THE STAGE IS SET A hapless young man is released from prison with nothing to his name, but he knows exactly what he wants: to train in the art of rakugo comedic storytelling. After seeing an unforgettable performance from one of Japan's greatest masters, Yakumo Yurakutei VIII, during his time in jail, he will settle for nothing less than to become apprentice to the best. Yakumo, notorious for taking no students, is persuaded to take him on, and nicknames him Yotaro—the fool. Yotaro has no formal training or elegance, but something about his charisma reminds Yakumo of someone from his past. The saga of a generation of love, art, and storytelling begins here.

A multi-generational human drama set in the world of rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese comedic storytelling, Descending Stories follows an ex-convict whose life is changed by his apprenticeship to a famed storyteller, and Konatsu, who yearns to perform rakugo but cannot because women are not permitted in the craft.

A multi-generational human drama set in the world of rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese comedic storytelling, Descending Stories follows an ex-convict whose life is changed by his apprenticeship to a famed storyteller, and Konatsu, who yearns to perform rakugo but cannot because women are not permitted in the craft.

A multi-generational human drama set in the world of rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese comedic storytelling, Descending Stories follows an ex-convict whose life is changed by his apprenticeship to a famed storyteller, and Konatsu, who yearns to perform rakugo but cannot because women are not permitted in the craft. LONELY AT THE TOP After Sukeroku's expulsion, Kikuhiko's path to stardom seems clear, but the idea of inheriting the Yakumo name is a cold comfort. Sukeroku, disgraced, makes the heartbreaking decision to put his art aside and take responsibility for his new relationship with Miyokichi. As years pass and distance grows, Kikuhiko decides it's up to him to bring his friend back to the theater. His determination takes him to the country, where Sukeroku now lives with his spirited young daughter. Kikuhiko is ready to stay as long as he needs to convince Sukeroku, but old wounds may come back to haunt them both. The tragic story of Kikuhiko's past reaches a climax!

A multi-generational human drama set in the world of rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese comedic storytelling, Descending Stories follows an ex-convict whose life is changed by his apprenticeship to a famed storyteller, and Konatsu, who yearns to perform rakugo but cannot because women are not permitted in the craft. Small-time crook Yotaro has never forgotten the rakugo tale "Shinigami," which the master Yurakutei Yakumo performed for Yotaro during his time in prison. After his release, he goes to Yakumo's theater and pleads to be made his apprentice. Yakumo reluctantly accepts, but Yotaro quckly finds the world of rakugo is complex, and grapples with a growing bond with Yakumo's ward, Konatsu, and reminders from his own inescapable past.

THE NEXT CHAPTER After apprenticing for ten years under the great Yakumo Yurakutei VIII, Yotaro has finally become a shin’uchi and taken the name Sukeroku, a lineage with its own fraught history. But the newly-minted Sukeroku III cannot rest on his laurels for long, as ghosts from his own past come to haunt him in the wake of his achievement. With his family and his art on the line, can he find his way forward? Or will he be doomed to mediocrity as the rakugo tradition languishes?

A multi-generational human drama set in the world of rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese comedic storytelling, Descending Stories follows an ex-convict whose life is changed by his apprenticeship to a famed storyteller, and Konatsu, who yearns to perform rakugo but cannot because women are not permitted in the craft. Small-time crook Yotaro has never forgotten the rakugo tale "Shinigami," which the master Yurakutei Yakumo performed for Yotaro during his time in prison. After his release, he goes to Yakumo's theater and pleads to be made his apprentice. Yakumo reluctantly accepts, but Yotaro quckly finds the world of rakugo is complex, and grapples with a growing bond with Yakumo's ward, Konatsu, and reminders from his own inescapable past.

THE NEXT CHAPTER After apprenticing for ten years under the great Yakumo Yurakutei VIII, Yotaro has finally become a shin'uchi and taken the name Sukeroku, a lineage with its own fraught history. But the newly-minted Sukeroku III cannot rest on his laurels for long, as ghosts from his own past come to haunt him in the wake of his achievement. With his family and his art on the line, can he find his way forward? Or will he be doomed to mediocrity as the rakugo tradition languishes? The story of the next generation begins here.

A multi-generational human drama set in the world of rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese comedic storytelling, Descending Stories follows an ex-convict whose life is changed by his apprenticeship to a famed storyteller, and Konatsu, who yearns to perform rakugo but cannot because women are not permitted in the craft. DECISIVE MOMENT Faced with the limits of his physical body and confronted with the reality of the changing world around him, Yakumo turns his back on his art. Yotaro, however, refuses to let him give up, and convinces Yakumo to perform "The God of Death" for a friend in prison. Yotaro hopes that this performance will inspire others in the same way that Yakumo once inspired him, but the performance ends up hitting a little too close to home... The story of the next generation continues.

A multi-generational human drama set in the world of rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese comedic storytelling, Descending Stories follows an ex-convict whose life is changed by his apprenticeship to a famed storyteller, and Konatsu, who yearns to perform rakugo but cannot because women are not permitted in the craft. Small-time crook Yotaro has never forgotten the rakugo tale "Shinigami," which the master Yurakutei Yakumo performed for Yotaro during his time in prison. After his release, he goes to Yakumo's theater and pleads to be made his apprentice. Yakumo reluctantly accepts, but Yotaro quckly finds the world of rakugo is complex, and grapples with a growing bond with Yakumo's ward, Konatsu, and reminders from his own inescapable past.