Aragoto

Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII in the lead role in Shibaraku, a role which is definitive of aragoto. Ukiyo-e print by Utagawa Kunisada.

Aragoto (荒事), or rough style, is a style of kabuki acting that uses exaggerated, dynamic kata (forms or movements) and speech. Often, aragoto actors wear bold red or blue makeup (kumadori), and have costumes that are padded and enlarged. The term aragoto is an abbreviation of the term aramushagoto, which literally means reckless warrior matter.

The style was created and pioneered by Ichikawa Danjūrō I, an actor in the Edo region, and has come to be epitomized by his successors in the Ichikawa Danjūrō line. Roles such as the leads in Sukeroku and Shibaraku are particularly representative of the style. Aragoto is often contrasted with wagoto (soft) style, which emerged around the same time but focuses on more naturalistic drama.

References

• "Aragoto in Kabuki Glossary" (html). Kabuki21.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-05.