Stage names:
Bandô Mitsugorô VIII
Bandô Minosuke VI
Bandô Yasosuke III
Guild: Yamatoya
Line number: HACHIDAIME (VIII)
Existence: 19 October 1906 ~ 16 January 1975
Connection:
Adoptive father: Bandô Mitsugorô VII
Adopted son (and son-in-law): Bandô Mitsugorô IX
Grandson: Bandô Mitsugorô X
Great-grandson: Bandô Minosuke II
Career:
January 1913: he makes his first appearance on stage, receiving the name of Bandô Yasosuke III.
June 1928: Bandô Yasosuke III takes the name of Bandô Minosuke VI at the Meijiza by playing the role of Ushiwakamaru in the drama "Kurama Genji".
1932: Minosuke works on a modern stage version of the classic novel "Genji Monogatari" but the project is forbidden by the Japanese Authorities.
1935 ~ 1939: Minosuke joins a Kabuki troupe managed by the company Tôhô. His stage partners are Nakamura Moshio IV, Ichikawa Komazô IX and Ichikawa Sumizô VI.
1940: Minosuke settles in Kamigata and becomes one of the leading actors in Takechi Tetsuji's Kabuki troupe, nicknamed Takechi Kabuki.
July 1951: premiere at the Ôsaka Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Minosuke plays the role of Shimojima Jin'emon [casting].
August 1953: revival of Chikamatsu Monzaemon I's masterpiece "Sonezaki Shinjû" at the Shimbashi Embujô; Minosuke plays the role of Hiranoya Kyûemon [more details].
September 1953: premiere at the Ôsaka Kabukiza of the dance "Ryûko", starring Minosuke and Jitsukawa Enjirô II in the roles of the Dragon and the Tiger.
July 1956: premiere at the Ôsaka Kabukiza of the dance-drama "Uma Nusubito"; Minosuke plays the role of Akuta [casting].
January 1958: Mitsugorô plays at the Bunrakuza in Ôsaka the role of Sekibei (in reality Ôtomo no Kuronushi) in the dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To". His stage partners are Hayashi Mataichirô II (Yoshimine Munesada) and Ôtani Tomoemon VII (Ono no Komachi, Sumizome).
March 1958: Minosuke takes part in the final Kabuki performance at the Ôsaka Kabukiza [more details].
1961: Minosuke is back in Tôkyô.
November 1961: his adoptive father Bandô Mitsugorô VII dies.
September 1962: great shûmei for 3 generations of actors belonging to the Yamatoya guild (Yamatoya Sandai Shûmei); Bandô Minosuke VI takes the name of Bandô Mitsugorô VIII, Bandô Yasosuke IV becomes Bandô Minosuke VII and Bandô Yasosuke V makes his first appearance on stage. The new Mitsugorô plays the roles of Kisen and Hoshikage Doemon in the dance "Rokkasen Sugata no Irodori" and the drama "Gosho Gorôzô"
November 1966: opening ceremony of the National Theater in Tôkyô with the full length performance of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" in which Mitsugorô plays the roles of Sukune Tarô and Matsuômaru [casting].
December 1966: second month of the opening ceremony of the National Theater with the full length performance of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" in which Mitsugorô plays the roles of Fujiwara no Shihei and Shiratayû [casting].
March 1967: revival at the National Theater of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which is supervised by Gunji Masakatsu; Mitsugorô plays the roles of Tsurigane no Gonsuke and Shinobu no Sôta [casting].
July 1967: Mitsugorô plays at the Kabukiza the role of Sekibei (in reality Ôtomo no Kuronushi) in the dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To". His stage partners are Ichikawa Sadanji III (Yoshimine Munesada), Nakamura Shikan (Ono no Komachi) and Onoe Baikô VII (Sumizome).
November 1967: Mitsugorô plays at the National Theater 3 roles (including Katagiri Katsumoto) in Tsubouchi Shôyô's drama "Kiri Hitoha".
June 1968: Mitsugorô plays at the National Theater the role of Gappô in the drama "Sesshû Gappô-ga-Tsuji". The role of Gappô's daughter Tamate Gozen is played by Onoe Baikô VII.
January 1972: Mitsugorô plays at the National Theater the roles of Dozaemon Denkichi and Soga Gorô Tokimune in the drama "Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai" and the bombastic short play "Ya-no-Ne".
May 1973: Mitsugorô plays at the Kabukiza the leading role of the dance "Yakko Dôjôji".
September 1973: Mitsugorô plays at the National Theater the role of Urahashi Jûdayû in Kawatake Mokuami's rare play "Kokubyakuron Oriwake Hakata".
January 1974: Mitsugorô plays at the National Theater the role of Tôjin'ame no Ichibei in Kawatake Mokuami's rare play "Ninjô Banashi Kamiyui Tôji".
December 1974: Mitsugorô plays at the National Theater the role of Kakogawa Honzô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura". The roles of Honzô's wife Tonase and Honzô's daughter Konami are played by Nakamura Utaemon VI and Nakamura Matsue V.
January 1975: Mitsugorô dies of paralysis and convulsions after eating fugu liver in a Kyôto restaurant.
Comments:
Bandô Mitsugorô VIII was a talented tachiyaku and katakiyaku of the Shôwa era. He was particularly excellent in aragoto roles.
Bandô Mitsugorô VIII's best roles: Akizuki Daizen ("Shin Usuyuki Monogatari"), Nuregami Chôgorô ("Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki"), Ikyû ("Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura"), Kô no Moronô ("Kanadehon Chûshingura"), Nagao Kenshin ("Honchô Nijûshikô") and Senoo Tarô ("Heike Nyogo-ga-Shima").
Bandô Mitsugorô VIII playing an evil lord in the aragoto style
Print courtesy of Paul Binnie (all rights reserved)
Print made by Natori Shunsen in 1953
The Bandô Yasosuke line of actors
The Bandô Minosuke line of actors
The Bandô Mitsugorô line of actors