{"id":11665,"date":"2016-02-01T22:08:07","date_gmt":"2016-02-02T03:08:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/?p=11665"},"modified":"2016-04-03T15:05:03","modified_gmt":"2016-04-03T19:05:03","slug":"showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju-anime-early-impressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/2016\/02\/01\/showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju-anime-early-impressions\/","title":{"rendered":"Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju&#8211;Anime Early Impressions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Shouwa-Genroku-Rakugo-Shinju.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11609\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Shouwa-Genroku-Rakugo-Shinju-245x367.jpg\" alt=\"Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinju\" width=\"245\" height=\"367\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-11609\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Shouwa-Genroku-Rakugo-Shinju-245x367.jpg 245w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Shouwa-Genroku-Rakugo-Shinju-100x150.jpg 100w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Shouwa-Genroku-Rakugo-Shinju-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Shouwa-Genroku-Rakugo-Shinju.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\" \/><\/a><em>Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju<\/em> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.crunchyroll.com\/showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju\">Crunchyroll<\/a>) is the second most impressive new <a href=\"\/fun\/terms-used-in-anime-reviews#anime\">anime<\/a> of this season, after <a href=\"\/fun\/2016\/01\/25\/erased-anime-early-impressions\/\"><em>ERASED<\/em><\/a>. Both are serious dramas but with very different tones. <em>ERASED<\/em> begins on such a dark tragic note that it pretty much has to have a happy ending. <em>Showa-Shinju<\/em> has a much more whimsical tone, but we can be pretty sure that we are going to see some tragic events.<\/p>\n<p><a href='javascript:void(null);' onclick=\"s_toggleDisplay(document.getElementById('SID304801072'), this, 'Show &#9660;', 'Hide &#9650;');\">Show &#9660;<\/a><\/p>\n<div id='SID304801072' style='display:none;'>\n<p>The title &#8220;<em>shouwa genroku rakugo shinjuu<\/em>&#8221; means &#8220;Rakugo Lovers&#8217; Suicide in the Economic Boom Years.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The story revolves around the Japanese art of Rakugo (traditional storytelling.) The artist, or <em>rakugoka<\/em>, sits on a bare stage and acts out the parts of all the characters in the story while remaining seated, using only a fan and a small cloth as props. The stories are long and whimsical and often somewhat bawdy.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Rakugo.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11676\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Rakugo-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Rakugo\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11676\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Rakugo-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Rakugo-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Rakugo-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Rakugo-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Rakugo.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Yotarou.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11668\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Yotarou-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Yotarou\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Yotarou-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Yotarou-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Yotarou-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Yotarou-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Yotarou.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nAt the beginning of our story, in the 1960s, a young man gets out of prison and takes it into his head to become the apprentice of the world&#8217;s greatest <em>rakogoka<\/em>, a man called <strong>Kikuhiko Yakumo<\/strong>. (&#8220;Kikuhiko&#8221; is his stage name and &#8220;Yakumo&#8221; is a title, which he is the eighth to hold. He is usually addressed as &#8220;Yakumo,&#8221; but I will refer to him as &#8220;Kikuhiko&#8221; to avoid confusion.)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Matsuda.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11671\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Matsuda-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Matsuda\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11671\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Matsuda-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Matsuda-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Matsuda-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Matsuda-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Matsuda.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nOur hero goes to the theater and accosts a man cleaning a car outside, demanding to know how to meet the great artist. (This guy turns out to be <strong>Matsuda<\/strong>, Kikuhiko&#8217;s faithful servant.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Accosting-Matsuda.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11672\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Accosting-Matsuda-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Accosting Matsuda\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11672\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Accosting-Matsuda-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Accosting-Matsuda-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Accosting-Matsuda-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Accosting-Matsuda-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Accosting-Matsuda.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nMatsuda tries to discourage him, saying that the Yukumo is unavailable and in any case would never take on an apprentice.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Kikuhiko-with-Matsuda.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11674\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Kikuhiko-with-Matsuda-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Kikuhiko with Matsuda\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11674\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Kikuhiko-with-Matsuda-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Kikuhiko-with-Matsuda-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Kikuhiko-with-Matsuda-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Kikuhiko-with-Matsuda-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Kikuhiko-with-Matsuda.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nAt this point Kikuhiko appears. He is a cantankerous older man with a cold manner who walks with a cane. He uses male speech with some definite feminine overtones, which I take to mean either that he is gay or that years of voicing female parts have affected his speech.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Kneeling.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11679\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Kneeling-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Kneeling\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Kneeling-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Kneeling-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Kneeling-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Kneeling-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Kneeling.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nOur &#8220;hero&#8221; begs Kikuhiko to accept his as his apprentice. Finally Kikuhiko grudgingly agrees, giving him the name <strong>Yotarou<\/strong> (&#8220;fool&#8221;.)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Konatsu.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11680\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Konatsu-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Konatsu\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Konatsu-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Konatsu-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Konatsu-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Konatsu-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Konatsu.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nWhen they return to Kikuhiko&#8217;s house they are greeted by a young woman who is obviously not pleased about Kikuhiko bringing another person into the household. This is <strong>Konatsu<\/strong>. She is Kikuhiko&#8217;s ward, or at least he invited her to live with him after her parents were killed.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yuurakutei-Sukeroku.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11681\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Yuurakutei Sukeroku\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11681\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yuurakutei-Sukeroku.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nShe is the daughter of <strong>Sukeroku<\/strong>, a former colleague and close friend of Kikuhiko. He was quite popular 20 years ago. The circumstances of his death are somewhat obscure. At one point Konatsu angrily accuses Kikuhiko of killing him.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Filmed-performance.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11682\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Filmed-performance-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Filmed performance\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Filmed-performance-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Filmed-performance-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Filmed-performance-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Filmed-performance-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Filmed-performance.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nKonatsu has a huge collection of records and films of her father&#8217;s performances and she studies them obsessively. She would love to perform Rakugo herself but feels it is impossible.<\/p>\n<p>There was no law in the 1960s that said a woman could not perform Rakugo, but Rakugo, like most traditional Japanese art forms, is hidebound and slow to change. The traditional stories were all in the masculine dialect. A woman who performed them in male speech would sound ludicrous to the audience. On the other hand, if she recast them in female speech, then they wouldn&#8217;t be traditional, would they?<\/p>\n<p>Today some women have won acceptance as <em>rakugoka<\/em> but they remain a small minority in a male-dominated craft.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yotarou-and-Konatsu.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11684\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yotarou-and-Konatsu-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Yotarou and Konatsu\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yotarou-and-Konatsu-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yotarou-and-Konatsu-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yotarou-and-Konatsu-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yotarou-and-Konatsu-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Yotarou-and-Konatsu.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nSince Kikuhiko has little interest in teaching most of what Yotarou learns is from Konatsu.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/A-long-night.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11685\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/A-long-night-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"A long night\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11685\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/A-long-night-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/A-long-night-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/A-long-night-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/A-long-night-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/A-long-night.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nAt the end of the first episode, after an evening filled with emotional conflict, Kikuhiko agrees to teach Yotarou more seriously. He also agrees to tell Yotarou and Konatsu the full story of his relationship with Sukeroku since that is the key to his dream of restoring the art of Rakugo to its former glory.<\/p>\n<p>Thus begins an extended flashback sequence that will occupy the next few episodes.<\/p>\n<p>The story begins back in the early 1930s. Kikuhiko, then known as <strong>Bon<\/strong>, was the son of a geisha and had been studying traditional music and dance. A leg injury that would leave him dependent on a cane for the rest of his life put an end to that career before it had even begun.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-and-Kikuhiko.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11687\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-and-Kikuhiko-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Young Sukeroku and Kikuhiko\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11687\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-and-Kikuhiko-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-and-Kikuhiko-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-and-Kikuhiko-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-and-Kikuhiko-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-and-Kikuhiko.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nHis mother decided that he should become a <em>rakugoka<\/em> and arranged to apprentice him to the great master <strong>Yuurakutei Yakumo<\/strong> (the seventh to hold that title.)<\/p>\n<p>On the way to his house they are accosted by a dirty little street urchin named <strong>Shin<\/strong> who has been sneaking into Rakugo performances and wants to become a <em>rakugoka<\/em> himself.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-and-Sukeroku.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11689\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-and-Sukeroku-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Young Kikuhiko and Sukeroku\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11689\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-and-Sukeroku-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-and-Sukeroku-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-and-Sukeroku-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-and-Sukeroku-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-and-Sukeroku.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nWhile Yuurakutei and Bon are sizing each other up Shin bursts in and demands to be accepted as an apprentice as well.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Both-Apprentices.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11690\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Both-Apprentices-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Both Apprentices\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11690\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Both-Apprentices-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Both-Apprentices-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Both-Apprentices-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Both-Apprentices-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Both-Apprentices.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nSurprisingly Yuurakutei sees promise in the uncouth little boy and agrees to take both of them on. He gives them the stage names <strong>Kikuhiko<\/strong> and <strong>Hatsutarou<\/strong>. (As his apprentices they will perform as &#8220;Yuurakutei Kikuhiko&#8221; and &#8220;Yuurakutei Hatsutarou.&#8221;)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-performing.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11692\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-performing-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Young Sukeroku performing\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11692\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-performing-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-performing-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-performing-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-performing-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Sukeroku-performing.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nHatsutarou proves to have a natural gift for the art. The audiences are amused by his easygoing, unpretentious and often uncouth style.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-performing.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11693\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-performing-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Young Kikuhiko performing\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-performing-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-performing-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-performing-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-performing-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Young-Kikuhiko-performing.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nThough he is a more serious student Kikuhiko has much more difficulty. His stiff and formal delivery does not engage the audiences.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Wartime-breakup.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11694\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Wartime-breakup-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Wartime breakup\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11694\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Wartime-breakup-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Wartime-breakup-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Wartime-breakup-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Wartime-breakup-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Wartime-breakup.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nBy 1941 times had become hard for the art of Rakugo. Wartime privation (and the fact that the military government had banned all but the cleanest and most innocuous stories) caused the audience to disappear.<\/p>\n<p>Yuurakutei decides to take a job entertaining the troops in Manchuria. He takes Shin with him, but he sends his wife to the relative safety of the countryside and orders Bon to go with her.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Roommates.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11695\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Roommates-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Roommates\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11695\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Roommates-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Roommates-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Roommates-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Roommates-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Roommates.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nAfter the war they all make their way back to what is left of Tokyo and start the difficult task of rebuilding the art of Rakugo. Bon and Shin (who has changed his stage name to &#8220;Sukeroku&#8221;) are now considered <em>futatsume<\/em> or journeymen performers. They live together in a small apartment. They bicker constantly since their temperaments are so different.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11696\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Miyukichi\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11696\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nAt this point the last of the major characters finally shows up. She is <strong>Miyukichi<\/strong>, a young woman who met Yuurakutei in Manchuria and (now being a refugee after the expulsion of the Japanese from their mainland colonies) has followed him to Tokyo. (It is implied that she and Yuurakutei had an illicit affair.)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyokichi-Yuurakutei-Sukeroku.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11697\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyokichi-Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Miyokichi Yuurakutei Sukeroku\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11697\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyokichi-Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyokichi-Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyokichi-Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyokichi-Yuurakutei-Sukeroku-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyokichi-Yuurakutei-Sukeroku.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nYuurakutei gets her a job as a &#8220;geisha.&#8221; She would not, of course, be accepted as a real geisha which takes many years of training. Presumably she is one of the fake geishas who used to entertain American troops who couldn&#8217;t tell the difference.<\/p>\n<p>We must keep in mind that Kikuhiko is telling this story to Yotarou and Konatsu and he has reason to be discreet.<br \/>\n<a href='javascript:void(null);' onclick=\"s_toggleDisplay(document.getElementById('SID245599071'), this, 'Show &#9660;', 'Hide &#9650;');\">Show &#9660;<\/a><\/p>\n<div id='SID245599071' style='display:none;'>\n<p>We know from a brief remark in Episode 1 that Miyokichi is Konatsu&#8217;s mother.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-Kikuhiko.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11699\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-Kikuhiko-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Miyukichi Kikuhiko\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11699\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-Kikuhiko-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-Kikuhiko-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-Kikuhiko-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-Kikuhiko-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Miyukichi-Kikuhiko.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nYuurakutei encourages Miyokichi to try to seduce Kikuhiko, hoping that an affair with her will loosen him up. Kikuhiko resists her charms but agrees to tutor her in traditional music and dance.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Group-portrait.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Group-portrait-550x309.jpg\" alt=\"Group portrait\" width=\"550\" height=\"309\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Group-portrait-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Group-portrait-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Group-portrait-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Group-portrait-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Group-portrait.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nThis will have to be a sufficient introduction since this is all I know so far.<\/p>\n<p>I do want to note that the production values in this anime are surprisingly good. It&#8217;s surprising because this is from Studio DEEN, a studio I associate with cheap crappy animation. In this case they clearly regard this as a prestige show and are willing to pay for high-quality animation and artwork.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju (Crunchyroll) is the second most impressive new <a href=\"\/fun\/terms-used-in-anime-reviews#anime\">anime<\/a> of this season, after ERASED. Both are serious dramas but with very different tones. ERASED begins on such&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/2016\/02\/01\/showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju-anime-early-impressions\/\">Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[655],"class_list":["post-11665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anime","tag-showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11665"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11712,"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11665\/revisions\/11712"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bugfox.net\/fun\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}