I've become a big fan of BBC Radio 4's documentary podcasts. They're the perfect length for my lunchtime walk around the industrial park. Sometime late last summer, I listened to one called "Time Noodles." With a title like that, I thought it might have been about something cosmological or Doctor Who related, but it wasn't. Instead, it was about a traditional Japanese form of storytelling called Rakugo, and how it was being given new life in the modern world.

Then January came along, and with it the Winter 2016 anime season, which included Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, a historical drama about Rakugo performers through the middle of the 20th century. I stumbled onto it more-or-less at random, and was completely blown away by its double-length premiere episode.



Here in April, with three more anime seasons left in the year, it's ridiculously early to be picking the Best Anime of 2016, but... in all likelihood, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju is the Best Anime of 2016. This show isn't about a bunch of giant robots battling each other. It's not about a bunch of cute high school girls and their wacky hijinks, either. This is a grownup show, about grownup characters and their grownup lives. (And I use the word "grownup" deliberately, to avoid any potential confusion from using the word "adult.")

The story centers on two Rakugo performers, Kikuhiko and Sukeroku, beginning with the time they both become apprenticed to a Rakugo master named Yakumo. They grow up together, learn their craft together, and in time develop their own unique personalities and storytelling styles. They are something of an Odd Couple, with Kikuhiko being more uptight and serious while Sukeroku is more freewheeling, and they need each other to be at their best. As time passes into the post-WWII era, they realize that Rakugo will have to adapt if it is to survive, and they promise each other that they will find the way forward.

Then, into this mix comes a young geisha named Miyokichi, and the Love Triangle beings. Except it's more of a Love Rectangle. (To quote Cookie Monster, "It's a wreck, and it's a tangle!") Sukeroku loves Miyokichi and Miyokichi loves Kikuhiko, but Kikuhiko is largely an aromantic who would rather live for his Rakugo. He does feel something for Miyokichi, though, and his indecision over how to handle his inner conflict creates a whole world of trouble.

The three main characters in this story are well-rounded and believable, each with strengths and weaknesses. You could blame any one of them for how things turn out - but at the same time, you don't really want to blame any of them. From my own personal viewpoint, Kikuhiko reminded me of myself more than any character I've seen in a very long time. In fact, I usually avoid writing such characters, because I don't want to project that much of myself into one of my stories.

Another thing I couldn't help noticing about Rakugo Shinju is that the online discussion of the show seemed to mature in response to the show's more mature storyline. Despite the love triangle at the center of the story, there were no "shipping wars" between factions of viewers, as happens with countless other shows. There were also no big cries of outrage over whether the anime was being faithful enough to the source material, as happened with another of this season's top shows. But that doesn't mean the discussion was boring. Quite the opposite - having deeper characters fueled more complex and nuanced conversations.

The best thing of all is that there's still another half of this story to come. The series ends at the halfway point of the manga it's based on, and the sequel series has already been announced. In it, we'll see a 60-something Kikuhiko, who has inherited the Yakumo name and stands as pretty much the last relic of Rakugo's glory years. He hasn't forgotten the promise he made with Sukeroku, only now if he wants to fulfill it, he'll have to rely on Konatsu, the daughter of Sukeroku and Miyokichi, and a reformed ex-con named Yotaro, who saw Kikuhiko perform at his prison and went straight to beg for an apprenticeship on the day he was released. He also has to deal with his old friend's ghost and the unresolved feelings he has about his past. It should be quite a ride.