{ "id": "ep4zvsg861", "slug": "the-ramen-girl", "title": "The Ramen Girl (ラーメンガール)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": 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(Toshiyuki Nishida), directed by Robert Allan Ackerman, a Tampopo homage that grossed $179,590 internationally.", "snippet": "The Ramen Girl (ラーメンガール) is a 2008 comedy-drama starring Brittany Murphy as an American stranded in Tokyo who apprentices to ramen chef Maezumi (Toshiyuki Nishida), directed by Robert Allan Ackerman, a Tampopo homage that grossed $179,590 internationally.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-2007-to-2008.yr-2008", "markdown": "# The Ramen Girl (ラーメンガール)\n\n**The Ramen Girl** (ラーメンガール) is a 2008 American comedy-drama-romance film in which Brittany Murphy plays Abby, a young American woman stranded in Tokyo after a breakup who apprentices herself to a gruff ramen-shop owner, Maezumi, played by Toshiyuki Nishida (西田敏行)[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0806165/). Directed by Robert Allan Ackerman from a screenplay by Becca Topol, it was produced by Media 8 [Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/entertainment) and Digital Site Corporation, with Murphy also among the producers[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ramen_girl/reviews/all-critics) • [3](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0007094). The film opened in Japanese theaters on January 17, 2009, distributed by Warner Bros.[4](https://secure.eiga.com/movie/54171/)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director / writer | Robert Allan Ackerman (director and producer); screenplay by Becca Topol[3](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0007094) |\n| Lead cast | Brittany Murphy as Abby; Toshiyuki Nishida as Maezumi; Tsutomu Yamazaki as the Grand Master of Ramen[3](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0007094) • [5](https://thingsasian.com/story/film-review-ramen-girl.html) |\n| Release | Japan January 17, 2009 (Warner Bros.); earliest release January 29, 2009 (Netherlands)[4](https://secure.eiga.com/movie/54171/) • [1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0806165/) |\n| Box office | $179,590 worldwide, entirely international; Singapore $171,808, Netherlands $7,782[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0806165/) |\n| Format | 102 minutes; MPAA PG-13; genres comedy, drama, romance[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0806165/) |\n| Reception | Rotten Tomatoes critics 58%, Metacritic 75, IMDb 7.7 (as compiled by AuteurGraph)[6](https://auteurgraph.com/person/nichita-tanabe/ratings) |\n| Homage | An acknowledged tribute to Juzo Itami's 1985 ramen film *Tampopo*, with Tsutomu Yamazaki repriting his mentor-type role[5](https://thingsasian.com/story/film-review-ramen-girl.html) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nAbby, four years out of college, comes to Tokyo to live with her boyfriend Ethan, who promptly leaves for Osaka indefinitely[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0806165/plotsummary/). Speaking little Japanese and working a dull job as a law-firm gopher, she is miserable until one rainy evening she stumbles into a closed neighborhood ramen shop across from her apartment and pours her heart out to the owner, Maezumi, and his wife Reiko, who understand no English[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0806165/plotsummary/) • [5](https://thingsasian.com/story/film-review-ramen-girl.html). The bowl of ramen Maezumi serves her restores her spirits, and she decides her calling is to make ramen, forcing herself on him as an apprentice despite the language barrier[4](https://secure.eiga.com/movie/54171/).\n\nMaezumi, a short-tempered drinker, assigns her nothing but cleaning and dishwashing for weeks while shouting at her in Japanese[3](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0007094) • [8](https://movie.jorudan.co.jp/film/39682/). When he finally lets her make broth, he dumps batch after batch down the drain: her technique is correct, but the food lacks heart and soul[5](https://thingsasian.com/story/film-review-ramen-girl.html) • [9](https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/37495/ramen-girl-the/). Meanwhile Abby meets Toshi (Sohee Park), a bilingual salaryman with secret dreams of being a rock star, and the two fall in love; when he is posted to Shanghai and asks her to come, she declines in order to finish her training[8](https://movie.jorudan.co.jp/film/39682/).\n\nThe stakes sharpen when Maezumi, stung by fellow chefs mocking him for teaching an American, declares he will quit ramen unless the visiting Grand Master of Ramen (Tsutomu Yamazaki) judges Abby worthy to succeed him[3](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0007094) • [8](https://movie.jorudan.co.jp/film/39682/). Maezumi, estranged from his son, grieves that his secret recipe will die with him; his mother advises Abby that if she cannot add love to her cooking, she should pour in her sorrow[8](https://movie.jorudan.co.jp/film/39682/). Abby's tearful bowl finally carries the missing soul, and she faces the Grand Master's judgment[8](https://movie.jorudan.co.jp/film/39682/).\n\n## Cast and production\n\nMurphy, who had loved the script, joined as both star and producer; Ackerman cast her in the United States, while casting director Yoko Narahashi, known for *The Last Samurai* and *Babel*, introduced him to Nishida, for whom this was a first Hollywood film[10](https://topics.cinematopics.com/archives/16454). The supporting cast includes Yoko Kudo (余貴美子), [Tammy Blanchard](https://www.edgepedia.org/tammy-blanchard), Gabriel Mann, Daniel Evans, and Renji Ishibashi[3](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0007094).\n\nAckerman, who had directed stage productions in Japan many times, said his own experience of culture gap informed the film more than Topol's, and described his theme as a message to Americans to open their hearts to other cultures[10](https://topics.cinematopics.com/archives/16454). He also noted that Murphy and Nishida, initially genuinely irritated with each other, improvised lines back and forth and, like their characters, ended up enjoying the partnership[10](https://topics.cinematopics.com/archives/16454). Most of the film was shot in studios, with short location scenes in Shibuya-ku and in Yokohama[11](https://tokyofox.net/2012/12/10/yokohama-the-ramen-girl-filming-locations/).\n\nThe language barrier is central to the design: Abby and Maezumi never understand each other's speech except through a pocket translation book, and the bilingual Toshi never appears at the ramen shop, so he cannot serve as interpreter[12](https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/215833/3/Thomas_Carter_PhDThesis_2024.pdf).\n\n## The Tampopo connection\n\nThe film is an explicit homage to Juzo Itami's 1985 comedy *Tampopo*, and Ackerman confirmed as much when asked about Yamazaki's casting[5](https://thingsasian.com/story/film-review-ramen-girl.html) • [10](https://topics.cinematopics.com/archives/16454). Yamazaki, who played the mentor Goro in *Tampopo*, appears here as the absurdly pompous Grand Master of Ramen, whose offhand verdicts can start or end careers; DVD Talk called his wordless physical comedy a highlight[5](https://thingsasian.com/story/film-review-ramen-girl.html) • [9](https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/37495/ramen-girl-the/).\n\nThe film's food philosophy is voiced by Maezumi in a much-quoted speech: \"A bowl of ramen is a self-contained universe with life from the sea, the mountains and the earth. All existing in perfect harmony. Harmony is essential. What holds it all together is the broth. The broth gives life to the ramen.\"[13](https://kcuniversal.net/tv-movies/dvd-reviews/the-ramen-girl) A 2024 PhD thesis on transcultural film identifies the transformative power of food, and mealtime as ritual, as a clear theme of the film[12](https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/215833/3/Thomas_Carter_PhDThesis_2024.pdf).\n\n## Release and reception\n\nThe film premiered theatrically in Japan on January 17, 2009, and opened in the Netherlands on January 29, 2009, and in Singapore on May 7, 2009[4](https://secure.eiga.com/movie/54171/) • [1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0806165/). It received no domestic (United States) theatrical release; [Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo) records no domestic gross, with the entire $179,590 worldwide total coming from international markets[1](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0806165/). Image Entertainment released it on DVD in the United States on May 26, 2009, unrated, with a 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer, optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles, non-removable English subtitles over the Japanese dialogue, seventeen deleted scenes, and an extended ending billed as an alternate one[9](https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/37495/ramen-girl-the/).\n\nCritical response was mixed. DVD Talk recommended the film as \"an unassuming, tender comedy\" anchored by Murphy's and Nishida's performances, while noting a distracting subplot involving Gretchen (Tammy Blanchard) and Charlie (Daniel Evans), American poseurs who drift through Abby's story[9](https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/37495/ramen-girl-the/). The Independent's DVD review was dismissive, calling it a vehicle likely to interest mainly viewers obsessed with Japanese cuisine[14](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/dvd-the-ramen-girl-15-1758894.html). A Slant Magazine live-blog review criticized the film's handling of Japanese culture and its gaijin stereotypes[15](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-ramen-girl-live-blog-review/). Aggregated scores compiled by AuteurGraph put the film at 58 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, 75 on Metacritic, and 7.7 on IMDb[6](https://auteurgraph.com/person/nichita-tanabe/ratings).\n\nMurphy died in 2009, the year of the film's release, at age 32[13](https://kcuniversal.net/tv-movies/dvd-reviews/the-ramen-girl) • [3](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0007094). Japanese retrospectives have noted that several of the film's principal actors, including Murphy, Nishida, Ken Maeda, and Tsutomu Yamazaki, died in the years after its release[4](https://secure.eiga.com/movie/54171/).\n\n## References\n\n1. [The Ramen Girl (2008), Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0806165/)\n2. [The Ramen Girl Reviews, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ramen_girl/reviews/all-critics)\n3. [ラーメンガール (2008)：キャスト・あらすじ・作品情報, シネマトゥデイ](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0007094)\n4. [ラーメンガール：作品情報・キャスト・あらすじ, 映画.com](https://secure.eiga.com/movie/54171/)\n5. [Film Review: The Ramen Girl, ThingsAsian (Celeste Heiter, 2010)](https://thingsasian.com/story/film-review-ramen-girl.html)\n6. [Nichita Tanabe Ratings, AuteurGraph](https://auteurgraph.com/person/nichita-tanabe/ratings)\n7. [The Ramen Girl (2008) - Plot - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0806165/plotsummary/)\n8. [The Ramen Girl (2008) Plot and film information, 映画の時間 (Jorudan)](https://movie.jorudan.co.jp/film/39682/)\n9. [Ramen Girl, The, DVD Talk (David Cornelius, 2009)](https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/37495/ramen-girl-the/)\n10. [『ラーメンガール』監督ロバート・アラン・アッカーマン インタビュー, CINEMATOPICS (2009)](https://topics.cinematopics.com/archives/16454)\n11. [Tokyo Filming Locations #12 – The Ramen Girl (2008), Tokyo Fox](https://tokyofox.net/2012/12/10/yokohama-the-ramen-girl-filming-locations/)\n12. [Thomas Carter PhD Thesis (2024), Lancaster Eprints](https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/215833/3/Thomas_Carter_PhDThesis_2024.pdf)\n13. [\"The Ramen Girl\" (2008) DVD Review, KCU](https://kcuniversal.net/tv-movies/dvd-reviews/the-ramen-girl)\n14. [DVD: The Ramen Girl (15), The Independent (2009)](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/dvd-the-ramen-girl-15-1758894.html)\n15. [The Ramen Girl: Live-Blog Review, Slant Magazine (2009)](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-ramen-girl-live-blog-review/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of 2007 to 2008 › Released in 2008*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ramen-girl", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ramen-girl.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"The Ramen Girl (ラーメンガール)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ramen-girl. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[The Ramen Girl (ラーメンガール)](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ramen-girl)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ramen-girl](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ramen-girl). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"The Ramen Girl (ラーメンガール)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ramen-girl. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "The Ramen Girl is a 2008 comedy-drama starring Brittany Murphy as an American stranded in Tokyo who apprentices to ramen chef Maezumi, directed by Robert Allan Ackerman, a Tampopo homage that grossed $179,590 internationally." }