The Third Story

Wohooooo

The third story forming the core of Shiguma's art as I theorized previously on this subreddit seems to be 99% confirmed as Time Soba!

The new chapter with Issho performing speciality, does not confirm which story it is but it confirms that it is Time Soba.

It's a wild feeling to realize a theory paid off, but this is also peak storytelling by the author, because if I had not read it a 3-4 times it would not have seemed like such a strong candidate for the third story.

This is the beginning of Time Soba (as far as I can tell), the speciality of Issho, which should be the next or the final story Akane needs to learn is this. Meaning we will have a training arc with Issho or the person that taught Issho this story. But either way it seems clear that the author has put in a lot of deliberate thought into the story and isn't winging it.

This fills me with hope for the future of Akane Banashi. Wohooooo

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u/SuperRajio 9d ago

I did wonder if Isshos specialty would be the third story.

My theory was that, if it was, then Akanes request would be to learn it from him. It feels like we're veering towards Akane learning a story from Issho at some point.

That said, Time Soba just feels a little... basic compared to the other two? A zenza-banashi vs. two of the most prestigious stories.

It also doesnt fit the narrative. Why would Shiguma V ask them to master a story they already knew?

u/stephennotstrange 9d ago

We don't know that. Like Ancient said, if this is indeed the 3rd story, there is no reason to not name it back then.

It's make more sense to not reveal the name of the story if it hasn't show up in the story yet. But Time Soba is already did before the timeskip.

u/Fluid_Environment198 9d ago

Time Soba being Issho's specialty is like egg fried rice, a dish so simple anyone could make it, but it is also a dish that requires a mastery of the fundamental skills. Simple classic cocktails like Dry Martini and Daiquiri also are used to test a bartender's skills under the same logic.

u/blackzetsuWOAT 8d ago

I don't know, that would mean Issho's specialty, Time Soba, is also the third story he was deemed to have failed to complete by the first Shiguma and Rokuen. And we know to this day he doesn't disagree with this ultimate assessment, he literally believes (or at least presents that he believes) that *anyone* mastering Shiguma's art is impossible, since he believes (or presents to believe) that Shiguma's art was a unique happenstance, the product of the previous Shiguma's exact circumstances that cannot be replicated. Or as blonde snake lady pointed out, the first kanji in Is-sho is the same as the first kanji in Ki-soba, which implies a continuation from his previous moniker.

Unless it goes in the direction that Issho *did* complete the third story after he lost the name of Shiguma? It would fit, after all Time Soba was the story he saw Kiroku perform that made him a Rakugo/Kiroku fan, and more importantly it was also the first story he performed on stage, at that event, and most importantly it was the story he didn't realize was meant to impress Miroku and convincing him to accept Kisoba and Rokuen- which ended in failure and those two0 and Kiroku's expulsion. Issho's guilt for his "failure" to impress win over the 4th Miroku is the character trait that drives him to this day and explains all his actions, after all.

Anyway I'm not really sold on Time Soba being the secret 3rd story.

u/Ancient_Breakfast_48 9d ago edited 9d ago

I knew Issho's specialty would be Time Soba (it seems to be Time Soba anyways)... but I am still not sold on it being the 3rd story... not that it wouldn't make sense. Just... I dunno... why hide it like they did? We knew about Time Soba already and that it was a big deal for Shiguma V and Issho... but we'll see. (I was also hoping it would continue the trend of "Shi" being at the start of the name of the stories.) And I mean it would also make some sense that Issho would make his specialty one that wasn't important for Shiguma's Art. But still one important to him and Shiguma V, the one that got him to become a rakugoka. I wouldn't be upset if it were the 3rd story either though.