Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu – 08

This was an episode of emotional baggage and we got plenty from our cast. This was a great episode in how it developed our characters and foreshadowed the troubles to come. I believe I have misunderstood Sukeroku’s intent with his Rakugo. I am now convinced that Sukeroku’s aloof exterior hides the mind of a truly intelligent man. After all, what carefree simpleton takes the time to think though the future of his profession and realise that his art needed to change in order to match the times. Sukeroku’s solution is an interesting one; to have a Rakugo performers that’s experimental and adapts the art. And to have one to keep the traditions of old alive. It’s a good strategy; after all despite the being at the advent of VR gaming, the love of traditional 2D side scrollers as not diminished in the slightest. But Sukeroku’s path is a thorny one as evidenced but the masters reluctance to move up his rank as a performer. For people don’t like change and Sukerokus efforts to keep Rakugo relevant might end up destroying his career. In his words that two people before them intended to inherit his master’s name; one succeeded while the other died penniless in a theater. I fear these words will be prophetic to the fate of Sukeroku himself.

Miyokichi laying bare her soul to Sukeroku was also rather telling as she explains just how she has been used by men over the years. She’s smart enough to know Yakumo is cutting her off but it makes it all the more painful when he’s the only person she’s ever truly desired. Sokerokus embrace was a rather sudden move but to me it felt calculated. He did it quickly and without any passion. To me it felt like he knew Yakumo was around and purposefully gave off the wrong impression in order to get a reaction out of Yakumo; to show Miyokichi that he really cared.  Him shouting at Yakumo to go after her does show that he supports them and is rather contradictory considering what he just did. But perhaps he simply intended to comfort Miyokichi. However it backfired and Yakumo only made clear his disinterest in her sexually. I believe it when he said he loved her and the master telling him he can’t begin a family with a girl like her looks to be his excuse. Though in the old days of Japan such a thing could hurt his standing in the Rakugo world. It’s possible Miyokichi could be happy just standing by his side as she said however there are few who could stay in a position and never desire more later down the road.

The master also has a small bit of development as it seems that he doesn’t believe he truly lived up to the name he inherited from his master. This may be referring back to the man Sukeroku mentioned as perhaps he had a similar rivalry and felt inferior to the man Sukeroku got his love of Rakugo from. In fact perhaps that is the reason he took in Sukeroku in the first place. I think Yakumo’s feelings in in this episode could be greatly misinterpreted. Of course I could be wrong in my assessment but to me it felt clear what Yakumo was talking about when he considered being with Sukeroku painful. He cares for Sukeroku but he reminds him of the rakugo he can never do and the traits he can never have. Yakumo admires him but in looking at him he can only find the faults with himself become all the more glaring. I am reminded of the relationship between Guts and Griffith from Berserk; which was also considered having homoerotic undertones. Yakumo stated that he could simply just fall back and enjoy being a friend/caretaker of Sukeroku, but Yakumo wants to stand on the same stage as Sukeroku. As an equal. From how things look; Shouwa Genroku is building towards a tragedy. The events that lead to the future from the first episode are coming into place; it’s just a matter of how it all happens.