close relationship between Kabuki and the Bunraku puppet theater began. The two would continue to grow while influencing each other. The decades after the Genroku period saw numerous cycles of creative periods followed by refinement. In the early 18th century, the rise of skilled playwrights in the Bunraku puppet theater helped it to deprive Kabuki of popularity for a time. I t was remarked by one observer that it seemed as though "there was no Kabuki." Actors responded by adapting puppet plays for the stage and creating stylized movements to mimic the puppets themselves. The late 18th century saw a trend towards realism and the switch of the cultural center from Kyoto and Osaka to Edo. One consequence of this was the change of tastes in onnagata acting. While onnagata trained in Kyoto who had the soft, gentle nature of that city had been valued before, now audiences preferred those who showed the strong pride and nature of Edo women. An increasing audience desire for decadence as seen in the ghost plays and beautification of murder scenes marked early 19th century. The opening of Japan to the West in 1868 affected Kabuki and the rest of the country profoundly. Just when it thought it was free from government restrictions; Kabuki was faced with the challenge to adapt to the changing world. Actors like Ichikawa Danjuro IX tried to raise the reputation of Kabuki. Since its beginning, the reputation had been seen as base by the upper classes. While others like Onoe Kikugoro V worked to adapt old styles to new tastes. The defining moment of the period, and a symbol of the success of their efforts, was a command performance before Emperor Meiji. Though Kabuki survived government oppression during the Edo period, the loss of many young actors in World War II and censorship by occupation forces after the war, it faces its most difficult enemies in modern forms of entertainment like movies and television. Its position as a "traditional" for...
