The unlikely friendships between vastly different people who, throughout the show, remain uniquely themselves through & through; the layers & layers of warped, conflicting feelings; the unfathomable, almost perplexing struggles; and the attention to detail — these were elements of the show that make it josei as it is, and quite a fine one at that. It’s got a certain mature, sometimes mundane, feeling to it, and so I didn’t exactly feel like I enjoyed myself watching it, but Shouwa Genroku definitely has a sort of appeal to it that hits different.
[Josei is an anime genre mainly targeted at female young adults or older, and tends to reflect the more mature issues in life]
I loved the aesthetic, the form of storytelling, and the depth. It does appear slow-paced at times (and the art of rakugo may take a while for some to appreciate) but even with that, every moment still managed to pull me in by the collar and immerse me in the story. Perhaps not a show for everyone, and honestly speaking, it wasn’t my usual kind of show either. However, it somehow really felt quite like life itself — sometimes complicated, sometimes lighthearted, sometimes boring even, and sometimes not giving me any particular feeling at all — and that, I would say, would be the charm of this show!
