Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū Ep 10 recap

Right. I’m typing with red eyes because I just finished crying. I wasn’t expecting the last episode to be very emotional. I mean, it’s the last one, so of course it was emo. But I didn’t cry mostly because it’s the last episode. Rather, it was because of what this episode revealed… (so DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED!)

(Update 17 Dec 2018: I've just re-watched the last episode and realised I have mis-heard some sentences, particularly in the last few scenes. I'm trying to fix my misinterpretations now, and will put tags if I question my own interpretations but haven't got time to fix them)


Now. We’re back in 1995. The episode started with Mangetsu arriving with the Shikoku Rakugo film he obtained from the Shikoku inn owner.  Unlike in the manga where Yotaro and Mangetsu (and another guy I forgot the name – will check later), here Mangetsu went to Shikoku and brought the film with him. In this drama, Konatsu and Matsuda-san also watched the film together.

Several interesting tidbits before jumping to the important scene in the old documentary (special thanks to Ogawa Kaori for the discussion): the part where Suke forgot his fan and went back to get it, only to have Kiku standing just by the curtain to give him the fan with "I can't believe you left the fan, you アホ！" look, was PRICELESS! As Ogawa Kaori said, it was the precious "behind-the-scene" that the video captured.

Also very touching was the comment Yota made on how happy his Yakumo shishō looked in the video. 「こんなに楽しそう落語やって師匠初めて見たぜ」-- "This is the first time I see such happiness in Shishō while doing the Rakugo". An astute observation, Yota...

We found that Konatsu jumped into her dad’s embrace after the Rakugo show while Yakumo caressed Konatsu there in a fatherly manner; all captured in the film. Yota also noticed how Sukeroku actually wore an overcoat that belonged to Yakumo the 7th (Kiku did make Suke wear it for that show).

Now the important one: The film also captured a moment where Sukeroku stopped before announcing the first line of Shibahama. The film didn’t show why Sukeroku stopped, but Suke actually stopped because he saw Miyokichi at the back seat. Yota deduced as such because that was similar to the look he had when he saw Konatsu amongst the audience.

OMG… so Suke KNEW that when Kiku had a visitor, the visitor would definitely be Miyo! That was why he came that night; not because Kiku took too long with the guest, but because Suke knew it was Miyo visiting Kiku!

Anyway, after watching the movie, Matsuda-san and Yota were about to pick up Yakumo (Shishō was discharged from the hospital that day) when Konatsu muttered that she finally remembered what happened that night.

Meanwhile, the old stubborn Yakumo didn’t bother to wait for pick up. Instead, he went alone to the old yose. This yose is not the yose Yotaro and him usually performed; instead, it's the yose that Yakumo visited in Ep 9 when he saw Sukeroku’s maboroshi. It's also the old original yose where Shishō Yakumo 7th, the deceased Suke and the young Kikuhiko performed Rakugo.

There, Yakumo performed the Shinigami. It was a BEAUTIFUL rendition of the Shinigami with scenes of the young Kikuhiko performing it superimposed with the old Yakumo's present performance.

Beautiful.

At the end of the solo recital with no one to see him, Yakumo (who was on the floor as per the usual end of Shinigami) heard a clap. Sukeroku appeared again, saying how good Yakumo’s Shinigami was. Suke was also surprised to learn that Yakumo could hear him this time, for Yakumo was never ever been able to hear Suke's babbling post-mortem.

(Source)

Then Suke (who suddenly became Shinigami) persuaded Yakumo to take a candle and throw it to the floor, burning the dried wood and banners there.

Clearly happy to be picked up by the God of Death, Yakumo surrendered himself to death, but suddenly Yota (the sweet sunshine Yotaro...) barged into the burning yose with Konatsu and rescued Yakumo.

At home, Konatsu then told Yakumo, Matsuda-san and Yota that she remembered everything in that Shikoku room that night. That night, when Sukeroku came into the room, Miyokichi repeated her request to Kikuhiko that they (she and Kiku) both do the shinjū (double suicide). Then she said, "If you don't want to do it..." before she opened her purse and retrieved a sharp kitchen knife. She then thrusted the knife at Kiku, who managed to hold her just in time. Suke jumped in as well to protect both Kiku and Miyo, but he was accidentally stabbed in the process. Miyo was so surprised and apologised for accidentally hurting Suke. At that time, Konatsu came with Matsuda-san. Surprised that her daughter came, Miyo repeatedly apologised to Konatsu. Angered, Konatsu pushed her mother over and over such that she fell over the balcony and died.

Yakumo said Konatsu didn't remember correctly. It was true that Konatsu pushed Miyo over and over such that the mother fell over the balcony, but mother and daughter actually fell together. Miyo managed to catch the fainted Konatsu and held her onto her bosom, just as Suke jumped to rescue his family at the last second. Straight away, Kiku jumped to catch Suke, while Matsuda-san held onto Kiku’s legs. Miyo repeatedly asked Kiku to rescue Konatsu, just Konatsu  (「私はいい！」I'm okay, just ignore me!"). Suke also begged Kiku the same. Miyo then pushed Konatsu onto Kiku’s left hand. Kiku immediately grabbed Konatsu, but he stubbornly kept holding onto Suke’s collar with his right hand. However, it was clear that Kiku couldn't’ hold Konatsu on his left hand and Suke-Miyo on his right hand. Suke then wriggled free from Yakumo… and thus the former and Miyo fell together.


And I cried.


I cried when I realised how heavy Yakumo’s and Matsuda-san’s burden the last 25 years or so, keeping that big a secret away from Konatsu…

As Yakumo later said weakly to Matsuda-san: "It's been a very long silence, Matsuda-san. Forgive me..."

Konatsu also cried, realising the mother she hated with all her life actually sacrificed her life to rescue her daughter.

Later… after the shock abated, Konatsu performed an impromptu Rakugo in front of Shin-chan’s class on Yotaro’s encouragement. The story was about a child whose name was very very long and hard to remember (even longer than the name of that famous town in Wales UK). Konatsu then told Yotaro that she was pregnant again, this time with Yota’s child. Both of them embraced in happiness.

Later, as the Sakura fell on the garden, Konatsu combed Yakumo’s silver hair, reminiscing the time when Kikuhiko cut little Konatsu’s hair.

Flashback to Episode 6...

They talked and talked and talked (among others about Miyokichi and Yakumo's feeling towards her). Suddenly Konatsu hugged Yakumo – very likely for the first time in her life.

“Don’t die,” she stubbornly said, as I burst into tears again. “Don’t die. Thank you for what you’ve done for me so far.”

Yakumo smiled.

(Edit 17 Dec: I'm not certain I got the "don't die" correctly. I have to read the Japanese subtitle to check it. I'm thus flagging this sentence. Konatsu did say thank you to Yakumo though, and he did smile). 

When Konatsu asked Yakumo to name her and Yota’s child, Yakumo agreed.

(Edit 17 Dec: I again must flag the above sentence until I can transcribe the JP subtitle correctly). 

They then listened to Yotaro’s recorded Shinagawa Shinjū in a silent camaraderie, interrupted with the occasional chuckles due to Yota's comical Rakugo and Shin-chan scattering sakura around for his grandpa.

Then…as Yakumo watched the falling sakura, the scene around him dissolved into a bright light. He then found himself in the yose, but still with the old seating configuration. He was young again, more like Kikuhiko than Yakumo.




“You’re late,” said a very familiar voice.

Yakumo turned to see Sukeroku waiting at the door step. “Where am I?” Yakumo asked.

Suke smiled as he simply said, “You’re dead.”

Kikuhiko blinked as he remembered. “Sō da! Sakura o mitenagara, Yotaro no shinagawa mitetanda… Oh, right! We were watching the sakura and listening to Yotaro’s Shinagawa…So I’m dead…”.

Suke bent over Kiku and grinned. "You apparently couldn't bring Rakugo to die with you, eh?" When Kiku looked at him questioningly, Suke added, "You like Rakugo and you made many people falling in love with it too. You lived a life well-lived."

Suke extended his hand to the tearful Kiku, but the latter just slapped Suke's palm as he wiped his tearful eyes. Suke chuckled and helped Kikuhiko to stand up. Somehow, Kiku’s bad leg is performing perfectly. They both laughed.

“Kiku-san, you’re already dead!”

Kiku turned his head again to see the beautiful Miyokichi entered with her trademark dark pink kimono. She smiled. “Kiku-san, anata mō shinjata no ne? Gokurosama! So you’re already dead now, Kiku-san! Congratulations; you’ve worked hard!”

Kiku smiled. Together with Suke, he approached Miyo as she approached them…

More than a decade later…

At the yose, Yotaro was just "crowned" as Kyudaime Yūrakutei Yakumo (Yūrakutei Yakumo the 9th) after decades of being the Sandaime Yūrakutei Sukeroku (Yūrakutei Sukeroku the 3rd). Mangetsu persevered and stayed in the Rakugo business and became another shishō.  The early 20s Shinnosuke (Shin-chan) was raised to be the 2nd Yūrakutei Kikuhiko (he always loved his grandpa, so I think the title fits). Koyuki 小雪(Konatsu’s and Yota’s daughter) is now a teenager, perhaps 15 years old. She seemed to be the caretaker of the very old Matsuda-san. O-ei san was still alive and kicking... rather, smoking, at the backstage, with Konatsu. O-ei commented on how they still hadn't found out about the real father of Shinnosuke, but Konatsu just casually ignored that comment...

Mummy Konatsu with the solemn Shin-cha, the 2nd Yūrakutei Kikuhiko

The grey-haired Yotaro was making his opening Rakugo speech about his shishō Yūrakutei Yakumo the 8th when he saw Yakumo, Sukeroku and Miyokichi standing behind the audience at the yose.

(Source)

The Trio smiled at him, Yotaro smiled back, subtly nodded his respect, and continued his narrative…that night was Shinigami.

Narrating the guy who was approached by Shinigami, Yota asked, “Who are you?”

Behind the audience seats, mirroring his beloved student, Yakumo smiled and replied,

「死神だ。」

“I’m Shinigami, I’m the God of Death.”

「死神だ。」

And the curtain fell for the series.  Had it been in a theatre hall, I'd stand up and give a 10 min of standing ovation...



And I cried and cried and cried and wish I could replay the episode but I have to wait for tomorrow so might as well post this one off…

And cry again…


Comments 17 Dec 2018:

I will add more comments steadily as I'm still digesting the drama. It's clear though that this is one of the best Okada Masaki dramas I've ever seen (yes, I still hold Chiisana Kyojin in a high pedestal). SGRS is packed with well-cast actors and actresses, I don't find any role who was miscast. Chief among them are the six major players: Masaki as Yakumo, Yamazaki Ikusaburo as Sukeroku, Omasa Aya as Miyokichi, Ryusei Ryu as Yotaro, Narumi Riko as Konatsu and Eisuke Sasai-San as Matsuda-san. I cannot imagine any other actors/actresses playing those roles other than those six.

The show clearly has great editing and soundtrack (Yuzu's Maboroshi is amazing!). I'm also very satisfied with the way NHK handles the story compression. Compacting 10 major books into 10 episodes isn't easy, but I think NHK handles it well. I'm very happy that the friendship and brotherhood between Kiku and Suke was portrayed elegantly, naturally. The importance of Yota's presence in Yakumo's life was also showed gradually but surely. The glue that keeps the family together was supplied convincingly by Matsuda-san. Miyokichi wasn't portrayed as a mad woman who just slept around for nothing (sorry, manga Miyo, but I cannot connect with you, really, for you need a therapy actually, not a boyfriend). Moreover, Miyo's role in Yakumo's life was made the more important with the advice she gave him and the fact that Yakumo kept the walking stick that Miyo gave him till he died.

The icing on the cake which I truly appreciate is that Yotaro eventually changed his stage name to Kyudaime Yūrakutei Yakumo (Yūrakutei Yakumo the 9th) after decades of being Sandaime Yūrakutei Sukeroku (Yūrakutei Sukeroku the 3rd). It's a nice touch that pays homage to Yakumo's plight... and I'm sure Sukeroku doesn't mind. By the look on his face in the last episode, I'm sure Suke had no issue with it...