Descending Stories: Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū

Episode 4

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu has finally delivered on something I've been waiting for since the beginning of the show—Konatsu gets to perform rakugo again! Yessssss. This has been coming on for a long time, not just in terms of episode count, but within the show's universe as well. This episode begins with a timeskip of about five years or so. Baby Shin is now kindergartner Shin, and Yotaro's career has taken off to the point where he's filling up theaters and making regular appearances on television. Meanwhile, Konatsu still struggles with stage fright, but she has picked up the shamisen to start accompanying rakugo performances. At this point, she's still struggling from some pretty serious internalized misogyny. All her life, Yakumo taught her that it isn't a woman's place to perform rakugo, and even that her very presence is a disgrace to that venerable institution. It's been sad to compare Konatsu's closed off, defensive adult-self to her child-self, who happily performed rakugo in imitation of her father. Yakumo, fueled by resentment and misguided concern, cut off that part of her in his rearing, leading to the tense relationship that they have now.

After a lifetime of these teachings, the biggest obstacle that Konatsu faces to performing is herself. By now, she's become afraid to go on stage and won't take up opportunities to do so, even though she deeply, obviously yearns to perform. In the end, it's her husband Yotaro who pushes her to take the plunge. Performing before an audience of her son's classmates, her status as a woman and a mother gives new meaning to the routine she performs – Jugemu – which is about (perhaps overzealous) doting love for a child. While Konatsu insists that she doesn't plan to perform again, this was a major crack in her defenses, and I doubt that her negative resolve will last for much longer. This was a big step in Konatsu's journey toward healing, as well as the preservation of rakugo as a whole. Allowing women into the profession (especially women as talented, knowledgeable, and passionate as Konatsu) will be a big part of making the art relevant again, as well as ensuring its historical preservation. With rakugo down to a handful of performers, current masters have no right to exclude potential practitioners on the basis of something as arbitrary as their sex.

Unfortunately, as Yakumo – the current most venerable elder in the rakugo world – descends more fully into his twilight years, he's only becoming more and more of a stickler for those antiquated traditions. He's a jerk to Konatsu over Shin-chan's presence in the back room. (Women were previously excluded from this space, as were “feminine duties” like childcare even by men.) Konatsu still listens to him on issues concerning rakugo, so their confrontation/reconciliation is of immediate importance to her future as a performer. Yakumo also rebuffs Higuchi's attempt to show him some new rakugo routines that he's written. In spite of this, Higuchi remains committed to his goal of thwarting Yakumo's intended “lover's suicide” with rakugo. It's good to know that while Konatsu is paralyzed by her own insecurities, and Yotaro is too goodhearted to fully comprehend Yakumo's goals, Higuchi remains on the alert.

The only good thing about Yakumo right now is that he's passive, primarily making rakugo decrepit through inaction and the occasional harsh word for Konatsu. I'd really like to know more about how he feels toward his grandson. Shin-chan seems physically comfortable with his grandfather, but Yakumo seems a bit awkward and passive-aggressive toward him. At the same time, he does seem to have taken on some caretaking duties. Yakumo probably harbors some complicated feelings over Shin-chan's resemblance to his deceased friend, and I'd like to see those feelings explored more in-depth. Yakumo must be in his 70s by now, so time is running short for him to sort out his issues.

While we're still on the subject of character relationships, it's been heartening to watch Konatsu and Yotaro fall genuinely in love over the past several years of show-time. At the beginning of the episode, while the two of them still don't seem to be fully intimate, they've at least become comfortable as a pair, and they're full-fledged partners in raising Shin-chan. Yotaro's encouragement for Konatsu to work through her issues and embrace her desire to perform is as positive a gesture of love as could be. It's stuff like this that turns their marriage-of-convenience for Shin's sake into a true interpersonal union. It's a unique romance for anime, and I look forward to seeing its continued development.

Overall, this has been a fairly straightforward but important episode of Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. Of course, every episode is important – this isn't the type of show that has the occasional dump week or even exceptionally climactic episodes. It maintains a consistent standard of excellence, and this week was no exception.

Grade: A

Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Gabriella Ekens studies film and literature at a US university. Follow her on twitter.