Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (Kawarasaki Gonjūrō) as the Dandy Sukeroku

The part of the attractive Sukeroku, one the of 18 Ichikawa family characters, was written in 1713. Sukeroku is a witty, charming and bold type of popular hero, the rebel who sides with the common burghers. The purple bandana around his forehead is a symbol of his yearning for the courtesan Agemaki. She is also courted by the lustful rich old man Hige no Ikyū, whom Sukeroku eventually kills, and in so doing gets hold of his precious stolen sword again. Nevertheless, like almost all kabuki drama protagonists who break the law, he is captured by the guards. (See Helena Honcoopová, Kunisada, Praha 2005, p. 143)