Strawberry Shortcakes (2006)

Strawberry Shortcakes (2006) follows the intertwined lives of four women navigating the complexities of life and love in a bustling city. Satoko (Ikewaki Chizuru), recently heartbroken, finds solace in her mundane job at a call girl service and her peculiar ritual of drinking beer and praying to a small stone she considers divine. Her colleague Akiyo (Nakamura), with a morbid fascination with death, saves money for a high-rise apartment, planning to end her life dramatically. Akiyo's comfort comes from drinking with her secret love, Kikuchi (Ando Masanobu). Meanwhile, Toko (Iwase Toko), a reclusive illustrator, spirals into a binge-eating phase after learning her ex-boyfriend is getting married and struggles with her assignment to draw God. Toko's roommate, Chihiro (Nakagoshi Noriko), appears cheerful but is deeply lonely despite her materialistic pursuits and her relationship with an egotistical boyfriend (Kase Ryo). These four women, each with their unique struggles, search for happiness and meaning in their isolated urban lives.