True warmth touches the heart — the movie sequel to Midnight Diner

By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Department
 
Midnight Diner is adapted from Yaro Abe’s best-selling manga, which has sold over 5.5 million copies worldwide. The TV drama adaptation received widespread acclaim and ran for four seasons. Last year, it made its big-screen debut, achieving box office success across Asia. Kouichi Satou, who plays the diner owner, commented on the series’ enduring popularity: “I’ve been playing the diner owner for seven years now. I never thought the series would continue for so long. I’m glad the second movie is complete. This can be considered an upgraded version of Midnight Diner, one that better showcases the essence of the stories. This diner and its food are the real stars.”

The film depicts the start of a new day for the diner owner (played by Kouichi Satou) as the lights come on in a small alley in Shinjuku. The menu features only one dish and three drinks, but customers are welcome to request anything the chef can prepare. Operating from midnight to around 7 a.m., it’s known to all as the “Midnight Diner.”

They say men can’t resist a widow in mourning, but Fumiko (played by Aoba Kawai), an editor at a publishing company, has a peculiar habit: wearing mourning attire while indulging in a pork cutlet set meal to relieve stress. Unexpectedly, she finds herself attracted to a man she meets just once while attending a real funeral, leaving her wondering if she can turn misfortune into happiness. Seita (played by Mitsuru Matsuoka), the second-generation owner of a soba noodle shop, actually prefers fried udon. Not wanting to be seen as a mama’s boy, he works a simple delivery job during the day while juggling between his mother and a girlfriend ten years his senior.

As the New Year approaches, everyone gathers at the Midnight Diner to swallow their troubles one bite at a time. No matter what burdens people carry, they always find the strength to start anew after enjoying the owner’s cooking — that’s the magic of the Midnight Diner.