Original subtitles

I don't want to go to school.

- Why? -Because the kids pick on me.

Is it about Dad?

Is the problem more with the noodles?

Manpuku

♫Marumatteru senakani ni morai naki ♫I get infectious weeping looking at your stooped shoulders

♫Haji datte issho ni ♫We'll share the humiliation too

Week 17

It's Ramen! Fukuko!

♫Hikoukigumo bonyari nagamu ♫Gazing absentmindedly at contrails

♫Kokoro kokoni arazu ♫Here in body, but not in spirit

♫Nenkan totaru moshi shitara ♫If I was to calculate an annual total

♫Tsukiau watashi sugoi? ♫Aren't I amazing for keeping you company?

♫Toboketeru mayuge ni morai warai ♫ I get infectious laughter looking at your comical eyebrows

♫Tere datta nandatte ♫Be it embarrassment or whatever

♫Morai naki morai warai morai ikari ♫Infectious weeping, infectious laughter, infectious anger

♫Moraippaji don to koi! ♫Infectious embarrassment. Bring them on!

♫Seiten mo donten mo hekireki mo ♫Sunny days, cloudy days, thunderous days too

What? Baby?!

- She's 3 months along. - Is that so. Congratulations.

There's a baby inside Auntie Taka's tummy?

- Yes. - That's right. If she's 3 months along now...

The baby will be born by the end of summer. But because of that, I was given a warning.

You have to come straight home every day, you hear?

I won't be able to help you make ramen.

You don't have to worry about that now.

The idea is still in the process of being developed in Manpei-san's mind.

For the time being, you should stay with Taka-chan.

Yes. I'm mad that I can't help you, but I'm happy, so I'll do that.

Look at the time already. Come on, you two, hurry up and go to school.

Bye now.

- See you later. - See you later.

Have a good day. Be careful.

Let's go.

I'm going to work too then.

Like Fukuko said earlier,

the idea for the new ramen is still in the process of being developed in my mind.

When it actually starts moving forward, I'll ask for your help.

Thank you. I'll be seeing you.

So there's a baby in here, huh?

You're not going to feel anything yet.

You've got to wait about 3 more months.

By that time, you'll be able to feel the baby move.

I'm so jealous. I want a baby too.

But it's hard to meet someone like Dad.

- Huh? - Do you like someone like Dad, Yoshino?

- Why? - What happened, Yoshino!

- You don't have to be that shocked. - But while Shigeru-san's at work,

Taka Nee-chan looks lonely.

Wouldn't it be better if the person you love was always with you at home?

- Yoshino... - That's only at first.

There are people who get sick and tired of having someone around all day long.

Isn't that right, Katsuko?

That's not the case for me. He's like air already.

Besides, I think a man who works hard doing what he enjoys is attractive.

- That, I can understand. - Tadahiko-san just happened to become successful.

Only one in a thousand can make a living as an artist, right? Tadahiko-san.

- Well... - Even if they get to do what they like,

there are people like Manpei-san.

Mom, it's not that Manpei-san failed...

- He's down and out now. - But that's...

You were so happy when Fukuko became Mrs. Executive Director.

Yoshino, you have to marry a respectable man.

Liking someone like your father is fine, but marriage is a different matter.

Okay, okay. I'm going to work then.

What's with that attitude?

- See you later. - Be careful

- Mom, that was too much. - That's right.

But it's the truth.

That day before noon, Fuku-chan came to Katsuko Nee-chan's house.

Have Taka-chan eat these.

- Eggs. - It's important for you to eat well now.

Thank you, Auntie Fukuko.

You didn't have to extend yourself to buy eggs.

You don't have to worry about these. Taka-chan, have a healthy baby in the summer.

- I will. - Tadahiko-san must be thrilled too.

Of course. Besides, there was something else that made him happy today.

Someone like Dad...

Thank you so much. Taka-chan really appreciated them.

There's no need to thank us.

That's right. We'll spare you eggs for cheap anytime.

I really appreciated it, since we have to be frugal now.

Yet, the feeling of wanting to do something for your niece... You are so sweet, Fuku-chan.

Eating is the most important thing for people. It's Manpei-san's favorite phrase.

The hardest thing for me when I was pregnant was getting enough nutrition.

Wait a minute.

- Do you have children? - Yes. Why?

I mean, I didn't get that feeling from you two at all.

- Don't be silly. We have six. - Six.

- Six?! - The youngest is 13 and the oldest is 24.

- That's 26. - 26.

26?!

Oh my goodness! How old do you think I am?

I thought you were way younger.

Do I look that young?

Master, you look your age.

The oldest three are working now, and the youngest three don't require much care anymore, so

we can both run this shop now.

- That's right. - You must've gone through some tough times.

We never went through hard times.

My father was in real estate and made his fortune.

I may look like this, but I'm the son of a rich family.

I'm the third daughter of a long-established textile store.

It may surprise you, but I'm the daughter of a rich family.

I'm not surprised at all.

Forgive us. We know that things are tough for you right now, Fuku-chan.

Forgive us. It wasn't our intention to brag about it.

There's nothing to apologize for.

To the contrary, it actually felt good.

That truly rich people don't really give it much thought.

I'm sorry. I'm just chatting away on my own.

- Fukuko. - Yes.

Our family is currently poor.

- We don't have a TV or a refrigerator or a washing machine. - We don't.

But there aren't too many households that have

- all three sacred treasures. - Probably not.

There's probably a lot of homes that don't have a refrigerator yet.

I think so too.

So the ramen I make won't require refrigeration and

can be stored at room temperature.

- Can be stored. - That's the fourth criteria.

- That makes sense! - There's more.

Today, you brought some eggs for Taka-chan, didn't you?

Yes. Taka-chan really appreciated it.

Pregnant women have to take a lot of nutrition.

- They can't eat food that's not good for them. - That's right.

- That goes for children as well. - Yes.

In other words, the ramen I'll be making

has to be safe enough to be consumed by pregnant women and children.

Safe food.

I now have my complete set of criteria.

No. 1. It has to be tasty.

No. 2. It has to be cheap.

No. 3. It has to be convenient.

No. 4. It can be stored at room temperature.

No. 5. It has to be safe.

The ramen I want to make has to meet all five criteria.

What kind of ramen that is...

I can't visualize yet.

But it won't be long.

It won't be long before you see it. I can tell, Manpei-san.

Oh, the kids are home.

Welcome home.

Oh, no... what happened?

- What's the matter, Sachi? - What happened, Gen?

Tell me, Gen. What happened?

Some kids picked on us on the way home from school.

They said Dad was fired as executive director of the credit union

and he's a bum now.

A bum?!

When I told them he wasn't a bum, that Dad's making ramen,

they laughed at us again... And it turned into a fight.

Tell me who you fought with.

Dad, stop making ramen!

Sachi and I were getting picked on all this time! We've been enduring it all this time!

Quit making ramen and go work at the credit union again!

I hate being poor! I hate it when they pick on us!

Making ramen is not something to be embarrassed about.

- But I still hate it! - Gen!

I hate it!

No you don't! No you don't.

No you don't.

We became poor, but

we're eating our meals everyday, aren't we?

You're going to school everyday.

Have you felt inconvenienced in any way?

What's wrong with being a ramen maker!

Are you looking down on ramen maker too?

It's true that we had money when your father was

working at the credit union.

But you know, your father is actually a person who makes things.

Person who makes thing...

He's an inventor who brings smile to everyone's face by making useful things

that no one's ever thought of before.

Inventor...

So I'm sure your friends who made fun of you

will some day eat the ramen your father made, saying how delicious it is

with a smile on their face.

I'm sure that day will come.

- Is that true, Dad? - Really?

Yes.

Mom is absolutely right.

I'm going to make the kind of ramen that will surprise the world.

So no matter what anyone says, don't mind them.

Don't get into fights.

Think to yourself, just wait and see, Gen.

No matter what they say, keep on smiling, Sachi.

You got that?

Got it...

Okay.

You guys did well hanging in there. It's going to be all right.