I can sense it. They're close!
So you fell right into my trap, huh, Saruel?
Right now, your friends are inside the Time Prison.
You'll never see them again.
And you're doomed to be devoured by me, right here and now!
As long as the Light of Nova exists, they'll never succumb to evil!
And that goes for me as well!
Shut up, you wretched little girl!
I'm going to gobble you up, head first!
In accordance with the laws of Eden, I will now annihilate you!
Shiny Blade!
Thank you for today!
- Thanks for your hard work! - Good job!
Since your magazine interview is at 4 PM,
let's get lunch now, while we have time.
No. I don't need to eat.
Please head back to the office.
Even if it's only for half an hour, I'd like to practice.
Understood.
NINTH STORY EXPRESSIONIST
That guy's Rakugo just now was amazing!
No wonder he's the defending champion!
I know, right?
Finally, next up is...
Really, to think that I'd get to hear Lady Saruel's pure voice again today.
Talk about ultimate bliss!
Oh! I'd drop some money on this!
Senpai? What's the matter?
What's up with that?
An anime fan, probably.
Seems like the next one up is a voice actress.
A voice actress?
Must've been some slim pickings for this year's Karaku Cup.
Someone who's not even into Rakugo making it to the final round?
Now then, let's move on to the next contestant.
Here's Hikaru Koragi!
You can do it!
Good luck!
We're rooting for you!
Having flair isn't always a good thing, eh?
The atmosphere in here...
This audience is in no shape to listen to a performance.
You can't deliver a performance unless your audience is locked in and focused.
That might be tough for an amateur.
Wake up, Dear!
Dear! Wake up, will you? Dear, wake up!
What the heck? Huh?
Don't wake me up in that harsh way. What is it?
I can't believe you.
Look, you haven't worked for twenty days now.
She used lines from her story to turn the audience's attention to her performance.
But I scrounged up money that we don't have so that you could drink.
So if you refuse to go to work now, it wouldn't be manly of you. Well?
I did hear that a good number of students,
actors, and voice actors had entered the Cup this year.
...can't be helped.
Listen, Dear. I didn't just become a fishmonger's wife yesterday.
I prepared last night and got the tools ready,
- so we can start anytime. - I see. Quite bold of you.
So you'll be fine.
That includes choosing this story.
Hey! Honey!
It's me! Open up! Honey!
Yes, yes, of course! Is that you, Dear?
Oh, hold on a second. I'm coming.
Oh! What's the matter, Dear?
Never mind! Never mind that. Close the door, honey!
Hey, did anyone follow me here?
SHIBAHAMA
"Shibahama" is the most famous Ninjo-banashi of all.
Her choosing it was probably just a coincidence.
Neither is it likely that Shinta Ani-san got expelled that day
because of his choice of story.
Even still...
Huh? Wait, is this true?
Shinta.
Ani-san, what's going on here?
It's just a joke, right? Right?
It has to be, right? Ani-san!
Of all things...
Under these circumstances...
No, that's not it.
There's something that I want to show you.
Just one thing, though.
Will you promise not to get mad until I'm finished talking?
What I wanted to show you...
It's this.
You see, when you found this money and brought it home,
it made me happy, all right?
Because we were so poor at the time.
"Life will be easier, starting tomorrow."
"Now we can pay off all our debt." I was so happy.
But then, see, the landlord scolded me.
He said, "Are you both out of your minds?"
"All right, before that guy sobers up,
convince him it was a dream, or any other lie."
He told me to stick to that lie no matter what.
And when I told you it was all a dream,
you believed every word I said.
But Mr. Landlord, it's hard for me, too, to see him working so diligently.
It's only right that you feel some pain yourself.
You've been working hard, even giving up your beloved sake.
In that case, since I'm your wife,
there'd be no divine retribution if I were to suffer.
That's what the landlord told me.
Watching you leave the house with that load on your shoulders...
I don't know how many times I bowed to your back.
Having been lied to for so long, I'm sure you must be furious,
but that's the whole story.
Strike me, kick me. Do whatever you want.
Superb acting skills, and a voice suffused with emotion.
Please, raise your head.
Not to mention, by deliberately increasing the wife's lines,
and expressing her feelings in detail, she's eliciting the audience's empathy.
To put it another way, this is...
an acting-oriented approach.
Theatrical Rakugo.
No wonder she chose a Ninjo-banashi.
So does that mean you don't mind?
You'll forgive me, then?
At first, I thought everything was going well.
I'm Hikaru Koragi of Act Produce!
I look forward to working with you!
In accordance with the laws of Eden...
You've been chosen to play Saruel in Eden's Nova!
Really?
It's a leading role.
This is huge! Let's do our best together!
Right!
Little by little, more work started coming in,
and I got a wider range of roles.
And so I thought, now I can hold my head up high,
and tell people, "I'm Hikaru Koragi, a voice actress."
Thank you for today!
Thanks for your hard work!
But...
- I failed my audition again! - Thank you for today.
I've been striking out lately, too.
If only I had Hikaru's looks.
I know what you mean!
It gives her an edge for sure!
The fans are happier when the actress is easy on the eyes.
Playing Saruel and being that good-looking...
Why wouldn't she be popular, right?
KARAKU CUP
But I...
No, that's not it.
It's New Year's Day tomorrow, right?
I bought you some sake.
What do you say? Will you have a drink?
So for these reasons, I feel that Rakugo wouldn't be feasible.
- Ms. Koragi, do you under-- - Even so...
I'm still entering the Karaku Cup.
B-But, listen...
You just got this breakthrough role in Eden's Nova,
so you don't really have to...
It's the show that's being well-received.
I'm not the one they're lauding.
Mr. Madoka, what I want is to test my abilities
as Hikaru Koragi, the actress.
I myself need no convincing regarding her acting skills.
But she does owe her current jobs and popularity to her looks.
I understand wanting to be recognized by a big shot in the entertainment industry
so that she can make the transition to an accomplished actress.
But Rakugo is a narrative art in which you tell the story on your own.
It's nothing like playing a single character.
Even as things stand now, she's getting plenty of work.
So why would she do this?
Well, 42 ryo! Whoa!
You can't let your guard down for a second! Hoarding all this!
I said it's not mine.
Oh, come on! Damn it! It's too hard!
Gotta pull yourself together, Hikaru!
I'm a Tokyo girl!
No hissy fits! No way!
Don't be so sloppy!
It's all good, I can do it! I've got this!
You know you're way better than this!
I'd just never seen it until then.
Her weapon was neither her looks nor her acting ability.
Sorry about that.
Rather, it was her single-minded drive to achieve her goals, by any means necessary.
What a nice sound. Yeah, it's amazing.
Ah, it smells amazing.
I can say it now with confidence.
- The winner will be... - You didn't want me to pour it for you?
- Hikaru Koragi! - No, it's not that.
I don't want it to turn into another dream.
Oh, crap. That's the biggest ovation of the day.
"Shibahama." Not to mention...
Issho Arakawa!
It's just like that Shin'uchi Promotion Test from six years ago.
It was in this same kind of atmosphere when that incident broke out.
Thank you very much!
That was Ms. Hikaru Koragi with "Shibahama"!
Don't tell me something's going to happen today, too.
Master Issho, can you tell us what you thought of that performance?
I am of the opinion that "Shibahama" shouldn't be performed by students.
The theme of this story is "love between a husband and wife."
Without the skills to convey the subtleties of the characters' emotions,
it's not an enjoyable listen.
It's an extremely difficult story for a student to tell.
Which is precisely why...
watching you depict the wife's innermost feelings so convincingly,
and your sheer proficiency as a performer, has left me quite stunned.
It may have been somewhat dramatic, but it was a magnificent performance.
Thank you very much, Master Issho.
Master Ryujaku, any thoughts you'd like to share?
Good work!
Thank you very much.
It's over.
I could've done better.
At the start, my voice was a little shrill.
And wasn't I talking a little too fast?
I should've paused a bit more during that scene, huh?
Oh, wait.
If I start listing what I did wrong, it'll be endless.
It's the show that's being well-received.
I'm not the one they're lauding.
...your sheer proficiency as a performer left me quite stunned.
She sure is a strong one, that little voice actress.
Well, coming in second to me would be a huge coup for her.
Seriously, I give her props.
It's not over yet, okay?
Huh? It might as well be over now.
Stop being rude!
And next up is that "Jugemu" girl, remember?
Even she's got...
Not a chance. Check it out.
It's obvious that the audience has gone slack.
- Here's your curry udon! - Thanks to my adapted Rakugo
- Here's your sashimi! - and the voice actress's Ninjo-banashi,
they're already satisfied.
- Have my dish, too! - We're down to the throwaway matches.
And the next performance is "Jugemu," no less.
All the audience cares about is whether it'll be me or the voice actress who wins.
Now you get it, don't you?
This year's Karaku Cup has already ended.
The winner's gonna be one of those two.
A high school girl's up next? Poor kid.
I'm gonna go to the bathroom.
This vibe. Pretty bleak, huh, Ani-san?
Ani-san? Huh? The teacher, too?
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
The accompanying teacher and her student, right?
Come on in. The dressing room is right up ahead.
Thank you very much.
Treating me like a high school student...
Not only that, but he didn't even bat an eye. Seriously!
You're the one who wanted to go to the waiting room.
Please, just deal with it for now.
But why did it have to be now?
That kid's going to lose.
These students were of higher caliber than I thought.
But Ms. Osaki can...
She's striving to become a Rakugoka
because she can't accept her father's expulsion.
Do you really think she can give it her all in front of her long-time archenemy?
The stronger your emotions are, the harder it gets to suppress them.
And that atmosphere in there.
Better tell her not to overdo it and get hurt.
Koguma Ani-san? And Iwashimizu-sensei?
At a glance, she seems no different than usual.
You seem unfazed, but are you okay?
Issho Arakawa is someone you don't even want to see, right?
Can you stay calm with that guy right in front of you?
Ani-san, I've seen it before.
Issho Arakawa's Rakugo.
It was before I asked Master to take me as his apprentice.
ISSHO ARAKAWA SOLO PERFORMANCE
To be honest, it feels weird.
SAIWAI HALL
I can't forgive him for what he did to Dad.
ISSHO ARAKAWA
But after watching his performance,
I thought, if I couldn't admit his talent when I want to become a Rakugoka,
well, how lame would that be?
I was an emotional mess.
That's why I want to find out the reason why he expelled my dad,
and then move on the right way.
I see.
Then unless you win, you won't be able to move on.
Huh?
Really, now! You shouldn't pressure her right before she goes on.
She should be fine.
My younger fellow apprentice won't go down in defeat.
Koguma Ani-san!
You go on...
and show that man.
Show him your Rakugo, Akane!
AKANE
And now, here's our next contestant, Ms. Akane!
All right.
She doesn't seem nervous with Master Issho in front of her.
But she's only at the start where she's prepared to fight.
The real battle starts now.
After watching the two performances before hers,
the audience thinks that this competition has already peaked.
Their excitement has run its course, and now they're in a lull.
How will she handle a hostile environment like this?
In a world where lies and falsehoods are abound,
the preciousness of children is a universal truth.
At least, that's what they say.
They also say that you'll never understand that preciousness
until you've had a child to cherish yourself.
It used to be that when a child was born,
you'd ask a learned old master,
or the monk from your temple, to name him for you.
Well, it seems like that sort of thing went on all the time.
Hey, Honey. What are we going to do?
It's been nearly seven days since the baby was born.
Oh, yeah. What about it?
Don't be silly. The seventh night is the Oshichiya naming ceremony.
Oshichiya!
Well, I didn't know that.
Are we going to show him to the pawnbroker because we'll be pawning him soon?
Don't be ridiculous.
It's high time we gave our baby a name.
You don't expect him to go his whole life without a name, do you?
Well, of course not, but...
I know!
Why don't you go to the temple and ask them to name him?
Temple? Now that's just crazy talk!
I don't know.
...where you hold funerals!
This is really bland, huh?
Karashi!
Can you blame me for saying that?
No, not necessarily.
Sure, she's speaking at a good pace, in a slick manner.
But during the prelims yesterday, even in the parts where she wasn't enunciating,
the crowd was abuzz,
but it's nothing like that today, is it now?
Seeing the vibe in the venue, she must've realized that she can't win.
Still, who would slack off to this degree?
What a total letdown.
Like my mother's funeral the other day. They really raked it in.
I do agree that compared to the prelims, she's overly subdued. But...
...so tomorrow I have to make sure my Rakugo lives up to my master's name.
After talking like that, would she really throw this match away?
Since the monk's a knowledgeable guy, I bet he'll think up a good name for him.
Hmm, you think so?
Well, if you say so, then I'll head over.
Hello, old monk. Are you there?
Well, well, Kumagoro. What brings you here?
Well, you see, I've got this baby now...
She's really going easy today, huh?
No, the baby's fine.
You see, my wife says that...
Well, someone's really enjoying this.
Does it look that way?
Yeah.
You're into this kind of thing?
I wouldn't say I'm into it.
It's like when I throw on anime or listen to the radio while I'm working.
I can enjoy it in the background, so it's relaxing, you know?
Well, that makes sense.
True. Everyone around us seems so relaxed.
Yeah, not bad!
You need to draw in your audience when you're onstage.
- It's not a matter of pushing them. - I love you!
It's all about
- adjusting to the other person. - Good work today.
Even still, the vibe in here...
It's not so much a competition.
More like a theater performance.
I wonder why she's not bringing the passion, like yesterday?
Because that would backfire on her.
After being subjected to the tension and fervor unique to this competition,
a tone that subdued is more soothing to hear.
It's not a matter of being fiery in Rakugo.
So she's being flexible. Ms. Osaki's amazing.
Not really.
All she did was give the audience what they wanted.
Figuring out what would make them happy and being considerate of their needs.
That's just being attentive.
To bring joy to the audience before her.
She's just rising to the challenge as a Rakugoka.
Will it be a hit or a miss?
The stage is set now.
AKANE
Let's see what she's made of!
JUGEMU
So, what kind of name would you like?
NEXT EPISODE JUGEMU
Akane Small Talk!
Akane, what did you think of Hikaru's performance?
It was good, I think.
Using her tenugui as the wallet...
That was quite an elegant touch, wasn't it?
Aside from a wallet, your tenugui can also be used as a book or cigarette case,
or even stand in for your smartphone, so keep that in mind.
I know all that, okay?
Oh? Then how do you use a sensu?
Want to race to see who can come up with more examples?
Yeah!
All right, ladies first.
- Chopsticks! - A pipe.
- A katana! - A pen.
- A sake cup! - A fishing rod.
- Um... A broom! - An umbrella.
Um... Um...
A paddle. A letter. A carrying pole. A sake bottle.
A spear. A ladle. A hammer. An abacus.
Give up?
S-Someone with tons of nose hairs sticking out!
Akane, you sure are hilarious!