Reviews

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is an epic, magical realism series that starts in Shouwa Japan after the second World War and ends in the more or less present day. It follows the lives and times of several rakugo performers and the people with whom they are close, and that's about it. This is a josei character/romantic drama to the core, so expect lots of melodrama. At the same time, it's just damn compelling storytelling, with intrigue, concealed histories, and lots of shady characters with golden hearts. It's not a realistic story, nor is it really meant to be, but it feels believable, because every character has a cool familiarity that puts you in mind of someone you know. It's also steeped in rakugo itself, and other elements of Japanese culture that many in the weebspace don't seem to care about, but is quite nice if you're interested in that sort of thing.

Overall, it's a hard show to recommend, because it requires quite a lot of patience, but I love it. It's an anime for adults that feels "adult", which so many do not, and therein lies my own appreciation for it.