Kitchen Princess, Vol. 03

キッチンのお姫さま [Kitchen no Ohime-sama] #3

by Natsumi Andō (Illustrator), Miyuki Kobayashi

HOME COOKING

Thanks to a magical talent for cooking, Najika is attending Seika Academy, a top private school. Najika believes that the boy who once saved her life, her "prince," must be one of her fellow students. When Najika isn't trying to find her mystery boy, she's working at the nearby Fujita Diner. But when it looks like the diner might close, and jealous classmate Akane hatches a sinister plan to drive Najika out of school, Najika retreats to her childhood home. There she cares for her beloved guardian, who has fallen ill. With so much trouble brewing at the academy, will Najika return--or just stay home forever?

Genres: Manga, Romance, Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Comics, Fiction, Shojo

194 pages, Paperback

First published December 6, 2005

About the author

安藤なつみ, Andō Natsumi is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for Zodiac P.I. as well as Kitchen Princess, for which she won the Kodansha Manga Award for children's manga in 2006.

Favorites: Donald Duck
Favourite manga: Ossu! Ichijin and Kimagure Orange Road
Favourites: meats and fruits
Hobbies: shopping, reading and watching TV

Reviews

[⋆✩⋆Anja K⋆✩⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was a really cute book to read it had a bit of romance spots and was SO ADORABLE to read!!

[Bianca]

This is the best series I've read in ages. It's been hard to put down since I started and I read every chance I get.

I do believe that a lot of my love towards this series goes to me being a glutton and a sucker for sugary sweets, but the story is fantastic. Najika is the regular good-girl main character that helps everyone - even the bad guys - out whenever she gets the chance and they eventually warm up to her after she cooks something amazing. Well, there's more behind the cooking but yeah. And the main bad person Akane, I like how she doesn't go away after the first or second volume like in most with beginnings like that. I'm into book 4 and she's still a strong character that rotates between good and bad, so that's keeping me in as well. Then of course there are the brother love interests, Sora and Daichi. The "Who's my prince from my past?" with conflicting memories and details that make it hard to guess. Well, I'm very excited to keep going ^-^

[☾❀Apple✩ Blossom⋆｡˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nah cause I'm team Daichi forever 🌝

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Najika's adventures at Seika Cooking Academy continues. Can she continue to stay at the school though obstacles keep getting in her way? Read on and find out for yourself.

This is still a pretty good manga series so I'll continue it later on.

[Anja Karenjina · Rating 5 out of 5]

No she didn't😱

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Kitchen Princess for its art, but mostly for the sweet and earnest characters, especially Najika. I also like the ongoing rehabilitation of former mean girl, Akane. It's still a work in progress, but I like that it is happening. The last chapter in this volume was a bit of a tear-jerker. As a whole, though, sweet and light as Najika's desserts.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for compelte series.

Reread 2025

Najika was left orphaned but has a passion for baking and cooking. After the loss of her parents, she was so devastated that she wouldn't speak to anyone - that is until she met a boy who gave her comfort and a perfectly delicious treat. With nothing but a special spoon to go on, Najika strives to be an even better cook so that she may one day find the boy and repay his kindness by making him the best desert.

Kitchen Princess has a lot of the less good shoujo cliches and far too many coincidences; Najika is new to an elite school where she is disliked. She stumbles into the good graces of the head master's two sons who form the typical love triangle. There are your usual rivals and bullies and some of the drama feels extremely over the top. However, despite falling into a few common pitfalls, this series also has a lot of heart. I suspect it lies in the main subject of baking and cooking - while I have no special interest in either, it's just the way it's woven into the story that gives it a very wholesome feeling.

Najika is truly passionate about cooking and a lot of it focuses on her philosphy. She believes that making food for others is a way to make them happy, and each incident is indeed Najika finding ways to look out for people's welbeing and making them happy by means of the dishes she makes. The explanations and thoughts that go into these bring a lot of charm to this series which simply makes it stand out despite the otherwise extremely formulaic plot.

The remaining cast is largely likeable. One of my favourites is somewhat surprisingly Akane who starts out as a bully but has great character development throughout the series and ultimately becomes a great friend. The brothers typical roles of the calm and dependable Sora and the more rebelious and at times moody Daichi. As is often the case, Najika naturally gravitates toward Sora but it's just as clear that Daichi is as much a likely romance option. I never really warmed up to Sora so I didn't care much for their interactions and I liked Daichi well enough, but I'd argue that romance isn't what I enjoy most about this series. In any case, things become a little more complicate which puts a bit of a spin on the otherwise typical dynamics between these three. Also a little mention for Fujita, the seemingly lazy chef who lets Najika work in his diner. He seems to have a pretty interesting story even though we only get to see snippets in bonus chapters.

While I can't say that this is going down as a favourite of mine, I can appreciate why it's a popular series and I definintely did enjoy both my original and my reread. It's a cute little extra that each volume as recipes as the end. This is also one of those series where you see quite a leap in the art improvement - I enjoy Ando's art and while the earlier volumes are definitely cute, I really enjoyed the art from around volume 8 onwards.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akane seems to have changed her ways after being helped out by Najika but where would the drama come from if not from her? She's technically in seventh grade which means she's like thirteen!? Unless it differs in Japan. Although they all look sixteen, the jealousy and the way she reacts make sense. However, her friends are conspiring against Najika. The two brothers going with her to her hometown was really sweet. Of course both of them had to go because it is a love triangle. But does Sora really care about her that way? It's clear Daichi does and even though I think Sora will end up being her Flan Prince I want her to realize that she's better off with Daichi. I hope I'm not annoyed by the end of this manga series... Got to also say the cover is super cute. I love Daichi on the back too.

[bow down to our ace king victor vale · Rating 3 out of 5]

AKANE WHY 😐
omg i love both sora and daichi help T^T
ahem fujita <3
oh and the children are so cute XD
im rlly enjoying this so far omg

[sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is my soap opera

[Nur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ujian datang silih berganti. Najika diusir dari Kantin Fujita (tempat berharga miliknya) dan sebuah kabar mengejutkan datang dari kampung halamannya di Hokkaido bahwa Nenek Hagio jatuh sakit.

Di volume ini, Akane udah ga terlalu jahat lagi sama Najika. Well, thanks to Peach Pie buatan Najika yang rasanya mirip banget sama yang dibuat sama nenek Akane dulu (ada di volume kedua) Tapi tetep aja, Akane merasa was-was dan tidak suka melihat kedekatan Najika denga Daichi, apalagi sepulang dari Hokkaido. Sedangkan Najika mulai merasakan sesuatu terhadap Sora. Dan Daichi merasakan suatu perasaan cemburu melihat Sora dan Najika yang menjadi dekat.

Uwah! Di volume yang ini juga, sepertinya kita diberikan petunjuk mengenai siapa Pangeran Puding yang dicari oleh Najika selama ini. Petunjuk ini akan membuat kita menduga-duga bahwa sepertinya Pangeran Puding itu adalah.... Hhhhhhh. Tebak saja sendiri :p kkkkkk~

Fix. Fix banget aku suka sama Daichi. He's my type tho :> Sikap yang ngga berterus terangnya itu cute banget. Manis. Perhatian yang berlebihan. Care. Agak tsundere juga. Waktu dia beliin jam tangan buat Najika, AKU SENENG BANGET. He's not honest with his feeling. Belum sih. Kita tunggu volume berikutnya. Apakah Daichi akan segera menyadari perasaannya pada Najika? TAPI INGAT, masih ada Akane yang belum rela Daichinya diambil sama Najika.

p.s : resep polka dots pancake dan carrot cake menggoda banget buat dicoba :">

p.s.s : disini penggambaran karakternya udah lumayan luwes. Makin enak dilihat (plus Daichi makin ganteng) kkkkkkk~

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitchen Princess is about a girl named Najika who has an extremely positive an upbeat personality. She has been admitted at Seika Academy’s Special Class because she has a talent in cooking. Through various adventures and mishaps she struggles to find her way along with the help of Daichi and Sora Kitazawa.

I read this series on a whim; I was really into cooking at one point. It is cute and fun, just pure enjoyable reading. I was delighted to find out that there are even recipes for what she makes in the back! I am totally going to try them.

Najika reminded me a lot of the Fruits Basket character Tohru Honda, having a love of life and everyone/everything around her even though tragedy has clouded her past. Najika is selfless and always that first one to offer a helping hand.

I also like how this manga has a direction of where it is going and a direction for the characters to take. They know what path they want to go and what goals they are searching for. It is one of those manga stories that seems to be really inspirational to me and inspires me to go and try to find out what I want to do with my life.

[Persy · Rating 3 out of 5]

AWWWWHHHHH I loved this little trip back home with Najika, and seeing more of her adoptive family at the orphanage! Such a great volume.

Major disappointment in Akane, she was doing so good at the start and had to go back to being a treacherous little snake in the grass. *le sigh* Why do school girls have to be depicted as such vile creatures when they’re in love?

I’m shipping Najika and Daichi so hard. I need their romance to blossom or I will be devastated!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

(stejná recenze u všech dílů první série {to znamená, že nepočítám K. P. Omnibus})

Kresba vypadala moc hezky. Akorát je trochu zastaralá na dobu, v níž byla vydána. Především musím ocenit vzhled a originalitu kulinářských výtvorů. Vždy musím obdivovat autory, kteří s něčím takovým přicházejí. Je zřejmé, že autorka je sama kuchařkou, protože na konci každého volumka byly recepty, které se v něm objevily. Což je super, jelikož vám to dodá chuť se o něco pokusit. Nebo aspoň já jsem měla tento pocit.

Děj byl v některých věcech dost předvídatelný, zejména když se jednalo o to, s kým skončí, což mi bylo jasné už od první kapitoly. Na druhou stranu mi to pomohlo si uvědomit jednu věc, která funguje v opravdu hodně shojo mangách, jenž mají milostný trojúhelník o tomto výběru. Hlavní hrdinka se začátku vždy zamiluje do bloďatého (nebo někoho, kdo nemá ty vlasy vybarvené) a poté si díky několika událostem uvědomí, že miluje tmavovlasého, se kterým nakonec skončí. Vyskytuje se to například v Kirari, Skip Beat! a mnoha dalších.

Některé věci mě opravdu překvapily. Jednou z nich je velice zajímavé řešení milostného trojúhelníku, které mi udělilo docela velký šok, jelikož jsem si myslela, že se to ještě vyřeší. Sora, ten světlovlasý, zemři kvůli zraněním způsobeným při dopravní nehodě. Sice asi tak jednu kapitolu proleží v nemocnici a vy si myslíte, že se z toho vyléčí, tak ne. Nevyléčí se z toho a prostě si umře. A ne, rozhodně to není nějaké falešné úmrtí, neboť má i vlastní pohřeb.

Objevovaly se zde i nějaké dost temné a na psychiku náročné události, které jsem rozhodně zrovna v tomto díle neočekávala, jelikož všechno bylo tak hrozně slaďoučký. Takže za toto překvapení má u mě příběh plus. Na druhou stranu se mi některé situace zdály trochu násilně vecpané, takže za to dávám malé mínus.

Dost mě i překvapil věk Najiky vzhledem k tomu, co všechno prožila, a k jejím milostným problémům. Podle mě by jí mělo býti minimálně patnáct, neboť v tomto věku už jste více mentálně vyspělejší, a tak by její trable dávaly větší smysl. Sice jsou to jen dva roky rozdíl, ale v tomto případě to udělá dost.

Nechápu, proč se všude musí objevovat nějací zlí dospělí, kteří nesnášejí hlavní hrdinku. Pak to stejně většinou dopadne tak, že jim hlavní hrdinka otevře oči a inspiruje je. A ta dá! Jsou z nich najednou hrozně milé osoby. Tohle mi v příbězích trochu vadí.

Také nechápu, proč musí vždy dívky šikanovat hlavní hrdinku kvůli tomu, že se baví s kluky. Tak za nimi mají taky jít a začít si s nimi bavit. Tohle mě vždycky dokáže tak znechutit. Pak se ale většinou stane, že se jejich názor otočí o 180 stupňů, protože zjistí, že Najika je ve skutečnosti hrozně skvělá. Tohle mi přijde vždycky nepřirozené. Mnohem raději bych viděla postupný vývoj a ne něco, co se stane zčistajasna.

S koncem jsem spokojená. Příběh sice skončil předvídatelně, na druhou stranu je poslední stránka sladká a nevinná. Také jsem spokojená s tím, jak se to ve vyřešilo a s tím, jak skončila ta prestižní soutěž.

Prvních pět obálek se mi zas tak tolik nelíbí. Jsou o dost obyčejnější než následujících pět, které se mi líbí velice, jelikož mi přijdou více osobitější.

Dávám 71% Jazyk: Aj

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitchen Princess was the first manga I had read back in high school. It was this manga that sparked my interest in baking. I wanted to be like the protagonist (Najika), sharing love with others through baking.

The protagonist, Najika, reminded me much of myself. Despite all the bad experiences I have gone through in my life, I don't want to hate those who have done me wrong before. No matter how much I wanted to give up, time and time again, there were always good people along the way that helped me to get back up.

I can still remember the first thing I tried to bake was a mug cake with oreo frosting on top. I gave it as a gift to my Scouting family, as they were really some of the important people in my life. They have helped in a lot of ways, encouraging me when I am in doubt or being looked down on by others, treating me like a friend/family, and more. And that is why I wanted to be like Najika...sharing love with others through baking. Seeing their smile just warms my heart very much!

A simple act of caring creates an endless ripple.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questa recensione vale per l'intera serie e non solo per questo volume.

Il primo volume è super cute, con la protagonista che mi ricorda Lucia delle Mermaid Melody ma versione pasticcera. I due ML sono cute e ovviamente fratelli, ma ci garba lo stesso. Le ricette a fine volume le ho AMATE, ottima idea, 10 out of 10.

Ora la parte spoiler che abbassa nettamente il voto alla serie

Il fatto che Sora muoia non mi ha dato particolarmente fastidio, anzi poteva essere un buon plot-twist, MA CHE CAZZO SUCCEDE DOPO? Viene buttato dentro un terzo ML identico a Sora per fare un po' di drama, ma è completamente inutile perchè non ci sarà nulla di nulla dato che il flashback iniziale della protagonista che incontra il suo principe budino dai capelli argentati verrà cambiato in favore del secondo ML dai capelli corvini che magicamente si ricorda tutto. Veramente un finale di trama immotivatamente complicato e angst

[Sarri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lahjakas kokkityttö Najika jatkaa hyviä kokkailujaan lahjakkuuksien luokan vapaaoppilaana. Najika kokkailee erään laiskemmanpuoleisen kokin kouluruokalassa, jonka kateelliset luokkatoverit haluavat sulkea. Juonitteluja Najikan selän takana riittää, sillä koulun omistajan pojat ovat molemmat edelleen rakastuneet Najikaan, mikä harmittaa muita luokan tyttöjä.

Najikan orpokodin hoitaja sairastuu ja Najika lähtee kotipuoleensa katsomaan Hagion vointia. Paluu takaisin kouluun ei kuitenkaan ole aivan itsestäänselvää.

Tarina kiltistä Najikasta jatkuu edelleen sen verran kiinnostavana, että tällainen vanha tätikin jaksaa kahlata tätä läpi. Mangan ruutujen sijaintijärjestys on edelleen hakusessa, mutta kyllä tästä sitkeydellä jotain tolkkua saa :D

[Federica Malpasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stavolta il tema è quello della famiglia: ci sono differenti tipi di essa qui esposti, a partire da quella della protagonista, rappresentata dalla donna che si è da sempre occupata di lei dalla dipartita dei suoi genitori, a quella “trasandata” dei due co-protagonisti (in cui vi sono difficoltà di tipo conversazionale), a quella dei genitori delle studentesse “viziate” presenti nell’istituto che farebbero di tutto per le loro figlie, anche credere ciecamente a loro ai danni delle persone attorno.
… Ovviamente, sottintesa anche la famiglia degli amici, senza i quali tutto sarebbe più difficile da affrontare.

Sottinteso a ciò vi è anche un primo approccio al tema dei ricordi e delle memorie di un passato sfumato e ormai inafferrabile.

4/5⭐️

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Najita's drama continues as the kitchen princess returns home to care for the woman who help raise her. Daichi and Sora go with her and discover her quest to find the Flan Prince. Akane realizes that Daichi likes Najita and works behind the scenes to break their connection and claim Daichi for herself. Yes, happy readers this is a teen angst story, but Najita's cheerful kindness is contagious and makes her a very engaging heroine. I'm hooked and off to read Vol. 04!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this for purely nostalgic reasons - I was surprised to discover this was still available at my local library (I read the first 2 volumes there must be close to 10 years ago)

This is classic shoujo manga aimed at younger girls. The art is classic in style but a bit dated; the plot is straightforward without much complexity. There is a cooking theme, and this adds some interest, including a recipe to accompany each chapter.

[Samantha Riccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I thought we were done with the petty teen drama and get to the serious shit, but we aren't there yet and I'm like waiting for it because I know deep down some serious shit is going to happen!! There has to be!! I thought the girls were friends now but they aren't and UGH. I hope her and Sora are endgame because I feel like we're setting up to her and Daichi and it won't work.

[colette ⋆˙⟡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 // Rating this series is strange because it feels like I have to use the same rating system I would with literature, but if I were to make an estimate, this series would be a solid 3-3.5 thus far. I love how it includes the recipes to each dessert!

[Alix4/7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

when kajika is helping her friends she get hurt a lot by a girl but pulls though it and that girl wasn't eating but when she has pie she was happy

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book

[Kurtis Burkhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty adorable Cooking and baking Shoujo manga! 😁👌📖🍮🥮🧁

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

[dhifa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it so much as a kid and now that I get to read this, I'm so happy~

[Daisy Sowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has me hooked, personally I’m team Daichi haha. the recipes look incredible, the plot is interesting and the characters are amazingly written.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, i liked this volume but it didn't feel like anything new

[andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

akane can catch these hands🤬