11. KABUKI BOOK COVERS: EBIZŌ KARA DANJŪRŌ E

Kabuki Woogie is devoted to a variety of kabuki-related subjects. It began with a series of essays, including photos and videos, of a research trip to Japan in 2010, subsequently added my 25-chapter history of the first Kabuki-za, and then began a series on Japanese books about kabuki from my collection. It will soon add occasional essays by guest contributors based on papers they delivered at conferences and symposiums. One can poke around in its archives to find all of these past posts.

This is a slender volume of artsy color photos of the late Ichikawa Ebizō X (1946-2013) in a handful of roles during 1985, the year he changed his name to Ichikawa Danjūrō XII. its title means From Ebizō to Danjūrō. It has no table of contents, and includes just a brief introduction to the actor and a closing essay on the relative significance of his name-taking announcement/ceremony. The latter half of the book is of black and white family and other personal photos. No chronology is provided. Of course, in May 2020, the late actor's son, Ichikawa Ebizō XI will become Danjūrō XIII.  

Front cover of Ebizō kara Danjūrō e showing as Kagekiyo in Kagekiyo.

Rear cover of Ebizō kara Danjūrō e, showing Danjūrō XII as Naozamurai in Naozamurai.

Publication page.

Danjūrō XII as Yoemon in Kasane,.

Danjūrō as Narukami in Narukami.

 Danjūrō XII as Naozamurai and Bando Tamasaburo V as Michitose in Naozamurai.

Danjūrō XII as Kagekiyo in Kagekiyo.

Danjūrō XII.