Akane-banashi：TV anime adaptation to air in 2026

It has been announced that Akane-banashi, a manga themed around rakugo currently serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump (Shueisha), will be adapted into a TV anime and will air in 2026 on TV Asahi's anime slot IMANimation. Watanabe Ayumu will direct and Zexys will produce. Nagase Anna will play the main character, Sakurazaki Akane, and Takuya Eguchi, and Takahashi Rie will play the role of Takaragi Hikaru. Rakugo performer Rie Takahashi Kikuhiko will be in charge of supervising the rakugo.

A teaser visual announcing the start of the story of the main character, Akane, a teaser PV featuring Akane's determined expression, and character visuals of Akane, Nerimaya Karashi, and Takaragi Hikaru have also been released.

"Akane-banashi" is a rakugo manga written by Hiroki Suenaga and illustrated by Takamasa Umagami, which began serialization in the magazine in February 2022. It depicts the story of Akane Sakurazaki, a girl whose father is a rakugo performer, who becomes a high school student and overcomes challenges in her quest to become a shin'uchi, the highest rank in the rakugo world.

Assistant director Harima Yu commented, "Akane Hanashi is finally coming to life! The profound traditional art of rakugo, combined with director Watanabe Ayumu's delicate yet powerful direction, is creating a new chemical reaction! While respecting the worldview to the utmost, we are working hard every day to carefully visualize the passion and human drama of the original work, aiming to create a work that will captivate even those who are unfamiliar with rakugo. Please look forward to it!"

Character designer and chief animation director Noriko Tanaka said, "I am very happy to be able to be a part of this valuable experience of telling the world of rakugo through animation. I will do my best to make Akane Hanashi a work that as many people as possible can enjoy. I look forward to your support."

Series composition writer Tsuchiya Yoshitaka said, "Well, the answer to the question about the anime adaptation of 'Akane Hanashi' is to fart in the bath. Your heart will surely begin to bubble up! ...That's what I'm saying. I would like to depict Akane's challenges while sneaking in just a little bit of the 'tickling' that only anime can provide into the solid 'classical rakugo' manga that is 'Akane Hanashi'. I hope you will bear with me."

Composer Izutsu Akio said, "I remember being very honored and happy when I was asked to be in charge of the music. I was also secretly nervous that the soundtrack for 'Akane Hanashi' would be a challenging one, haha. I hope to be able to express Akane's struggles and growth in the world of rakugo in a fresh and powerful way, while savoring the joy of creating a work together with the anime production staff. I'm looking forward to composing the music in the future!"

Rakugo supervisor Hayashiya Kikuhiko commented, "We've been waiting for this! The information has finally been released! Akane Banashi, which Suenaga-san and Umagami-san have been working on for three and a half years, is finally being made into an anime! With the production team led by Director Watanabe and the voice actors including Nagase joining the team, you can look forward to the new developments in the world of Akane Banashi! And! If you want to experience rakugo, be sure to go to a yose (vaudeville theater). There are all kinds of uncles and grandfathers there."

Nagase is enthusiastic, saying, "I was deeply moved by Akane's straightforward and passionate attitude towards rakugo. I am truly happy to be able to play the role of Akane. I would like to face her with all my might. I have also started rakugo lessons! I am practicing desperately under the guidance of my master Hayashiya Kikuhiko. I will put my soul into the performance so that Akane's feelings can reach everyone! I hope you will all look forward to it!"

Eguchi said, "I will be playing the role of Nerimaya Karashi. I love the original work, of course, but I've always loved listening to rakugo before going to sleep, so I was excited when I heard about the audition. Under the guidance of Hayashiya Kikuhiko, I have now memorized three rakugo stories and am currently memorizing the fourth. I have a bad memory, so I'm struggling, but the more I do it, the more I become fascinated with rakugo. I look forward to the day when I can deliver the passion of this set to you."

Takahashi commented, "As a voice actor, I empathize with her as she strives to reach the top, and I felt a tenacity that goes beyond common sense, and I found myself unable to lose to her. I will do my best to empathize with the scenery and choices she sees and express them in a way that is affirming. I have been blessed with the cooperation of everyone in the Rakugo world, including Master Kikuhiko, and with the cast team who will be taking on the challenge alongside me, and as a huge fan of this work, I have a feeling this will be an anime that I am looking forward to. Please look forward to it!"

*Staff (titles omitted)

Director: Ayumu Watanabe ▽ Assistant Director: Yu Harima ▽ Character Design and Chief Animation Director: Norikazu Tanaka ▽ Series Composition: Masayoshi Tsuchiya ▽ Music: Akio Izutsu ▽ Rakugo Supervision: Kikuhiko Hayashiya ▽ Animation Production: Zexys

*Cast (titles omitted)

Akane Sakurazaki: Anna Nagase▽Nerima Karashi: Takuya Eguchi ▽Hikaru Takaragi: Rie Takahashi