aidan.dooley - 2017-01-06 20:40:20

i loved it, i can’t recommend this series enough.

molly.turcotte - 2016-05-29 16:31:17

This anime in a sense is a story about well story-tellers. These people try and work hard over a course of years to master this form of storytelling known as rakugo. And it isn’t as easy as one might expect it to be. This anime is all about rakugo’s effect on these people’s lives. 

When I went into this anime- I honestly thought it was going to be boring. But, I realized that wasn’t going to be the case at all after being done with the first two episodes. This anime is actually does not really focus much on rakugo- rather mainly on the characters. Yes, this anime is honestly nothing without the characters.

The characters of this anime are not meant to be likeable or entertaining- if anything they are meant to be portrayed as actual real people. I have noticed that all of these characters have both negative and positive qualities- making them as realistic and as human as possible. For, example let’s take a look at our main male protagonist Bon also known as Kikuhiko.He is such a layered character and honestly there are so many things I can discuss about him. But, I will keep it brief in this review. 

Bon has had it rough all his life, especially since enduring an injury that prevented him from dancing ever again. He was abandoned by his folks and was taken as an apprentice to practice Rakugo. However, no matter how hard he tried he could never live up to expectations. He was constantly overshadowed by his friend Shin. He was miserable cause he felt like he didn’t have a purpose in life. He felt completely useless and so practiced long and hard to be the best in rakugo. Unlike Shin, he didn’t do it because he loved it- but simply because he wanted to gain something that would add some value to his dull life. However, with time he does grow to really love it.

In order to do so, he was willing to give up anything or anyone for that matter- making him seem very cold and distant on the outside. But, that’s only because of belief that he needed rakugo more than anything else to make his existence relevant. That’s why he always pleased the elders unlike Shin- and worked to the bone- while even trying to reinvent himself. He also fears being abandoned ever again- and this thing constantly haunts him. It’s also sad to see how this thing comes to back to bite him later on the show. The detailed exploration of Bon’s character was one of this anime’s major highlights.

Shin or Sukeroku, might seem like a loveable goof who always drinks and can effortlessly do rakugo- but honestly there is more to him than that. That is also given major focus later on. He was one of the main reasons which helped Bon become so hard working in trying to perfect his own rakugo. I would have liked that they would have explored Shin’s character as much Bon’s, but that’s honestly a nitpick on my part.

I also particularly enjoyed the bond these two individuals had in this anime as well. It didn’t ooze with bromance, as their relationship had problems like any other. They were envious of each other for different reasons- but yet they still always had each other’s backs no matter. Because of their complex friendship- no wonder everyone and their mothers shipped them like crazy in this anime!

As for the story , I liked how it was a bit different from your average drama anime. This anime educated me a lot on rakugo- which I honestly wasn’t aware of prior to this anime. What I liked, but might irk others is that they didn’t straight up explain what the hell rakugo is to the modern audience. But, with each passing episode we got to learn more about it and how this thing works. Instead of telling, they actually showed us rakugo and how it can make people both happy and sad. That and how it is an art whose popularity has been dying down. 

This anime does take place in the early the twentieth century at the beginning of episode 2. Despite, all the time skips- the show was really well-paced and nothing felt rushed at all. I found that impressive since they did try to pack a story that takes place over the course of several decades within about thirteen episodes. I would however admit, that some of the rakugo they did tell was boring and I felt like dragged on, but only during the first half of the anime. Even when Shin, a person skilled at telling funny rakugo would perform- I would just wait for it to be over cause I wanted them to get along with the story. But, during the second half I loved all the rakugo they told. That is actually the only gripe I have with the story. That could be due to the fact that some of them get lost in translation or such stories are not entertaining to people nowadays. I wonder, if the rest feel the same or not.

Also, there is another underlying theme of how rakugo’s importance was going to disappear with time. And I kind of predicted they were going to go in that direction. Like, how television and movies will kind of take over. But, they touched on the subject just once- and didn’t bother with it ever again. I do hope they will further explore this in the upcoming sequel.

The animation was done by Studio Deen, whom I could never ever hate unlike others- because they made Fruits Basket and Higurashi ( two anime I love to death). And now this anime is another reason why I will continue to look forward to Studio Deen’s future projects. In fact, 2016 just might be Studio Deen’s year cause they are coming out with so many great things (Super Lovers excluded though). The animation was really good and I liked how the look was kind of dull- and not anything bright, colourful or sparkly. The character designs like its characters were also realistic. Bon however looks incredibly like Ebisu from Noragami Aragoto though! Am I the only one who thinks so? 

So, I am hoping Deen will make more shows like Rakugo, cause if they do so- then they will automatically make my list of favourite anime studios. No one hardly looks forward to Deen’s anime (then again I can’t blame people cause they do a lot of yaoi)- but that might change thanks to this anime. 

Overall, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu had great drama that is impactful and emotional moments that will make you sad. It’s a very simple but yet interesting story that had me hooked episode after episode. It excels thanks to its characters and the development given to them. This is surely a strong contender for anime of the year hands down.

effertz.maryam - 2016-04-03 12:09:24

This show was my favourite anime of the winter 2016 season. It explores the traditional art of oral storytelling known as rakugo. It is set around world war 2 and follows the two friends Bon and Sukeroku that learns rakugo together. Rakugo at this time of Japans history is not something big and important. It is slowly dying with all of the western influences changing japanese society after the war. The setting is also one of the best things about the show. It describes the changing of japanese society and the way people felt after the war in a detailed way that is both engaging and creates a superb mood. 
The main characters Bon and Sukeroku are two very fleshed out characters that are in ways total opposites but with a common goal and a strong bond. The character dynamics are a joy too watch. Even if the two main characters get the most time to develop their characters every minor character feels natural and developed. They are all multilayered and not stereotypical at all. 
The animation is fluid and flows smoothly and the show also got very nicely done backgrounds. The art and animation captures the clash between modern society and a dying art splendidly and further increases the appeal of the story. The music of the show further builds on this clash of modern and old with jazz and blues songs coexisting with traditional japanese string music. 
This was one of the best character driven shows I have seen with a very good look on the shouwa era and the rebuilding of japan through the changes of its culture. 

josue35 - 2016-04-02 06:48:57

As much as I try and try, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is not a series that I can manage to review without spoiling the very first “twist” in the series. Twist might not be the right word, but the structure of this is one that takes a few episodes to settle in if watching the series blind. What SGRS season one is is a series that tells its ending first. Stories of any medium are easy to tell apart when it comes to genres and demographics, and tragedies are no exception. You can make tragedies in different ways though. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu took on the extremely difficult task of telling its ending first over an expansive double length premiere episode, expecting itself to be good enough to hold your attention over the remaining 12 episodes to come. It accomplished this in spades.

Season one, and season one only mind you, is not a story about Yotaro or Konatsu (as much as the synopsis might make you think so), but rather Yakumo and his entire generation. While I know little of Japanese culture and history, we see a speck of how rakugo artists are raised, treated, and handled. I only mention this as Yakumo is only named “Yakumo” for the first and final episode, the rest of the time being either Bon or Kikuhiko. I'm not gonna try to keep up with all the names of the different eras in this series, I'm not good for that, but I damn sure will cover what makes this series work so well regardless.

What is clear is that we're in a pre- and post-WWII era where Japan is on its biggest verges of change. Kikuhiko is our audience surrogate to some degrees as most of the story is from his perspective as we witness Japan change. And oh boy, is there so much to cover from that one concept. I don't even know if it takes more than two hands to count all of the characters, but this is change on a national scale and you feel all of it. There are changes in the setting, our characters, and the very art they perform.

For one thing, the series is about the love of art and how unique it is to each individual. Although the focus is on rakugo, we can apply this to anything. How magical is it then that this series is animated despite it being so grounded we could watch this like a live action series and still receive the same story. We'll come back to that point. It's just as inspiring to see characters try to maintain the art of rakugo in an era where the art is dying, as it is disheartening to see the art be progressively abandoned as an outdated entertainment format with old fashioned views. We come full circle as the two perspectives offer a lot of commentary on modernization and the struggles societies have keeping up.

But what is art without the people to express it. The characters are phenomenal... and also painstakingly hard to watch. You'll be hard-pressed to find characters who feel more like real people than this cast. What can sometimes be their charms can also be their downfalls. Those who can be strikingly harmless can be the subjects of torment. These are flawed people who do and say awful things most often when they don't mean to. But you forgive them because these people have depth and have experienced so much that you understand everything about them. There isn't an ending that's not bittersweet, if not horrible, but you are genuinely engaged to see how everything went as wrong the premiere promises.

So now's about that time we bring up how artful this series is in and of itself. This series is directed so magnificently that there's too many things here only animation can do. As a series about rakugo, we see the cast perform rakugo a lot, and sometimes in the performance's entirety. It's here where the cinematography really shines. For one, the camera is never focused on one thing. We are constantly jumping to different perspectives – the performer, the audience, those backstage, the freaking microphone, you name it. But there's so much more than even that. Scenery can change to express our immersion in the rakugo story being told, but even better is when moments of exaggeration happen to be expressed onto the performers themselves by the utilization of the animated medium. Whether its menacing sharp teeth, blacked out audiences, or multiple selves on screen, it's all so haunting and cinematically stunning.

Themes of modernization and art, all it affects, embodied through characters from various walks of life, and presented in a fashion that is as artful as possible is what makes this series magical and a genuine modern classic that should be appreciated by the further changing generations to come.

greenfelder.cicero - 2016-01-09 04:20:42

amazing story about tradition and generational changes, capturing the beauty of storytelling