Original subtitles

This is it!

TV's the answer!

Fuku-chan came up with the idea to broadcast a TV commercial of Manpuku Ramen.

However...

I had Madam in mind

- when I came up with this idea. - Me?!

Ready, start!

Fuku-chan ended up having to appear in it herself.

It's delicious!

5 packages in every household, Manpuku Ramen.

Manpuku

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

Please Come Up With a Strategy

Week 21

♫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

♫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

"It's 30 yen."

"Just put the noodle in a bowl and pour hot water over it."

"Delicious ramen is ready to eat in just 3 minutes."

"Endorsed to be full of nutrients."

"Loved by adults and children alike, Manpuku Ramen."

"It's delicious!"

"5 packages in every household, Manpuku Ramen."

This is so embarrassing!

Not at all. This is great, Fuku-chan.

It didn't turn out to be as embarrassing as you think.

To the contrary, your inexperience was refreshing.

Aren't you going to make a second commercial?

If the viewers didn't know, they'd think you were an actress.

- Don't be silly! - No, no. I think so too.

If you're making a second one, I can...

"5 packages in every houseld, Manpuku Ramen" at the end is good, isn't it?

It doesn't sound pushy when Fuku-chan says it.

Yeah. Makes you feel like buying 5 or even 10 packages.

Everyone will feel like eating Manpuku Ramen!

- Auntie Fukuko, you're amazing. - It's still embarrassing!

I want to go on TV too.

I'll go ahead buy 5 or 10 packages.

"5 packages in every household, Manpuku Ramen."

- Fuku-chan's on TV... - It's a strange feeling.

Is this really going to help the sales of Manpuku Ramen?

How many days of the sampling sales event are left at Daikyu Department Store?

There's a day off in there, so 3 more days.

- 3 days... - 3 days, huh?

"The store will be opening soon."

But the impact of the commercial far exceeded anyone's expectation.

"The store will be opening soon."

Welcome.

- Give me Manpuku Ramen! - Give me 5 packages too!

Let me have 10 packages!

I'll get them for you now, so please wait a minute.

One package is 20 yen. Are you aware of that?

- We know that. Please hurry. - C-certainly.

Oh, aren't you that lady on TV?

She is. She's the lady in the commercial.

- Let met touch you! - No, I'm not~!

This is amazing! We sold 5 times as much as before.

- Wow! 5 times. - Won't we run out of stock

- by the day after tomorrow? - Commercials are just amazing.

But I thought I was going to die.

Put yourself in their position. There's this lady who appears on TV in front of you.

Of course they'll make a fuss. I'm envious.

It's a good thing the department store's closed today.

Let's make as much as we can today.

Wah! You scared me! Sera-san.

This isn't the time to get all excited. Sit down. Didn't I tell you?

Simply selling well at a department store and shopping centers isn't going to accomplish anything.

Unless we start getting orders from wholesale dealers,

Manpuku Ramen won't expand nationally.

Why aren't we getting any orders?

The commercial comes on all the time.

Well, they must be waiting to see how it goes.

So the orders will be coming soon.

Even when we get an order, don't act so eager to take it.

- What do you mean? - Tell them we only accept cash payment.

- Cash payment? - Yeah. According to industry practice,

a 2 to 3 month note is the norm.

But Manpuku Foods currently has no capital.

- True. We need cash to continue making ramen. - Right?

All right. Let's deliver the order only upon cash payment.

- Will that be all right? - It's going to be fine.

- If that's what Uncle Shinichi say, it'll be all right. - I'm the one who said it.

Don't worry, Manpei-kun, Fuku-chan.

- All right. We'll leave it to you. - We place our trust in you.

- Trust ME. - We're not even close to trusting you yet.

- How come! Where are you going!

Come on, it's already 8 o'clock. Go to bed.

Leave that here.

Good night.

- Good night. - I'm done for the day. I'll go take a bath.

- Let me go reheat it then. - No, it's all right.

- I'm just taking a quick dip to wash off the sweat. - But...

Bath, bath.

- Hello. - Yes?

Good evening.

Fuku-chan, long time no see!

It's Hana-chan.

- Fuku-chan. - Oh my gosh!

- How many years has it been? - Um~ Since we were at Izumiotsu,

so 8 years? No, no... it's been 9 years!

Then is this the first time the three of us are meeting since the war?

We've got to stay healthy and meet again!

What~! It's been over 10 years then!

Anyway, I'm glad to see that you're looking well.

You too, Fuku-chan.

She saw the commercial for Manpuku Ramen.

I was so surprised that I called Toshi-chan

- and learned that you were in Ikeda. - And so you came all the way to see me?

We figured you'd be busy during the day, so we held off and waited

- but before we knew it, it got this late. - Oh gee, you could've come sooner.

Toshi-chan told me that

you went through a lot after you came to Ikeda.

You can say that again.

That you went through great difficulty to make Manpuku Ramen too.

That's putting it mildly.

Although it was Manpei-san who made it, not me.

I ate Manpuku Ramen too. It was truly delicious.

It's ready to eat 3 minutes after pouring hot water over it. What a great invention!

I was astounded too! But

I was even more astounded when I saw Fuku-chan on TV.

You have no idea how embarrassing that was...

But you worked hard together with Manpei-san, didn't you, Fuku-chan?

It's thanks to your husband for helping us out when we were in trouble in Izumiotsu.

We're forever in your debt.

Don't stand on ceremony like that. We're best friends, aren't we?

Both Hana-chan and I are less busy with our children now, so we have some free time.

If Manpei-san and you are busy, let us help you with your work.

Thanks for the offer. We don't know if we'll get busy or not yet, but

- if we do, we'll certainly keep you in mind. - Fukuko, would you get me a towel...

Hello.

- Good evening. - Excuse me, I didn't know we had guests.

- Manpei-san, it's Hana-chan. - Huh?

- My very good friend who helped us out at Izumiotsu. - How have you been, Manpei-san?

Ah, Hana-chan. Why are you here?

She came to see me after seeing that commercial.

I had the pleasure of eating Manpuku Ramen. That is truly delicious.

It's also convenient. It's sure to sell.

Thank you for your kind words. I'm happy to hear that.

- Oh, is your husband doing well? - Yes.

The TV commercial had a profound effect.

And...

Hana-chan wasn't the only one who stopped by for a visit after seeing that commercial.

- Those glasses don't suit you. - I don't care.

As long as they don't recognize me as the lady in the commercial.

It's true no one will recognize that face with glasses as the lady on TV.

- I know, right? - It's the lady on TV.

I'm positive.

No, I'm not.

Maki-san! Megumi-san!

I knew that was you, Fuku-chan.

- How have you been? I'm Maki Zennosuke. - I'm his wife, Megumi.

That's right. You two got married, didn't you?

More old friends are here to see me. I'm so happy!

We were so surprised to see you in the commercial, Fuku-chan.

Was Manpuku Ramen perhaps named after Manpei-san and Fuku-chan?

That's part of it.

I knew it. Manpei-san is an inventor after all. He sure came up with an amazing product.

Thank you.

We know you're busy so we'll keep it short.

For now, we'll take 20 packages of Manpuku Ramen.

- 20 packages! - Certainly. With pleasure.

Our whole family loves Manpuku Ramen.

Thank you.

I'll be your cashier here.

"The store will be opening shortly."

But this makes me happy.

Especially since we know how Manpei-san and you started dating,

- I feel as it it's happening to me... - Manpuku Ramen please!

- Give me 5 packages! - Me too!

If we weren't there back then, you two ...

Maki-san! Where are you!

- I'm here! - One moment please.

Fuku-chan, we're leaving now. Good luck!

- Thanks! - Thank you~!

Manpei-san.

Manpei-san, Manpei-san. Please come here for a minute.

- Huh? What is it, Kanbe-kun? - Please come.

30 boxes? Thank you. But you know we only take cash payment.

- Yes. 10 boxes, right? - Your address?

Got it. Please pay in advance.

They're calls from wholesale dealers, Manpei-san.

That's when Manpuku Ramen starting selling like crazy.

It's going to get even busier now...

- 48, huh? - Hm?

My age. I'm 48 years old already.

48. I guess you are.

It's been 20 years already since we first met.

20 years. Ah, so it is.

Thank you, Fukuko.

For what?

I was thinking how grateful I was that you stuck by an irrational man like me

who decided to make new ramen from scratch at this age.

Don't be silly.

Well, yes. It would be a lie if I said there weren't any difficult times.

But taking all that together,

it's been a fun life.

Too many things happened that time just flew by.

Oh, yeah?

But...you're just getting started, Manpei-san.

It isn't the end when Manpuku Ramen starts selling.

- There's more? - There's plenty more. Good things and not so good things too.

But I don't mind.

I'll keep on supporting you forever, Manpei-san.

- Thanks. - I wonder what's in store for us~.

I'm really looking forward to it.

You'd better get moving, Manpei-san. You're not done yet, are you?

Hello. Manpuku Foods.

Yes, thank you. 10 boxes?

Yes. I'm sorry, but we're a little short on stock.

We need about 1 week. Would that be all right?

Yes, thank you.