#miyokichi

[grassbreads]

The more I linger on it, the more I think this might be the most subtly unhinged thing in all of SGRS. What do you MEAN you dated for eight years and never told each other your real names???

Miyokichi talks after the breakup about how she was putting on a "professional front" with Kikuhiko. As a survival technique, Miyokichi tends to make herself into whatever she thinks the man she's with wants from her, and in this case, that means she presented herself as her idea of Kiku's idea of a "good woman" for a full eight years while they were together. She probably would have tried to go on like that forever if he didn't break things off.

Yet at the same time, I think she's rightfully upset on some level that Kiku never looked at her more deeply. We see very little of their relationship, only the beginning and the very end, but given what we do see, it seems like Kiku never quite stops holding Miyokichi at arm's length. He goes along with things and initiates some level of closeness (like leaning into her when he's upset during the rain), but he doesn't push her to get more intimate.

Kiku looks scared when Miyokichi talks about dying during their breakup, he defends her personhood to his master, and he wants to bring her back to Tokyo with along Konatsu and Sukeroku when he finds them, so it's not like he doesn't care about her at all. But while he treats her his own version of decently, he never tries to get to know her on a deeper level. He doesn't take initiative to look for who she is behind her front for him.

(Personally, I'd blame his disinterest in knowing her largely on his own fear of being known, but we don't have time to get into that right now).

The problem with Miyokichi's frustration with being taken at face value, though, is that she doesn't know Kikuhiko's real name either. She most likely never asks, just like Kiku never asks hers. I think she falls in love with the idea of dating Kiku as much if not more than she falls in love with him. He's safe and well-mannered and very handsome, and I think his distant coldness is a comfort to her on some level because neglect, though an unhappy business, is what she has experience with.

Miyokichi likes the idea of ~being the woman~ and supporting Kiku emotionally. I'm sure she encouraged some playact of emotional intimacy between them. I'm sure they found comfort in each other in a very real way sometimes. But, if she got to know Kiku too well, she would have seen things about him she didn't like. Could she have truly known him without knowing he didn't love her the way she wanted? She never quite looks deeper to see whether he's really the type of man that she needs him to be.

I think Kiku is a bit more at fault for the dysfunction in their relationship overall. Whether or not he was ever properly attracted to or in love with her, he's quite clearly an inattentive boyfriend to an egregious degree. Who the hell goes traveling for an extended period without saying a word to their partner?? But he's not the only one that lets their partner pretend to be something they're not.

Kiku and Miyokichi are both very talented actors. Boyfriend and Girlfriend are roles that they're both playing. They're the happy heterosexual couple! Miyokichi seems to latch onto Kiku in large part for the sake of her safety (and because she doesn't know how to exist without a boyfriend in her life). And however much pleasure he may or may not get from Miyokichi's advances, I think Kiku stays in the relationship with her at least in part out of a sense of social obligation. She's beautiful and hitting on him. Young men are supposed to have girlfriends. He's encouraged to date to get experience for his rakugo. Is saying "no" even an option?

But because they're both playing roles, because they're both invested in Doing A Relationship as much as they're invested in each other as individuals, both of them skim along the other's surface. Neither of them ever volunteers to tell the other their real name, and apparently neither of them ever tries to ask. They spend eight years together, but those years are spent dating the personas of Kikuhiko and Miyokichi, not daring to look at the people underneath those masks.

#miyokichi's mask is the more obvious one. but there's absolutely parts of kiku buried deep down underneath his front #I tried to write this post so that it could apply to any reading of kikuhiko. but I am absolutely a queer kiku truther #I'm 90% a ''he's not attracted to her truther'' #he's just. so comphet #I suppose you could read him as bi (or even ace and bi). since it's not like compet obligations can't still poison things #even if you do like girls #but if that's the case. then that poison runs deep enough that he might as well not be attracted to her even if he is. he's so mixed up #anyway I think Kiku is both a bit less in denial about the hollowness of their relationship AND more in denial about his own mask #tho it's hard to tell bc he's the unreliable narrator of this whole section #sgrs #shouwa genroku rakugo shinjuu #descending stories #kikuhiko #yurakutei yakumo #miyokichi #ID in alt text

[mrhyde-and-drseek]

drawing i did of miyokichi dying on a cross

#shes so scrimblo plinko #miyokichi #sgrs

[tomoyoo]

sigh is my brain is still processing this series or have i gone crazy once again

#sgrs #sukeroku #kikuhiko #miyokichi

[drinkacefahz]

One Hundred Pictures | ABV:  25.12% | Yield: 3.45 fl oz |Classic

“Perhaps I’ll die and haunt you... What is it? Is it that funny? Stop it! It’s so annoying!”

The companion to the Shinigami cocktail. This riffs on the The White Lady, following Hidetsugu Ueno's methodology as close as possible. We enhance it with some common seasoning techniques. If you study cooking at all, you’ve probably encountered the “flavor triangles” or “flavor hexagon”. Subtle and small amounts of certain ingredients even out the flavors of a sour -- namely, that a touch of sweetness and a touch of salt both do distinct things that either enhance the sourness or balance against it. Sweetness, sourness and saltiness in a balancing act, perhaps contains elements we see in Miyokichi, Kikuhiko and Sukeroku... 

The Barley shochu adds further aromatics and also being a common grain calls to mind the hardships faced in her life, perhaps seeming out of place next to such glamourous ingredients -- but it felt incomplete without it. The Bermutto is a way of evoking a common death-associated ingredient, Absinthe, which of course contains grand wormwood, but with a most regionally appropriate ingredient. It and the Campari -- red like blood, red like her lips -- impart a distinct bitterness. Like Miyokichi -- Yukie -- this drink has many faces. 

Into the shaker goes:

 1oz or 30ml Japanese Gin. Here I used Hyogo Dry 135 East

.5oz or 15ml Barley Shochu

.5oz or 15ml Cointreau

.5oz or 15ml lemon 

1-2 barspoons* Oka Sake Bermutto 

1/2 dropper 4:1 saline solution [1 gram salt=1 milliliter water] 

 6 drops 2:1 simple 

 Vigorous hard shake. Shake or rotate your wrist while pouring to integrate ice chips in the drink. Gently drop in cherry, with as little syrup clinging to it as possible. Lastly, pour a small amount of Campari down side of glass to sink. Serve. 

*Some jiggers have an additional mark under the quarter-ounce, which can be used to approximate an eighth of an ounce, which is in my estimate about 2 barspoons worth of liquid.  Barspoons naturally are not a standardized measure, but we do commonly use them. 1/2 dropper is about .5~1ml. Obviously if you wish to measure using teaspoon/milliliter measures, feel free.

#classic cocktails #showa genroku rakugo shinju #hidetsugu ueno #themed cocktails #miyokichi #anime cocktails #mortuary cocktails #kikuhiko #showa genroku #cocktails

[moonlightsapphic]

Not me suddenly realizing after two whole years after watching the anime that Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju was an angsty love triangle between two (probably) bisexual men constantly pining for each other but instead alternatively settling for that one straight woman that they pretended to be obsessed with instead. Never has a trio of people needed therapy more than these three istg someone help them pls

#showa genroku rakugo shinju #sgrs #bisexual #bisexual men #bisexuality #achillean #love triangle #angst #angsty romance #tragedy #rakugo shinju #double suicide #manga #anime #josei #showa genroku rakugo and double suicide #miyokichi #sukureku #kikuhiko #sukeroku yuurakutei #yakumo #sukureku x kikuhiko #gay #pansexual #mspec #queer #lgbtq+ #bi erasure #biphobia #biromantic

[daisyachain]

Descending Stories has the sort of female character paradox you find from a lot of women authors. Miyokichi and Konatsu both suffer under the structures of patriarchy, Miyokichi having to play the role of a woman to a T and Konatsu being barred from the role assigned to a man. There’s still no comfort for them in what they try to do.

Bon at least has some catharsis in his (?) gender troubles. He can’t play the role he wants to but he can still be a performer, he can’t have the man he wants or the woman he wants to be, but he has his work. Konatsu is denied her work and has the man (an echo of him) that Bon wanted foisted off on her. Miyokichi is stuck catering to men until the end, her attempts to find a sort of freedom with the unmanly Kiku lead her down the path to a much more power-locked partnership with Sukeroku. What’s the mark she makes? Konatsu can never take the stage once she’s grown and Miyokichi isn’t even allowed to have purpose in death.

#kelsey liveblogs anime #my take is that sukeroku saying he’ll reform and be a family man and take care of and respect yurie #isn’t a hopeful thing. it’s a moment of rock bottom for the trio #it’s miyokichi getting something she wanted (genuine support and affection) within the worst possible structure (married off with a kid) #it’s kikuhiko getting rejected in the most personal way forever #it’s shin-san giving up every dream he’s ever had and becoming just a space where a man should be #even if miyokichi and sukeroku were to survive #that moment of intimacy between them of shin using her name locks bon out of their relationship #his and shin-san’s love for art—rejected. his and miyokichi’s love for art—rejected. what he shares with them #is preserved in the world where they both die at that instant. it’s because they go over that his relationship with them can remain #otherwise they become archetypal nuclear family and Bon is shut out of that world #while wife and husband make do with roles they never auditioned for

[docholligay]

Oh good, we’re going with the theory of “We can make each other worse”

New here? Forgetful? Please read my spoiler policy before commenting!

#Doc watches Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju #Shounen Ragu Ep 9 #That Miyokichi is doing this as both an act of revenge on herself and also Bon is incredible to me

[kashilascorner]

Seeing Konatsu say she won't do rakugo because that's the world of men (s2ep4) was so heartbreaking. She really was neglected by her parents just to be adopted by an extremely emotionally distant and cold man who told her time and time again she couldn't do the thing she loved the most because she is a woman to the point she, as an adult, and with now a supportive person by her side (Yotaro) and presumably a more supportive environment overall (as proven by her performance at yhe kindergarden) just gradually and quietly adjusts to the gender role she never wanted to perform. Which is crutial to the cyclic nature of the narrative in the series. She could break the circle, but now she will never do it because she's too deep into it.

#sukeroku and miyokichi were absolutely disastrous parents (though at least sukeroku did love her a lot) #then yakumo was a good guardian when it comes to providing liveable conditions but terrible in every other way #and finally yotaro is so genuinely caring and loving to her. their relationship is so beautiful #but the damage is done. sukeroku miyokichi and yakumo all fucked her up for good just because she happened to exist and then just #passed their massive trauma onto her and let her live with all that sadness hatred and frustration. #yakumo might be the real tragedy hero because of his motives but konatsu is the real victim in this game of mirrors #showa geneoku rakugo shinju #laura watches stuff

[wutaijiemei]

there will never be a more interesting uninteresting character btw .

#shes my oc. #my brand having both the juxian and the miyokichi url. mother and daughter matching set

[kitelovr113]

watching showa genroku rakugo shinjuu having NO idea that ill start going batshit over farewell my concubine again. its unreal how many parallels they have.

1. theyre set literally during the same general period (or at least the flashbacks for showa genroku), a period of social upheaval, war, and the effect it has on traditional art. leading to parallels such as censorship of art, and the “dying of art” due to modern entertainment. also entertaining japanese troops. lol.

2. dieyi/yakumo (8th) - WHERE THE FUCK DO I START. let’s go off literally the most BASIC details: both sons of a prostitute, who because of their physical “deformity” was thrust into apprenticing and training for a traditional art as their only way to survive. struggles with gender roles and achieving comfort and success in playing female characters.

3. xiaolou/sukeroku - loud boisterous protectors who grow up with their partner. strongheaded, and they just literally have the same vibes idk how to say more about it. later gives up on their art for their marriage (and potential child). falls in love with a prostitute.

4. miyokichi/juxian - prostitutes who run away with their lover. critical of their partner continuing the art. kinship with dieyi/yakumo (though yakumo/miyokichi’s case is romantic and dieyi/juxian is literally hostility bc of self recognition through the other. one day ill make a list detailing the parallels between them.) strong and confident woman who meets a tragic end.

5. xiao si/konatsu - child that was raised by a combination of the 3 ppl above. swears revenge to dieyi/yakumo albeit for different reasons. a deep passion for the art.

6. something something lover’s suicide. concubine yu. juxian. sukeroku and miyokichi.

7. “you said it’d be for a lifetime.” // “please don’t leave rakugo behind.”

i didnt spend 5 years being extremely mentally ill over farewell my concubine for nothing! 💖

bonus: wanna go to a brothel bro?

#farewell my concubine #shouwa genroku rakugo shinjuu #literally wtf #also i just finished ss1 so #who knows what ELSE there is for me to lose my mind abt

[polypodweek]

Tis tomorrow!

With but a day left to go, it's time to celebrate! So let's make a playlist of all the songs that remind us of our favourite poly ships!

This pick is admittedly based more on vibes than anything concrete, but it just always makes me think of them. 冬のリビエラ by 森進一 for Miyokichi/Sukeroku/Kikuhiko from Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu

#podfic #polyamory #polypodweek #polypodweek2024 #IT'S NEARLY GO TIME!! #ARE YOU READY? #well sure hope you are bc it starts tomorroooooow #if we get enough songs we can actually make a PPW2024 playlist haha #wouldn't that be fun

[piduai]

what are your thoughts on konatsu from rakugo and her relationship with miyokichi?

i feel like it was a bit under-explored in the story itself, or maybe they failed to show it in the adaptation? i remember seeing a manga panel where an adult konatsu sees miyokichi's ghost and thinking whoa. konatsu in general comes across as an afterthought in the great scheme, seeing how her story wrapped... but maybe it's just me.

divorced from the storytelling aspect and conceptually i do like their relationship. the four of them (konatsu, miyokichi, sukeroku, kiku) are stuck in a loop of resentment and love between each other. konatsu resented her mother for abandoning her while alive, then abandoning her in death; for not loving her, or for not loving her enough. and yet her ghost haunts her like she haunts kiku. her shadow looms over her, and as her child she is living proof that miyokichi was there. she was her mother... konatsu only saw miyokichi's resentment towards herself (for being sukeroku's child, for making her life the way it was) and not the lingering regret on miyokichi's part of being unable to treat her better. and nevertheless she carried miyokichi's image into adulthood. it's a sad story.

as for konatsu herself, she is one of my favorite characters but it always felt like her treatment was a bit... :/ rakugo is one of the central themes of the story and sure there IS a subplot with her having an invested interest in it (she loves rakugo, has a talent for it, and doing it reminds her of her beloved father and his legacy) and wanting to pursue it despite kiku's misogynistic opposition but it's sort of shoved behind the veil in favor of her having a gross kid and the mystery of his 🤢🤮 parentage, her being the other mc's love interest and so on and so forth. this story is about a lot of things, and person vs art is one of them... where is her self-exploration through her art? where is konatsu's struggle as a performer? there's none, she's good at rakugo but her surrogate dad slash 🤢🤮 said nooo women can't do that. well ok she can teach some guy then i guess... but then that guy gives his blessing before he dies so she can perform yaay <3 the end

before s2 dropped i used to be obsessed with konatsu & kiku as a dynamic i saw it as so beautiful and so tragic... he resents her because she's the living proof that the two people he loved betrayed him, and she's the only thing left after their death. she resents him because she blames her parents' death on him, and he's the only thing left after their death. and yet they only have each other. so much going on here... but then the end of s2 came and i will not talk about it further

but aside from the shortcomings in her writing and her disgusting fate i love her a lot, i loved her from the very first scene because she's voiced by kobayashi yuu... similar to her mother she's just a woman trying to get by with whatever cards life dealt her, and again similar to her mother there's an alluring darkness about her

#anon

[tomoyoo]

adding anne richard and edward to my messed up love triangle collection

#kikuhiko miyokichi sukeroku levels of messy #baraou no souretsu #p #lb

[wondrousmay]

Hello~ Up for a new scenario? ^^

Suppose the acquaintance in the previous ask becomes an incredibly precious person to you—someone who loves you, respects you, and won't judge you for your differences. Suppose they ask you to recommend anime that *you* personally are very much in love with no matter what other people think or say about the show. What title(s) would you give? (i.e., what is/are anime you love that may not be everyone's favorite but it's yours and is/are anime you'd only ever recommend to someone you trust to the highest degree because you know they'd enjoy it, too?)

(Note: this is entirely for funsies so please feel free to opt out or to take your time! ☺)

Thank you for this thoughtful question! I managed to narrow down 5 shows that shaped my overall anime experience!

Violet Evergarden: I talked about this before but Violet Evergarden was the show that got me back into watching anime. The structure of the show feels episodic but the overall narrative focuses on Violet and her character journey to discover the meaning of “love” as well as to rediscover herself. It’s a wonderful character-driven story with many tearjerker scenes! While movie (which is the final installment in the series) is controversial, I do think Violet’s journey is still worth it.

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: a wonderful character-driven story focusing on the Japanese art of rakugo. This show has a really well-written and complex cast of characters. It's a sign of wonderful writing when the story made me fall in love with a character slowly as the show progresses. At the beginning, I felt indifferent to Yakumo but by the end of the series, he's now one of my top favourite characters. His character is complex, with layers of contradictions which fascinates me. The rest of the cast were fantastic too. Yakumo, Sukeroku, Miyokichi's stories are deeply entwined with Yotaro and Konatsu's and this generational connection is one of my favourite aspects of the story.

The Twelve Kingdoms: A stand out isekai story that puts a lot of the current isekai to shame! I wrote a review here so check it out for my full thoughts!

Revolutionary Girl Utena: I was reluctant to watch this show because of its reputation as a show full of metaphors and subtext. I’m glad that I gave it a chance because this show is a life-changing experience. It’s the type of show where you will discover something new every time you rewatch it. However, I think this show is not for everyone especially with how it deals with many sensitive topics.

BanG Dream!: This show is really special to me because it led to many wonderful encounters and experiences! The story is a really simple one: it’s about a high school girl starting a band with her friends. The heartfelt character writing captured my heart. I will always recommend this show for people who enjoy a good slice of life/music story!!!

#ask reply #about me

[ephermalities]

always thinking about how like all the conflict in sgrs would've been resolved if sukeroku, kikuhiko, and miyokichi just. had a threesome.

#if kikuhiko had any game #man #showa genroku rakugo shinju

[ichiharas-familiar]

Some bl authors do write women in a very stupid way and Kumota has certainly written some bullshit in her time, but honestly if you dont like Miyokichi that is a you problem :)

#The way any women who reacts in a way ppl dont like has to be a badly written character.... #Sgrs #me and my fellow unlikeable hysterical women are having a blast #showa genroku rakugo shinju