Things are looking up for Yakumo, he’s finally found his rhythm, he’s becoming more popular and his talent is being recognized. The only problem is that girl that keeps forcing him to go on dates. Yakumo’s romantic affairs are strange in that he never actively searches for love but inadvertently finds himself in relationships despite that. In his love life it’s often the girl that’s coming on to him instead of the other way around. I don’t think Yakumo ever looked at these girls in a sexual way as his interactions with them often feel distant. I never seen him light up red even when a girl is throwing herself at him. Likewise I feel this is evidence enough that he’s not homosexual as well as he’s never got embarrassed bathing with men either. The time he was most embarrassed and vulnerable was when he was dressed as a woman for the play. Which leads me to believe he has no interest in sexual interaction at all. It was sort of a blessing that Yakumo’s previous girlfriends never stuck around long enough to realise he wasn’t that into them. A blessing our dear Miyokichi does not have. It’s a tragic development that the first man Miyokichi truly falls for is someone who isn’t romantically interested in her at all. Which is one of the main reasons she fell for him in the first place. However with Yakumo’s career taking off it looks like now he’s decided to finally cut her out but from the looks of it this isn’t out of malice or annoyance. I think it’s pretty clear he does care for her seeing as he let her push him into a relationship. But he won’t feel the same love for her as she does for him and is likely nipping the relationship in the bud before things get too serious. It’s cruel but necessary and Miyokichi likely knows that better than anyone. I personally see this as the beginning of her targeting Sukeroku, mainly to get a reaction out of him.
Rakugo wise we have a shift in power as Yakumo looks to be becoming more popular than Sukeroku. Even their master acknowledges Yakumo’s skill over Sukerokus by taking him touring with him which considering how he was previously left behind during the war, must truly mean the world to Yakumo. Sukeroku’s reaction to this is hard to gauge, it could be jealously or him being happy for Yakumo. His demeanor doesn’t change much besides some small reactions. This is just my own thoughts but I think Sukeroku is hiding some more complex feelings under his facade. This is the time when Sukerokus weaknesses are becoming more apparent when contrasted with Yakumo. His disrespect for his seniors, his impulsive experimentation, bad time management and shabbiness of his appearance. Yakumo is trying to help him in his fussy responsible sibling manner but Sukeroku isn’t the man to listen to words asking him to change. I say that it is Sukerokus eccentricities that likely made the master choose Yakumo over him as his Rakugo remains good. Yakumo and Sukeroku have always been opposites and now it seems that just like Yakumo’s weaknesses lay in performing, Sukerokus weaknesses lay outside of it. I think we have moved on to how Sukeroku will improve as a performer and something tells me that the thing to make him straighten up is a certain geisha girl.
You will soon find out why Yakumo was chosen over Sukeroku, and it’s a hell of a reveal. Unfortunately, this marks the start of the downfall for Sukeroku rather than the rise.
Sukeroku is actually as good as ever, and he’s popular. He’s actually the one thinking progressively because he saw what’s coming. The setting again plays an important role. This is the post period where Japan achieved it’s miraculous recovery economically, and how people are starting to change entertaining themselves. He is experimenting for the sake of preserving Rakugo, but the rakugo community treats him as a heretic of a sort which causes trouble for him master