The One That Killed Me (But, Like, in a Really Good Way).
Usually by the time I get to writing these commentaries I’ve poured all my flailing fangirl energy into tweets and can focus on that High Quality Analysis you crave, but this week…yeah, this week requires some in-post flailing, too, because Rakugo Shinju melted me into a puddle of feels repeatedly, and two days later I’m still in the process of reforming into a solid human-shaped blogger again.
The Josei Next Door 
The scene that broke me the most was definitely that final one, with Yakumo and the ghost (or whatever you want to call it) of Sukeroku right behind him. In any other show I would assume it was meant to be creepy, but in a series as subtle and complex as Rakugo Shinjuu it’s just a visual representation of the past, and all of what Yakumo is still refusing to let go of. HE NEEDS ALL THE HUGS HE CAN GET.
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Oh I’m so happy for Konatsu T.T. She’s loved to do rakugo since she was little but stopped because everyone around her believed women couldn’t do rakugo. Even now she’s internalized this prejudice and continues to defend it, even though she loved doing rakugo in front of her children.
I’m excited to see this conflict play out. On one hand she really loves doing rakugo, but on the other hand it’s easier to make up excuses, suppress her emotions and not be a target of controversy (which would definitely happen if she were to try doing more rakugo in front of audiences).
And with Yotaro’s arc done (he’s found his own rakugo right?), I think the story is in a great place to explore Konatsu’s conflict (and hopefully heal old Kikuhiko’s wounds).
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That one screenshot you took (http://www.anime-evo.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Rakugo2-4-2-768×432.png)
I don’t think we have seen that face once on adult Konatsu before. It was her face almost perpetually when she was a child, before her parents died…oh man, I almost had tears in my eyes seeing that. I was so happy for her. So happy. She finally got to perform rakugo in front of an audience. And kids don’t have a care in the world about whether she is a woman doing rakugo or not, they haven’t been indoctrinated into anything yet, they just love a well told story.
And Yotaro is just…man, he is so supportive and loving and such a nice guy and and…
This episode made me feel things
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