Miss Osaka

Ines, a young Danish woman, follows her boyfriend Lucas on a business trip to Northern Norway. They arrive and settle into a hotel restaurant where she first encounters Maria, a mysterious Japanese woman. The encounter hints at a new, intoxicating possibility beyond her ordinary life.

Maria explains she works in a club where you could be who you want to be, a place for dreamers and freedom. Her enigmatic charm fascinates Ines, and their conversation deepens quickly. The mood is charged with curiosity as the night unfolds.

Ines and Maria go for a drive and spend an unforgettable night beneath the aurora lights. They share drinks and a sense of liberation, blurring lines between fascination and danger. By dawn, their bond has shifted, leaving Ines exhilarated and unsettled.

Drunk and asleep in the car by the cold riverside, Ines wakes to find Maria missing. Only Maria's red shoes remain at the water's edge, a chilling sign that something tragic has happened. Ines realizes that Maria is dead, though the details are still unclear.

Gripped by panic but determined, Ines uses Maria's passport and plane ticket to fly to Japan. She assumes Maria's identity to begin anew, leaving the Norway trip behind. The act marks the start of a dangerous double life.

Ines arrives in Sakai City and moves into Maria's apartment, trying to blend into Maria's life. She adopts Maria's belongings and identity as she searches for stability. The sense of guilt and secrecy weighs on her as she settles in.

Using Maria's business card for Miss Osaka Mimi-ko, she visits the nightclub in downtown Osaka. She learns that Mimi-ko is the most popular hostess and begins to be drawn into the city's nightlife. The visit marks the transition from observer to participant in a world of curated affections.

She is hired with the professional name April and starts working as a hostess at Miss Osaka. The role demands charm, performance, and emotional control as patrons seek fantasy rather than truth. Ines adapts quickly, learning the rhythms of the club.

A regular customer named Shigeo, highly esteemed, becomes a central figure in Mimi-ko's orbit. Ines, as April, learns the rules and etiquette of the hostess world and develops a tense dynamic with him. He believes she can deliver something unique, setting the stage for a dangerous dependence.

Ines arranges a trip to a Keirin race with Shigeo and wins big for the first time. The victory fuels Shigeo's obsession with Mimi-ko and deepens his fixation on Ines. The episode demonstrates Ines's growing power in a superficial yet perilous world.

Ines becomes Shigeo's partner, but she can no longer keep what happened to Maria a secret. The truth threatens both her cover and her safety as the relationships become more real. The tension between her past and present intensifies.

Ayano, a club colleague, begins to suspect Ines's true identity and motives. Realizing the risk, Ines quits the club and leaves Maria's apartment to avoid being found out. She relocates to a capsule hotel, seeking anonymity and a new start.

Back in Norway, investigators locate Maria's body, confirming her death. The revelation underscores the consequences of Ines's deception and the guilt that follows her across continents. The story closes a loop between Norway and Japan.