Sukeroku grew up as the Eighth Generation Yakumo's closest friend and training partner under Yakumo Yuurakutei, alongside another apprentice named Bon. He started out with the stage name "Hatsutarou" before deciding to perform as Sukeroku instead—a choice that suited his bold approach far better. As a shin'uchi, he built a reputation fast. His passionate, energetic style won over audiences but rubbed plenty of traditionalists the wrong way, making him a divisive figure in rakugo circles.
With Yakumo (who'd later become Kikuhiko), Sukeroku made a pact: they'd each take different paths to keep rakugo alive. Sukeroku would evolve the art to stay relevant with modern audiences, while Kikuhiko would preserve its classical roots unchanged. It was the kind of complementary vision that could've shaped the entire future of the form—but Sukeroku died young before that could happen. Still, his influence never really left rakugo.
He was also the father of Konatsu.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
