Descending Stories
DO NOT discuss the source material beyond this episode. If you want to discuss future events or theories, please use separate threads.
DO NOT ask where to watch/download this episode or give links to copyrighted, non-fair use material.
DO NOT troll/bait/harass/abuse other users for liking or disliking the series/characters.
DO read the Anime Discussion Rules and Site & Forum Guidelines.
DO NOT ask where to watch/download this episode or give links to copyrighted, non-fair use material.
DO NOT troll/bait/harass/abuse other users for liking or disliking the series/characters.
DO read the Anime Discussion Rules and Site & Forum Guidelines.
| This show was magnificent, superb and wonderful. Went through a roller coaster of feelings from laughter to sadness and everything else in between. ∩(︶▽︶)∩ I wish I had chosen to watch it earlier! |
| Certainly not a masterpiece, though I could see people really enjoying it if they're into Rakugo. Couldn't find myself getting attached to the main characters and the crappy love triangle with Miyo didn't help. Kiku wasn't too bad but he did a half assed job at pushing Miyo away when it was obvious he didn't want to be with her since Rakugo was more important than fooling around with some skank that was his master's mistress for a while and slept with other guys for money. Then he fucks up at the end since apparently he can't make up his dam mind and makes out with Miyako who ended up wanting to commit at double suicide at that point. Shin was just a lazy bum who leeched off anyone he could, specifically Kiku, because this idiot spent all his money on alcohol and woman. He would rather keep his ass in bed and have his kid go around making money for him since he didn't want to look for a job himself. What a shit person and parent. Not to mention how much of a cuck he was being in a relationship with a woman that slept with other guys and fucked him just to spite his best friend. Then there was Miyo who constantly kept pushing herself onto Kiku even though he didn't want to be in a relationship with her. When things didn't go her way she decided to fuck his best friend out of spite and ended up supposedly getting knocked up by him which I wouldn't be surprised if it was someone else's. Of course when that didn't work out either she just left Shin and her child behind because she didn't give a dam about them in the first place. Just a crazy slut that was obsessed with Kiku. In short, didn't find the Rakugo performances entertaining or funny and the love triangle drama just killed whatever motivation I had to check out the rest of the story in S2. |
 |
| This anime is pure gold. IDK how else to describe it. It didn't even feel like only 13 episodes... there was so much depth to the story but it progressed at a perfect pace, leaving me completely satisfied. Of course there's still more to the story as far as Yotaro is concerned but as for "Bon" and "Shin-san" it was all laid out to perfection. I have no complaints about it whatsoever. Also as to the ending with Yotaro asking to inherit Sukeroku's name, I was expecting that to happen. It does suit him better than inheriting Yakumo but I do feel bad for Kiku (I already feel sad seeing him― and Matsuda too! ―getting so old). Although a part of him must be happy that there's someone who will keep the Sukeroku name alive because Shin-san was his brother and friend, I'm sure he must feel hurt that his sole apprentice whom he had raised like a son isn't interested in inheriting his master's name. I'm eager to start the 2nd season now! Soooo curious as to how it's going to play out after everything in this season especially with concerns to Konatsu and the art of Rakugo itself with the changing times~ |
 . . . . . ✘ . . . . .DO NOT touch my rice. . . . . . I'm Asian. . . . . . |
| cant believe an anime about rakugo (which i couldnt fathom at all at first) can fucked me up emotionally this bad ..... and yato-chan is probably the most adorbs of all. second to my shin-chan obvi XDDDDDD |
| Really liked the show. Hope season 2 is able to carry on and become even better with the stories of Yotarou and Konatsu. I hope Konatsu gets to do rakugo, and also realizes that any anger she has should be directed towards her mother/the geisha bitch and not Kikuhiko. |
| "No, son, you may not have your body pillow at the dinner table!" |
| Wow the graveyard scene almost made me cry. This is so fucking sad. What a series! It had a bit of a slow start for my tastes but I got really invested by the end of it. |
| This series was beautiful to look at and to listen to. I liked the diverse character designs and the detailed environments. The expressive character animation made the rakugo worthwhile even when it wasn't particularly funny. Solid voice acting and fitting background music. It was all very nice and classy and the scenes had a good visual "flow", too. Is Rakugo Shinjuu is genuinely nostalgic about the past? And if it is, would that be bad? There's an attempt at representing more than one perspective, for example, regarding whether rakugo should stay the same or evolve, and on occasion, stuff like gender equality. But it feels kind of superficial and even the presentation of the show (always clean streets and buildings, no visible signs of poverty etc.) suggests an overwhelmingly forgiving attitude towards those times. The only thing that actually might be critical of the past is the tragic fate of "Shin-san" and Miyokichi. But one could argue that there's not much that hasn't been criticized about the history of Japan, so maybe it's okay for a series to not be concerned with such things. It's also possible that Tokyo has really been always squeaky clean, and I'm just talking out of my *ss... In any case, unfortunately, the show didn't really grab me emotionally. Initially, I found Yakumo / Bon endearing, despite his uptight disposition. Eventually, though, his decisions started to make less and less sense to me. I also couldn't care about the core conflicts, such as the tragic rivarly between the two "brothers" and the fatal love triangle. Most of these conflicts felt unimportant because everything was so morally grey and because the series essentially fast-forwarded through an entire lifetime in just 11 episodes. We never stuck around in a particular period in Yakumo's life long enough for the stakes to feel important. Had the series been more episodic, this wouldn't have been an issue for me, but this is a fully serialized show. I also had no time to get invested in any of the romantic attachments, which would have taken even longer than usual, due to the scummy nature of them (cheating, leaving Konatsu etc.). But I wasn't bored, fortunately. The characters, although I was mostly apathetic to them by the second half, were still reasonably charismatic and held my attention, and I already mentioned the high production values. I also appreciated that I could recognize some of the featured rakugo performances acting as parallels to recent events in the plot or foreshadowing future events, so they weren't just randomly there. To end on an optimistic note: I could feel that this anime was a work of passion, and I always value that. If Rakugo Shinjuu can open the doors for more "grounded" drama anime in the future, perhaps one such series, that speaks my language better, will come around eventually. |
LeeTailorSep 1, 2017 2:49 PM
| After reading the discussions here, I really feel like there's something fishy with the ending. Idk. What the fuck. I wanted to watch its 2nd season already, but I have so many anime lined up already. Waaaaaah. Well, I'll definitely watch the 2nd season, but not soonest. I really enjoyed this anime so much. Thanks to my very special and preciouses MAL friend, @KannoSugako, for recommending this. I wasn't expecting that this anime is going to mess me up. Oh god. It ended in a cliffhanger, too. Waaaaaaah. This discussion is messing me up. Good god. What a great show! 5/5 for the finale and 8/10 for the whole. It should be 9/10, but Miyokobitch ruined it for me; lame excuse, I know. I just can't stand her ugh. I was honestly rooting for her, but she fucked up. Anyhoo, so happy I came across this anime and yeah it was recommended by my precious. Hihi. :p |
TheDoggoneGirlJan 8, 2018 5:58 AM
     "Maybe he's trying to take a shit, but the shit just won't come out." Captain Levi, 2014 (／^-^)／☆♪  ♪☆＼(^０^＼) |
TheDoggoneGirl said: I really enjoyed this anime so much. Thanks to my very special and preciouses MAL friend, @KannoSugako, for recommending this. Anyhoo, so happy I came across this anime and yeah it was recommended by my precious. Hihi. :p I am way more than happy that you got to enjoy and get invested with this very compelling story. And i totally get you about Miyokibitch, lol. Hope you get to watch and enjoy S2 as much, it's gonna be a ride! <3 |
 SEIZON SENRYAKU: Hungry 100% of the time.Vzla-IT |
| I cried like a baby when shin came back for that last part This series kinda blew me away. I kept putting myself in kiku's shoes and how terrible the whole situation became. Coming to the country to bring your best friend back to tokyo but by the end of your trip he and his wife/your ex lover are dead.... Imagining all the self blame and dealing with that made me feel a lot of feels. I loved seeing him grow up into the cranky old man he is now. I love/hate him but either way he's an interesting aloof guy. Ahh I probably have to put off watching the second season until spring break sadd. Really great show though 9/10. Thanks Mother's Basement guy for getting me to watch it. This show kinda messed me up though haha. I thought about what I would do if I was in Kiku's shoes and I couldn't come up with anything other than kms,,, It's weirdly encouraging to me that he didn't and raised the daughter. I also thought about how the daughter (and the future of rakugo??) played a role in him not killing himself and but also realized that she is kind of why everything went bad (if she wasn't conceived the climactic conflict could have been avoided ???). I just thought that was neat. Very well written (unlike this post) |
daijouboobJan 13, 2018 1:07 AM
| Solid final episode to the first season, now back into the present we see Yotarou taking a step forward in his career while Yakumo is already the oldest one around, time sure is terrifying. Konatsu also got pregnant from someone unknown, this will be interesting. Very good first season, I really enjoyed the development of the characters through this flashback, Yakumo and Sukeroku were great. |
 |
| "because some day i'll kill you" "kill me then, i'd feel much better" watch this! you won't regret! |
 |
| 7/10, wasn't really a big fan of this anime untill the last 3 episodes, which were superb. |
 |
| The last few episodes were great, I just wish I was that invested in the first half of the story. Really good character drama and the setting made this show interesting to watch from a cultural standpoint. For now it's a 7/10, but maybe second season will help in improving that score. |
| Solid 8 without a doubt, Sukeroku is by far the best of this show hopefully Yotaro can get beyond that. |
| Messed up family lifestyle, have no idea how season 2 will go. I don't know why these characters do what they do. |
| He wants to inherit Sukeroku's name, that came out of nowhere. But damn, I really hate to see how Kiku aged :( |
 |
| You can't just leave us with that cliffhanger like that. We got one last episode with Yota and Konatsu before the season ended. I wonder who the father is. I thought it would be Yotarou, but he seems to be too close with viewing Konatsu as a sister to do something of the sort. I wonder how the whole "Let me inherit the Sukeroku name" thing will turn out. I liked the bit at the end too. Great show, I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. My score may change after the high from finishing a show wears off, but for now I will definitely give this show a 9/10. It deserved it. On to Sukeroku Futatabi-hen! |
GytanzoJun 29, 2019 7:49 PM
| Damn, this last episode. None of it even made me cry until everything lined up just after the end. Kiku feeling the burden of the deaths of his lifelong friend and lover. Konatsu blaming everything on Kiku, and Kiku realizing that she literally right. Konatsu saying she inherited her attitude from both her parents, and saying she wants to kill Kiku. Then fast-forward to present, Konatsu is having a child to extend the Sukeroku line. Kiku hallucinates Sukeroku to be at the their masters grave. Then out of the blue Yotarou asks to become Sukeroku. The look on Kiku's face as he realizes the Sukeroku name's retribution on the Yakumo. |
~my list
| I'm impressed at how compelling this show was. By far Deen's best anime, possibly their only good one, at least from recent years. |
 |
| The time skip that came immediately after the ending of the flashback totally threw me off. Felt like I missed an episode. Other than that, I really enjoyed watching this anime. It was heartfelt and interesting to see how the two main characters of the past interacted with their complete opposites. I have a greater appreciation for Rakugo as well. |
 |
| Something I noticed was the mention that while Kiku was training Yotaro, Konatsu said he forbade drinking and fun. That's totally because of Sukeroku, what a cool subtle detail they added to show how Sukeroku really did affect Kiku even in the less grand ways, more subtle than him showing up at the grave as an illusion. |
 |
| Ok I've watched the anime, off.. at last. It was a rollercoaster of emotions and sometimes of patience. I loved some episodes I disliked some episodes (ep 7&8 as example. it was really cringe and heart full to watch those episodes). First of all I started watching this by seeing the high rating and I hadn't seen any anime which I can relate to this so you can say this isy first time seeing something like this. The experience is so new to me so it is a bit to much for me to wrap this show, understand it's beauty. I really like some of the rakugo story's (like for example the robbery). The voice acting is so good I have price those voice actors voice acting: 8/10. Ok now let's talk about the final episode. It has ended really good way and the second season would be more good, that's my guess. I'm really curious about the baby that konatsu will give birth. I think I know who is the father is? Remember the graveyard scene what kiku saw shin-chan's soul the conversation they made (one sided) that's where kiku said to shin-chan- are you angry what I did to your daughter. It's just a guess but I think kiku is the father (I mean there is no way some unknown Character would appear and establish to the father). Maa boi kiku is a real culture he knows shit. Let's imagine what kiku and kinatsu did: Kiku: bitch I wanna have some fun. Kinatsu: get the fuck out you old man. Kiku: get that tight ass over here you bitch. Kinatsu: why not break my seal and steal my virginity. Kiku: bitch you're smart. tonight let's make it a night that we can remember. Kinatsu: then knock me out and Impregnated me. Kiku: as you wish bichhh. And that's how she got pregnant. And it's obvious that she don't wanna discuss who is the father is. This anime is 6/10 for me. And am sorry for not understanding the beauty of it's I truly am. |
AvichiiDec 4, 2019 4:12 AM
| Yotarou and Konatsu? I ship. Scenes before a grave tend to be very emotional and this one was no exception, especially when Sukeroku's ghost appeared. And casually alluding the age, kinda makes me worried that more people will pass away in S2. But anyways, it was really an excellent anime up to this point and I'm eagerly looking forward to what the present has in store. After such a past I'm sure that it won't disappoint. |
One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron |
| So this is how s1 ended.I'm still sad that Sukeroku isn't here anymore and I don't like Yotaro :'( .But damn that grave scene was scarry. 9/10 for the first season.It's very good but the way Sukeroku died seems too of a cliche for me. |
Alex_TheForestJun 22, 2020 10:19 AM
Come on man,where is that Noragami season 3 masterpiece.We want it, Bones! |
| THE OPENING MAKES SO MUCH SENSE NOW! It was foreshadowing Miyokichi's death by falling into the river. Also I almost cried when Sukeroku's ghost appeared in front of Kikuhiko like, holy shit. |
 |
| Poor Konatsu :( that's why making a family is not an easy decision.. because when parents fall apart, it's always the child affected so much. Adults can take the problem but the poor child suffers much :( Woahh!!? That's it!?! I'm glad there's already season 2.. I don't need to wait years xD I didn't expect to enjoy this. Only thing I hate is Miyokichi, everything is amazing 9/10. |
| Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. |
| I love these types of shows that don't rely on forced dramatics or constant action to keep you entertained. Looking forward to watching season 2! |
| That Akira Ishida and Koichi Yamadera received no recognition at the Seiyuu Awards or Tokyo Anime Award for their performances here is a crime against anime. I know that awards are not that important, but you gotta be kidding me that Toshiyuki Toyonaga in Yuri on Ice is anywhere near what Ishida and Yamadera did here. |
| It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a series like this one, 9/10. The story was good, voice acting phenomenal, and there were nice details in the animation. And the soundtrack was great. Often the rakugo of the episode reflected nicely what was happening in the story, which was a nice touch. If I have to criticise something, it would be character development, but I guess that's a feature of certain type of storytelling. It's like saying characters of Charles Dickens are 2-dimensional. It's not the main feature of the story, so I can look past that. There are very clearly defined characters, each one dominated by one particular trait, and none of them change much from childhood to old age. In this type of story the drama and tension come from different types clashing against each other, so there's little room for internal change. Kikuhiko does become more mellow and Sukeroku at the very end learns to take responsibility, but the changes are subtle. This was most obvious with Miyokichi. There was so much potential for character development there, but in the end she kept playing the same affected role until the end. If someone makes the same mistakes over and over again, the characterization starts to feel a bit unreal. People repeating their mistakes usually question their choices, even if they can't help acting the way they do. Here the characters seemed to be lacking in self-awareness, and instead they (in particular Kikuhiko and Sukeroku) depended on each other for critical reflection. It's a part of the attraction of the series, the drama of clashing personalities who weren't quite whole without one another, but this dependence also made the characters seem less real. This aspect made me feel less involved than I could be, but forgetting that, it was still an enjoyable series. |
| Great final episode for this first season, and an interesting choice for a timeskip too to the point where Yotarou becomes a shunichi, Konatsu turns out to be pregnant although definitely not the happiest kind of pregnancy given how she didn't want to reveal who the father is while Yotarou offers to take that position himself lol. It's so him really, but he does really care for Konatsu, and he's got the second season to really showcase his side there. The graveyard scene with Kikuhiko, now Yakumo, and his deceased friend/brother Shin was quite the impactful one too with Kikuhiko looking lost that Shin wasn't able to speak there, despite now being a grandfather due to Konatsu's pregnancy. Overall, this was really a great season. The Miyokichi stuff could have been handled better for sure since that felt a bit rushed in the end, but the anime's done well with the story, enhancing the material really nicely with great directing, storyboards, voice acting, music, etc. The rakugo performances were a treat too. It did take some time to get through this season since it's not the easiest show to binge but the quality's still great. 9/10 for season 1. |
| That was a great season finale! Now weo back to the present and it's sad to see Yakumo being haunted by his past. That shit was chilling and intense. I wasn't expecting a direct timeskip for Yotarou becoming a shin'uchi. I'm just as interested as Yotarou in knowing who's the father of Konatsu's child. This season gets a 9/10. I wasn't expecting to like a drama series so much. The characters are so well-developed (especially Yakumo) and the pacing is perfectly consistent. |
 |
| The last few episodes was very heavy. Good thing we got Yotarou's cheerfulness. Overall the show was great in showing Rakugo's history throughout the years. And I am very curious what will happen in the present/Act 2. Yotarou wanting the father position, I already expected that ngl |
   » [The World's Continuation【世界のつづき】- UTA/Ado ♪] « 0:00 〇────── 4:55 ↺ |◁ II ▷| ♡ ✦ Come and Join us! ✦ Evil Club ψ FuwaFuwa Sanctuary ✿ ✿ DeaD Blossoms ✿ |
| The scene at the graveyard had me in tears😭😭😭 When Kiku told Matsuda san "feels like they are preparing for my funeral" it was soo deep and tragic! His whole life's journey displayed before my eyes.. how he started as a child and where he ended up. Lost his friend, love of his life, and now left alone and sitting in the highest position as the President.. 😢 And when Sukeroku appeared from the smoke..it was too painful to watch.. 🥺🥺🥺 |
SidsAnime86Dec 30, 2021 1:02 AM
---- Life is nothing but goodbyes ---- |
| Spending so much time on Yakumo's past provided a much greater appreciation for the passage of time and how he's aged. In a way, it reminds me a bit of The Godfather (albeit far more peaceful). It seems there's still a lingering regret looming over him and it seems that Yotarou inheriting the name of Sukeroku is likely going to play a crucial role in relieving that. Konatsu's pregnancy is quite sudden and I do wonder if the secrecy of the father's identity is going to have any impact later on. I can't really think of anyone aside from Yakumo himself that would make the revelation of the father a big deal though. Overall this turned out to be quite the treat to send the year off with. The combination of historical elements and stage acting made it both fascinating & relatable. My favorite kinds of plays are period pieces and this seemed to tap into that. I'm envious of Japan that it has a performance art that's such an integral part of their culture and peoplehood. Though with that said, it makes me more appreciative of how the performing arts & storytelling are expressions of the human condition that - although they take different forms - remain a universal part of life. 9/10 |
 |
| Regarding this episode I really had something to say about Konatsu's pregnancy but I'm glad to see more recent comments already making the obvious statements. I don't have the energy in me to go on about that. Other than that. If this is what the first part had to offer. I can only wait for what will come. |
GRAYLIGHTNINGAug 7, 2022 12:04 PM
| Well, the show was watchable enough but nowhere close to a masterpiece, the 1st episode was mediocre and in the first 3 episodes they used some jazz OST for some scenes and it was lame, animation was weak in the last episode, all the plot feel very repetitive, change Rakugo for any other stage perfomance and that's it, we had seen some of this threads before, flashback story was decent enough though melodramatic to no avail, the fall scene was predictable and cliche, anyways I enjoyed the flashback story to a degree, present time story was another deal... The ex-yakuza doesnt have any appeal to gather your attention... For the rest, some parts were unrealistic for this drama setting, I am between a 5 or 6 but I will go for now with a 5/10. Being this a Josei, I felt it was quite degrading to womens, Miyokichi was a total mess since her 1st scene, you already knew nothing good would come from her and sadly she didnt stood up to the challenge. Konatsu not thinking about abortion, why? I read some comments saying that Kiku was the father, that would be sick while being a nice twist for the plot, Kiku already showed weakness in the fall scene, Konatsu being a better and more atractive woman could also make Kiku weak if she wants to or tries enough but most likely that isn't happening. |
| Konatsu really living up to her mother's name huh, if she really want the sukeroku legacy to live up why not ask yotarou for it instead of being a single mother also lots of people theorising that yakumo/kiku is the father,I can't even theories it because that would be hella disgusting, like seriously...... This show is great except that unnecessary pregnancy plot twist, the entire background story was 9/10 but my enjoyment went 8/10 after ending the first season. |
| Now that I look at her, Konatsu inherited her mother's looks huh. Pretty good end. An 8/10 from me. I wonder what S2 will bring. |
 |
| Oh, Yota really wants to follow in Sukeroku's steps ! I wonder if this will lead to him fulfilling Sukeroku's dream of saving Rakugo by adapting it to a modern audience. I always wondered what Sukeroku had in mind, it's such a shame he never got to act on his ideas. Anyway, that was a very touching way to end the show ! The scene with Kiku tearing up when discussing about becoming Yakumo while thinking about Sukeroku made me emotional, and that scene at the cemetary with Kiku desperatly pleading for his friend's ghost to say something... That was heartbreaking. But that's also giving such a huge weight to Yota's decision ! However I really hope that this won't lead to him struggling even more with finding his own rakugo, especially since Kiku might unconsciously see the Sukeroku he knew in him. As for Konatsu, her bad temper is entirely justified now that we fully know what kind of life she's had. She grew up with a depressed father and a mother who hates her (seriously, the fact that she learned "Get out or I'll kill you" (or something like that) from Miyokichi is so messed up, whether this was meant for her or for Sukeroku), then she loses both her parents and gets raised by the man whom she sees as responsible for her father's death... I actually feel like she's not doing too bad right now, for someone with such painful memories. Well, except for the fact that she's about to become a single mother and refuses any help. I hope she won't become too similar to her mother, but with Yota already being so similar to Sukeroku, it seems that the show does hint at Konatsu being similar to Miyokichi. Well, let's hope that if she does accep Yota's offer, their relationship will be much healthier than her parents'. Overall, that was a great show ! The characters were amazingly well-written, the story was simple yet powerful, and I loved the tribute it pays to Rakugo, an art I wasn't familiar with but which turned out to be pretty fascinating (by the way, I checked out an actual performance of that rakugo about the shinigami Kiku once performed, and it's awesome). The whole discussion about the meaning and evolution of art was great, too, and the historical aspect was very well handled. I give it a strong 8/10, and I hope the next season is just as good ! Edit : Actually, the more I think about this show, the more I realize how well-written written it truly is... Well it gets a 10 then, it's a masterpiece in its own way. |
FafetteJan 1, 3:47 AM
 |
More topics from this board
Poll: » Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page )Stark700 - Jan 8, 2016 |
264 |
by FranqitoH
»»
Jan 6, 12:01 PM |
|
Poll: » Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Episode 12 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 )Stark700 - Mar 25, 2016 |
204 |
by Fafette
»»
Dec 22, 2024 2:54 PM |
|
Poll: » Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Episode 9 Discussion ( 1 2 3 )Stark700 - Mar 4, 2016 |
122 |
by Fafette
»»
Dec 22, 2024 1:55 AM |
|
Poll: » Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Episode 8 Discussion ( 1 2 3 )Stark700 - Feb 26, 2016 |
107 |
by Fafette
»»
Dec 20, 2024 3:59 PM |
|
Poll: » Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Episode 3 Discussion ( 1 2 3 )Stark700 - Jan 22, 2016 |
123 |
by Maladroite
»»
Sep 23, 2024 1:44 AM |