The actor Nakamura Shikan IV as Inada Kozo disguised as Yamagata Gyobunosuke

This 1861 yakusha-e by Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) portrays Nakamura Shikan IV in a layered role: the bandit Inada Kōzō disguised as the samurai Yamagata Gyōbunosuke. Such role-within-a-role designs were a staple of Edo kabuki, where mitate (parody, double-identity) plotting allowed audiences to enjoy a star's transformation across class lines. Kunisada's print captures the moment of disguise with the costume and prop details that fans needed to identify both layers - the warrior's outerwear and weapon paired with cues to the bandit identity beneath. By 1861 Kunisada had been the dominant figure in Edo ukiyo-e for a generation, and his late yakusha-e were prized for the precision with which they recorded contemporary performers in current productions. The Art Institute of Chicago retains the impression (artwork 131717). Nakamura Shikan IV (Nakamura Utaemon IV's adopted successor) was a major star of the late Edo and early Meiji stage, and Kunisada's portrayal sits within a long series of designs that documented his career. The work demonstrates how Edo ukiyo-e served as theatrical journalism: published quickly, sold inexpensively, and treasured by fans as a record of a specific performance.