At the onset of World War II, the Japanese Imperial government began to tighten its iron grip on the people and their pastimes, giving rise to the censorship committee. This group banned any works of art that disrespected the emperor, criticized the military, or were “against public policy.” The surge of censorship did not spare the world of rakugo, the Japanese art of comic storytelling, as some tales dealt with sexuality and alcohol misuse. Rakugo performers decided to self-ban such stories before the government intervened, selecting 53 traditional comic tales…
