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Megumi Hayashibara Sings Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū Anime's Opening Song

posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Promo video also reveals Tomokazu Seki, Akira Ishida, Yū Kobayashi reprising roles from OAD

The official website of the television anime of Haruko Kumota's historical manga Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū (Shōwa Genroku Era Comic Storytelling) announced on Wednesday that Megumi Hayashibara will perform the anime's opening theme song, with Ringo Sheena composing and arranging the song, and also writing the lyrics. More details on the song, including the title, will be announced in January next year

The website also began streaming a promotional video for the anime on Wednesday. The video introduces the anime's cast:

Text: The setting: Showa Era, Tokyo, Shitamachi
Text: To the last masters of the Showa Era, I am applying for an apprenticeship.
Man: Who is this Yotarō?
Text: Yotarō, a young man just released from prison.
Yotarō: Please let me study your rakugo!
Text: Tomokazu Seki as Yotarō
Kikuhiko: Give it a rest. It's shameful.
Text: Akira Ishida as Kikuhiko, the eight generation Yakumo Yūrakutei
Sukeroku: It's time to show them the script's power.
Text: Kouichi Yamadera as Sukeroku
Konatsu: I hate that part about you!
Text: Yū Kobayashi as Konatsu
Miyokichi: Come again soon.
Text: Megumi Hayashibara as Miyokichi
Text: Sukeroku, a quickly dying rakugo family.
Text: Yakumo, a master who chases after its shadow.
Text: Their fate now revolves
Yotarō: Greetings!
Text: TV Anime Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū, Premieres January 2016 in MBS in the Animeism block.

The previously announced cast includes:

Seki, Ishida, and Kobayashi reprise their roles from the OAD episodes bundled with the manga.

The anime's staff includes:

The manga's seventh volume bundled a "Yotarō-hen Zen-pen" (Yotarō Arc Part I) original anime DVD (OAD) on March 6. A second OAD, "Yotarō-hen Kō-pen" (Yotarō Arc Part II), also shipped with the eighth manga volume on August 7, and the television anime will debut in January.

The story of the original anime DVDs revolves around a mature prisoner who was released on good behavior during Japan's Showa Genroku era (1960s to early 1970s). He is called Yotarō by others, a term that means an "anti-hero" or a "dim-witted man." When he returns to society, he starts a new life in rakugo (comic storytelling). Touched by Yakumo's role as the "grim reaper," he asks the master to take him in as an apprentice.

Kumota began the manga in ITAN in 2010, and the series received the "Best General Manga" prize at the 38th Kodansha Manga Awards, and was also honored with the Excellence Award at the 17th Japan Media Arts Festival Awards. The manga was also nominated for the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2013.


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