I've been saying this, that Kaisei is going to use this performance to find himself. People have brought up the irony of Kaisei telling Akane the stage isn't a place for soul-searching (I dont remember the chapter someone help meee!!!) when he's doing that himself right here. Maybe he's not actually finding himself on stage, instead he's using this performance to show the results of his exploration.

I think Kaisei wasn't ready to do that quite yet when he told Akane that. However, this breakthrough that he's only been living up to the expectations of others and not for himself really flipped a switch in him.

"That's why you pushed me away," Kaisei says to Issho in his mind. I think Issho saw too much of himself in Kaisei during his Shinuchi promotion test and that's why he ruined it for Kaisei. In the past, I imagine Kisoba's thoughts for his master and Kaisei's thoughts for Issho were similar if not the same. They both want to live up to their masters' expectations, but the way they're achieving it doesn't align with the way master wants. Maybe it wasn't until the old Shiguma's death that Kisoba snapped out of it and truly found his art.

I guess Issho wants to push Kaisei towards his goal earlier, by what, being an unlikeable old man? I completely agree with Kaisei when he said Issho could've used more words. How ironic, that their entire profession is telling story with words (the "go" in "rakugo" literally means word), yet Issho just can't get a grasp on how to use them properly in his own life.

Kaisei is going to fully embody the shinigami in the tail end of the story and kill his past self. Will his past self fight back? Or has he completely given up on his previous goals? Make this a surprise shinuchi test and promote both Akane and Kaisei lol just do it!!!

I love how everytime they figure out the lesson they're just like. "oh....you could have told me in an easier time understand way-"

I get that the point is to let them figure it out but still it's so funny to me.

Anyway, reversed roles! It's Kaisei's turn to have something impossibly vague throw at him and struggle to figure out what is trying to be said.

studio_soigne (Kamiina Botan animation studio)

Yoshidas first appearance