Arigato, Okan

Hanako is a mother, who was not enthusiastic when her husband took in two foster children some years ago. He died not long afterward, leaving her alone to care for the youngsters, Koya and Torataro, a task that she rose to with a passion. As the two boys graduate from high school, Hanako has become not only a devoted parent but the neighborhood's most reliable mother in the Osaka style: strong, responsible, irreverent. After the two boys leave school they also leave home, though Torataro continues to work in the family factory. Koya secures employment at a restaurant, where he is forced to put up with the bullying of an older colleague. Unable to take it any more, he runs away, and Hanako and Torataro look for him. They eventually find him pursuing his dream of becoming a professional musician.

Directed by Yoshishige Miyake, Arigato, Okan leans on a strong ensemble — Shingo Murakami, Erika Toda, Yuri Nakamura — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2008.