Solitary Gourmet Season 3 Japanese Television Drama
Solitary Gourmet Season 3 (known in Japanese as Kodoku no Gurume Season 3 or 孤独のグルメ Season 3) is a Japanese television drama series broadcast on TV Tokyo. The series originally aired across 12 episodes from July 10 to September 25, 2013, airing on Wednesdays in the late-night time slot of 23:58 to 24:45.
Production and Background
The television series is based on the manga series Kodoku no Gourmet, written by Masayuki Qusumi and illustrated by Jiro Taniguchi. The original manga was first published between 1994 and 1996 in Monthly PANJA magazine. Direction for the third season was managed by Kenji Mizoguchi and Takeshi Igawa, with scripts contributed by Yoshihiro Taguchi and Yoriko Kodama.
Synopsis
The narrative follows Goro Inogashira, portrayed by actor Yutaka Matsushige. Goro works as an independent import trader dealing in general goods, taking him on business trips to various towns across Japan. Amid his professional travel, he frequently seeks out distinct local restaurants and dining establishments to experience regional foods entirely on his own.
Cast and Characters
The cast features a returning lead alongside various episodic guest actors appearing throughout the twelve-episode run:
- Yutaka Matsushige as Goro Inogashira
- Reona Hirota as Mariko Kuroda (Episode 1)
- Michiko Shimizu as snack mama (Episode 1)
- Saburo Ishikura as middle-aged male customer (Episode 1)
- Mansaku Fuwa as regular customer (Episode 2)
- Ryoko Yuui as Shiori Sakagami (Episode 2)
- Michiko Ameku as Daiichitei employee / younger sister (Episode 2)
- Maria Yoshikawa as female staff (Episode 2)
- Tetsu Watanabe as Kadoya father (Episode 3)
- Etsuyo Mitani as Kadoya's mother (Episode 3)
- Yoshikazu Ebisu as Go shop husband (Episode 4)
- Atsuwo Ohuchi as Uotani (Episode 4)
- Mari Hamada as Minoru Tokita (Episode 5)
- Tamae Ando as Shizuka (Episode 6)
- Atsushi Fukazawa as Shiba (Episode 8)
- Hideki Kurauchi as cafe master (Episode 8)
Broadcast History and Franchise Context
Solitary Gourmet Season 3 forms part of a long-running television franchise adapted by TV Tokyo. The television adaptation commenced with Season 1 in 2012, followed by subsequent annual and periodic seasons spanning multiple years, alongside related cinematic projects.