History Manga / ShouwaGenrokuRakugoShinjuu

* DecoyProtagonist: Kyoji in the anime, as the story revolves around Kiku's flashbacks. At least for the first season: he appears set to take center stage in the second season.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: It is quite hard to believe that the slim Kikuhiko could manage to hold two dangling adults using only one arm. [[spoiler: It is later revealed out that Kiku is hiding the truth. ]]

* CreditsGag: In the second season’s opening “Imawa no Shinigami”, Miyokichi’s face appears on a spinning gramophone record at , seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1HjJfGt_xk here]]. Her voice actor Creator/MegumiHayashibara is an accomplished singer. [[spoiler: The record also represents a memory of someone dead and gone.]]

* DyingDream: [[spoiler:Everything from the moment Kiku meets Sukeroku again to his ending up in the afterlife could be seen as one, since even characters who haven't died yet (like Shin and a little Konatsu) show up during the sequence.]]

[[quoteright:324::http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rakugo.jpg]]

''Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu'' (''Showa and Genroku Era Lovers' Suicide Through Rakugo'') is a {{Josei}} manga by Haruko Kumota, which in turn has two [=OVAs=] (known as ''Yotaro Hourou-hen'', or the ''Yotaro Wandering Part'') and a Winter2016Anime adaption. The anime started airing on January 8th 2016, and Creator/StudioDEEN did the animation (or "animation production", in the case of the anime). The anime's official website is [[http://rakugo-shinju-anime.jp/index.html#slide1 here]]. The manga ended at 10 volumes.

''Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu'' is on [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju Crunchyroll]] for the curious [[note]]in the United States, Canada, Central and South America (including the Caribbean), United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia[[/note]]. [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-01-08/crunchyroll-to-stream-showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju-anime/.97375 The manga has a few accolades]] and was nominated for more. The manga and [=OVAs=] are in NoExportForYou status for most places of the world (although episode 1 of the anime tells mostly the same story as the [=OVAs=], and the manga is only available in both its native Japan and Taiwan). The manga was previously unavailable in English until [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-12-09/kodansha-usa-licenses-showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju-manga/.109716 Kodansha USA licensed it]] under the name ''Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu'', releasing it starting in May 2017.

''Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu'' (''Showa and Genroku Era Lovers' Suicide Through Rakugo'') is a {{Josei}} manga by Haruko Kumota, which in turn has two [=OVAs=] (known as ''Yotaro Hourou-hen'', or the ''Yotaro Wandering Part'') and a Winter2016Anime adaption. The anime started airing on January 8th 2016, and StudioDEEN did the animation (or "animation production", in the case of the anime). The anime's official website is [[http://rakugo-shinju-anime.jp/index.html#slide1 here]]. The manga ended at 10 volumes.

* MomentOfWeakness: The argument between Sukeroku and the Seventh Yakumo starts in earnest when Sukeroku blurts out that Yakumo's rakugo was old-fashioned and boring. From there things escalate into Yakumo taunting Sukeroku with plans to pass his name to Kikuhiko. Sukeroku gets riled up to the point of [[spoiler:nearly attacking his master and gets him expelled]].

* RedEyesTakeWarning: In the anime's second OP, Shin's ghost is seen behind Bon with a dissonant smile on his face. By season 2's episode 4, Shin's eyes turn a very blood red.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: It is quite hard to believe that the slim Kikuhiko could manage to hold two dangling adults using only one arm. [[spoiler: It is later revealed out that Kikuhiko is hidding the truth. ]]
* CallBack: All Kiku wanted to do was perform a rakugo for his grandson Shin. [[spoiler:During his sendoff, he gets to perform ''Jugem'' while Shin watches.]]

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: It is quite hard to believe that the slim Kikuhiko could manage to hold two dangling adults using only one arm. [[spoiler: It is later revealed out that Kikuhiko is hidding the truth. spoiler]]

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: It is quite hard to believe that the slim Kikuhiko could manage to hold two dangling adults using only one arm. [[spoiler]] It is later revealed out that Kikuhiko is hidding the truth.[[/spoiler]]

* IHvaeManyNames: The rakugo performers are called by different names in their stages of life, including their original name (which may not even be their true name), the name given by their master, the stage name they choose for themselves, and the name of their master which one best apprentice inherits.

* [[HasTwoMommies Has Two Daddies]]: Konatsu, for a little while anyway.
** Kiku and Sukeroku at first.
** After [[spoiler:Sukeroku died]], she was raised by Yakumo and Matsuda.

* ParentalSubstitute: The boss to Kyoji, or so Kyoji says. Konatsu's not convinced.

* TallDarkAndHandsome: Kikuhiko.

* TheUnreveal: We never do learn who the biological father of Shinnosuke was, though Higuchi implies at the end that it might be [[spoiler:Kiku]].

* CallBack: All Kiku wanted to do was perform a rakugo for his grandson Shin. [[spoiler:During his sendoff, he gets to perform "Jugemu" while Shin watches.]]

* HomoeroticSubtext: Plenty of it between Kikuhiko and Sukeroku. [[note]]Escpecially significant because the author, Kumota Haruko, is known for yaoi manga.[[/note]]
* IgnoranceIsBliss: Subverted. Konatsu was tormented by not knowing how her parents died.

* OnlyKnownByHisNickname: Yotaro, until his real name is revealed to be Kyoji. Also Bon and Shin before being bequeathed with the Yurakutei surname.

It's TheSeventies, and an ex-con, whose name we later learn is Kyoji, wants to learn the art of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakugo rakugo]] from Yurakutei Yakumo, a master that did a special performance of a rakugo story called "Shinigami" in prison one day. While Yakumo is more than willing to keep Kyoji in his house alongside the rebellious Konatsu, it turns out Kyoji (or Yotaro - rakugo slang for "fool") sucks at rakugo. Luckily, Konatsu is the daughter of dead rakugoka Sukeroku but unluckily for her, she cannot pursue the path of rakugo herself.

''Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu'' (''Showa and Genroku Era Lovers' Suicide Through Rakugo'') is a {{Josei}} manga by Haruko Kumota, which in turn has two [=OVAs=] (known as ''Yotaro Hourou-hen'', or the ''Yotaro Wandering Part'') and a Winter2016Anime adaption. The anime started airing on January 8th 2016, and StudioDEEN did the animation (or "animation production", in the case of the anime). The anime's official website is [[http://rakugo-shinju-anime.jp/index.html#slide1 here]]. The manga will end at 10 volumes.

''Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu'' is on [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju Crunchyroll]] for the curious [[note]]in the United States, Canada, Central and South America (including the Caribbean), United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia[[/note]]. [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-01-08/crunchyroll-to-stream-showa-genroku-rakugo-shinju-anime/.97375 The manga has a few accolades]] and was nominated for more. The manga and [=OVAs=] are in NoExportForYou status (although episode 1 of the anime tells mostly the same story as the [=OVAs=], and the manga is only available in both its native Japan and Taiwan).

* {{Flashback}}: Most of the show is a flashback to how circumstances are the way they are.
** FlashbackWithinAFlashback

* HomoeroticSubtext: Plenty of it between Kikuhiko and Sukeroku. [[note]]Escpecially signidicant because the author, Kumota Haruko, is known for yaoi manga.[[/note]]

* SpurnedIntoSuicide: [[spoiler:Miyokichi during the inn conforntation wanted to kill herself and take Kiku with her because he would not love her.]] Guess who she took which her instead?

Shortly after the first season finale, a second season was announced.