Original subtitles

When people finish their day and hurry home,

my day starts.

My diner is open from midnight to seven in the morning.

They call it "Midnight Diner."

Do I even have customers?

More than you would expect.

Thanks for everything, Master.

I'll be going now.

Okay.

Take care, Tezuka.

Is he all right? He looked ready to jump in front of a train.

He's going back to his hometown.

Things didn't work out for him?

No.

It's hard to get back on your feet after a bad fall.

But you get used to it if your life is just one bad fall after another.

You're not from the country, you wouldn't understand.

None of us want to leave Tokyo and go back to our hometown.

But you're from Tokyo.

Welcome.

Hello.

Tomato roll and beer, please.

Sure.

Sit down.

-It's a nice diner, isn't it? -Yes, it is.

Did you bump into Tezuka?

Tezuka?

He was here just now.

Really?

How is he?

He went back to his hometown after eating my tomato rolls.

I see. He went home.

Master, let me introduce you.

This is Hashimoto. He won the Best Newcomer Award.

Pleased to meet you.

Congratulations.

-Here you go. -Thank you.

Best Newcomer Award?

For manga. Do you know Big Comic?

I read that magazine all the time.

You'll see his winning work in the next issue.

He may be starting a manga series soon.

That's amazing.

Maybe we should get his autograph.

Or am I getting ahead of myself?

Thanks for the food.

This is really good.

I know, right?

His name is Osami Tezuka.

It's hard to believe, right? It's his real name.

It's one letter away from Osamu Tezuka, the father of manga.

I think I saw his name a few years ago.

He was a previous Best Newcomer Award winner.

I was his editor.

I told him to change his name because he would never live up to it.

In the end, he fizzled out.

He drew a few other mangas, but none of them worked out.

I see.

I guess he gave up.

Don't worry, Mr. Uno.

I will never give up.

I'm counting on you.

I voted for you in the publisher meetings.

I won't let you down. I quit my part-time job yesterday.

You're going all-in?

Wow, that's a huge gamble.

I'm rooting for you.

Sit down.

I can't eat.

For safety reasons, please refrain from rushing onto the train.

BIG COMIC ORIGINAL

-How much? -That will be 320 yen.

You won one million yen with this? That's amazing.

Lucky you. Your dream came true.

And I thought you were an idiot when you declined the job offer.

-Would you like to read it, Yamada? -Sure.

Drawing manga is all I can do.

I should have a dream too.

Seriously? You're a public servant.

I know! I'll represent Japan.

In what?

Teaching?

Soccer.

You were a bench player in high school.

I'll be off now.

Okay.

Wait, Noriko.

I don't have any money left in my train pass.

What do you think, Ms. Wakamiya? Be honest with me.

Well, I had a good laugh.

You laughed?

It's not supposed to be funny.

Oh, no, let me explain.

I know it isn't supposed to be funny.

But it was so ridiculous I couldn't help it.

What about Mr. Uno? What did he say?

He's busy sorting out the details for our new magazine.

That's unfortunate. He's really good at his job.

You have to convince the chief editor you can do this

if you want to make your professional debut.

I don't get her.

I have serious doubts about Ms. Wakamiya.

I think she has a good eye.

That's not the point.

She has to have the courage to die with me if necessary.

That's what editors do for their artists.

I think you're taking this a little too seriously.

You would die with me, right?

What?

I won't give up.

Manga is all I have.

Sorry, Noriko.

You could have paid the rent with your drinking money.

Where did my passion

for manga go?

I tapped into my personal anxieties for this new manga.

I stopped trying to overthink it.

I just went with the flow.

I think you should follow their example.

She has terrible taste.

You have to back me up here, Mr. Uno.

Hashimoto.

Do you actually find this interesting?

What?

Do you think your manga is interesting?

Yes.

I'll be honest with you. This is boring.

I would never pay to read something like this.

I don't know what she said, but you have to stop blaming her.

You drew this, not her.

If you keep lying to yourself, you'll regret it one day.

That's your last glass of sake for tonight.

He hasn't contacted me since then.

He probably lost his will to draw.

Well, it doesn't matter. I've gotten used to being let down.

You still look upset to me.

After you make your debut,

you have to try to survive in this dog-eat-dog industry.

Some actually took their own lives

just because they couldn't come up with a good story.

Those who have a home to return to after giving up are the lucky ones.

Are you talking about Tezuka?

Every time I treat a new artist to your tomato rolls,

they always end up fizzling out.

You're blaming my food now?

I was only joking.

What are you doing?

I can't believe you.

I've had enough.

Why won't you work?

I'm working.

I think about my characters and story arcs...

Are you stupid?

You don't get a single yen doing that!

I have to create something from nothing.

I'm a creator, not a wage slave!

Get off your high horse.

You're just a dreamer!

I'm done with you.

BIG COMIC ORIGINAL

Hurry up!

-Over there. -Okay.

Do you like to read manga?

I enjoy drawing it too.

Damn it!

I've decided to quit drawing manga.

I see.

It's your decision to make.

But I'm terrified.

I'm nothing without my manga.

You have it backwards.

You threw everything away.

But manga was the one thing you could never toss out.

Welcome.

Master, it's been a while.

It's me, Tezuka.

I remember.

-Tomato roll and beer, please. -Sure.

This is Ms. Yayoi. We draw manga together now.

-Together? -Yes.

I worked as a caretaker for the elderly after returning to my hometown.

That's how we met.

I've been drawing manga as a hobby since high school.

I wanted to forget all about manga as soon as possible.

But after talking to Ms. Yayoi,

I realized that I wasn't ready to give it up.

So we started to draw manga together.

After a string of rejections,

our publisher finally green-lit our manga series.

Your dream finally came true. I'm happy for you.

To mark the occasion,

I decided to treat Ms. Yayoi to your tomato rolls.

I've heard so much about your tomato rolls from him.

I'll get on with it.

Is your name still Osami Tezuka?

Oh, sorry. I should have introduced myself.

I'm a manga artist too.

Oh, really?

I haven't changed my name. It doesn't bother me anymore.

Well? Do you like it?

I love it!

The tomato tastes sweeter after you grill it.

-It goes so well with the pork. -Right?

Master.

For the food.

Thanks for everything.

Anytime.

Take care, Hashimoto.

If you can't take it anymore,

walk away and try something else.

You can always pick up your pen again when you're ready.

That's how I did it.

Thank you.

He hasn't dropped by for my tomato rolls since then.

I know you'll be back, Hashimoto.

POKE

PITTER-PATTER

SIZZLE

THIS STORY IS A WORK OF FICTION.

Subtitle translation by Chen Li Woon