Monkey servant who works for Eboshi and respects Ashitaka.
The King rules Enlad while disease spreads through his kingdom and his son, Arren, disappears. Arren returns to the castle only long enough to kill him and steal his sword, an act that begins the prince’s flight, guilt, and eventual decision to return home and repent.
The central figure and owner/chef/bartender of the Shinjuku diner. He operates from midnight to 7am, prepares requested dishes with available ingredients, enforces a strict three-bottle alcohol limit, offers advice to customers, and occasionally breaks the fourth wall to address the audience.
Ryuzo Higa tries to reach Haruyo through the lounge where she works. When he learns that she has gone home with a new employee, he struggles to find her. His search connects him to Haruyo’s work and personal circumstances, though the account does not explain their relationship or reveal whether he ultimately reaches her.
Owner and chef of a late-night diner, provides food and life advice to diverse customers.
Hideo is Kazumi's younger, temperamental husband and an architect; they have been married for two years. He frequently suspects her of infidelity and believes the couple's threatening phone calls may come from her former husband. After Kazumi's exhibition, Nobuko clings to him and asks to see the house he is building.
A man who becomes involved after Kei and Atsuo stay with Yu. He admits to Yu that he had partly wanted her to join him in a suicide pact, but then abandons the idea and asks her to take care of her sister. He returns to his father and asks for a few days to think on his own.
Hanbei is a fisherman living in the seashore village who shares Kamui's sense of honor. Although Kamui is a former ninja pursued by assassins, Hanbei accepts him and becomes his close friend. His household offers Kamui a temporary refuge and a glimpse of peace before the violence of Kamui's past returns.
Toshiharu is Yuna’s father and remains on Minami Daito while her mother works on the main island. Yuna worries that he will be lonely and unable to look after himself when she leaves for school. His strong ties to the island, alongside the distance between him and Mina, are part of the family strain Yuna must face as her parents decide to divorce.
Giichi Wataguchi is Jun Wataguchi's father and one of the people running the family's shipping business. He transports earth and sand by boat for reclamation work as jobs become scarce and succession becomes uncertain. He and Jun rarely speak, reflecting the deep emotional distance between them and the family business.
Kensuke's childhood friend who sells him the long-awaited Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Later, he assists Fumiko in learning how to ride a motorcycle alongside his wife Catherine, enabling her eventual journey to follow Kensuke.
Isao is Toru's father and the former operator of the remote mountain hut, which he ran during the summer season. He dies during a mountain rescue operation, prompting Toru to return to their hometown for the wake and ultimately leave his Tokyo career to take over the hut.
Kaoru Kobayashi has 86 screen credits in a career dating back to 1976. Their work spans 3 cinematic universes — most prominently Midnight Diner Collection with 2 titles. Signature works include Princess Mononoke, Midnight Diner, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.
Universe traveler — spans 3 universes
Related entry on Wikidata (Q5359721), public domain (CC0).
