English Dub Review: Akane-banashi “Jugemu”
OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)
Akane performs her rendition of “Jugemu” to Issho and the Karaku Cup comes to a close.
OUR TAKE
Huh, with three episodes left in the season (including this one), I’m surprised they’re wrapping up the tournament here with two more episodes to go. I mean, the ending of this sets up the next one to be a more clear closure, which we’ll get to, but then that leaves the question open of what the finale will be like! Anyway, while the previous two episodes were good for showing us two characters who approach Rakugo in separate ways from Akane, now we get to see her in action again and show what she’s learned over the course of the season and put it into practice, using the story of “Jugemu” once again. We’ve seen people discuss the plot of this tale a few times already in this series; a story about a child whose parents gave him a ridiculously long name in the hope that all of the blessed words would bring him great fortune in life, only for the inconvenience of saying his entire name over and over leading to potential tragedy (or definite tragedy depending on the telling). But the best stories are the ones that are just as good no matter how many times you tell them, which Akane proves when she wins over the crowd and fully immerses them (and us) in the story.
Well, the episode frames it as Akane telling it so good that the audience watching is immersed, and compared to Karashi and Hikaru, where Karashi leaned on a more comedic reinterpretation of a classic and Hikaru leaned more on the dramatic side of hers. Akane, in comparison, seems to balance those sides pretty well, using them when appropriate. The naming of Jugemu feels like they are watching a proud and loving father try to assure his new son’s happiness while the names keep piling up, and then we see that pay off when his son seems to have drowned but emerges unharmed. It feels like an emotionally complex story with hills and valleys that is easy to invest in, which is probably part of why it lands so well and leads to Akane winning the competition. Apparently even winning so well that Issho almost scolds her for competing while supposedly being a level above Karashi and Hikaru, who many assumed were the clear front runners. And Akane’s prize is, as mentioned, a brief conversation with Issho, and her first question right out of the gate is to finally learn why her father was expelled six years ago. And I guess we’ll find out the answer next week, in the penultimate episode of the season!
