The Best Episodes of Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories

A pachinko parlor employee and the middle school classmate he idolized seem to reconnect over curry ramen, but appearances can be deceiving.

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It's never too late for a fresh start. One year ends and another begins as familiar faces gather to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the Midnight Diner.

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Game designer Akai grew up in an orphanage. He finds solace in a chicken rice dish that also holds the key to reconnecting with his birth mother.

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Two aspiring voice actresses stop by for lucky bowls of kitsune udon, but six months later, only one of them seems to have had any luck.

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A Mr. Lee shows up nightly, ordering rolled omelets every time. He turns out to be a film director fleeing from his own set and his father's legacy.

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The shared love of fried rice omelets forms an intercultural bridge between a young Japanese physicist and a Korean girl.

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A breaded ham cutlet brings back an elderly lawyer's memories of playing the board game Othello with his long-lost younger brother.

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In her mid-30s, Chizuru worries her modeling career is ending. An encounter with a high-powered fan gives her a chance to evaluate her priorities.

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A dish of sauteed Chinese yam rekindles the connection between a young wife and her former lover, with whom she shares a hidden professional past.

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A retired old schoolteacher reconnects with his former student: diner regular Marilyn. Awkwardly, her high school nemesis also shows up.

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The Ueharas run a barbershop together. They seem happy, but when his wife goes on a trip, a beautiful kimono instructor catches Mr. Uehara's eye.

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As December comes to a close and the regulars gather at the diner, the Master takes a look back at his memories of the year.

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Writer Yada and hostess Hikaru bond over their love of horoscopes and chicken cheese cutlet. Secretly, Yada tries to use the horoscopes to woo her.

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A specially prepared bowl of tanmen noodles leads a radio announcer to discover a secret about a beloved television show from his youth.

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An office worker who loves pork steaks knits sweaters for the men she adores, but her affections – and handiwork – are not always appreciated.

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Businessman Kotani is jubilant at his high school baseball team's success. His joy stirs up memories of his former best friend, the coach of the team.

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A lonely little boy with only a gambler to take care of him hopes to make a connection with a bar girl over a mutual appreciation for egg tofu.

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A diner regular reunites with an old classmate who, despite a good upbringing, now works a menial job to support her troublesome nephew.

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A childish fight over a fish-sausage corn dog leads to a schism between an Asakusa comedian and his now-famous former assistant.

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Upon finishing the last of his late mother's pickled plums, a man suddenly wonders what will become of his erotica after he passes away.

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