Manga Review: Descending Stories Volume 1

Manga Review: Descending Stories Volume 1 by Haruko Kumota

Rakugo is a traditional Japanese form of storytelling in which a single performer sits on a stage and tells a comedic or sentimental story with only a fan and small cloth for props and never moving from the seiza position.  It has its roots in sermons preached by Buddhist monks trying to liven up the audience, and became especially popular during the Tokugawa period (when most of the stories are set.)

But times change, and in the Showa era, it is not clear that the tradition of rakugo is going to survive.  Many of the young people have no patience for going out to a theater to hear some old guy talk when they can just turn on a television.  And the grandmasters of the art are passing away without successors, causing their specialty stories to be lost.

Yakumo Yurakutei VIII (one of the traditions of rakugo is that new masters take on the name of former greats) in particular has despaired of the art form meaning anything in the present day.  As far as he’s concerned, rakugo will die with him, and he has refused until now to take on any apprentices.  But on a whim, he agrees to a performance in prison (insert joke about captive audiences here) to lighten the lives of the condemned men.

This bears unexpected fruit some months later, when one of the prisoners appears before Yakumo, begging to be made his apprentice.  It seems this petty criminal was so moved by Yakumo’s “God of Death” story that he decided to dedicate his own life to the art of rakugo.  Yakumo is amused, and whimsically agrees, naming his new apprentice “Yotaro”, which in rakugo stories is always the name of a blockhead.

Since this is a fair assessment of Yotaro’s mental acumen, and he had squandered the old name (Kyoji), Yotaro is just fine with this.  He works hard as an apprentice, learning the ropes of the rakugo world.  He also meets Yakumo’s adopted daughter Konatsu, and the soap opera elements of the story come in here.

Konatsu is the daughter of Yakumo’s best friend and fellow rakugo master Sukeroku.  Sukeroku died young under suspicious circumstances, and Konatsu suspects Yakumo of murder.  She longs to follow in her father’s footsteps, but there has never been a female rakugo artist, and as far as Yakumo is concerned, there never will be.  This has caused a lot of friction between them.

This josei (women’s) manga series was titled Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju in Japanese, referring to Yakumo’s plan of “double suicide” with the art of rakugo.  It was well-received and has a twelve episode anime adaptation.

As someone who does storytelling every so often, it’s fascinating to learn about this specialized branch of the field.  Yotaro is a fun protagonist–we know he’s done wrong in the past, but Yotaro has put that behind him, and looks to the future with optimism.  He may not be the brightest fellow, but he has heart and once he learns his own style of storytelling, shows a knack for the field.

Yakumo’s motives for apprenticing Yotaro are a mystery even to him, he’s a serious, stern man who likes things a certain way and doesn’t like change.  And yet, somehow this feels right.  He’s also hiding some mixed feelings about his friendship/rivalry with Sukeroku, and their parting.

Konatsu’s a bit more difficult to read at this point in the story.  She wants revenge for her father, but is also grateful to Yakumo for taking her in after her parents’ deaths.  She wants to succeed in a career that doesn’t allow women, but there doesn’t seem to be a way forward for her.  She can support Yotaro’s efforts, but how does that help her?

The author’s research shines through, and the bits of rakugo storytelling we get to see are fascinating.  While there’s nothing in this volume that goes too far, the series is rated “Older Teen” so parents of young readers may want to be careful.

Recommended to fans who want to learn more about this traditional performing art, and are good with some soap opera along with the education.

And now, the opening of the anime!