Ebizo Ichikawa’s “behind-the-scenes” story of his son bins “Mekkaku” starring his son, Binsaku

Ebizo Ichikawa, 44, will be performing “Ichikawa Danjuro XIII Shirasaru’s Name-Assumption Performance” at the Kabuki-za Theater in November. He has been the subject of controversy for some time now, and now his son, Kangen Horikoshi bats (9), has come under fire.

The bins are scheduled to take over as Shinnosuke Ichikawa VIII when Ebizo assumes the name of Danjuro XIII, and in December he will be the youngest actor ever to play the lead role in a performance of “Kedatsu. However, a women’s magazine reported that his co-star has yet to be decided. The reason behind this is said to be the decline in Ebizo’s centripetal force.

He said, “Normally, it would make sense for Ebizo to ask the actors and other related parties in advance before making an announcement, but he seldom does so. He takes the stance, ‘If Naritaya (the center of the Kabuki world) says he will do it, he will do it. He used to be able to get by with that, but after the multiple dating reports in March of this year and the Maya Kobayashi (43) “commotion,” people around him have distanced themselves from Ebizo. Now that the show has been decided, Shochiku officials are trying hard to persuade him, but unfortunately, we cannot hear any support from those involved.

Considering his own situation, he should have been able to anticipate the backlash that would occur if he pushed for the bins to appear in “Moukaku”. Why did Ebizo take such a hard-line approach?

First and foremost, it would not draw an audience. If the audience had been filled only for Ebizo’s performance, there would have been no problem. However, there are still days when tickets remain unsold even though the period during which the show is originally scheduled to last three months is shortened. As a desperate measure, Ebizo turned to bins.

Kemoritsu” is one of the 18 Kabuki plays associated with Naritaya, and it is known as a very difficult role. Even Ebizo first performed it at the age of 30, and it would be quite impossible for a 9-year-old child to play it. The hard-line approach this time reveals the impatience of Ebizo’s side, which is hoping to attract attention and draw in more customers. It is not a “flame sale,” but Ebizo has been driven into a corner to the extent that he has to resort to such a method,” said a reporter from a national newspaper.

(A reporter from a Japanese newspaper) A person related to the Nashien (Japanese pear orchard) opened his heavy mouth and said as if trying to squeeze out the following words.

The actors have given various reasons for refusing to perform with him, but their real intention is that they don’t want to have anything to do with him. The kabuki world is in a really difficult situation right now, and the actors want to perform any role they can. That said, they really do not want to ‘sink down together (with Ebizo). One of the performers said, ‘If you bow down to me even once, I’ll go to ……. If Mr. Ebizo really cares about the Kabuki world, he must change.”

Writer Nakagawa Usuke wrote in his commentary to his book “Tragedy of the Twelve Generations of the Famous Danjuro” (Bunshun Shinsho).

The Danjuro family’s family motto is to be arrogant. It must be that kind of attitude, I suppose, that is required to be a top star. But it is not just about being arrogant. Danjuro has been a leader in organizing and reforming the theater world as a whole. Above all, he was “the biggest star who could bring in the most customers.

Will Ebizo continue to “sink” as the naked king?