I don’t want to say too much about Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinju at this point beyond noting that it has lived up to the promise of the opening episode. Rakugo Shinju may not appeal to everyone, but for those it does appeal to, Rakugo Shinju is utterly compelling.
I do however want to note that the institutions of rakugo as presented in the series may provide the cultural source for a key element of the idol anime AKB0048.
Specifically it appears that the names of master rakugo performers can be inherited, and the current holder is the Nth generation Famous Name. Continue reading