Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is very highly rated by almost everyone whos watched it so I cant really call it underrated but its certainly extremely underwatched. When Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu originally came out it got swept under the radar by hugely popular shows like Konosuba and Erased. It starts a bit slow taking time to develop characters in a way that makes their growth meaningful and doesnt truly show its greatest strengths until our third main character shows up around episode four. That paired with its unique way of storytelling and focus on a niche part of Japanese culture may make it feel like something too weird to watch which is super unfortunate. Its one of my favorite shows of all time and one of the shows Id place near the top of my list for any friends interested in trying out anime although that goes for anyone searching for recommendations regardless of how many shows theyve seen. Although unusual for the modern anime scene a lack of conventional anime tropes and clichs allow Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuus story to soar free from a desire to appeal to fans and sell merchandise its a show that exists to tell a beautiful story with perfectly flawed characters and it certainly does. Rakugo is a Japanese storytelling art essentially the art of creating a one man show and acting out an entire story by oneself. The stories are generally Japanese folk tales so there might be punchlines and themes that dont translate the best culturally or linguistically many attempts at subtitling puns fall woefully flat but everyone enjoys Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuus rakugo to varying extents. Rakugo is one of the greatest strengths of the show tying characters and plot points together and holding a huge amount of emotion and significance but its also one of its greatest pitfalls early on. Take season one episode one for example not only is it a double episode and essentially a prologue for season one at that its a double episode with a large amount of time dedicated to rakugo. Without the emotional weight rakugo earns later in the series anyone who isnt the biggest fan of the art may be easily bored and Ill admit the rakugo displayed in the first episode is some of my least favorite in the series. However that doesnt change the fact that the rakugo is phenomenal overall. I cant fathom the amount of skill it took for the voice actors to convey it so perfectly its as if theyre masters of rakugo themselves in fact some of them actually are. Besides that Studio DEEN does a fantastic job playing with imagery and dynamic camera angles to keep later performances visually engaging and captivating. As the show progresses you realize that rakugo isnt the primary focus of the show at all its the complex realistic and flawed characters and their relationships. Rakugo begins to symbolize the lives of the characters that make the show grow ever more enthralling. No matter whether you originally watched Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu for the superb rakugo or not the main draw makes a clear shift to the pure storytelling in the show. The depth of the characters is steeped in spoilers however so I cant quite attempt to convince you on that. All the good all the bad your rakugo has given me every emotion imaginable. Its honestly difficult to describe Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu in a way that truly does it justice. The OST the animation the meticulous detail everything about the show culminates into a masterpiece of writing that keeps me hooked every time I rewatch it. Watching hours of video essays and reading hundreds of reviews and reddit threads only cemented my adoration for the shows narrative convincing me to rewatch it multiple times in an attempt to gain the full picture. The subtleties in storytelling and incredibly human characters never fail to astound me and the amount of analysis done on the show proves how deep the character relationships are. Theyre perfectly imperfect and multifaceted to the point of allowing a breadth of interpretations of their motivations and season two does a fantastic job building upon the characters from season one. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is one of the most rewarding anime Ive ever watched with an unparalleled storytelling journey and wonderfully cathartic ending. Its a genuine story of the past and the present with hope for the future. Every time I rewatch SGRS it feels like Im watching a film packed with detail that I cant look away from. I cannot stress how much I believe that every person who watches the series to its conclusion with full attention will walk away from it positively. No other anime has made me want to rerate every single show Ive ever watched. Its the first thing Id show to anyone who said anime is just for kids and remains one of the most profound and moving experiences Ive ever had watching one. From the start the title tells you some key parts of the narrative: it roughly translates into Flourishing midShouwa period rakugo lovers suicide representing the setting the device binding the characters together and the end of season one. It doesnt tell you about the character drama realistic flaws and mature themes in the show but I hope I was able to convince you at least a little bit on that front in this review. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu delivers an unmatched layered narrative experience that few other anime Ive watched have even come close to reaching. It might not be your thing if you need waifus and action but if youre looking for a fantastic story and can dedicate yourself to watching it all the way through I couldnt imagine recommending anything else.