Odagiri Joe is a Japanese actor and director who was born in Tsuyama, Okayama Prefecture, on&nbsp;February 16, 1976. He was granted a place at&nbsp;Kochi University, but rejected the offer in favor of studying film in the USA at&nbsp;California State University, in Fresno. He made his TV acting drama debut in the Kamen Rider series title “Kamen Rider Kuuga” in 2000, following up with his big-screen bow in “Azumi” (2003). He has since gone on to star in scores of Japanese movie titles, including “Air Doll” (2009), “Ernesto” (2017), “Pumpkin and Mayonnaise” (2017), and the Chinese movie “Saturday Fiction” (2019).

Odagiri Joe

Tsuchida (Asami Usuda) lives with her boyfriend Seiichi (Taiga Nakano) in a humble home, enjoying their often mundane but love-filled lives together.

He is a budding musician, but suddenly finds himself at an unexpected crossroads, unable to channel his energy into writing new songs.

Meanwhile, Tsuchida has been left with the unenviable job of finding the money to pay the bills – so has taken to working in a hostess bar to make ends meet while her jobless boyfriend mopes at home.

But when he discovers what she really does for a living – and learns that she has possibly slept with one of her clients – Seiichi resolves to find work.

He lands a soulless cleaning job, which drives him further into sorrow. And to complicate matters further, Tsuchida’s old flame Hagio(Joe Odagiri) returns to the scene – and reveals that he wants her to be his girlfriend again.

Who will win the tug-of-war for Tsuchida’s heart?

This movie was based on a manga series of the same name by artist Kiriko Nananan.

“Pumpkin and Mayonnaise” is a 2017 Japanese film that was adapted for the screen and directed by Tominaga Masanori.

Pumpkin and Mayonnaise

Pumpkin Lovers Team

The Master (Kaoru Kobayashi) is the owner and cook at a tiny izakaya (restaurant and bar) that operates in a Tokyo side street. At midnight, while most are asleep in their beds, he opens his doors for business, closing again at 7am.

Although his eatery is tiny, he has a loyal clientele, who come by to enjoy the food and drink, but also to soak up the atmosphere. Most know one another well, and have a great fondness for The Master, who is famous for his sage advice and comforting manner.

Although his menu only boasts four items, he claims that he will make any dish for anyone – so long as he can.

Regulars come and go, and patrons include a gangster and an elderly man who meticulously records how many meals he has as does not “know how many” he “has left.”

The movie follows the fortunes of a number of the clients as they interact with The Master and one another – and their lives away from the izakaya.

The story variously follows a group of funeral enthusiasts, a disgruntled book publishing company staffer, an elderly woman with memory issues, and the son of one of The Master’s old patrons.

“Midnight Diner 2” is a 2016 movie that was directed by Joji Matsuoka.

Midnight Diner 2

👨‍🍳 Food chefs Team🍲

Once a contender for the Olympic Judo Team, Kokoro Kurosawa (Haru Kuroki) was forced to give up on her dreams after suffering a career-ending injury. No longer able to pursue a career as a professional athlete, Kokoro must find a new way to support herself. Lucky for her, she manages to find her way into the wonderful world of manga publishing.

Landing a job at the weekly manga magazine, “Vibes”, Kokoro is fascinated by the world of editing. Taking Kokoro under his wing is senior editor Kei Iokibe (Joe Odagiri), a talented professional who teaches her everything he knows about editing manga. Falling in love with her new profession, Kokoro adores her work, particularly interacting with the manga writers themselves and discovering new manga artists. Unfortunately, times at the magazine are tough as the industry is struggling to adapt to the newest publishing craze: ebooks.

Determined to help the editorial department come up with ways to swell more manga books, Kokoro pours herself into her work. But will her determination be enough to make a difference in the highly competitive world of manga publishing?

Adapted from the manga series, “Juhan Shuttai!” by Naoko Matsuda, “Sleepeeer Hit!” is a 2016 Japanese comedy drama directed by Nobuhiro Doi.

Sleepeeer hit!

📖 Manga Art Team 📖

The Master (Kaoru Kobayashi) owns a small, unassuming izakaya (restaurant and bar) in a small side alley in Tokyo. With a small menu and only a few seats at the bar, this cozy establishment is low on frills but big on atmosphere.

The Master’s izakaya is known as a “midnight diner” as it only opens for business after dark, closing in the early hours of the morning.

The patrons are mainly regulars, who come by to enjoy one another’s company – as well as receive pearls of wisdom and cheer from the Master and feast on treats like sausages, omelet rolls, and hot noodles.

The customer base comprises a motley crew of gangsters, strippers, a kind-hearted policeman, and a local businessman’s mistress.

One day, a homeless girl named Tamako Kawashima (Takaoka Saki) pleads with the Master to give her a job. He agrees, only to discover that she has a remarkable talent for cooking.

The movie explores aspects of the characters’ lives as they wind in and out of the bar and interact with the Master and one another.

But along the way, the Master appears to have picked up an admirer – could this long-term singleton find romance in his own izakaya?

“Midnight Diner” is a 2014 Japanese movie that was directed by Joji Matsuoka.

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