Original subtitles

This is Osaka in 1938, Showa Year 13.

The Second Sino-Japanese War began the year before,

and the economy was booming.

Or how do you like this one?

Wah~! I like this one too.

Isn't it too grown-up for me?

Not at all.

I'm sure it will look good on you.

The material for this...

It's lovely. But this is nice too...

This is Fuku-chan, the main character of this story.

Her name is Imai Fukuko.

IMAI FUKUKO

She graduated from a girls' high school this spring, and

will be working for a hotel in Osaka.

Is this one better?

And this is Saki Nee-chan,

Fukuko's Sister

IMAI SAKI

Fuku-chan's elder of the two older sisters.

She works at a jewelry store

called Hosendo in Shinsaibashi.

The cheap one is okay with me, Saki Nee-chan.

Don't you worry about that.

I'm buying it for you anyway.

What a nice sister you have.

But my sister has a bigger celebration coming up than my new job.

- Your sister does? - She's getting married.

What a nice color!

Imai

Thank heavens.

I'm so relieved Saki's getting married before she turns 30.

Isn't that right, Dear?

Fukuko's Mother

IMAI SUZU

Imai Suzu-san. She's Fuku-chan's mother.

And Katsuko Nee-chan, the younger of her two older sisters.

Fukuko's Sister

KODA KATSUKO

Don't forget to tell Dad that Saki Nee's marrying a man

who works for a big company too.

I already told him. That he isn't like your husband.

Oh, stop saying that in front of the kids.

- What? - It's nothing.

KODA TAKA

- What? - It's nothing. Look.

Shige-chan, you're amazing!

KODA YOSHINO

KODA SHIGEYUKI

You know my husband's an artist.

Artist?

Koda Tadahiko-san, Katsuko Nee-chan's husband, is a painter.

Katsuko's Husband

KODA TADAHIKO

But Tadahiko-san's paintings rarely sell.

You're only allowed to call him an artist

when he can feed his family with his paintings.

Mom. Dad wasn't that different either.

He died after spending all the money dabbling in various things.

Katsuko Nee-chan.

That's exactly why I want my daughters to live a stable life.

But I'm perfectly happy.

Saki Nee is Saki Nee. I'm me.

Fukuko, know that I'm going to find your husband through arranged marriage.

I won't allow you to marry someone you bring home suddenly like Katsuko did.

But Dad liked Tadahiko-san.

I'm the head of the household now.

I am the daughter of a samurai. I will not tolerate careless behavior.

Do you understand? Fukuko!

My marriage is still far, far away.

MANPUKU

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

My marriage is still far, far away!

Week1

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

♫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

♫Ganko de mendou de hara mo tatsu kedo ♫Although you're obstinate and troublesome and you make me mad

♫Anata no jounetsu wa ♫Your passion is

♫Atashi no hokori de jiman de kakugo nano ♫My honor, my pride, and my resolve

♫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

ONOZUKA SHINICHI

Saki's Fiance

This is Onozuka Shinichi-san, the man Saki Nee-chan is marrying.

- We don't need to have a grand wedding. - I agree.

Let's just invite the relatives.

Yes.

When you get married, you must always be reserved. You have to give due respect to your husband, you hear?

- Yes. Fukuko, another bowl of rice? - Yeah.

You must not go to bed before your husband.

- You must wake up before him. - I know.

You don't have to worry about Saki Nee-chan, Mom.

You can't get married halfheartedly, you know.

I'm prepared.

Why are you saying that now?

As for you, you eat too much.

Fukuko, eat this too.

Fukuko.

Are you going to be okay without me here?

Huh?

From now on, you and Mom will have to get by on your salary, you know.

You won't be making that much at first either.

When there's just the two of us, we won't be spending that much on food.

Don't worry. I'll take good care of Mom.

Good luck with your job.

Thanks.

OSAKA TOYO HOTEL

Osaka Toyo Hotel was the biggest hotel in Osaka at the time.

Welcome.

Show him to his room, please.

- Welcome. Are you checking in? - Yes.

Room 323...

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE ROOM

This is where Fuku-chan was hired as a telephone operator.

Hurry up and answer it.

Osaka Toyo Hotel.

Hello. Watanabe-san with Nakanoshima Electric is supposed to be staying there.

- Can you patch me through? - Watanabe-san? In which room?

Telephone Exchange Room Supervisor

KASHIDA UTAE

- Check the hotel register! - Hotel register!

- I believe it's Room 332... - Room 332...

- There's no such room! - What! Uh, excuse me.

Please wait a moment while I check.

Oh, uh...what was the name again?

- What was the name? - I'm sorry.

Oh, my name is Tachibana.

Tachibana-san. No, I meant... who were you calling?

Like I said, Watanabe-san with Nakanoshima Electric.

- Watanabe-san with Nakanoshima Electric. Watanabe-san? - Calm down.

Oh gee, I'm sorry! Ah~.

Is this Watanabe-san?

This is Tachibana from Workshop Tachibana.

TACHIBANA MANPEI

Excuse me for bothering you when you're relaxing.

That was exhausting...

You a newbie?

My name is Imai Fukuko. I'm pleased to meet you.

Where do you work at?

- The telephone exchange room. - That's what I thought.

I mean, pretty newcomers are assigned where they come face to face with guests.

Girls who aren't are assigned behind the scene.

Huh? Huh?

- That's a lie. Don't mind him. - Lie?

Kitchen Staff

NORO KOKICHI

I'm Noro. Noro Kokichi.

Noro-san. I'm pleased to meet you.

I'll be seeing you.

Welcome. Are you checking in?

Front Desk Clerk

HOSHINA MEGUMI

Please write in your name and address here.

I'm back.

TAKENOHARA DAISUKE

Workshop Tachibana Employee

Didn't things work out with Watanabe-san?

He said Nakanoshima Electric doesn't handle magic lanterns* .

- I haven't eaten anything since this morning. - Really?

- Yeah. - Fuku-chan!

Hana-chan!

- Long time no see! - What long time? It's only been 10 days.

It's the first time since graduation.

- What's the matter? You look a little down. - I finally got a day off so...

- So you must be tired from work. - Yeah.

- Let's go eat ramen then. - Ramen?

- Chinese noodles. - It's the trend to call them ramen these days.

I want to try it.

Toshi-chan, how's school?

KANO TOSHIKO

Fukuko's Best Friend

The lecture's already hard. I want to quit.

I never wanted to go to pharmacy school anyway.

Fukuko's Best Friend

IKEGAMI HANA

Your father just decided to his own, right?

He said women don't have to work right away.

I'm having fun at the typist's school. I have a cool senior.

She has this great posture while she types away.

- You're so lucky, Hana-chan. - I'm jealous!

Fuku-chan, telephone operator is a popular job too.

That's right. There are lots of people who want to be one.

I know, but... Say, am I homely?

Homely?

I never gave it much thought since I was always at a girls' school

and there weren't any men around.

They said at our hotel girls who aren't pretty become telephone operators.

- That's a lie! - It's not like you

- to worry about things like that. - That's right.

Ours was a preppy school, but you were the only one who was poor, right?

- I was poor. - But that didn't bother you at all, right?

Yeah, it didn't bother me.

- Dried baby sardine lunch again? - Don't you get tired of the same thing everyday?

Thanks to this lunch, I have strong bones.

That's exactly why we love you, Fuku-chan.

Don't worry about your looks.

I know, right? Okay, I'm not going to worry about it!

Here you go.

So this is ramen.

- Let's eat. - Itadakimasu.

Itadakimasu.

It's delicious!

Isn't it?

The soup is good too.

Try it, try it.

You can't make this at home!

I know, right?

And a few days later.

Saki Nee-chan's wedding kimono that was sent for a makeover came back.

- It's beautiful! - It really is.

Grandma wore this when she got married.

- Really? - It's been 30 years already.

Now my daughter's going to wear it.

Didn't Mom wear it?

Katsuko didn't even have a wedding.

Let's not talk about that now.

Saki's getting married...

I can't wait to see Saki Nee-chan in her wedding kimono.

Try it on over your clothes, Saki Nee.

Now? I can't.

Shige-chan, don't touch!

Ouch...ouch, ouch!

- It hurts? - Ow, ow, ow...

Mom? What's wrong?

Here we go. This is where it all begins.

The story of Fuku-chan and this Manpei-san.

Mom!

Quick, get the doctor!

Doctor? Doctor...doctor.