Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories is one of Netflix’s palatable treats
By Angelo Lorenzo
Served right alongside the proliferation of stories, food is a universal attraction which often becomes the subject of modern entertainment. In the case of Netflix, it occasionally becomes an element for genuine storytelling. As a streaming platform, Netflix does not lack content that attempts to showcase, understand, and experiment on the makings of this basic human consumption. From the occasional comedic and entertaining cooking show The Chef Show (with Disney live action prolific director Jon Favreau as one of the hosts) to the educational and culturally authentic Street Food, most series are able to teach viewers the origins and recipes for a good meal.
But add to every episode stories that tug the heartstrings instead of basically explaining how a dish is prepared, and one may understand that food is just part of what makes people human. This is a style that is constantly present in Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories, a Japanese TV series that is based on a manga entitled Shin’ya Shokudō by Yaro Abe.
The first season premiered in 2009, but the seasons that are available for viewing on Netflix are the fourth (released in 2016) and the fifth (2019). Each of the two seasons consists of 10 episodes. The series premise follows a diner owner, known as The Master, who keeps a twelve-seat Izakaya (the Japanese equivalent to an Irish pub) open from 12: MN to 7:00 AM. The diner is located along one of the narrow streets of Shinjuku, Tokyo. But despite having a limited menu of tonjiru, sake, and beer, The Master is willing to cook for and serve his customers any kind of dish they wish, but only if they provide him with the right ingredients.
This is where food comes into the picture. While The Master is one of the recurring characters in every episode, most of the stories do not revolve around him. Instead, the viewer will be introduced to different characters in every episode as their stories take place. Most of these characters come as the diner’s customers, and the dishes featured differ based on whatever they order. Each episode shows their experiences and circumstances, which they resolve through their decisions or help from listening to The Master’s advices. Problems and conflicts differ every time a new character orders their dish, making the series an anthology despite some of its recurring characters.
It is noteworthy that some of the dishes showcased in the series may equate to symbolical representations of the characters’ experiences. Whether these dishes are authentically Japanese (e.g. tan-men, tonteki) or Western-inspired meals (omelette rice, corn dog), their representations vary from cultural norms to personal ambitions and social and familial responsibilities.
In the episode, “Tan-Men”, a radio DJ and announcer discovers the actress of his former favorite TV show (styled after Power Rangers) now working as a cab driver, veering away from the spotlight. He later finds out through her that one of the cast members of that show has suppressed her true self to maintain a masculine image to the public. In “Tonteki”, a real estate agent develops feelings for her younger co-worker and knits him a sweater. But with unrequited love comes a new hope as another co-worker reciprocates his feelings for her, and eventually learns to knit.
Love still resonates in “Omelette Rice” wherein a multi-awarded physicist falls for a Korean overseas worker, and eventually bridging the gap between cultural differences and their long distance divide. Perhaps two episodes in the series share similarities when it comes to the authentic representation of the Japanese family values, a concept that’s not only native to Japan but ripples throughout Asia. The episode “Egg Tofu” explores the experience of a father who casually neglects his son after consuming most of his time with gambling, but he later on learns the importance of parenthood when tables turn. In “Hot Pot for One”, an aunt tries to support his nephew despite the latter being irresponsible and wasteful.
Like most series ingrained with genuine storytelling, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Series reveals the poignant realities in modern-day Japan. Although it is a country that always takes the first step forward in technological advancement and media, it still retains its culture where relationships matter, families reunite, and strangers take time to know each other by learning their background and sharing stories over delicious meals and satiating drinks.
There are more episodes in the series that define such concepts. But when it comes to showcasing food as an integral element related and connected to human life, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories serves the fine course as a treat to the palate.
