Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Descending Stories: Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū
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treeofjessie
 Posts: 31 |
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oh, i was pretty sure we were intended to understand that yota knew exactly what was up because of the fan yakumo tried to pass on to him. that's textbook suicide behaviour.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11660 |
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^ Yeah, I assumed the fan tipped him off too.
I think you mean pull out, as I don't expect them to pull any punches from here on. They haven't yet. Shinigami-eyed Sukeroku creeps me right out every time he appears in the OP, to the point of almost being a jump-scare.  His appearance as the skeletal Shinigami this episode makes me think that Sukeroku revealing the skeleton beneath Yakumo's robe in the OP is an allusion to Yakumo's own role as Shinigami, which he's been playing since last season. Kinda obvious, I guess, but it only just now gelled for me.
Shin-chan and Yakumo in the bath house was just too adorable. Those two are quite a pair.  I've been thinking this for a long time, but it seems like we see Yakumo smile a lot more this season than in the last one. Sly or reluctant though they may be, it still feels like, despite all his inner turmoil and outer curmudgeony, he's a little less uptight about everything than he used to be.
I think my only criticism of this episode is probably the reaching out for the hand moment (though I totally understand its point and the several reasons they did it that way). I couldn't help but think, "Oh for crying out loud, just jump onto the stage and pick him up! He's only figuratively out on a ledge!" |
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Animepokegirl89
 Posts: 99 Location: Chicago, Illinois |
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Same! First time didn't get me because I wasn't really paying attention to the OP. But the second time however, I was paying attention and it freaked me out a little. Even the scene in the theater. xD Glad I wasn't the only one. xD |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15589 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Same, I don't think I even noticed it the first time, but with some talk of OP changing between episodes, or that I noticed little things, I had my attention on the OP this time and saw red eyes and wondered what this meant.
Actually kind of wonder what might have been the relevance of the Rakugo he performed in prison is to the story. Was it that he was trapped by Rakugo while he should have focused on Miyokichi? Was he supposed to focus on Sukeroku? Was it that he has been so caught up in his own self hatred and death wish, a self imposed prison, that other things important to him might "die"? |
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chaccide
Posts: 295 |
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The death fake outs are wearing thin.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11660 |
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Well, the superficial answer is that he told a prisoner story to prisoners so they could relate to it. As it relates to his own story (or "a story of my own"), I read it as the storehouse being symbolic of his inability to communicate his feelings, in this case telling Miyo that he was more interested in Suke than in her (if you're among those adamant that the Kiku/Sukeroku relationship was purely platonic in nature, then he couldn't tell her how he felt about her. Whatever works for you.) The Chief Clerk is the society that forced him to remain in the closet.
Even though from where I sit the heir was blameless in his lover's death, Yakumo's telling still blames him: "What else can be said but that you killed her?" Which I think is how Yakumo feels about his friends' deaths. Fwiw, the burn he received from the Shinigami's kisssss is in the same place he was licking up Miyo's tears last season.
And as I was saying in the other thread, I also think it's interesting that when Sukeroku appears to him this time, his eyes are not always red. It's only when he's telling him his sins and urging him to let go that they're red. When he's just casually chatting with him and not judging him, they're brown. So I guess my conclusion is that brown-eyed Suke is Yakumo's memory of him, while crimson-eyed Suke is Yakumo's guilt and self-hatred manifesting as a Shinigami. It takes the form of his beloved Suke rather than its source of Yakumo himself because it cuts so much more deeply that way. |
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Merida
 Posts: 1946 |
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So Yakumo finally admitted that he wants to live. I guess a lot of his feelings of guilt came from believing that he should have died with - or maybe instead of - Sukeroku and Miyokichi, but he chose life (as miserable as it might have been...) instead. I hope he can stop feeling guilty about "failing to die" now and live the rest of his years in peace.
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MarshalBanana
 Posts: 5534 |
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The fact that we have seen him grow from childhood makes this very episode very sad. The sprightly young man is now old and unable to take care of himself any longer.
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Merida
Posts: 1946 |
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Gabriella wrote:
Tune in again next time when it's "Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu...and Zombies!" 
But yeah, this episode first warmed my heart and then mercilessly broke it into a thousand little pieces... 
I'm pretty sure Yakumo is dead for good now, it makes sense that he was only able to let go after he was finally at peace. It's kinda cruel that he had to go just when he started to enjoy living for the first time, but that's life for you...and well, Sukeroku was getting impatient on the other side. Stil, i'm a bit surprised that it happened with two more episodes to go. Makes me wonder if we'll get another big time skip. |
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SaitoHajime101
 Posts: 286 |
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I'm figuring here that next episode will be the big reveal to Konatsu about what really happened, probably at the wake or shortly thereafter. Then the final episode is going to be an epilogue of sorts showing how Rakugo evolved from a man's arena to fully accepting female storytellers along with the future lives of all the remaining characters. I think it was completely glossed over in the review, which is okay considering everything else that occurred in this episode. Being that Rakugo is still one of the main focal points of this story that parallels the tragedies that follow Yakumo, the point needs to be made about the evolution of Rakugo as a whole throughout the series. This is especially noticeable when Yotaro asked for new stories that can be done with females as the teller. Granted this specific request was probably more focused towards Konatsu, relating to Yotaro's constant push to have Konatsu perform (remember back to the school performance), however, we can point to big impact on Rakugo that female-told stories can create. It's been subtle throughout, but I feel that is one of the several points that this series wants to get across. It makes Yakumo's dancing in the first season a bit more symbolic as it was implied that, even though his leg ultimately prevented him from continuing dancing, he was still not looked at fondly for dancing in the geisha house (see episode 2 of the first season in the bath house). It mirrors over to Konatsu's love for Rakugo, however with no ability to step into the scene due to gender domination. While in the end I feel some of what I said is a bit of a stretch, it can be interpreted that way and wouldn't be a terrible idea at all. This is what makes series good is when everyone can take something different out of it. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11660 |
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I'm probably wrong or in denial, but I don't think he's dead yet (just a touch of sleep apnea - yeah, that's it!). Hard to tell just from that little bit, but the lack of Miyokichi tells me he can't go yet, since I still think the Inari brothel rakugo implies that they all have to move on together. But if she shows up on the boardwalk next week, then he's gone.
I also don't think he would carry the burn scar and bandage into the afterlife if he's truly made peace with everything. I do believe the Sukeroku that met him is the "real" one, and not the Shinigami one, which is in keeping with the warm welcome. But I think Sukeroku's going to send him back, probably because of the unfinished business about the night of the deaths. Maybe Miyokichi needs that to be known, before she can move on. I certainly do! >.> The other thing that makes me think he's not permanently dead is the end of the OP, where the candle flame flickers to life rather than going out as it does in the previous episodes. As in Shinigami, he earned his reprieve by lighting another candle and passing on his flame before it was too late. I realize that's a metaphor for living on in other people's memories or in one's children, but in Rakugo it's kind of impossible to separate metaphor and reality into neat, separate piles.
Speaking of that, I thought it was interesting that they said there were multiple points of ignition for the fire when we only saw Yakumo throw the one candle... ::cue spooky music:: And congrats on the baby! I'm happy to know they haven't just been a platonic couple this whole time for the sake of Shin. Also, Higuchi's excitement over his new stories (and those huge eyes!) made me laugh. He can be devious, but at heart he's a sweetie.
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Knoepfchen
 Posts: 698 |
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First the reconciliation, then the rakugo montage. Cherry blossoms being what they are, all the alarm bells are ringing (both in Nozarashi and in my head), making me sob before they even start throwing petals. Don't throw the petals, Shinnosuke! Stop singing, Yotaro! No hope is left when they make the pact. Happiness is as fleeting as the cherry blossoms, and so they have to be blown away into the darkness.
Oh. My. Heart. Sorry, all my favorite things in the world. Currently, this show has you beat. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15589 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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I really do often end up surprised of the depth of this series. I did not even catch that the conversation about him wishing he planted a cherry blossom tree was about wishing he had encouraged and cultivated Konatsu as a rakugo performer. Although I do guess that Konatsu did come out simply ask him to be her master, that in those moments he fully accepted Konatsu as being able to perform.
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Faeris
 Posts: 50 |
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Any idea if this season will be 12 or 13 episodes?
I need to be emotionally prepared. |
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crosswithyou
 Posts: 2900 Location: California |
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12 episodes. |
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