Day: February 20, 2016

Now that Kikuhiko has begun to find his voice, both he and Sukeroku are in high demand. They’re even getting radio play now, which is something that Kikuhiko wouldn’t have imagined for himself just a short time ago. Behind the scenes, though, there’s a fair bit of tension between the two performers. Sukeroku has never been one to take things seriously, including his time commitments and dedication to practicing his art. He overreaches by attempting Rakugo stories that are typically outside the purview of a futatsume, and it’s Kikuhiko that has to cover for him by adjusting for time, and asking for forgiveness from their superiors. To Sukeroku, who virtually lives off of alcohol and the laughter of his audiences, things like “saving money” and “dressing properly” just don’t matter. Between acting like a parent to a man who is ostensibly like a brother to him, and working to perfect his art, Kiku is finding less and less time to devote to Miyokichi.

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Following his successful night in the theater, Kikuhiko becomes introspective about his childhood and some of the defining experiences of his life. As a youngster and child of a geisha, young Bon trained in traditional dance out of proximity more than in preparation for a future career. After all, a boy cannot become a geisha, right? Overhearing the whispered ridicule from the other women tore at his confidence, and attempting to learn the craft of Rakugo only seemed to make him more uncomfortable with himself. These memories cause Kikuhiko to wonder once again where he might begin to uncover “his”
rakugo – a performance style all his own.

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The young, attractive, responsible Kikuhiko has been waiting tables to make ends meet ever since leaving his master’s home. His work leaves him little time to learn new Rakugo and he finds himself stagnating. Hatsutaro, or “Sukeroku” as he’s now calling himself, has become very popular, booking theaters left and right. He’s even got radio stations knocking on his door to get him to perform. He comes across as irresponsible, but his attitude hides his secret studiousness, and his skills onstage are unmistakable. Kiku can’t seem to reach the same level, his problem being his boring flawlessness. He needs something in his life to mess things up a little bit and break him out of his shell of perfection.

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