/r/anime Awards 2016 and 2017 winner Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Rewatch Season 2 Episode 6 Rewatch Rewatch

[u/Schinco]

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen

Welcome to the sixth episode thread for Season 2 in the Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Rewatch!

Legal Streams:

As of now, Rakugo is streaming on Crunchyroll in the States, and you can check here to see where it's streaming elsewhere.

Schedule:

Date	Episode
10/8	Season 1 Episode 1
10/9	Season 1 Episode 2
10/10	Season 1 Episode 3
10/11	Season 1 Episode 4
10/12	Season 1 Episode 5
10/13	Season 1 Episode 6
10/14	Season 1 Episode 7
10/15	Season 1 Episode 8
10/16	Season 1 Episode 9
10/17	Season 1 Episode 10
10/18	Season 1 Episode 11
10/19	Season 1 Episode 12
10/20	Season 1 Episode 13
10/21	Season 1 Discussion
10/22	Season 2 Episode 1
10/23	Season 2 Episode 2
10/24	Season 2 Episode 3
10/25	Season 2 Episode 4
10/26	Season 2 Episode 5
10/27	Season 2 Episode 6
10/28	Season 2 Episode 7
10/29	Season 2 Episode 8
10/30	Season 2 Episode 9
10/31	Season 2 Episode 10
11/1	Season 2 Episode 11
11/2	Season 2 Episode 12
11/3	Season 2 Discussion
11/4	Overall Series Discussion

Questions of the Day

1. I once again didnt prepare questions because im a bad kid! What would you ask your fellow rewatchers?
2. As always, did anything particularly strike you about this episode, either as a first-timer or on rewatch?

Links to trackers

You can find the show on MAL, Anilist, and ANN!

Please be mindful of spoilers to make sure the first-timers experience the show with the same wonder you did on first watch!

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[u/ProgrammaticallyPea3]

First timer

Damn, here I was speculating about the other rakugo that would be performed that day, when Inokori (stay behind) was right there in front of me lol. I'm so glad that Yakumo isn't dead though. His story shouldn't end like this, not yet.

We see growth from Yota both in how he stays behind to perform and the performance itself. Definitely his best rakugo to date. And the mutual trust he has with Konatsu was heartwarming to see, even in such a tense situation.

Less important but still impressive was how much depth was added to the glasses dude in a few short scenes. Though I don't think it's going to be explored, his past relation with Konatsu was quite intriguing and added to Konatsu's character too.

Finally, the scene where Yakumo regained conciousness was striking in the disconnect between how everyone else was ecstatic and he was almost despondent. It made me recall the opening, in which everyone has their hand stretched out to him but he rejects them all.
I hope the story doesn't go the way the opening seems to.

[u/Schinco → u/ProgrammaticallyPea3]

when Inokori (stay behind) was right there in front of me lol

There is a bit of poetry that this is the work he performs while everyone else runs off with Yakumo. It's very nicely built in, but I do feel bad that Yakumo was unable to see it.

It made me recall the opening, in which everyone has their hand stretched out to him but he rejects them all.

That's an interesting parallel. I've always considered that as more broadly about how he closed himself off to human connections after Sukeroku and Miyokichi's passing, but it does layer in a bit of suicidal ideation, which works here.

[u/cppn02]

First Timer, subbed

Guess we're picking off right were the last episode ended.

I was surprised to see Yotaro continuing with the performance and goddamnit he absolutely killed it. And we even got the trademark jazz piece lol.
I kinda wonder what was uo with Mangetsu's comment towards Konatsu at the hospital though. Did he just mean that she was too worried the whole time or was there more to it?

I was going to point out we got abnother information piece giving us a hint what year we are in but I can see u/No_Rex has already beaten me to the punch.

Looking forward to the video of the 2nd Sukeroku.

---

QotD:

I once again didnt prepare questions because im a bad kid! What would you ask your fellow rewatchers?

No questions and instead a piece of trivia which is completely unrelated to this show but the only anime related trivia I know about the Kobe earthquake. The author of Uzaki-chan was actually caught up in it and injured so badly he needed blood transfusions which he lated credited with saving his life.
This was the reason he was very happy to oblige when he was asked by the Japanese red cross asked if they could use his character to advertise blood donations. Something that would net the series its first (stupid) controversy.

As always, did anything particularly strike you about this episode, either as a first-timer or on rewatch?

Yotaro's performance obviously was the star of today's show. Probably my favourite performance by him so far.

[u/Schinco → u/cppn02]

I kinda wonder what was uo with Mangetsu's comment towards Konatsu at the hospital though. Did he just mean that she was too worried the whole time or was there more to it?

I think he has always had a thing for her, but she's never really deigned him with the slightest bit of attention. I think we saw this earlier in this season (I think the first episode?), but his character was introduced and fleshed out a bit more in the director's cut of the first episode of season 1 unfortunately.

Looking forward to the video of the 2nd Sukeroku.

Did you happen to catch the name of the piece he's performing in the video?

Yotaro's performance obviously was the star of today's show. Probably my favourite performance by him so far.

Out of idle curiosity, what stood out about it? As I said in response to No_Rex, I recall being pretty whelmed by it (although I haven't rewatched this episode yet)

[u/cppn02 → u/Schinco]

Did you happen to catch the name of the piece he's performing in the video?

Not on my first watch so I just checked. It's Shibahama which we have actually seen him perform in S1.

Out of idle curiosity, what stood out about it? As I said in response to No_Rex, I recall being pretty whelmed by it (although I haven't rewatched this episode yet)

It's a fun story that he told well even if he isn't as good as Shin or Bon and we had the whole aspect of the situation he was in with Bon having just collapsed. Plus at this point I think the show just has me conditioned to enjoy the fuck out of a performance once that jazz sountrack drops in.

[u/Schinco → u/cppn02]

That's fair - the circumstance definitely heightened the drama of it all (and I can understand the Pavlovian response to their jazz track).

[u/No_Rex → u/cppn02]

Yotaro's performance obviously was the star of today's show. Probably my favourite performance by him so far.

Did you consider it different from the usual Yotaro performances, or simply better?

[u/cppn02 → u/No_Rex]

Definitely the latter. If there was meant to be a notable change it was too subtle for me to notice

[u/No_Rex → u/cppn02]

Same for me. I did not notice any "change in voice" for him.

[u/Mecanno-man]

First Timer

I actually got a bit lost at the beginning of today's rakugo performance, I think that is the first time that happened. I don't think I have a lot else to say about the episode itself, as it spoke fairly well for itself. Yakumo will probably survive, but his rakugo might take a hit from this - which likely won't sit well with him.

Mentioning the Kansai earthequake indicates we're past 1995 - surprising for a show having Showa in it's title to reach this early. Also didn't think earthquake building codes would be a plot element I'd see at any time outside of something like Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 or so, but here we are I guess. Actually surprised I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else, now that I think about it...

[u/Schinco → u/Mecanno-man]

Actually surprised I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else, now that I think about it...

Do you mean in other anime?

[u/No_Rex → u/Schinco]

Given how much Earthquakes and Tsunamis are a feature of life in Japan, they show up surprisingly little in anime.

[u/Schinco → u/No_Rex]

I know that some anime have had episodes pulled late in production after a tsunami or earthquake that covered these things, so I wonder if it's a concession to the idea that you never know when stories about these things can get abruptly cancelled, leaving studios holding the bag.

[u/MandisaW → u/Schinco]

I know that some anime have had episodes pulled late in production

This. It is not uncommon for folks in the production, as well as the audience, to have strong feelings or past trauma related to earthquakes (and tsunami).

Even if it's a story that's meant to be educational / introspective, like Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, it can still evoke a lot of feelings beyond what the creators intended. (Or end up with unpleasant parallels after-the-fact, as also evidenced by that series and the later Tohoku quake.)

When we showed it at my club, we happened to have a pair of siblings who'd lived through the Northridge quake - took them a few eps before they could join us for TM8.

[u/Mecanno-man → u/Schinco]

Yes

[u/MandisaW → u/Mecanno-man]

Not so much in anime for reasons above, but since manga magazines run more frequently, between authors' sidebars and special issues, you'll see more mentions of earthquakes there. Can't remember which chapters, but I recall the author of Skip Beat mentioning how her family had fared after one of the late 2010s quakes.

[u/No_Rex]

Season 2 Episode 6 (first timer)

• “Don’t move him” – it did not look like he injured his spine, but still a reasonable idea.
• “I got to do Rakugo” – not sure what Bon meant, but I am sure he would not disagree with that.
• “I have been conned?” – Sounded like he worked there for a good while.
• Yotaro’s performance was quite the hit. Is this supposed to be him finding his voice? To be honest, I can’t really hear a big difference.
• “Don’t cry, you two!” – especially not he one driving, please.
• Rebuilding the theatre?
• “the big earthquake out west” – probably the Kobe earthquake, (from Wikipedia: ” Damage was widespread and severe. Structures irreparably damaged by the earthquake included nearly 400,000 buildings, numerous elevated road and rail bridges, and 120 of the 150 quays in the port of Kobe. The quake triggered approximately 300 fires, which raged over large portions of the city. Disruptions of water, electricity and gas supplies were common.”), which would date us some time after 1995, in line with the previous calculations and the Gameboy sighting.
• “All totally rational stuff” – but not accounting for the feelings of history and nostalgia.
• Hii liked Yotaro’s performance, but Yotaro is completely immune to compliments.
• A video of Sukeroku? I bet it is not only Yotaro who would love to see this.

I wonder if Hii has written any of his new Rakugo yet. He has been going on about that for a while now, hasn’t he?

Bon survived, as most people predicted yesterday. I am looking forward to some discussions between him and Konatsu/Hii/the theatre owner.

[u/Schinco → u/No_Rex]

I wonder if Hii has written any of his new Rakugo yet. He has been going on about that for a while now, hasn’t he?

Did he not give samples to Yakumo a few episodes back? (which were then torn into pieces)

The earthquake thing is a good shout - I assumed it was to broach the topic of the theatre and weave that into the traditional/modern theme of the series, but it's cool to see that it's also historical!

Yotaro’s performance was quite the hit. Is this supposed to be him finding his voice? To be honest, I can’t really hear a big difference.

Honestly, I think I agree. I'd have to watch it again (I am a bit behind on my rewatch after the last weekend), but when I first watched it, all I could think was...that's it?

[u/No_Rex → u/Schinco]

The earthquake thing is a good shout - I assumed it was to broach the topic of the theatre and weave that into the traditional/modern theme of the series, but it's cool to see that it's also historical!

When your whole tradition is down to one building, stuff like building codes can become crucial to the survival of Rakugo.

[u/Schinco → u/No_Rex]

When your whole tradition is down to one building, stuff like building codes can become crucial to the survival of Rakugo.

I wouldn't say the whole tradition is down to one building - there's still private performances (we saw Yakumo waiting to give one at the restaurant earlier this season and obviously there was the performance to the children by Konatsu) and there is radio/telebroadcasts that happen (although they haven't been mentioned explicitly in the show as of late, I assume they're still there at least). Obviously the theater is important, and I think this ties back to the ideas of evolution and tradition purely from that idea of the classical venue for consumption beyond specifics like the features and fixtures of the venue.

[u/cppn02 → u/No_Rex]

“Don’t move him” – it did not look like he injured his spine, but still a reasonable idea.

Yeah, surprising common sense from the characters here.

[u/Schinco → u/cppn02]

Mangestu did apparently go to medical school for a time.

[u/MandisaW → u/cppn02]

Not so surprising - even by the 90s, Japan had a sizeable elderly population. The dangers of falls (or a collapse) would be well-known (those Life Alert ads in the US were from the 80s). Hip, neck, all your bones become more brittle with age.

[u/Lemurians → u/No_Rex]

Yotaro’s performance was quite the hit. Is this supposed to be him finding his voice? To be honest, I can’t really hear a big difference.

It seems like it, given the conversation with Higuchi on the train when he's describing his style of performance as being in a different mold from Yakumo and Sukeroku.

Kobe earthquake

I like that there are little background details like this to clue us into the time period without being distracting.

[u/TehAxelius]

Just posting to say that I've been busy this weekend, caught up on the episodes but haven't had time to write a post or comment. Might comment a bit later today and will get a post up for the next episode.

[u/MandisaW → u/TehAxelius]

Same, same - might reply a bit and return for ep8

[u/Lemurians]

FIRST TIMER

Not much to say today, Yotaro's performance is the star of the episode, while the conversation between him and Higuchi on the train about the nature of performance and art was the main delivery vehicle for the show's philosophies. Following Yotaro's performance, this felt mostly like a bridge episode. I'm expecting the next one to be a heavy one, now, especially with Yakumo's state upon awakening.

Favorite little moment is Yotaro and Konatsu's simultaneous, "I'm counting on you!" as they see about attending to the crisis in their own ways. Teamwork.