Shotaro Kobayashi

Only the Cat Knows

Masaru and Yukiko have been married 44 years. They have three children who live independently from them. Masaru and Yukiko enjoy their peaceful days, but, one day, Yukiko tells her daughter Naoko that she wants to divorce Masaru.

Hamon: Yakuza Boogie

Keisuke Ninomiya (Yu Yokoyama) works as a construction consultant. Through his work, he becomes acquainted with yakuza Yasuhiko Kuwabara (Kuranosuke Sasaki). One day, film producer Koshimizu brings a movie investment proposal to yakuza leader Shimada. Shimada decide to invest in the film and he assigns Yasuhiko Kuwabara to oversee his investment in the film. Film producer Koshimizu though runs away with their investment money. Keisuke and Yasuhiko struggle to get Shimada’s money back from Koshimizu.

Maestro!

Due to the economic recession, the orchestra is shut down. The members hear later that the orchestra will be reformed. Only some of the members, who have not yet been rehired, gather for the orchestra. For the first time since they disbanded the orchestra plays together, but they sound horrible. At that time, the conductor Tetsusaburo Tendou appears in front of them.

Everyday Mom

Rieko Saibara is a cartoonist and mother of a 6-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl. When she has a difficult time, she throws away her problems with laughter. Her husband Kamoshitda used to be a war camera man, but now he's addicted to alcohol. He struggles to overcome his problem, but keeps failing. Finally, they get divorced. After Kamoshida loses his family, he realizes how precious they are. He focuses on getting away from alcohol, but another disease comes to him. Even though Saibara knows that he can not make it for long, she accepts him back to her family again. Since then a happy, but short, time exists for the family of four.

Family Secrets

Kenji Shimamura has trouble being intimate with his girlfriend Noriko after a lifetime of watching his parents bicker over his father’s infidelity. After he spurns her advances, causing her to storm off in an offended rage, he decides it’s time to seek psychological help. Unfortunately that costs money and the best way to earn some quick cash in his family is to spy on his dad for his mother. He quickly discovers his dad has a young girlfriend named Yukari. Figuring the best way to deal with this gracefully is to come clean with Yukari he tells her all about their family and the real estate business his parents run together. Unfortunately, however, his plan backfires. Instead of being scared off Yukari applies for a job at the family business and befriends Kenji’s mother, setting up a chain of events that makes things awkward for everyone involved.

Nabbie's Love

Nanako returns to her hometown on the tiny island of Aguni to meet her grandmother Nabbie. However, when Nanako's ferry arrives, it is also carrying Nabbie's former lover, who has returned to Aguni after a long absence.