Aka Medaka

While watching a performance by Tatekawa Danshi, Danshyn decided as a child he wanted to become a rakugo storyteller. Danshi tells Dansyun “I will take you on as an apprentice only if you have your parent’s permission”, but as expected, his parents initially opposed the idea. When he successfully convinces the parents in the end, Dunsyun comes under Danshi’s wing, but life as an apprentice turns out to be quite hard. While working as a paperboy, he goes to Danshi’s house to provide “personal care” – cleaning his room, doing shopping, chasing off cats and feeding his goldfish - with Danshi inspecting Dunsyun’s performance every time. One day, when Dansyun is sulking from overwork, Dansyun receives his first lesson from Danshi, but accidentally makes Danshi angry and gets sent off to be an apprentice to Tsukiji for a year. Dansyun feels demoralized without realizing his master is actually reaching out and showing his love... This drama depicts a 17-year-old Dansyun in his journey to become a rakugo storyteller through the good and bad times with other apprentices under the late Danshi - often described as a “genius” or a “soldier of fortune”. With a star-studded cast, this drama also well portrays the daring life of Danshi who loved and strived for Rakugo more than anyone.
~~ Based on the true story "Aka Medaka" by Danshun Tatekawa (published April, 2008 by Fusosha Publishing).