Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Descending Stories: Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11348 |
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You know, "Lovers' Suicide" is in the title, so I think complaints now about any "soap opera" type developments are a little late. 
I also don't understand the rest of this post. Convenient? That's how people form relationships. Random people come into their lives at random, and if circumstances allow, and they spend a lot of time around them, relationships develop. He "gets to be" her husband because he convinced her to allow it in name only for the sake of her child (aka "reasons"). But having seen him behave less like the awkward dumbass she's known once he took on that role of husband and father (yeah, responsibility does that to people sometimes) she's starting to re-evaluate him, but she's still far from feeling romantic toward him. The brother-sister relationship they've had is still the dominant feeling (he still calls his wife "sis"), but since they weren't raised together, nor remotely related, there's nothing morally or psychologically stopping those feelings from changing (on her side - he's been half in love with her from the beginning). And I agree with Merida that if the yakuza boss is the father, it could have been that she simply was attracted to him. He's not old and decrepit looking by any means. >.> And she probably thought it wouldn't hurt her baby to have a powerful protector on its side. That he apparently didn't make any possessive demands of her was also probably a plus she'd be hard pressed to find elsewhere.
You know, I honestly can't tell if this is sarcasm or not. I'll take it at face value and say "wut?" 
I guess I can see not liking Yotaro, but I'm warming up to him as his character gets more development. He's not a bad person, and Konatsu has spent years alongside him, with him acting as the buffer between her and Yakumo. Of course she doesn't hate him or refuse to have anything to do with him. He's like an annoying littler brother to her, but they have a lot of history together, so she wouldn't banish him from her life, even if she could. But depending on what you mean by "good performances" I have to disagree. While most of the performances from Yotaro haven't been good ones (which is the point), they've been excellent as a window into his character, and no less visually riveting than any we were treated to last season. Even though he hasn't been my favorite character up to now, I still cringed for his death on stage and sympathize with someone with his rough background trying to make it in a refined, defined, and tradition-steeped performance art. He's the proverbial round peg trying to jam himself into the square hole and the fit is awkward and painful. If even Yakumo can show him some compassion, so can I. 
And the core characters aside, the one I'm most interested in this season is Higuchi. He's already shown a lot of facets to his personality, and I think he's going to be the pivot for a lot of dramatic turns this season. At least we'll get to the bottom of the first season's story, which I still don't believe was the truth. |
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AholePony
 Posts: 330 Location: Arizona |
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I still think it's convenient considering the stigma a criminal has in that society let alone I can't buy into her loving him though it's easy to see that's where the story is likely going. Yes yes opposites attract etc. etc. but I just don't buy this "forced" feeling romance. Maybe an episode with lots of flashbacks of the good times the two of them enjoyed but we never saw would help.... I was stating a personal opinion anyway. If you are OK with this "ship" that's great, just doesn't work for me at all. Maybe I'm not a fan of Stockholm syndrome, because that's what this feels like. She miserable, her childhood was oppressive, hey here's this random ex-con (but he was a fall guy so it's OK), I guess she'll marry him. If you sell it as self-destructive behavior I can almost believe it, I still don't really see myself enjoying this season much.
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killjoy_the
 Posts: 2459 |
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She apparently had a kid with a gangster just for the sake of having a kid, I'd say falling for an ex-con is a step up from that.
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SnowyLightning44
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Hmmm that time skip didn't feel very well placed for me, I would've preferred to see Yotaro at least improve a bit visibly (be it in public image or in rakugo skill) instead of just being briefly told that his 'new' found popularity was kind of just by chance but oh well. In contrast I loved that we got to see Konatsu perform some rakugo (even if she was pretty much pushed into it) and the whole scene was pretty heartwarming; I'm beginning to like Yotaro even more as a character after this episode but unfortunately Yakumo still doesn't seem to be switching out of his 'grumpy old man' personality (not that that seems like a problem narrative wise, I just would personally like to see him change a little as Konatsu has).
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Parsifal24
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I was a little worried about how or even if Konatsu would end up performing Rakugo but no it actually happened showing that Kobayashi, Yuu turned in a fantastic performance filled with all kinds of layers and emotional depth. While the Rakugo performance showed in impressive range in her line delivery in short Kobayashi's performance made the entire episode.
While character animation is expressive, natural, and emotive with out falling into being overblown or slapstick. While sound design continues to be superb with it's creaking floor boards to the twang of Shamisen as well the crowds. Where the series will go after this I have no idea I really do hope Konatsu gets another chance to perform because so far her performance is as good as Kiku's performance of Shinigami in season one. |
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Angel M Cazares
 Posts: 5424 Location: Iscandar |
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If I am not mistaken women have traditionally been banned from performing Rakugo for hundreds of years, but the reviewer seems to be implying that Yakumo 8 came up with this sexist practice to punish Konatsu. I assume Yakumo 8 has the power to end this ban, but he is too stubborn to do it.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11348 |
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^ I'm not sure what was said for you to come away with that impression, but I think Gabriella's point was that yes, Yakumo probably does have the power to alter that tradition, but did not see fit to do so, and his continuing those teachings during Konatsu's formative years has resulted in her internalizing this as the way things should be.
Given his own love-hate relationship with rakugo, I still think in his heart of hearts Yakumo has actively discouraged her from taking it up not only out of tradition, but to spare her the heartbreak rakugo has caused him. Especially now that he's in his "let it die with me" stage, it would not make sense for him to support her becoming a performer now. Shin seems to have inherited a bit of his grandmother's looks and manipulative nature as well as his grandfather's. Kid can chariz the socks off off everyone around him, even Yakumo. What a great performance from Konatsu (and kudos to Yuu Kobayashi)! She also seems to have taken a few child-wrangling tips from the parasyte Reiko Tamiya.
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Merida
 Posts: 1945 |
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Agreed. All these time skips got me a bit worried that we may never get a satisfactory conclusion to Yakumo's character arc. If they continue at this pace, he might be dead in another couple of episodes...as much as i enjoy seeing developments for the other characters, Yakumo is still the one i care about the most, so i hope the focus will switch back on him before it's too late. His expression while looking at Sukeroku's fan broke my heart... 
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chaccide
Posts: 295 |
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I know that Yotaro's bad performances are the point and that the anime portrays them well, but I cannot stand watching them. I hate every moment I have to. How often do we have to watch him fail? I don't even like his supposedly new and improved act.
Konatsu though, hers was a breath of fresh air, and I forgive Yotaro his annoying presence in the rest of the show for pushing her out onto that stage. |
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Angel M Cazares
Posts: 5424 Location: Iscandar |
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But what broke Yakumo's heart is what happened with his beloved Sukeroku. Rakugo is painful for Yakumo because it is deeply tied to his painful memories. I don't think that performing Rakugo would hurt Konatsu; on the contrary Rakugo would fulfill her. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11348 |
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That's true. You know it and I know it, but to Yakumo, this is a dying artform (in part because he refused to help keep it alive, having lost the will to do so after Sukeroku's death), and he's more than willing to see it go. So why would he suddenly shift gears and welcome her into the all-male tradition, supporting her against that tradition, only to have it all crumble beneath her feet once he's gone (as he fully expects to happen)? As far as he knows, she's made peace with that, so he'd just be adding to his guilt over failing to uphold his promise with Sukeroku while compounding his daughter's grief.
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Faeris
 Posts: 50 |
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I just want to say that seeing Konatsu performing in front of an audience, even if it was just little kids, had me in tears. It was a weird thing though because I've been in this like/dislike mental relationship with her most of the time but I still felt that moment so much.
and damn it, I'm pretty sure yakumo's going to die at some point of this season and damn, get ready, everyone. |
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wisosa
Posts: 1 |
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The "is Yakumo trans" question is interesting and goes with the playing the roles that society assigned us theme. I guess we'll have to wait till next week to see where he/she fits into The Tale of Genji but for now, all the evidence that point to Yakumo being trans could also be used to come to the conclusion that he is gay. It's not uncommon for gay men to possess feminine qualities or identify with female characters or enjoy certain levels of cross-dressing, express discontent with the restrictions of masculinity etc. I guess I'm just saying I'm sceptical on that particular reading and I'll wait to see what happens next.
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chaccide
Posts: 295 |
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Interesting interview with the seiyuu for Yakumo and Miyukichi about the roles they play :
https://karice.wordpress.com/2017/01/07/p554/ https://karice.wordpress.com/2017/01/14/p555/ They've some insights into the characters. |
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Dop.L
Posts: 714 Location: London |
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The scene after Yakumo is trying to say something to Yotaro and we all know what it is, and then as they carry Yakumo off on a stretcher, Yotaro tells Konatsu he can't go, he has to stay behind and do rakugo, and Konatsu tells him that yes, he's the only one here who can. That was a brilliant scene.
Yotaro managed to put being worried sick behind him and give a stellar performance under major stress, even if it was a bit rushed and then he had to go. Have to admit I had a tear in my eye when Yakumo came to. |
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