Chapter 137 - 32: The Fish Takes the Bait
If you were to ask what's most unique about the Yuehe Peninsula, the answer wouldn't be gambling, food, or the "princesses" of the Kabukicho district—it would be theater.
Yes, you read that correctly. While the Shinobi Continent had long been familiar with stage performances, they remained quite primitive in form. Typically, street performers would travel with large covered wagons featuring retractable sides that served as makeshift stages. These artists would apply makeup, don traditional costumes, and present comedic skits to earn tips from their audience.
Despite their simple plots and format, these street performances gained immense popularity across the Shinobi Continent, where entertainment options were scarce.
Over time, these performances evolved into various specialized forms:
Spring plays for entertainment districts
Heroic dramas for samurai and shinobi
Noh theater for nobility
Puppet shows for children
Legend has it that Monzaemon, the first puppet master, began his career as a street performer entertaining children with wooden puppets.
The revolutionary form of theater developed by the Third Kazekage Jinghang elevated the art form to unprecedented heights. With its grand scale, elaborate sets, special effects, and musical accompaniment, it was incomparable to traditional street performances. The debut production "The God of Gamblers" caused a sensation in the Yuehe Peninsula, with the thousand-seat theater selling out nearly every performance!
Kōzaburō Hirai, the theater's behind-the-scenes mastermind, couldn't contain his excitement. He praised Jinghang as a genius for conceiving such an innovative idea, suggesting that even if he ever stepped down as Kazekage, he could make a fortune in theater alone.