans haven't heard of them. I like the way other celebrities are so honest, simple, and likable (like that fortune-teller). She's cool.I like cooking, but being a staunch vegetarian I don't often watch cooking shows that regularly feature slaughtered animals as ingredients. However, this show I can't tear myself away from. That's how much fun it is. I once watched an Iron Chef make an ice-cream-like dessert out of sardines. What's not to love?(I will concede, however, that some of the English voice-dubbing is annoying after awhile. But it's worth it.)These chefs really are awesome, by the way. They are creative and boy do they know their craft. All kidding aside, I bow to the Iron Chefs, and those brave enough to challenge them.

Calling "Iron Chef" a cooking show is like saying "Jurassic Park" is a film about animal husbandry. In Tokyo's Kitchen Stadium, Chairman Kaga has assembled the greatest Tokyo chefs in every major world cuisine. Each week, the programming staff selects a challenger to do battle with one of the Iron Chefs. The two chefs have exactly one hour to make as many dishes as they can, using a mystery ingredient revealed by Chairman Kaga just moments before the battle.The dishes are judged by a panel of Tokyo celebrities, and even scores go to a thirty-minute tie-breaker. However, the most entertaining part is watching the chefs cook as quickly and efficiently as possible. This is the only cooking show where I actually learned something useful. It's also the only cooking show that I would watch with a roomful of friends and a six-pack.

This show is a bit on the melodramatic side, but still is one of the best cooking shows I've ever seen. It is dubbed, and aired on the Food Network Channel on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm. It also airs on the Japanese Channel, but I don't know what time.There are four chefs (sometimes there are three, the other one just doesn't have a platform) called "Iron Chefs." There is the Iron Chef of Japan, Iron Chef of Italy, Iron Chef of China, and I forgot what country was the other Iron Chef who wasn't usually there. Anyway, a challenger chooses who he (I've never seen a female yet) wants to "battle" with, and then Chairman Kaga, the boss, selects an ingredient, ranging from sea animals to herbs, as the theme of what the chefs have to cook up in one hour. Usually, four to six dishes are made. After the hour is up, four judges (two being guest judges, who, usually, are celebrities) give their scores to determine the winner. The best part is hearing the judges' comments (there was once an actress who commented on the Iron Chef of Japan and just said, "I hate it!" I was LOL!)The one thing that is not so hot is the dubbed English on the Food Network. It's just the floor reporters' voice. He is running out there and yells the host's name "Fukui-san!" It gets irritating after a while. Avoid the dubbed voice of the floor reporter, and you'll enjoy a whole hour of cooking. By the way, you may be tempted to get something to eat afterwards.