Descending Stories
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| I don't know how many of you noticed it, but I really liked the subtle music used during each of their performance, Yakumo having a tense music showing his tension and more serious look and Sukeroku having a laidback/cheery music that fit that of his outgoing energetic personality. :) |
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| Fell in love all over again. <3 I kind of prefer the flashback tbh, I like seeing the rivals grow up together. :D Edit: Ironically, I fell asleep watching Joshiraku because it was too boring for me. I've watched a couple real life performances of Rakugo (~1hr) on YT before, but it's hard to sit and watch someone for that long. Try to focus on the reactions, animation, and humor in the rakugo stories for this series. Rakugo is a rather niche interest, so it's definitely not for everybody. :) |
MirorinJan 17, 2016 7:15 PM
| another great episode. It's so easy to like sukeroku's personality. He is so spontaneous. I felt bad for Yakumo because he was not good in his first time in stage but maybe in the next episode he'll be better. |
Gymkata said: aikaflip said: I know that by law, as a 34-year old fan of subtle and sedately paced anime like Mushishi and Anne no Nikki, I'm supposed to love and appreciate this show, but I've been struggling with it. Every time a rakugo performance starts, my mind starts drifting really hard. I have to rewind back a couple of times, and really force myself to pay attention. I'm a visual person. I'd rather see stories rather than have them told to me. With all that said, I liked everything else before and after the performances. It was interesting to see some of Yakumo's history. 4/5 Then I'm guilty as charged too, because we're in the same bracket and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the Rakugo is the chink in armor for me, although not grating or annoying as say...Chinese opera LOL. Perhaps if I had more intimate knowledge of Japanese culture and exposure to this art form I'd feel differently, idk. I just hope it doesn't overshadow the character work, which is the big draw for me, otherwise I can see otakus prematurely slapping a "boring" label on this something quick - part of the reason this strikes me as a very ballsy production. Hyouge Mono was too, although I don't forsee this series being on anywhere near the same level. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one not quite enjoying those rakugo performances... I like the story but I just can't watch those rakugo shows... also tried to rewind and pay attention but well... |
| Very glad I decided to give this anime a try. |
| Eh, I really like the rakugo scenes. I find them to be entertaining, and the VA work showcased in them is absolutely fantastic. I guess it just comes to down to personal preference on whether people find them boring or not. |
| Sukeroku's performance was great but I like Yotarou's performances more. They do have similarities so I can see why Yakumo was annoyed by it and felt insulted. I feel sorry for Yakumo, he was injured at a young age and abandoned by his geisha mother (not sure?). No wonder he has a difficult time smiling. :( I think that the next episode might be emotional, there's a girl that Yakumo likes (I think) and Sukeroku might get her instead? I'm just guessing here. |
| 臭い- |
| Loved those expressions and little details they animated during the performance. Yakumo and Sukeroku kinda reminded me of Sakamichi no Apollon. |
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| After a very refreshing first episode, the 2nd is here and the show hasn't let me down yet. I was curious where they'd go with the story now the basic premise has unfolded, did not expect a background episode so soon but it was a really nice one, flew by. Yet perhaps the focus will be on that story as much as the present time, who knows. I wasn't planning on picking this up so it's been a nice surprise so far in a season where I wasn't sure whether I would have anything to watch or not. |
| Surprised not many people are commending the music selections: the mix between traditional Japanese plucking instrumentations and Jazz was an utter delight. I found the series to be a very gratifying watch, so much so, that I don't mind its relatively small audience: helps filter out the blood-crazed viewers. Needless to say, I will support this series in whatever way I can: the OST will be in my hands on day one, and the Blu-Ray's will follow as soon as they are released in Japan, so I can shove some bucks into the creators' pockets. I'm sure English fan subs will satisfy my digital collection's side of things. Overall, the atmosphere and the level of detail on the characters' facial and body expressions pleasantly reminded me of Hibike: despite me not knowing much about Japanese comedy; the performances' level of colour and human presence were more than enough to entertain me. Could be my anime of the season; nice void-filler while I wait for Hibike season 2. |
| Anime talk, music and analysis, plus random moments of inspirations and rants | https://atmafunomena.wordpress.com/ |
NaChiKyoTsuki97 said: Surprised not many people are commending the music selections: the mix between traditional Japanese plucking instrumentations and Jazz was an utter delight. I found the series to be a very gratifying watch, so much so, that I don't mind its relatively small audience: helps filter out the blood-crazed viewers. Needless to say, I will support this series in whatever way I can: the OST will be in my hands on day one, and the Blu-Ray's will follow as soon as they are released in Japan, so I can shove some bucks into the creators' pockets. I'm sure English fan subs will satisfy my digital collection's side of things. Overall, the atmosphere and the level of detail on the characters' facial and body expressions pleasantly reminded me of Hibike: despite me not knowing much about Japanese comedy; the performances' level of colour and human presence were more than enough to entertain me. Could be my anime of the season; nice void-filler while I wait for Hibike season 2. do you by any chance know why the main osts were available already since months? |
| Ah this show is great! Young Yakumo is so cute :P Though I suppose for now he's Kirihiko? I kinda forget haha XD Him and Sukeroku are complete opposites ... both orphaned at a young age, and Yakumo had an injury as well :S He was so nervous for his performance too ... he was trying though >_< Luckily Sukeroku was pretty good. This episode felt so short compared to the last one ... but it seems like next episode is still gonna be the flashback. We'll see their promise and maybe Konatsu's mother as well? :O Totally did not start shipping these two this episode though. Nope, not at all ... Great jazzy ED as well this week :D |
| The contrast between both artists is being played out extremely well. This is all thanks in part to the excellent voice-acting, animation, and the script itself. Both performances were of note. Yakumo's may have been bland and dull but the story was anything but. While, Sukeroku's was pretty much perfect. Timing was so crucial in that particular story, and he couldn't have done it any better. Anyone would have had a huge smile at the end. Kudos to the creators for choosing and writing such genuinely amusing, clever stories for the rakugo. If this continues, we're in for a great time. |
| I adored this episode, this show has such a heart behind it and is so well directed that the time flies each ep, i couldn't believe how fast the episode passed. AOTS if this keeps it up, there wont even be competition. |
Immahnoob said: Jizzy, I know you have no idea how to argue for shit, tokiyashiro said: Jizzy as you would call yourself because youre a dick The most butthurt award goes to you And clearly you havent watched that many shows thats why you cant determine if a show is unique or not Or maybe you're just a child who likes common stuffs where hero saves the day and guys gets all the girls. Sad taste you have there kid you came up to me in the first place making you look more like a kid who got slapped without me even knowing it and start crying about it to me |
| I guess I'm just not seeing what all of you guys are seeing in this show, but I'm finding it quite lackluster. I want to see more about the characters themselves, that is where the show shines; I don't want to see 10-15 minutes straight of their Rakugo performances every episode or I'd go watch actual Rakugo. |
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| It's amazing how much of a difference the attitude of the character can affect how good the rakugo is, even through the language barrier. Amazing job by both voice actors. |
kataklism said: do you by any chance know why the main osts were available already since months? If ur referring to the Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju Ongyokubanashi Sono Ichi, yes, I know its already in market, planning to buy it, if the shows as good as it is throughout its runtime. |
NaChiKyoTsuki97Jan 18, 2016 7:07 PM
| Anime talk, music and analysis, plus random moments of inspirations and rants | https://atmafunomena.wordpress.com/ |
| Wow that was another superb episode and we get to see the two different styles of Rakugo being pulled off. The ost was used really well to show the tension felt by Yakumo in his first performance that didn't really impress the audience. Meanwhile, the second performance by Sukeroku felt so genuine and lively in contrast. Great to see them young! |
| The music during Kiku was tense while Haru was upbeat. Such a difference in their Rakugo style. |
VanishingKira said: One,two,three,four,five,six,seven,eight...mister what time is it? Oh,it's four. Five,six,seven,eight...Hey,mister, what time is it? Oh,it's four. Five,six,seven,eight...mister show mercy already! That had me crying! Just like with that new guy's performance! I always said in every anime episodes it needs to have that "Moment". And that was this one's moment! 4/5! |
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| i'll be honest:i don't get rakugo comedy. while i enjoy the storytelling style and background music, the humor itself doesn't get me, it's kind of a repetitive and cheap humour(yotaro and sukeroku's performances felt the same humor-wise) while on the other hand yakumo's performances are much more dark, and yet sometimes boring. i'd like to see an hybrid of the 2, now THAT would be interesting. |
| This episode felt really fast lol |
| I'm glad Yakumo didn't get jealous of Sukeroku and was instead impressed. Seems like they're good friends :) That last Rakugo performance was great. I'm looking forward to Yakumo's development as a character and as a performer. |
| first episode was better |
 ☩ Discord: the.path.to.pathos ☩ RateYourMusic ☩ last.fm |
| I loved it, just like the first episode. It keeps getting better with each passing minute ~ |
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| I imagined that the story picks up where it had been left, instead using the expedient of temporal leap to go back to basics, I do not mind really. Narrative is a tad heavy viewing because of the subject and the pace does not help, may at this point for those who want to know more on the subject will not be an obstacle. Drawings and animations good, the two protagonists already shine with their own light. |
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| It was fun to see how they became friends. |
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| This anime is very original, I totally like it. The first rakugo was meh, he needs to put more effort in his presentation. Fortunately, I think that Youtarou will train him. |
| Every member of my family that passed by me was like "are they gay ?!" I had earphones on so they couldn't hear the manly voice .. even one of them thought the katsura oice actor was a girl |
She should not be shocked at this point lol
| another boring episode. it started off very well then it got boring when they were doing that rakugo thing. |
| Solid episode. The other guys performance was cool. Smiling is really important. |
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| Good episode but it was over in like 10 minutes. Yes, they grew up, but other than that nothing really happened. Wonder if this would be better if I watch this anime in 2-episode chunks, like the first ep was. Cause it definitely takes some time to get absorbed by the mood and 20 minutes are way too short. And am I the only one who find modern storyline better? |
| Flashback! It's really nice, love the pacing and yabai, I seriously love the ending song! |
  ★━━─ 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵? 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺? |
| Really solid episode, loved the performances and to have some backstory is also really great for the character development! Let's see what's next! |
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| Man, the second hand embarassment during Yakumo's performance was so strong I literally had to pause the episode and finish it another day: I applaud the sound direction for really making it seem like I was on stage with him and having nervous cold sweats. stand said: This too I was afraid of the most, considering my very limited knowledge of japanese arts outside of ukiyo-e and maybe kabuki, so I'm really glad Sukeroku's performance in particular convinced me otherwise. Found myself genuinely chuckling during most of it.One thing I feared about this, that perhaps I would never understand the style of the comedy used in these performances but that repeating, "It's four. 5, 6, 7, 8." part gave me a chuckle. Excellent episode. |
SapewlothAug 20, 2016 11:51 PM
| Proud founder of The Official Anti-Ging Freecss Fan Club Join now! Kellhus said: GuusWayne said: there is a limit to the suspension of disbelief And it's the fan that did it. Not the smoking porn reading rubik cube genius rape ape with a magic boat. |
| Pretty nice flashback so far, I like Sukeroku quite a bit, really funny guy lol. |
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| All I hear is Athrun Zala when young Yakumo is talking. Probably because I just watched Gundam Seed Destiny. Have to say, the story's great and I understand why they did his performance like that. Man, I actually got bored during his performance! Sukeroku's was much more lively an enjoyable to me. I truly felt like an audience member when I was watching this. |
| So basically Sukeroku is the Yang while Yakumo is the Yin, or to put it easier I can say that Sukeroku is ExFP while Yakumo is IxTJ (I'm not really sure about the second MBTI part lol, but still I liked the Yin Yang method more on them since they're more of cheerful vs cold). While their teacher seems to have balanced the Yin & Yang polarities so that he knows if Sukeroku has too much Yang (Rushed Rakugo) while Yakumo has too much Yin (Dragged Rakugo). |
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| Wait what? I thought it's really weird for opening after 5 min passed, it's ending I felt I watch it like 5 min instead of 20 min |
"Signature removed"   |
aikaflip said: Gymkata said: Then I'm guilty as charged too, because we're in the same bracket and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the Rakugo is the chink in armor for me, although not grating or annoying as say...Chinese opera LOL. Perhaps if I had more intimate knowledge of Japanese culture and exposure to this art form I'd feel differently, idk. I just hope it doesn't overshadow the character work, which is the big draw for me, otherwise I can see otakus prematurely slapping a "boring" label on this something quick - part of the reason this strikes me as a very ballsy production. Hyouge Mono was too, although I don't forsee this series being on anywhere near the same level. To fully appreciate the rakugo, we probably have to dial down our minds and be super relaxed. Thankfully the josei genre tag scared off most of the people who would have complained about everything being "boring." If I start hating this show myself, which likely won't happen, I'll just stop posting in these discussion threads. Not gonna lie, I pretty much shrugged off this show for a long time despite liking the premise of it because of the tag. I also shrugged off ergo proxy, and now that I'm watching it, the complaints seem rather exaggerated. Oh well this show maybe the gateway to better choices. |
| Nothing can happen until you swing the bat. |
| I liked this one even more than the first. I love the character design and music as well as the relationship that is forming between Shin and Bon. And I am starting to enjoy the rakugo scenes too. Also, Bon is really cute with that sad expresion of his. |
| I found something in life, is just that I'm still trying to figure out what is it. |
| I reallly like the music, which appears in this show. Main story is fantastic too. :) |
| "The future is always blank. Only your willpower can leave footsteps there." "Ruling over death means ruling over life. Death is the climax of life. To have the best death, you must honor life." |
| Episode 2 : Vol. 2, Ch. 6 [-mid] So it looks like just the first episode was double the duration. We get to go to t he past of Yakumo. Their eyes. It's been the same. Yakumo used to be a dancer but had his leg hurt. I wonder what happened. He's been on a cane ever since.Man. How do they memorize all of these lines. I had such a hard time memorizing lines for ONE play for ONE character. Shin performs for them and it just makes me smile. omg. He makes little Yakumo smile!! OMG. MATSUDA. HE'S SO YOUNG. Seventh decides to take in both of the boys. I love listening to their dialogue. I can just imagine being around these people in real life---HAHA FROO-FROO. Yakumo and Sukeroku get to know each other. Even as they were young they were really mature and talked like they were old peeps. HAHA. I love their relationship, mannn. They were given their names and officially become zenza, opening the show for Seventh. Their voices. You can kind of tell that Yakumo wasn't really looking forward to doing the rakugo thing in the beginning. You can feel the enthusiasm with Shin bu--oh, he just said it. He just kept doing it because he still needed to stay there. He had no drive to continue doing the rakugo. It's their first performance and Yakumo is stuttering and shaking. Awww. my goodness. Seventh said that his rakugo is kind of boring and that he needed to speak from the diaphram. It seems the same at this moment. Not like I can feel a story like how he is now. I still love hearing the voice.He's boring the audience. Aww. Seventh is not that imressed seeing as how he was planning on just taking him in the first place. It just sort of sounds like he's just reciting the lines. Don't feel like it's an actual performance. Of course, I could just be typing out of my ass here. It's lackluster. Yakumo can even feel how dead the audience is. It's Shin's turn and he wakes up the crowd. He's certainly louder and more alive, exaggerating the movements that you can feel it. I think that there was a comment over how he did it too fast but he seems to have the laugh cues of the audience down. Shin really enjoys rakugo. omg. i love it. Again, Shin manages to make Bon laugh. Oh, dude. I hope I'm not confusing everybody with all of these names. The audience loved him. I love him. omg. THE END OF THE EPISODE ALREADY? omgg. Is this a different ending? I can't even tell. Mannn... I love these guys. Who is that female sitting besi---Oh. I think I know. |
ouriel said: I don't know how many of you noticed it, but I really liked the subtle music used during each of their performance, Yakumo having a tense music showing his tension and more serious look and Sukeroku having a laidback/cheery music that fit that of his outgoing energetic personality. :) Yeah, I also liked how the music steadily kept rising during Yakumo's performance and eventually drowned out his voice, mirroring the way in which he kept getting more and more nervous with each passing minute, until it completely took over his performance by the end of it. |
| I think my problem with the Rakugo performances, at least the comical ones, is that I don't find them funny. They're just ok, mostly just corny, but you got the audience in the show laughing like it's hilarious o_O |
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| Okay, I see. The difference between good rakugo and bad rakugo is all about the emotion! Sukeroku's rakugo was much more animated, and the emotion in his voice made it come to life. Yakumo had a good story, but the audience responded poorly due to the lack of animation. |
| "No, son, you may not have your body pillow at the dinner table!" |
| I'm kind of getting the prestige vibes from the two rivals. I hope this anime jumps back and forth from past to present I want to see how Yota progresses as well. |
Sol_OuNov 9, 2017 11:01 PM
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