Miyokichi

**Miyokichi** is a major character in *Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu*.

## Name

When introducted, she goes by the pseudonym, Miyokichi (みよ吉(きち).) However later it is revealed through Sukeroku that her birth-name is Yurie (百合絵(ゆりえ).)

## History

Konatsu's mother and geisha. Her real name is Yurie. She's 5-years older than Kikuhiko and Sukeroku.
At the time that she met 7th Generation Yakumo Yuurakutei, she was working as a prostitute in Manchuria and became his mistress during World War 2. He introduced her to the geisha house in Mukoujima; Tokyo. She met Kikuhiko while attending kabuki and they began dating afterwards. Kikuhiko would frequently visit her Geisha house and help her with dancing, shamisen and singing. It was revealed that she actually studied *Kouta* songs in the past, and her dream was to be a performer.

Eventually, Kikuhiko's master, stated to him that he had better end things with her, believing her to be nothing more than a prostitute, and that he needed a "proper" woman to marry. Kikuhiko, unable to refuse his master at risk of being expelled, was forced to break things off with her. This left Miyokichi in a heartbroken state, after already being left in the dust many times in the past.

One the same note, Sukeroku had also just been excommunicated by the same master that forced Kikuhiko to break things off with Miyokichi. The 2 came together and quickly started living with one another. Miyokichi fell pregnant with his child. She decided to have the child in her home of Shikoku. In order to make up the money, she stole the till from her geisha house prior to closing. With this, she fled Tokyo with Sukeroku.

Miyokichi and Sukeroku began their life in Shikoku with their child Konatsu. It would seem that they had a hard time making things work, though. Miyokichi began to disdain Rakugo and would not allow Sukeroku to perform. Sukeroku refused to work outside of Rakugo, and decided to stay at home drinking. Unable to have anyone working in the house, Miyokichi was forced back into prostitution. She could hardly stand to see Sukeroku, and even her own daughter Konatsu. This unstable home life and prostitution forced Miyokichi into believing she would be better off dead in a lover's suicide with Kikuhiko. She eventually left them both and lived on the streets with different men.

Eventually, Kikuhiko came looking for both Sukeroku and Miyokichi. After seeing the state of Sukeroku's home, and being unable to find Miyokichi anywhere, he convinced Sukeroku to hold a Rakugo performance at the local inn. Miyokichi saw the flyer for the performance, and started crying at the idea that Kikuhiko had finally come for her.

In Kikuhiko's version of the story, Miyokichi had invited him to her room through one of the staff. Kikuhiko arrived in the room to be confronted by Miyokichi. Miyokichi aired out her feelings to him, stating how much she missed him and how she couldn't bear to be around Sukeroku anymore, calling him a drunk, and how she was only able to keep going under the idea that he would one day come for her. Kikuhiko quickly began apologizing to her, believing everything was caused by him, both Miyokichi and Sukeroku's pain. The two quickly began airing out their feelings to one another, kissing each other. In the midst of this, Miyokichi pushed herself and him onto the wooden balcony, stating that they should die together. Kikuhiko was ready to accept this fate, before Sukeroku ran into the room. Sukeroku quickly began apologizing to Miyokichi, saying how her and Konatsu meant everything to him and he was ready to quit Rakugo to get a job and support them. He thanked for being in his life and letting him perform "Shibahama." Miyokichi, distraught, asked why he would say all this now, right before she had decided to die. Miyokichi leaned back and grabbed the wooden balcony, but unable to support the weight of them both, the balcony collapsed. Sukeroku jumped out to grab her, revealing her real name, Yurie. Kikuhiko grasping at straws the save the two, all Miyokichi could do in the moment was hold onto Sukeroku, apologizing to him over and over. Sukeroku pulls Kikuhiko's hand off of him and they both fall into the river below, dying from the fall.

However, later it is revealed that this story was a false created by Kikuhiko in order to protect Konatsu from the truth. It is unknown what happened between the 3 leading up to this, but somewhere along the line Miyokichi had stabbed Sukeroku. Miyokichi, in a state of shock and distraught began shaking in the corner, apologizing. When Matsuda and Konatsu walk in, Kikuhiko shields Sukeroku from Konatsu, begging Matsuda to take Konatsu out and get help, as the wound was easily treatable. Konatsu, who was too young to understand, asked if Kikuhiko had killed Sukeroku. When Miyokichi heard this, she jumped out and hugged Konatsu, crying and apologizing that she had, "stabbed daddy." Konatsu was unable to handle this and began shoving and kicking Miyokichi, eventually pushing her off the edge of balcony. Sukeroku throws Kikuhiko back, and leaps out to save Miyokichi, and they both quickly fall into the river below. Kikuhiko was only able to grab Konatsu and prevent her from falling with them.

Although it is unknown what happened between the 3, Sukeroku later states in the after life that Miyokichi would frequently take a knife and threaten to kill herself, but "on that night, she tripped... silly thing."

In the afterlife, it seems that Miyokichi and Sukeroku were able to reconcile with one another, and actually became a happy couple. Miyokichi vents to Kikuhiko on how she wishes she hadn't relied on just one of them, and wishes she was kinder. She states how although she had Konatsu for revenge, she did genuinely love her and her biggest regret was making Konatsu hate her for all these years. When Sukeroku performs his rakugo in the yose of the afterlife, a young Konatsu is summoned via one of the seats. Miyokichi can be seen coddling Konatsu and sitting with her.

## Trivia

* Her voice actor sang both the first opening (薄ら氷心中) and second opening (今際の死神)
* The kanji for her birth name, Yurie (百合絵(ゆりえ),) is: 百 100, 合 fit, 絵 pictures. This could possible mean 100 fitted pictures, referencing to the idea that she turns herself into anything for a man.

## Reference

1. ↑  Episode 12
2. ↑  Chapter 30