Original subtitles

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

Fuku-chan and her family welcomed the new year modestly at their small rental house.

I'm glad.

But...

Happy New Year, Fukuko.

But did we really have to all come to a small house like this?

Before you knew it, it turned out like this.

Everyone was concerned about Fuku-chan and her family.

Thank you, everyone! Thank you!

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

Manpuku

♫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

A week had passed since the new year began.

It's the start of a new semester for the children.

- Thank you for the food. - Thank you for the food.

- What's the big hurry... - They can't wait to get to school.

You'd better listen to your teacher, you hear?

Okay.

- See you later! - See you later!

Have a good day. Be careful.

I'd better hurry up and eat too and do the laundry.

This is the guy who made the magic lantern, root crop cutting machine,

salt, and Daneihon in the past.

I have great expectation of what he'll be inventing next.

Manpei-san.

Aren't you cold?

I'm okay.

After I'm done hanging the laundry out to dry, I'll help you sow the seeds.

I'll do it by myself.

Lately, I think back a lot.

About the old days?

Like about the time we evacuated during the war.

This certainly does resemble our lifestyle from back then.

And about the time we ate ramen together after the war.

Ah... at the black market.

It's delicious!

Ah~ It's ramen.

Go ahead and eat some more.

- Let's take turns. - You sure? - Yes.

It's good!

That ramen sure tasted good.

Brings back memories of the good old days. Gen nor Sachi was born yet.

What time is it now?

I have to make your lunch and go to work.

Oh no, what time is it?

It's a TV.

Finally ended up buying one.

We sure did. We thought the customers would enjoy it.

How nice.

We have a refrigerator in the shop and our washing machine in the back.

So our set of three sacred treasures is now complete.

Heaven be praised.

I'm so jealous.

The stores are packed with the latest electric appliances.

At that time, refrigerator, washing machine, and TV were known as the three sacred treasures.

They were spreading rapidly in Japanese homes that had made recovery from postwar.

We don't have any of them.

All right.

I finished my painting. I think it came out well. Take a look at it.

- Later, later. - It's the good part right now.

I can see the how the TV can be interesting, but

if people start watching TV all the time and lose interest in paintings,

I won't be able to feed you guys, you know.

- What's the matter? - Grandma?

I suddenly felt pity for Fukuko.

- Fuku-chan? - They don't have a TV,

let alone washing machine or refrigerator.

It was a mistake marrying Manpei-san.

- There you go again. - But, but...

It's so funny!

I'm home.

Yoshino, I finished my painting. Can you take a look?

Oh, TV, TV.

Peel the radish next...

- We're home~! - Welcome home.

Oh no! You're all dirty.

- We were playing at school. - We played tag. It was fun.

Bath is ready so go take it with your dad.

- Okay~.

- We're out of the bath. - We're out~.

Wait a minute. Hey, Gen. You've got to dry your hair. Come on.

Okay, it's dinner time.

Are you tired?

Huh? Oh...things were kinda hectic all day today.

I got more free time when we became poor, but you're as busy as ever, Fukuko.

That's true. Things haven't changed at all.

I do feel bad. If there's anything I can help you with.

Don't worry about it. You've had a tough job all this time.

Just take it easy for now and think about what you're going to do next.

- This kinpira is good. - I like the miso soup.

I'm glad you like it.

What's the toughest thing for you?

Of all the chores that you do every day, what's the toughest thing?

Life will probably be a lot easier for you if we got a washing machine and refrigerator, huh?

- And TV too. - TV, TV.

That's a different matter. Just eat.

The toughest thing right now is thinking about meals every day.

Meals.

Even now, I'm wondering what to make for tomorrow.

Yeah, I see.

After all, meals are the more important thing.

That's what you used to say all the time, remember?

It's just as you always said, Manpei-san.

Eating is the most important thing for people.

What's the matter?

- What's wrong? - Dad?

I just love ramen!

This ramen's delicious.

- Four bowls of ramen for you. - It's delicious.

Eating is the most important thing for people!

Go ahead and eat. Eat as much as you want...

Ramen...

Ramen?

Ramen!

That's certainly true. The first time I thought so was at that time.

When I was arrested by the military police before we got married...

Eat. If you want to see your precious woman alive,

you've got to eat.

When I got arrested by the military police, I turned into a pig.

It's all over if we don't eat.

The most important thing for people is to eat.

And making that is an important job too, isn't it, Fukuko?

- Right?! - Well, yes...

So what is this about ramen?

You remember, don't you? After the war, that line we saw at the black market...

Such a long line for the ramen stall...

Everyone wanted to eat a hot bowl of ramen.

Yes... they did indeed.

Why can't we eat it here?

That ramen that's so tasty and made us all so happy,

why can't we eat it at home?

But, but, but... That's because ramen is

something we eat at stalls and Chinese restaurants.

It's ramen!

I found it, Fukuko.

It's ramen.

Huh?

That night...

Saki Nee-chan...

Yes?

Saki Nee-chan...

What is it, Fukuko?

Saki Nee-chan.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

- What's wrong? - Huh?

You've been calling my name for a while.

Oh... The thing is, Manpei-san started talking about ramen.

- Yeah? - He keeps saying, "Ramen! Ramen!"

Is that so?

What happened? I have no idea what's going on.

Isn't he planning to make ramen? Ramen you can make at home.

But Manpei-san's been making things like

magic lantern, root crop cutting machine, salt, and Daneihon in the past.

There's no connection, is there?

Why ramen all of a sudden?

Is having no connection okay?

Why should there be? Manpei-san must have come up with some idea.

Something that was always somewhere in Manpei-san's mind

suddenly came out.

Just as I thought?

You might be surprised, but it's not like you're anxious, right? Fukuko.

You believe in Manpei-san, don't you?

Yes.

You said you couldn't wait to see what Manpei-san will be making next.

I did.

Then don't worry about anything and do what you can to support Manpei-san.

Manpei-san is truly an interesting person.

Ramen.

Saki Nee-chan...