Midnight Diner Returns After 7-Year Hiatus with Full Cast

The live-action drama Midnight Diner (深夜食堂) will premiere a new season on October 20, Eighty-six. The series returns after a seven-year hiatus, reuniting the core ensemble of 21 regular cast members and its original creative team.

The series is based on Abe Yaro's manga, which has sold over 9 million copies worldwide. It first aired in 2009, starring Kaoru Kobayashi as the enigmatic Master of a Tokyo diner open from midnight to dawn. Seasons 4 and 5 were produced as Netflix Originals, streaming in 190 countries.

Directors for the new season include longtime series architects Matsuoka Joji (episodes 2, 5, 8) and Yamashita Nobuhiro (episodes 7, 9), alongside Kobayashi Shotaro (episode 6). Newcomers Yokohama Satoko (episode 4) and Yoshida Ryo (episodes 1, 3, 10) also join.

In a statement, original manga creator Abe Yaro described the feeling of returning to a familiar shop after many years. Producer Endo Hideto cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for the long gap, noting that chance encounters with the creator and cast spurred the revival.

The initial broadcast will air on MBS and other Japanese TV networks in the late Tuesday night "Dramaism" slot.

Source: PR Times via 株式会社ギークピクチュアズ