Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Weeb0708
This is my first time writing a review, I've always wondered how much free time or what kind of mindset people must exactly have to write a review for an anime. But this. I believe it is anime like these that make you want everyone to know just how brilliant this piece of art is and why you are in love with it.
The story and characters are without a doubt a Solid 10, the sequel did an amazing job carrying forward with the build-up season 1 set for it. The plot does not have too many twists and turns, nor does it have shallow settings to enjoy which is the reason why even though it was extremely entertaining to me I have rated it 8 for enjoyment keeping in mind a general point of view.
The Art work and Sound track especially the sheer brilliant work done by the voice actors in portraying…
Read at the sourcebrillante
Where do I begin? Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is incredible. I’ve never been so glued to the screen while watching an anime. Whatever I have to say will fail to convey the beauty of SGRS, but I will still try to do so, in an attempt to convince just one more person to take a chance on this show, or even just pick up this second season if they’ve only seen the first. After all, It took one rakugo performance to convince Yotaro to strive to be a storyteller, so perhaps I can do the same with an anime review on MyAnimeList, right?
I could write an entire analysis of the plot of this show. It would take me hours to explain what the story is about and what everything means, but I feel it’s wrong to go in-depth. What I can say is this is as much a story about the longevity of the art of rakug…
Read at the sourcesuzuechi
I haven't even started writing yet but the feeling of admiration I have for this show just submerges me into this unexplainable euphoria that leaves me feeling blank and weird in so many ways. I was unsure if I should write a review for this anime. But now I have resolved to contribute something to this masterpiece.
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu as a whole (including both seasons) is definitely something you'd continue to think about even after you've finished the whole thing. I didn't know rakugo until I watched the series. And I was utterly amazed by how the staff and the original author displayed this form of art with admirable characters and captivating story line.
The music used in the opening themes really sets the mood for each episode. The sound of the rakugo accompaniment and t…
Read at the sourceLinoTheOne
"I am despicable, and I have been so for a long time."
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu deserves a review beginning with this quote from "Farewell, my Concubine", as I see they have a lot in common. This quote represents Kikuhiko, the man who lies to the spectator.
In the first season, the flow of the story is so intense that we forgot one point: the story is being told by a character. I got very disappointed when I'd watched (here it comes a little spoiler) Sukeroku and Miyokichi's death. I didn't find it plausible, credible; it was a fantasy, a tacky and very stupid way to kill a main character. But season two made everything clear: the narrator, Kikuhiko, was telling a lie, the lie he's been telling Konatsu since she was a child. Only when Matsuda tells the story, one season later, we k…
Read at the sourceMugenDorimu
I never thought will give this series 10/10 score at first, after read it sypno I tought it will become a mediocore anime, but it turnout I found a masterpiece instead. And that shock me to found one in "New Generation" anime which is I expected full of mediocore.
this series unique in two aspect, theme and character. Rakugo theme is unique and it can be said the first anime brought this japanese traditional art properly. And each character has their own unique charisma.
while I watch first season, to be honest I was a little bit bored with "rakugo" performance, can't understand it. But the story development are smooth and without I realize it, I became enjoying and excited whenever their (all chara) doing it.
art and sound are really succeed makes me (at least) carried away into 20 cen…
Read at the sourceBanjoTheBear
(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!)
It’s not every day that we get to witness history in the making.
Take the first season of Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. As critics such as myself agree on, it is nothing short of phenomenal. The drama, the maturity, the writing, the execution. That first season redefined what anime as a medium is capable of. Greatness incarnate.
So, understandably, the sequel here, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen, not only has the difficult job of concluding this tale but also maintaining that same level of excellence. The big question, then, is: did Rakugo Season 2 make history?
Suffice it to say, it did.
STORY
Taking place ten years after Bon’s personal recount on the origins of his life and the art of…
Read at the sourceMokabear
I am going to take a risky side with this review: Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futabi-hen was disappointing. The atmosphere and the seriousness vibe was completely shakened by the new main character, which I thought was actually for the worse.
Story 6/10 Compared to its 1st season, this series is just weak. You can't say comparing the two is invalid, this season very very much relies on the 1st season. My main issue comes from the weaker characters, who are actually not THAT weak. It's only when I remeber the first season is it when I just realize how hollow the 2nd season characters are. Many more characters show up, and their significance is shallow compared to the first season, making it feel bland.
Art and Sound are both okay. Everything is mellow and sets up the atmospher…
Read at the sourcemaattthhhh
I don’t like Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinju. Main reason being is that the main characters’ stupidity is what caused the conflicts within the show. Right off the bat, the main focus of both arcs, Yakumo, is so fickle-minded. Come to think of it, he’s the indirect cause of Miyokichi and Sukeroku death. Now I don’t know if what he and Sukeroku had was just bromance or if he actually had feelings for him. Or if he just wants to focus on doing rakugo. But if he just manned up and dumped Miyokichi, then she could’ve just moved on with her life. But nope, he just had to be wishy-washy about it.
Second is Sukeroku. His laziness in the second arc was annoyingly stupid. I don’t know if it’s just a pride that he didn’t want to take work aside rakugo. But for him to just let his daughter do all the wo…
Read at the sourcetriplefox
Rakugo is a series about Beautiful Storytelling, and it is perhaps unsurprising that it turns out to be a Beautiful Story too. The flashy fantasy tropes are absent: this is a grounded, plausible narrative with a grand scope. It spans a lengthy time period - from the 1930's to the present - and deals with the serious questions and responsibilities of life in an artful style.
Every episode mixes together the grand narrative with careful depictions of rakugo performance itself, with a few of the classic rakugo stories recurring throughout different episodes, told by different characters in their own style. If that sounds a bit dull, don't be too dissuaded: the story prepares you so well for each performance that you aren't likely to feel bored. It uses these scenes not just to show a perform…
Read at the sourcejzathejenius
Lets not mince words here; Descending Stories is a masterpiece.
I cannot think of any other anime that has possessed such a quiet yet devastating power to move me to tears with every episode. Most impressively, it doesn't resort to cheap manipulation to move you. The fact that I cared so much about each and every one of these well rounded characters is the reason I was moved so deeply as I shared the various moments of joy and sadness.
And make no mistake, there is an overwhelming sadness and melancholy that pervades DS. Yakumo carries the memory of Sukeroku and his wife Miyokichi with him like a ball and chain (the cause of this sadness is obvious to anyone who witnessed the tragic events of the first season). The overwhelming guilt and sadness he feels is so evident in his every word…
Read at the sourceSuperSecretOtaku
Not only is this show not up to par in comparison to it's predecessor, but simply wouldn't be worth your time or consideration without it's lineage.
The first season clearly demonstrated how every character is shaped into who they became by preceding events, and almost every element introduced has a crucial role in the plot; in contrast, the majority of this season's plot elements are introduced, then simply go nowhere.
Take as an example, the desire to keep Rakugo traditional, versus the need to keep Rakugo alive through innovation. The first season heavily foreshadowed that this would be the main struggle of S2, and the first episode of S2 seemingly confirms this by introducing a character whose main goals are to write new Rakugo stories, and get Yotaro to tell these new stories. Of…
Read at the sourceBlueKite
The first season of Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu was personally my favorite anime of 2016. It was such a breath of fresh air for the slice-of-life genre with its traditional period drama setting that inevitably clashes with the modernization of society. Who would have thought that something like rakugo can hold such power when it comes to crafting mesmerizing narratives? Personally, I would’ve found it boring when I get to see a performance live. However, the show executes this art of storytelling so well that it never fails to catch my attention. The way it shows the perspective of the audience and the storyteller in diverse angles and its sudden frame changes is brilliantly done as it serves as a visual treat with its gestures in which it further enhances the rakugo experience. All of t…
Read at the sourceJoyaZZZZZZ
This is the single best anime that I've seen, it's just the best. And I can't even believe that it is not ranked as top 10, because it should be there.
The Story is defiantly a 10 out of 10. And I can understand those who think that it is boring or it is slow or the Rakugo part is no fun or whatever, I know that this is not the show for everyone. But I can say that how detailed the story is, and how these little hints and foreshadowing are hidden here and there. For example, the singing part in Sukeroku's last Rakugo performance in ep 11 season 2 also appeared in ep 1 season 1, sang by Konatsu. All these little things are what made this story a true appealing one, and as an Asian, I can really appreciate this whole thing about fading culture, and I am more than glad that people are actua…
Read at the sourceItIsIDio
The second season of Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu cemented the series as an undeniable masterpiece for me is what I wish I would be saying right now. However the second season lost a lot of the aspects that made the first season of Rakugo great for me.
If you were to ask me what the first season was, I'd say that it was a story about the industry of rakugo and the life of two men that grew up together and were raised to work in that trade. If you were to ask me what the second season is, I'd say that it is about the state of where the industry could be going, and concluding Yakumo's character arc. The way the series tries to present the state of rakugo and where it moves going forward is through Yotaro, a new character of whose sole purpose is to constantly reiterate that Rakugo is to be…
Read at the sourceCodeBlazeFate
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Happiness is essential, for when death comes, we want to look back fondly at our lives. It's only natural, really. It's only natural that we feel this way, and it's only natural that this is the conclusion to such a wonderful work of art. With that sentimental tangent, back on track, though expect that to be the tone of this review. Death, or rather, actually dying and no longer being able to experience anything for all of eternity is something that legitimately frightens me, and it has since childhood. Leaving a legacy that you won't see, possibly not even knowing what kind of legacy you leave or if you leave one at all. All of this has toiled in my mind for quite some time now, and this second season really sparked that back into my psyche, for better and f…
Read at the sourcedelta5
The first season of Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu was the absolute best anime of Winter, 2016, and very possibly the best anime of that entire year. It was certainly the most moving, truly adult, drama I've seen in a long time. Appropriately enough, since rakugo is the art of storytelling, the first season took the form of a story within a story, telling an incredibly moving tale of a complicated friendship, tragic choices, and the repercussions of those actions for people living in the present day. It was haunting, memorable, and it's been a very, very long year waiting for the sequel.
The second season starts with a recap told in the form of a rakugo tale--this was an absolutely perfect, and perfectly logical, choice. You're immediately transported back into the space of the rakugo thea…
Read at the sourcecerdaco
Holy shit this anime is a fucking masterpiece. I'm not trying to be a hypebeast right now when I say that this anime is truly superb. The characters are treated extremely well and given ample space and time to grow and develop, the plot it interesting and plays out effectively, and the storytelling combined with the soundtrack combine to suck you in episode after episode to care about performances of an esoteric art that most watchers won't know about at the beginning but will love by the end. Goddamn. I came into this show with high expectations after the first season (which I gave a 9) and was still somehow completely blown away. Only issue I can really see is that the art wasn't as adventurous as it possibly could have been and the pacing sort of dragged in the middle of the season but…
Read at the sourcetigermaskshinobi
Coming off the highly acclaimed and one of the best anime of 2016, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, comes it's second season and it's... I don't really know to describe how good this is, but that's just how good it is..If that makes sense. It's light, It's beautiful, It's haunting, It's deep, It's dramatic. It's one of the most masterfully made anime there is.
One of the things this show does so well is that it presents itself in the form a Rakugo. It's leisurely paced but the genuine and detailed storytelling and flawless performances combined with just the necessary amount of soundtrack certainly makes it seem so. This anime is not just a love letter to the art form and it's celebrated history but also serves as a medium to revitalize the art form for it's future and introduce it to new…
Read at the sourceriorangel21
This show hands down one of the godtier series in the history of anime. When it comes to drama, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu as a whole is insanely topnotch / masterpiece. Not being biased here, I mean the show is just that good, flawless + with insane direction and editing by Studio Deen.
Story 10/10 Simple and boring you might say but the narration of the series is topnotch, with thoughtful editing + with masterful direction, the show just climbed up the rankings easily, surpassing its 1st season. Overall flawless storyline. It is just that good and you might know the show had those insane plottwist on the 2nd half of the series :)
Art 9/10 Nothing special when it comes to frame by frame animation but when it comes to cinematography the show just stands out. With good camera angles an…
Read at the source0207xander
When something moves you to tears, it's daunting to explain why. How can I possibly put into words how much of an emotional impact a single piece of media had on me? All I can do is try and hope that you decide to give it a chance.
PS When Yotaro performed "Shibahama" in episode 8 that shit got my ass crying real hard.
The best part of this show is the story. It’s complex without being confusing and is always interesting. I was never bored while watching. If you combine both seasons into one story, I think the structure of an introduction to the present, backstory, then jump back to present to continue the story and see how the events from the past have changed the present and continue to affect characters really made the show what it is. And then a beauty of this show is that the conclu…
Read at the source