Wow, Ryusei’s acting was amazing! Ainosuke was also thrilled! It was amazing.

Following last week, yesterday’s episode was another one that really brought home the sense of duty and humanity of the Edo period. I’m sure many were moved to tears!

Now, as for the synopsis…

In episode 19 of the taiga drama “Berabou,” the rival book wholesaler Urokogataya, the origin of Tsutaju’s publishing business, is closing down, and the story revolves around the transfer of its in-house author, Koikawa Harumachi.

Initially, Harumachi planned to transfer to industry giant Tsuruya, but the two clashed due to differences in their thinking. Tsuruya, wanting to prioritize best-selling books, wanted Harumachi to write a sequel to his previous bestseller, “Kaneka Sensei Eiga Yume.” However, Harumachi refused, saying, “I don’t like doing the same thing. It would be rude to readers,” and the rift between them only deepened.

Tsutaju wanted to bring Harumachi into his camp, but he was dismissed as a thief who had stolen work from his benefactor, Urokogataya. Meanwhile, Urokogataya, concerned about Harumachi’s situation, overcame their past grudges and wrote Tsutaju a letter asking, “Hey, can you please snatch Professor Harumachi away from Tsuruya?”

To make this unexpected proposal a reality, Tsutaju began working on a concept for the work that would inspire Harumachi, who is obsessed with new things. After working on the idea with Urokogataya, Kisanji, Utamaro, and the people of the red-light district, they came up with the idea of ​​”Edo a hundred years in the future,” and proposed to Harumachi, “Why don’t you depict Edo in the future? An Edo a hundred years in the future that no one has ever seen.” While Harumachi was intrigued by the idea, Tsutaju expressed hesitation. Tsutaju then persuaded him, saying, “I want to see the Edo of a hundred years into the future, the eccentric yet truly moving image that Professor Harumachi has come up with.” Tsutaju then succeeded in moving him. Later, as Urokogataya was closing down his shop, he apologized to Tsutaju for his past actions and handed him a woodblock copy of “The Tale of Bunta the Salt Seller.” The book was the first book Tsutaju bought as a child, and the one he had given to Segawa. Holding the woodblock and wiping away tears, Tsutaju said, “To me, this is a treasure like no other,” and Tsutaju and Urokogataya reconciled.

[Source]
National Diet Library, Digital Collections