Cooking Papa is a long-running Seinen manga by Tochi Ueyama, which began serialization in Morning in 1985 and is still ongoing. It has an anime adaptation that aired from 1992 to 1995 for 151 episodes.
The story is about Araiwa Kazumi, a family man who cooks his family's meals. He keeps this a secret from his coworkers, as everyone assumes that his wife Nijiko does the cooking (though the truth is that Nijiko doesn't have the time or skills to do so). Still, Kazumi enjoys cooking all the same. Each chapter of the manga ends with full recipes for any featured dishes.
Don't be fooled by the title; it has nothing to do with Cooking Mama.
This series contains examples of:
- Bad Boss: Araiwa's not letting his underling to go to date before the overhour work is finished. Subverted. He let his underling go after the work hour is over, even giving him some homemade ice cream. Considering he's leaving the workplace during the work hour to cook for his family, it's maybe his way to not become a hypocrite.
- Feminine Women Can Cook: Subverted. Araiwa's wife is a reporter without the time (or skills) to cook her family's meals. Fortunately her husband's workplace is at only five minutes from home.
- Food Porn: Oh yes.
- The Glasses Gotta Go: Araiwa's wife.
- Good Angel, Bad Angel: Araiwa's look and dress the same way (business suit) and only by their advices we can tell who's the good one and who's the bad one.
- Good Parents: In addition to being a good cook and a hard worker, Airawa is also a good father to his son. He answered a call from his son and left work early to help him make a meal for a classmate who’s moving away.
- House Husband: The trope is kinda downplayed with Airawa Kazumi. Both he and his wife worked, but only he can cook in the family (and his office is just 5 minutes from apartment), so he's the one who takes care about food.
- Long Runner: Has been going since 1985.
- Office Romance: Yumeko Kimura has a huge crush on Araiwa, who is her superior. While Araiwa only loves his wife and doesn't pursue other women, Kimura is pretty forward with him sometimes despite knowing he's married and has a child. However, the series establishes early on that her true romance is with her coworker Hajime Tanaka.
- Real Men Cook: Araiwa Kazumi.
- Real Men Wear Pink: Subverted. Araiwa's hiding his cooking skill from his colleagues. Considering his position on office, it's kinda understandable.
- Secret-Keeper: Kimura is the only one at the office who knows that Araiwa is the one who does the cooking in his family.
- Slice of Life
- Social Services Does Not Exist: There doesn't seem to be anyone watching over the Araiwas' son while both his parents are working.
But it's quite usual in Japan to leave an elementary school kid by himself at home at that time, as it is considered safe. - Supreme Chef: Araiwa.
