When people finish their day and hurry home,
my day starts.
My diner is open from midnight to 7:00 in the morning.
They call it "Midnight Diner."
Do I even have customers?
More than you would expect.
MIDNIGHT DINER: TOKYO STORIES
SWEET ROLLED OMELET
Such a big eggplant could only be called "jumbo eggplant."
A friend of mine sent them after quitting her job and returning home.
How do you eat them?
In Takayama, we grill them with miso in the middle.
Here. Fried fish with less rice.
Master, if you've got a minute, can you cook these?
Sure.
Welcome.
Beer?
Sure.
Is this the right place?
I think so.
Have you seen this man here?
Shall I help them?
Have you seen this man here?
Here you go.
Have you seen this man here?
Hey...
Never mind. It's okay.
I scan you, you scan me.
Pay with e-money, okay?
This is... This is...
Cash only. Cash only.
Sorry to have disturbed you. Goodbye.
Hey...
He said, "Sorry to have bothered you. Keep the change."
He said so. Maybe.
Aren't they survivors of the Hong Kong mafia,
who once had a big fight with the local yakuza?
Could be. They looked like that.
Dangerous smell.
Certainly.
Throw it by hand by supporting with your waist.
Anything wrong?
What?
Master class technique.
Are you her master?
Just a passerby.
A passerby...
Hello, Master.
This person would like to have a rolled omelet.
Please.
Sure.
Here you go.
Ours is a bit sweet.
This tastes similar to the one my dad used to make when I was little.
His was sweeter than this.
I see.
I'll add more sugar next time.
Thank you. Check please.
It's 400 yen.
You speak Japanese very well.
I studied it before.
It's none of my business...
but people came here to look for you.
I'm Lee.
That was very delicious.
Lee visited here again and again after that day
and had a sweet rolled omelet.
You do like rolled omelets.
Do you like it?
Yes, it's delicious.
Where did you learn Chinese?
Last year, I started teaching Japanese as a volunteer
and learning Chinese from my students in exchange.
I like watching their historical dramas.
How about you? How do you know him?
I've met him, but I don't actually know him.
Welcome.
Hey.
Two mafia guys are coming this way.
The mafia?
The mafia is coming here?
Shut up, you!
I think they're in the same dodgy business as I am.
You say so, but...
You should go upstairs now.
I've nothing to do with the mafia.
Don't worry.
We can't ignore someone who is in trouble in a foreign country.
This way.
This way. This way.
Our group needs Lee, the big brother.
"Our group"? So, you're members of the mafia!
We're not the mafia.
We're his underlings.
"Underlings." There you go!
Huh? Underlings are hunting their own big brother,
it's such a moral degeneration of chivalrous spirit.
Hey, I don't want any trouble here.
-We need our big brother, Lee. -We know he's here.
They're not the mafia.
They're my staff for the movie production.
Sorry we made a fuss. Have some.
Lee Punfa is a movie director.
They're the producers who set up the production company together.
I guess they call it "a group" in China. The same word we use for a yakuza group.
Because he is Lee, they call it the Lee group.
It's so confusing.
We found a new actor.
He'd like to talk to you soon.
Okay. I'll go back next week.
The main actor of his new movie has quit because of the pay
and the production has been stopped.
Lee was fed up with the whole thing, and he just left China. That's the story.
I think I can...
You can drink!
His father, late Lee Guanrai,
was a famous director of chivalry movies.
What is a chivalry movie?
Chivalry movies are sword-fighting action films,
which are based on Chinese novels of the 1920s.
Both you and your father are film directors.
I had aspirations to be a film director like my father.
I'm glad your new movie production won't be canceled.
We planned to remake the movie which my father couldn't finish.
When the main actor declined our offer, I actually felt relieved.
I have no confidence to remake it, and I'm still scared.
I'm scared of being compared with him forever.
You're different from your father!
Please make your own movies!
That's right. Just make movies!
There are so many movie directors who actually can't even make one.
Actually, his movie's main actor was a Japanese man.
My father wished to see the guy again after he had left China.
I looked into his whereabouts, but I couldn't find him.
It was more than 40 years ago, right?
It'd be difficult to find him.
The movie you're gonna remake, what's the story like?
It's a long film.
Can I explain it roughly?
That's fine.
Good evening.
-You all are here. -Welcome.
Master, a beer and a sweet rolled omelet, please.
Miso soup with pork and veggies. Large portion, please.
Sure.
Ms. Kosuzu, this is Lee Punfa.
He is a film director. Isn't he good-looking?
I like sweet rolled omelets, too.
Such a coincidence!
His omelets are good, aren't they?
It means "delicious."
That... Great.
Lee and Mr. Kanemoto, please continue.
Shall we?
It was in the 15th century, during the Ming dynasty in China,
a group of evil eunuchs tried to take control of a region.
They made the opposing minister the scapegoat and executed him.
Then they started hunting his family, too.
The group discovered their whereabouts and tried to kill all of them.
They are now in an impending danger!
They are forced into a corner. Life is a candle flickering in the wind.
Then,
a martial artist and low-class eunuch in the evil group,
a beautiful man called Xiao Ning appears in front of the family.
Xiao Ning was a subordinate of the minister.
Xiao Ning is a member of the evil group
but has never forgotten the minister's kindness.
Xiao Ning, who decided to share his fate with the minister's family,
takes down the opponents with his swords.
"I am who I am now.
Every one of you..."
Sorry for my betrayal!
He said, "Sorry for my betrayal!" What? Kosuzu, how did you...
Xiao Ning!
Did you perhaps...
Father didn't cook very much.
I know.
You're the one who taught my father how to cook rolled omelets?
I thought so.
Don't look at me.
What's wrong with you?
Is that person a man or a woman?
I'd say both.
Come inside for a cup of tea?
I was just making one.
Please.
What can I say...
How cruel the time is!
Master.
Can I come in?
Sure.
I met him...
at a bar I used to work at.
Lee's father happened to be in Japan.
He persuaded me to be the main actor in his new movie.
He was a gorgeous man,
so, I had a crush on him.
He told me that he got divorced
and was living with a new-born baby son.
So, I didn't think twice...
and followed him to China.
It looks great.
Does Lee look like his father?
Yes, he does.
The moment he said "delicious" in Chinese, I knew it.
Can I have some, too?
Of course you can.
Please.
The new movie...
The production stopped due to a shortage of money.
After that,
he suddenly lost his interest in me.
I guess it wasn't a happy ending for me.
Lee said he was scared
of being compared with his father forever.
He can't avoid that.
The only thing he can do is make movies. Silly boy.
I believe you could tell him something.
PRIVATELY RESERVED TODAY
The night before Lee left Japan,
all the regulars turned up to say goodbye to him.
Everyone.
Cheers!
It was great to meet you all.
Master, thank you so much for tonight.
Okay. Here.
Ms. Kosuzu, don't you cook rolled omelets anymore?
Master makes the best ones.
Hey, I've got something to give you.
Too beautiful!
I can't believe it!
It can't be true!
Is this really you?
Your father loved only you and movies.
Keep up the good work.
Yes.
Shall we also have rolled omelets today?
To celebrate Lee's new start, I'll treat you all.
Great!
-Does he really? -That's unusual.
Three months have passed since then.
Surrender!
You...
Sorry for my betrayal!
Cut!
Getting better.
But a bit cooler look on your face.
You look so rigid.
Try to relax.
Let's have a break.
Eunuchs...
In exchange for their career,
they had to give up their masculine function.
They're unfortunate and sad creatures.
If you don't get that properly,
your acting gets very shallow.
Hey, you!
That's not the right costume.
Change it quick.
Hurry up, or you'll be fired.
You got it. Right away.
Director.
Let's do it.
Yes.
Camera rolling.
DIRECTOR: LEE
Action!
THE END