To be honest, the only reason I picked up this drama was when I coincidentally saw the subtitles of this drama being updated on 27th July on Dramacool and came to mydramalist to find out that the drama had finished airing. The summary did not intrigue me, and the ratings didn't really interest me either since very few have rated this drama. But I decided to give it a try still as after some research, I found out that the anime version was really popular(I've never watched it though).
When I first started watching a few days ago, I had dropped this drama thrice in the first episode because it bored me so much. I kept moving onto other dramas and decided to come back to it today because most of the good dramas always pick up in the second episode, to name a few would be My Ahjussi, Strangers From Hell and much more. And I'm so glad that I came back, this drama completely caught my attention right at the very beginning of episode 2 and it just kept getting more and more intriguing. I finished bingeing the whole drama today, and am mindblown, it was that good.
I laughed, I smiled and I cried. I never cared nor knew what rakugo was about until I watched this drama. What first caught my attention was the mystery surrounding Konatsu's parents' death. I'm no newbie to mystery dramas but the way the story was told and shown left me wanting more. I also enjoyed watching all the rakugo scenes and even went to google some of the performances.
If I think back about it, the story itself wasn't that special except for the rakugo parts. But it was the way they told the story and it's characters which made a huge impression on me. And of course, the actors were amazing too, especially Okada Masaki. I've watched a lot of his dramas before but he never really caught my eye until this drama. My eyes followed him every time he was on screen. He's an actor I'm going to look out for in future dramas.
This is a severely underrated gem which I recommend everyone to give a try if you are looking for a unique story. If you are just here for the romance, then look elsewhere. Because here, you are going to learn about rakugo, friendship, what it means to be a family and different kinds of love.
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A masterpiece
I fell in love with this drama in 5 minutes. I had read the summary some time ago and it was confusing, so because of Okada Masaki I decided to give it a try. I knew nothing about rakugo and I'm so glad I watched this! It is so good, simple yet compelling. I did not expect such story.Poetry and japanese culture are the basis of this historical drama and although this may not appeal to everyone, love, hate and jealousy are universal. The story is slow, all the characters are well developed, you love and hate most of them at different moments. Their personalities are complex, conflicting and often full of sorrow. It made me cry many times.
The friendship between Yakumo and Sukeroku felt so real that we almost forget their flaws. And the relationship between Konatsu and Yakumo is a delight - their interactions are full of meaning in the silence and in the harsh words. It is impressive, that was what I loved the most and it makes me smile when I recall the story. Because, can you really hate a person who takes good care of you? Isn't it a parent-child common relationship? Love and hate? Ah amazing! Okada Masaki is often cute, but here he is a rock with a soft side and superb acting skills. His Yakumo was awesome and his shinigami voice will appear in my dreams. I fell even more in love with him.
This is highly recommended, the story is slow, but it unfolds beautifully. I didn't binge because I wanted to savour every episode and I felt a sharp pain in my chest at every turn.
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Wow! What in the Rakugo world is this amazing drama!
Subjective Gut Rating: 9.25Thanks to Reddit and Netflix, I discovered the incredible drama, “Descending Stories: A Life in Rakugo”. I had never heard of rakugo and definitely don’t have any expectations going into this drama. Rakugo is a 400-year-old traditional Japanese art of comedic storytelling, where the performer plays multiple characters using their own voice, facial expressions, a paper fan and a small hand towel. This is originally a manga series, later adapted to an anime and then this live action drama.
Plot:
The drama mainly focuses on the lives of three rakugo performers from different generations. This is more than starting out as an apprentice and working up the ranks to be the Master. All three of them, Kikuhiko, Hatsutaro and Yotarou, had no family and had nothing. Rokugo is their world, their life, their livelihood and all that they have. While the drama follows their career journeys and very minor romance subplots, it’s how they found themselves, became their own persons and discovered their very own version of rakugo that are central to this plot. Viewers also learn about the traditional stories, music, culture, apprentice/master relationship and the industry. The drama spans many years and different generations, thus they are called descending stories. I’ve grown to love each of their unique personalities, thoughts and decision-making process. Actually, the drama started with a mystery. What happened to this couple on the night of their death? Who killed them? Was the main lead to be blamed for all of this? Why did their daughter hate her mother so much? To round up this amazing drama is the different relationships between the characters - rivals, friends, lovers, found family, apprentice/master.
Rakugo:
There is a LOT of rakugo in this drama. If you are not up for the education of it, this might not be your kind of drama. I believe stories told are all very famous ones. At first, you will have to read the subtitles to follow along the story, while enjoying the magnificent performances by everyone. Their voices, facial expressions, posture and body movement are to be admired and applauded. As they repeat these stories at different performances and rehearsals, you will start to remember them and apply them to what’s happening onscreen with the characters. Some of these stories showcase the acting, others complement and provide a deeper emotional connection to the characters.
Acting:
Salute to main lead, Okada Masaki, playing Kikuhiko/Master Yakumo Yuurakutei. It was amazing seeing him play the young teenager Kikuhiko, and slowly age all the way to 8th Generation Master Yakumo at the age of 70. The audience has no problem understanding how he has changed throughout these years. Contrasting the more stoic and cautious Kikuhiko, is the outgoing and boisterous Hatsutaro played by the equally amazing Yamazaki Ikusaburo. The chemistry between these best friends bring their stories to life. The rest of the cast is just as amazing with many veteran actors and actresses. They make me laugh and cry, and there are also many heartwarming moments.
Romance:
Romance is not central to the plot, but it does play a very important role in the relationship between Kikuhiko, Hatsutaro and Miyokichi. So much happened because of this love triangle. The men have different priorities, thus making very different decisions - career vs. love. And these decisions probably have created the tragedies that happened, and affected the next generation. I guess if I have to nitpick on this drama, it would be Kikuhiko’s affection being too subtle. What was shown in the drama doesn’t really show how in love he was. I needed the director to add in some subtle facial expressions from Kikuhiko, or side/longing glances here and there.
Production:
I want to praise the makeup department. The gradual aging of Kikuhiko is amazing. The amount of grey hair, wrinkles, and age spots showing up throughout Kikuhiko’s life is so realistic. The sets look realistic, and costumes are beautiful and era-appropriate. I was really transported back to the 1930s with the characters and their rakugo, and was taught a very valuable and interesting history lesson.
This drama is definitely not for everyone but I whole-heartedly recommend it especially if you enjoy learning about new cultures and history. But if you don't, this might be quite boring for you during the storytelling times. However, I was caught off guard by how much I enjoy the world of rakugo and the interesting characters and relationships in “Descending stories: A Life in Rakugo”. I will remember the amazing acting by the cast, and the acting while storytelling for a long time.
Drama Completed: 6/23/2026 Review #698
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