Okada Masaki Monogatari

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 togeth...

I'm sad that this Friday is the last episode of SGRS... but I'm relieved that I have finally translated Okada Masaki's looooong interview with NHK that was uploaded on 12 October 2018. Enjoy!  The septuagenarian Yakumo ( source ) A long interview of Okada Masaki as the lead actor for the “Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū” 12 October 2018 This is Shibuya Hanako from the Dorama club AD. Did you see the “Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū” last night? Celebrating the first episode, I interviewed the lead actor Okada Masaki. Okada-san is playing the Shōwa Rakugo story teller named Hachidaime Yūrakutei Yakumo. I will talk about the original work, the shootings and the Rakugo! Q: First of all, please tell me whether you’ve read the original work.  A: I have. The original work was truly readable. I was scared but also drawn into it to the extent that I couldn’t open the next page to see what it would be. Also, I thought that Yakumo would be a difficult role to play…(laugh...

Sorry for the spoilers ahead, but I was very happily surprised to this scene! ( Source ) The episode started with a flashback of Kiku talking with Shisho about Rakugo. Shisho Yakumo VII had tremor in his hands. The way Kiku looked more stern than the shy Kiku of Eps 3-4, I think the scene was after Suke was expelled. Then back to the present where the very old, trembled-hand, Yakumo was praying in front of his Shisho’s grave. Then Shinnosuke (“Shin-chan”), Konatsu’s son, came, asking Jiji (grandpa) to stop praying and get back to the city with him. Konatsu and Yotaro prayed at a temple. Were they asking for another kid? At the Yose, Konatsu prepared for her debut Shamisen performance. Mangetsu was performing there, but he felt terrible with his own performance. Interesting, thinking how Mangetsu was very frontal towards Yota in Ep 1, but now they’re friends and Yotaro consoled Mangetsu when the latter wasn’t happy with his own Rakugo. At home, Yakumo was practicing his Raku...

Shisho Yakumo VIII visited Yotaro for the first time in Yota's rental room Yotaro was sad because not many people came to his show; he thought it was because of his tattoo photo. But Matsuda-san said it was because of the pouring rain (which was indeed intense). Yota being Yota, he just decided to open his kimono and danced around, offending some traditional viewers who then left. Yota apologised to Yakumo, who – despite saying that Yota was indeed stupid – actually asked to see Yota’s tattoo. Bewildered, Yota showed his shisho the tattoo. He was even more surprised that Yakumo wasn’t offended by the tattoo. Shisho instead said something soothing that made Yota shed grateful tears. As Yota left in gratitude, Konatsu looked at Yakumo, bewildered with his unexpected open-mindedness. Mangetsu visited Yota who was spirited again and was training his rakugo. Mangetsu seemed to suggest that Oyabun (a Yakuza boss who used to employ Yotaro) was the father of Konatsu’s baby. Konat...

The 60 years old Yurakutei Yakumo VIII ( source ) Back in the 1980s (1987 to be exact), Episode 7 opened with a much older Yakumo (60 years old) waking up from his shinjū nightmare. He woke up with a balled fist as the last scene he saw in the dream was him grabbing Suke’s collar to prevent him and Miyo from falling. Interestingly, as Suke let go of Kiku’s grab, Miyo actually said “kono ko, onegai - この　子、お願い”. It seems that Miyo begged Kiku to take care of her daughter as she was tethering on Sukeroku's arms. Meanwhile, Yotaro got a new haircut. He’s a more famous rakugo story teller now, inviting a horde of laughters from a packed audience. Konatsu was standing on a bridge. She was muttering some options for baby names as she took out a cigarette. Yet, she cancelled and walked away. Konatsu breaking the news ( Source ) Yakumo was studying his very polished walking stick (the one he got from Miyo) when Matsuda-san came to tell him that Konatsu was going to visit the...