YOU RANG?????

Damn, the screen is kind of blurry here. What a powerful and heartbreaking line from Guriko. He's watched Akane pass him by and has to face the realization that he's behind her now. Here's to hoping that this will give him the kick in his step to catch back up. And Maikeru is being a good senpai, knowing that this was what Guriko needed to realize.

Hello there Maikeru Arakawa fans.

can we actually talk about how kino Afro is as a antagonist? He's the polar opposite of Issho who was set up as a nasty fella, while also being the cancer that's killing rakugo. "muh tradition" without Issho's new wave eye. "muh respect" but without Issho's two-way respect towards Akane. "muh artform" but only a certain way without Issho's eye for the artist. "muh king of comedy" but not a master of rakugo.

You are so right anon! ( sorry for the ensuing wall of text.).

Yeeeeeess, wow he’s such an effective villain. My blood boils every time Zensho barges into a chapter. He’s so over-the-top 1000% unlikeable (while just realistic enough that I’m sure a lot of people know a less exaggerated real-life Zensho). And at the same time I find him so fascinating as he’s in Issho’s corner but, as you said, his behaviour and ideas about rakugo are completely opposite to Issho’s. That strange contradiction that they’re superficially similar (and on good terms?) but actually ideologically opposites is just… ✨fascinating✨

I went back and read volume 1 (and 2.. and.. ) and it’s interesting that his first appearance made him out to be a Issho-lite, seemingly less irrational (HA!). Or perhaps a mouthpiece for Issho's views. Even Shiguma’s description of Issho’s personality seems similar to Taizen’s description of Zensho's.

But nope, couldn't be more different. That “honesty/lack of falsehood” means different things here. Both of them may speak harsh truths, but Issho’s harsh honesty is underpinned by his philosophy and respect for the artform, which Zensho's isn't. Going by his Karaku cup critiques and Kaisei's inner thoughts there's actually a correlation between how harsh Issho's honesty is and how much he respects a rakugoka. Akane's conversation with him showed that he won’t betray his principles even in the face of his “enemy” (Shiguma)’s apprentice.

Zensho? Perhaps his rakugo itself is akin to holding up a mirror of truth to the audience, but he sure as hell told a lot of lies this arc. And all of his "honesty" seems to be going to people he doesn't treat with respect. Every core principle of the Arakawa school goes out of the window the second one of Shiguma’s apprentices is mentioned. Maybe his personal vendetta has blinded him to the fact that his behaviour towards them is completely incompatible with the Arakawa school itself. We don't really see him interact with many others but Taizen also calls him “fickle and unfair”, and combined with how badly he speaks about his own apprentices, I wouldn’t be surprised if he treats every single person below him badly.

I'm sure his rakugo brings the house down and art is everything at Arakawa. But. He favours hierarchy over talent, abuses his power and crushes new talent (especially Shiguma-related), he’s resting on his laurels (e.g. raising one shin’uchi) rather than figuring out why his students aren’t making waves, blames everyone but himself, poisons the stage for other performers and above all: He doesn’t even look at their art! His judgement precedes the performance!

It’s all "reputation" and "Issho" with him. Perhaps he's been able to get away with it because of overwhelming rakugo ability. Not for long though, going by the looks Ikken and Taizen are giving him.

Were it not for this weird “notice me Issho aniki!!!” vibe he really seems to be more suited to hang around with those conservative shin’uchi from the Rakugo Federation who were bitching about Kaisei and Akane. (who wants to bet he doesn’t like Kaisei either). But it doesn’t seem like Issho is paying attention to him at all, not even after his little atmosphere-poisoning stunt at Maikeru’s test.

God this so funny (babes Issho’s not going to respect you for that!)

Anyway, I can see the following happening during Maikeru’s test:

a) Zensho actually listens to Maikeru’s rakugo. It makes him come to some personal revelation about his own behaviour, but he digs his heels in and decides to vote against Zensho “for aniki’s sake”. Then gets chewed out by Issho. b) Zensho doesn’t actually bother to look at Maikeru’s art, causes a big stink when it is well-received by everyone else, and he is chewed out by Issho c) Fairytale ending where Zensho listens and changes his ways (no way in hell).

Whatever happens I really hope we get to see what is fuelling his really irrational behaviour before he’s bodied by the Arch Four.

Sorry I’m still thinking about how they just revealed he has an undercut LIKE IT WAS NOTHING!!!! Anyways more thoughts under the cut

This chapter was and the prev was interesting because it confirms Maikeru has a plot-relevant relationship with his sensuality and beauty similar to Urara in that he takes different aspects of himself and tailors it to become a rakugo bombshell, but unlike Kaisei, whose sensuality is a tool but it’s not his real self, which is like a stray dog fighting to live. What’s interesting is that unlike Urara, Maikeru used to be pretty bad with people and maybe even unfriendly and too self-flattering, so his interest in “flashy” looks defining him plays into this. When blonde maikeru says “If Im not blonde, Im not me,” he’s making a playful joke obvi but it’s also serious—the way he stands out and it’s considered his main strong point is how flashy/attractive/charming he is, but people generally don’t like genuinely being around him, basically confirms that his “flashy“ self is less about him as a person and more about how he interacts with others. Blonde Maikeru isn’t REALLY Maikeru, but it’s the Maikeru he’s seen AS and embraces. Rakugoka Maikeru loves how rakugo lets you “do everything yourself.” Rakugo is evaluated you and your own skills, which is what was missing in his life as Blonde Maikeru. He’s still a performer at heart so that aspect of rakugo doesn’t bother him because it’s still ultimately on HIS terms. But people see this and assume it’s the other way around, that he treats rakugo like he’s still Blonde Maikeru. This is also why he’s gonna get Shin’uchi—he’s dead serious about this. He’s genuine. And he has the nin/rakugo ego to back it.

I’m SO curious what genre of rakugo he will pick. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a normal comedy, but also what if it’s a more dramatic or horror story?!?! AHHHH VERY INTERESTED IN WHERE THEY TAKE THIS CHARACTER TBH!!!! Maybe because Inalso want to see Issho Arakawa struggle with his ideals.

This also might be the moment Zensho Arakawa finally takes the L. He’s always been cartoon evil but this chapter reallt emphasized it. Zensho thinks he’s part of the other Shinuchi but I’m pretty sure they are all going to call him out during the evaluations and he’s gonna be the source of the drama that news stations will focus on in a form of poetic justice <3 basically I’m just super excited. I also wonder if Kaisei is watching all this unfold? He tbh might also try to be Shinuchi before this story ends.