So. Just How Good is - Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu

It is a 13 part Anime from the winter 15/16 season by studio Deen. It is based on the Manga of the same name, which I haven read. (Yet)

Don't ask me to try and read the title out! I wont have a hope in hell. It has taken me a while to work my way through it due to one reason or another. I didn’t even learn of it until after the season had ended and some reviewers had rated it above “Boku dake ga Inai Machi” (Erased) witch I loved.

Here is some rambling and random thoughts on five and a half hours of Anime greatness.

First off the title, what dose it mean? It directly translates to something like -

"Shōwa Era, Genroku Era, Comic Storytelling, and Double Suicide"

witch sound more like a description than a title. I prefer a more natural translated title to a direct one and with this show we get -

“Showa and Genroku Era Lover's Suicide Through Rakugo”

Much nicer. So what is Rakugo?

Rakugo is like a form of one man storytelling/theatre. It reminds me of what Little Ronnie was famousfor. It is an old Japanese art of storytelling; preformed before a audience with no assistance apart from a bell a candle and a fan. It takes great acting skill in face a voice to pull it off. The are hundreds of story's, mostly comic but some are love story's or even horror.

The shows story is almost slice of life but is more plot focused. The bulk of takes place in a flashback, starting pre war going up to about the 60s. I think the present is some time in the 80s but its hard to tell. The title gives better clues to when it is set. The is a interesting set up in the present but the main focus is one the past and the death of a Rakugo performer.

We learn of two children growing up as apprentices to the art form. They bounce of each other as they grow and most of the story is around how they effect and are effected by the nature of the art. They upset the order of things and thus the plot is driven into a sorry place. The story runs deep and in very much character focused.

It is the people that makes this show great. I feel like they are real. The is so much to every one of them. not a mix of character traits but fleshed out people. The animation and voice acting is on such a level it is hard to find anything that can compare.

The Rakugo sets within the episodes are what stand out the most. They are funny, tragic and even poignant. though they are animated its like they don't need to be to work, the sheer force of acting behind the story makes it feel real. The is are two that add in the visuals to a greater extent both to show oh the person preforming is changing, one dying the other coming into his own after so long.

There is a big barrier in a show like this one, language. It can be a issue in most shows in the form of translation compatibility but here not only do the Rakugo story's need to work in English but there is issues with the structure of the society and the language of the world. Little things like roles to strange things such as shoes and the world of geisha. It took a fair bit of effort to keep up during the Rakugo performances and the intrigue was as hard to keep up with. It was worth it, as I have said it is all about interactions and following them was essential.

The direction of the show was almost formal but it was fitting with the times and nothing felt out of place. The sound and music were brilliant and made the world come together.

I could go into so much about this show, from gender issues to generation gaps and the place of the old with the new. Not to even mention all of the subtle stuff. All I will say is the is so much to love and is is present in such a way that feels grown up and clever.

So just how good is "Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu"? Pretty damn good. It hasn't effected me like “Usagi Drop” or put me on edge like “Boku dake” but as a whole it is excellent and very compelling. Cant Wait for season two.

The show is a work of art. No, it is more like an art gallery. A building which is a masterpiece in its own right that encompasses other great works. This show has all of the right parts to make a beautiful whole. It is at the top of its genera.