Akane-banashi Anime Debuts Shinta Arakawa in New Character Trailer
The upcoming anime adaptation of the popular rakugo themed manga Akane-banashi is scheduled to premiere on April 4, 2026.
The narrative follows the journey of Akane Osaki as she enters the traditional world of Japanese storytelling to follow in the footsteps of her father, Tohru Osaki.
Tohru Osaki, who performed under the stage name Shinta Arakawa, is a central figure whose career struggles set the story in motion.
A recently released character trailer highlights Shinta Arakawa with voice acting provided by Jun Fukuyama.
The production is being handled by studio ZEXCS under the direction of Ayumu Watanabe, known for his work on Summer Time Rendering.
The series composition is managed by Michihiro Tsuchiya while Kii Tanaka serves as the character designer and Akio Izutsu composes the music.
To ensure the authenticity of the performances, Kikuhiko Hayashiya has been brought on as the official rakugo supervisor for the project.
The voice cast features Anna Nagase as the protagonist Akane Osaki alongside Takuya Eguchi as Karashi Nerimaya and Rie Takahashi as Hikaru Koragi.
Other cast members include Nobunaga Shimazaki, Chiaki Kobayashi, Yohei Azakami, Seiichiro Yamashita, Masaki Terasoma, and Akio Otsuka, many of whom play members of the Arakawa rakugo family.
The original manga series by Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue launched in February 2022 and has reached 21 volumes in Japan as of early 2026.
The story depicts Akane’s transition from a secret student to a formal apprentice as she strives to reach the prestigious rank of shin’uchi headliner.
Fans can expect a mix of high school drama and professional development as Akane interacts with the existing apprentices of her teacher, Shiguma Arakawa.
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