Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu

Synopsis

Young Yotarou has just left prison after serving a short term for a crime he does not know anything about, but without family, he has nowhere to go. Instead, he is going straight to the unrivaled master of rakugo—a form of comedic Japanese storytelling—Yakumo Yuurakutei himself. Due to a series of events, Yotarou becomes enamored with rakugo, bent on becoming a shunichi. Yakumo, who never takes apprentices, almost immediately agrees to pass his trade on to Yotarou. Together with Konatsu, a young lady living in the household, they start struggling toward becoming the new hope for rakugo, which seems to be slowly withering away alongside the Shouwa era. However, as Yotarou gets to know his new mentor and "big sis," he notices hints of a dark past in both of them. The environment of the household becomes strained and, at times, scary. Naturally, no hardships matter to the young Yotarou, as his gaze is set upon their mutual future—the future where he becomes the master of rakugo. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Background

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu won the Excellence Award in manga category at the 17th Japan Media Arts Festival, as well as the the 38th Kodansha Manga Award for best general manga. It was also nominated for the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and placed fourth in the 5th Manga Taisho award, second on the 2012 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! rankings for the female division, and seventh in the 2013 Comic Natalie's Grand Prize. The series was published digitally in English as Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju by Kodansha Comics USA from January 17, 2017 to December 11, 2018, and in print from May 23, 2017 to December 31, 2018.

Characters

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