Japanese drama 'Midnight Diner' returns with brand-new season

“Midnight Diner” is officially returning with a new season after a seven-year break.

The beloved Japanese anthology and slice-of-life drama, originally titled Shinya Shokudo, is set to premiere later this year on Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS) and  Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS).

Last March 17, the official X account for the live-action adaptation of Midnight Diner, announced that a new season has been approved and is set to premiere this fall.

In the original post in Japanese, the caption read: “The drama 'Midnight Diner' production confirmed after a 7-year hiatus. This autumn, we'll satisfy your hunger and your soul.”

According to Anime News Network, Japanese actor Kaoru Kobayashi, 74, will reprise his role as the mysterious chef known only as Master. No further announcements have been made regarding whether the other cast members  will be returning to reprise their roles.

The story, based on Yaro Abe’s manga, is set in a small late-night Shinjuku restaurant where customers and their personal stories unfold over comforting Japanese meals. The diner is open from midnight until 7 am.

The menu has only tonjiru, sake, beer and shochu in it. Master can cook any meal the customer wants as long as he has the ingredients.

Since its debut in 2009, the series has built a strong following despite its late-night time slot. According to Geek Pictures, it continued with multiple seasons (Midnight Diner and Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories), two films, and eventually reached a global audience through Netflix, where it is now accessible in over 190 countries. 

The show has a 94% average Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes. The original Japanese "Midnight Diner" has produced remake versions in China and Korea.

Seasons 4 and 5 (Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories) were created by Netflix Japan. It has not yet confirmed if the new season will also stream on the platform.