Yotarou, a former yakuza released from prison, is obsessed with one goal: instead of slipping back into crime, he dreams of performing rakugo, the classic Japanese comedic storytelling art. While incarcerated, he was moved by a master"s act—Yakumo Yuurakutei—and resolved to seek the man who altered his destiny. Hearing Yotarou"s earnest plea for guidance, Yakumo finds himself compelled to take on his first disciple.
During the start of training, Yotarou encounters Konatsu, a sharp‑tongued young woman who has lived under Yakumo"s tutelage ever since her cherished father, Sukeroku Yuurakutei—a renowned rakugo artist—died. Konatsu"s concealed zeal draws Yotarou toward Sukeroku"s distinctive rakugo style, even though he learns under different methods. Seeing this sparks old recollections in Yakumo, who remembers a time when he vowed with his fiercest competitor.
Yotarou"s nights in solitary were filled with the echo of street chants and the hum of lights, sharpening his resolve to leave that world behind. Yakumo"s firm guidance offered a path of redemption, teaching him the rhythm and nuance that make rakugo and truly soul‑deep.
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu spans past and present, illustrating the rakugo craft, the bonds it forges, and the lives and hearts of those devoted to preserving this singular narrative tradition.
Studio DEEN Japan