Character - Yakugara

Japanese: 役柄 - やくがら

A classification or type of roles (acting) based on the gender, age, and personality of the characters in Kabuki. Broadly speaking, there are three types: tachiyaku, onnagata, and doukeyaku. Tachiyaku can mean either a general term for male roles, or a sincere and thoughtful leading role among male roles. Tachiyaku can be further classified into good guys and villains. Good guys can be classified finer into aragoshi, wajishi, jitsushi, sabakiyaku, patient tachiyaku, wajishi, wakashu, and oyajikata, an elderly male role. Subcategorization of villains includes Jitsuaku (great villains who pretend to be honest but plot to embezzle from their master; imposing, dignified, and cruel; also known as Tateki or Kunikuzushi), Kunoaku who aim for the throne, Heiteki and Hateki who are vassals of Jitsuaku, Uncle Teki who plots to embezzle from the household, Teyo Teki in Sewamono, Iroaku who are cold-hearted, handsome villains who betray the women who love them, and Handogataki who are comical villains. Subcategorization of onnagata includes Keisei (courtesans), Onna budō who excel in martial arts, Sewa nyobo (wife of a prostitute), Onna gata (young woman), Akuba (elderly woman with a chic and malicious personality) who does evil deeds for men, and Kashagata (elderly and elderly women who play floats). The highest-ranking onnagata in a troupe is called Tateoyama (standing onnagata).

(Kenichi Yamamoto, theater critic / 2007)

Source : "Chiezo" published by Asahi Shimbun Publications Co., Ltd. About Chiezo

Japanese:

歌舞伎の登場人物の性別、年齢、性格をもとに設けた役(演技)の分類、類型。大分類すると立役(たちやく)と女形(方)(おんながた)と道化役の3つに分けられる。立役は男役の総称か、男役の中でも誠実な思慮深い主役の2つの意味がある。立役をさらに中分類すると善人と敵役がある。善人を小分類すると荒事師、和事師、実事師、さばき役、辛抱立役、和実師、若衆、男の老役である親仁方(おやじかた)がある。敵役を小分類すると、実悪(誠実な人と見せかけて主家横領を企む大悪人。堂々として貫禄があり、残酷。立敵、国崩しともいう)、皇位をねらう公家悪、実悪の家来である平敵・端敵、お家横領を企む叔父敵、世話物の手代敵、好意を寄せる女を裏切る冷酷な二枚目の悪人である色悪(いろあく)、滑稽な悪人の半道敵(はんどうがたき)がある。女方を小分類すると傾城(遊女)、武道に優れた女武道、世話女房、娘方、男のために悪事をする粋であだっぽい年増の悪婆(あくば)、年増・老女の花車方(かしゃがた)がある。女方の中でも一座の最高位を立女方(たておやま)という。

(山本健一演劇評論家／ 2007年)

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