Rakugo anime Akane-banashi reveals cast and Spring 2026 debut
The world of professional rakugo is officially coming to television in spring 2026.
During the Akane-banashi stage event at Jump Festa ’26 on Sunday, the production staff confirmed the April 2026 broadcast debut for the adaptation of Yūki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue’s acclaimed manga.
The series will air on TV Asahi within the “IMAnimation” programming block.
Alongside the scheduling news, the panel unveiled a new trailer and key visual, while also expanding the confirmed voice cast.
The series stars Anna Nagase as Akane Osaki, a high school student striving to attain the rank of Shin’uchi to vindicate her father.
Joining her are Takuya Eguchi as the competitive student Karashi Nerimaya and Rie Takahashi as voice acting prodigy Hikaru Koragi.
The event introduced the voice actors portraying the members of the Arakawa school, including Jun Fukuyama as Akane’s father Shinta Arakawa (Tohru Osaki), Nobunaga Shimazaki as Maikeru Arakawa, Chiaki Kobayashi as Koguma Arakawa, Yōhei Azakami as Kyoji Arakawa, and Seiichirō Yamashita as Guriko Arakawa.
Animation production is handled by studio ZEXCS under the direction of Ayumu Watanabe, known for Children of the Sea.
The core creative team features assistant director Yu Harima, series script supervisor Michihiro Tsuchiya, and composer Akio Izutsu. Kii Tanaka serves as both character designer and chief animation director.
To ensure the authenticity of the traditional performances, Kikuhiko Hayashiya is attached as the rakugo supervisor.
Additional staff members revealed at the event include Yasunari Nitta as sub-character designer, Hisashi Kagawa as chief animation director, and Noriyoshi Konuma as sound director.
The story follows Akane, who was captivated by her father’s performances as a child.
After witnessing his shocking expulsion during a promotion exam, she dedicates her life six years later to entering the highly competitive world of rakugo herself.
The original manga launched in Weekly Shonen Jump in February 2022 and has garnered significant critical acclaim, including nominations for the Manga Taisho and Kodansha Manga Awards.
This announcement fits into a packed Spring 2026 schedule revealed during the weekend convention.
The Akane-banashi premiere coincides with the start of the One Piece Elbaph Arc and the debut of the Kill Blue anime adaptation, both slated for April 2026.
Later that year, fans can expect the return of Black Clover, the final installment of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War in July, and the second season of Blue Box in the fall.
The event also provided a look further ahead, confirming 2027 releases for DAN DA DAN Season 3 and Mashle: Magic and Muscles Season 3, alongside a newly announced World Trigger reboot project.
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