It was said his sense of responsibility was roused by the fact that because of the slump in kabuki performance, the Shinkabuki-za in Osaka decided to withdraw from kabuki performances following the final show to announce the succession to stage name for him and his elder brother Sojuro IX.
歌舞伎興行の低迷ゆえに大阪の新歌舞伎座が、藤十郎と兄九代目宗十郎の襲名披露を最後として、ついに歌舞伎公演から手を引くことになり、これに責任を感じての奮起であったと言う。