Manju Kowai: English Rakugo by Matthew Barbee

This video is an English Rakugo performance. The title of the performance is Manju Kowai. Performed at the University of Hawai, directed by Yasu Ishida, and performed by Matthew Barbee.

[@LockwoodMakuRocsBones]

Contrasting to others, I actually came here after reading some Akane-Banashi, and to see one of the Rakugo performed not only wonderfully, but even with your own spin to it, much like they suggested to Akane, but just the wonderful voices. Keep it up if you still are doing it!

[@toilapapa5741]

“My god, jelly donuts are so scary„ -Fujiwara no Mokou, 2004

[@Trixstyn]

i actaully came here after watching an anime called Shouwa Genroko Rakugo Shinjuu about rakugo

[@StardustShadow]

me to 😂😂

[@UnownDepth]

Same lol

[@antoniospatarelu1972]

same

[@BomberWhite]

I came here after Phoenix Wright 6! XD

[@thanasiskaravasilis7269]

the same

[@narasimhaniyer5917]

I came here after reading "Manjuu kowaii" in my Minna no Nihongo Japanese textbook.Loved the way how you enacted it.So good.The last line is the best(iam afraid of Green Tea).

[@clarissafariha4504]

This is an old comments, but if possible... Which volume of Minna Nihongo?

[@selinatalay8175]

I laughed so hard. Thank you for the amazing performance

[@davidhawley1132]

The scary thing to me, a long-time resident of Japan, is the way someone's (supposed) secret was teased out and was used to attempt harm against him.

[@matthewkamden]

Completely agree. I suppose it is only manju and not a darker, more harmful “secret.” The full thirty-minute version in the original Japanese is much harsher and goes deeper into shame and bullying. We tried to clean it up for highschoolers at the youngest.

[@davidhawley1132]

@@matthewkamden yappari.

[@donbasuradenuevo]

And then, they threw boiling hot tea to his face and had 2nd degree burns. Scary.

[@idontplayislay9439]

Man! That freaking HILLARIOUS!!!

[@fatuusdottore]

I'm here because of Simon Blackquill/Turnabout Storyteller lol.

[@hyperion6114]

Me too!

[@saninorochimaru2]

This is amazing

[@otoko4th]

Your acting is very good.

[@johosan]

本職の落語家と同じくらい楽しめた。有難うございます。

[@matthewkamden]

ありがとうございます😊

[@user-wp4ul56]

これからも頑張って下さい！

[@umaimeshikansai]

So great!

[@shyguypro9876]

Shouwa Genroko Rakugo Shinjuu sent me here.

[@keiichimorisato98]

this was really interesting. i ended up here after watching a bunch of videos of Show Genroku Rakugo Shinju: Descending Stories, i was enthralled by the series, season 2 is killing it, and i am interested in seeing more actual Rakugo. i am so glad that this style of storytelling hasn't died out. it reminds me very much of like an elder telling stories to the township in rural communities.

[@giantred]

Heh this was enjoyable, thank you for sharing

[@charlesvitanza8867]

Wtf, why has it taken me so long to find rakugo? I never laughed so hard in my life from anything before! I'm literally crying.

[@venga3]

... you didn't know stand-up comedy existed?

[@charlesvitanza8867]

@@venga3 I did, but stand-up is rare to get a slight giggle out of me.

[@crtki4825]

do you have anymore like this?

[@matthewkamden]

No, I’m sorry. This is the only performance I recorded.

[@b0mazor]

get beer, get drunk, get naked!

[@hinagikukatsura1652]

i came here after watching hayate no gotoku ep 42

[@mich7283]

What an excellent presentation. I too came here looking for an English Rakugo performance after consuming a piece of Japanese media that touches on the subject. In my case it was the manga Akane-banashi, which has just started publishing this year. As a matter of fact, in the first gig of the protagonist, on the third chapter, she performs Manju Kowai.

[@tokyo2la962]

Very well done. Please excuse me if I use some of this in my English through Rakugo class. :-)

[@ym5179]

後ろの屏風が逆さまですね。 家紋が上下逆になってます。 そんなところも面白い。 この後もいっぱい噺を聞かせて下さいね。

[@matthewkamden]

Thank you for your comment. I don’t have any more Rakugo videos. Sorry. About the screen in the background. Yes, it’s upside down. It was done like this on purpose because it looks like a surprised face. It’s the comedy version. : o

[@ym5179]

逆さ屏風は人が死んだ時にするもなので、 縁起が良くないですよ。 落語の動画、いっぱいアップして下さい。 お願いします。

[@matthewkamden]

@@ym5179 The choice of the screen being upside down was a choice by the Japanese director. I am only an actor.

[@ym5179]

はい。

[@haleydowner2321]

Hello! May I show this video at a public library program? I am putting together a cooking program based on the book Let's Scare Bear! by Yūko Katakawa. The goal is to have participants learn some cooking skills while also experiencing aspects of other cultures. I'd like to show your performance to demonstrate how the story would be told in this style after reading the picture book. This will help us use our baking time to learn about Japanese culture. I was excited to see Yasu Ishida directed your performance. He came to our library this past summer to perform for our summer reading program. Thanks for your consideration!

[@matthewkamden]

By all means, yes you may. Glad you enjoyed the video. I will say more in a direct email.

[@nikoniko-nicomuffler]

that was really funny!! what is the chopsticks-looking thing that you hit on the stage by the way?

[@Volonanostress]

rakugo performers props are limited by only a fan and a small cloth hankerchief, so basically it's most likely a foldable fan...

[@NyxInfernal]

I came here after watching the anime as well. it has opened my eyes up to the world of rakugo. How I would love to see "Shinigami" with english subtitles at the least! I'm coming to Japan next month for vacation and I applied for a teaching job.. I hope I get it!

[@matthewkamden]

ScarletSiren Did you get it?

[@Kriae]

Fuuka volume 12 brought me here

[@金正恩-s9z]

見事ですね。

[@matthewkamden]

つばき。 ありがとうございます😊

[@nme156756]

is this a script you came up with on your own?

[@matthewkamden]

It was translated from a Japanese story and then adapted for time and audience. The beginning is purely me.

[@運慶快慶-q5h]

日本語字幕プリーズ

[@rheaneko]

no sound...

[@matthewkamden]

I can hear it's sound on my two computers, iPhone, and at work. No problem. Please check your speaker settings and try again.

[@rheaneko]

Matthew Barbee weird it works on my phone but not on my computer, but my computer is playing the sound of every other video...? Anyway it was a good rakugo story! ^_^