TV Asahi revealed on Thursday a new key visual, trailer, and the April 4 debut for the anime of writer Yūki Suenaga and illustrator Takamasa Moue’s Akane-banashi manga. The video reveals and previews the opening theme song “Hitotarashi” by multi-instrumentalist Kuwata Keisuke. TV Asahi also announced that the anime’s full episodes will stream for free on YouTube in North and Latin America.
Image courtesy of TV Asahi
Yuki Suenaga, Takamasa Moue / SHUEISHA, Akane-banashi Committee
The anime will air on TV Asahi’s “IMAnimation” programming block on April 4. The anime will also have its own “Akane-banashi Global” YouTube channel, where full episodes will stream for free in North America and Latin America, after its television broadcast in Japan. The anime’s YouTube channel features its latest trailer in English, Latin American Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese.
Image courtesy of TV Asahi
©Yuki Suenaga, Takamasa Moue / SHUEISHA, Akane-banashi Committee
The Japan Society will host the world premiere of the anime’s first episode in New York on April 1 at 8:00 p.m. EST. The screening will also include rare behind-the-scenes footage and a performance by Canadian-born rakugo performer Katsura Sunshine. Ticket sales will start on March 2 on the Japan Society website at US$22 for Japan Society members and US$28 for non-members.
TV Asahi will present the anime’s special screening at Anime Boston on April 4 at 7:00 p.m. EST. Katsura Sunshine will also perform and hold a talk at the special screening.
TV Asahi describes the story:
“With only your voice and body—master the art.”
Akane Osaki, captivated since childhood by the magical performances of her father, Shinta Arakawa, witnesses a shocking incident during his decisive performance for promotion to shin’uchi (master rank). Six years later, now a high school student, she sets her sights on becoming a shin’uchi herself—pushing forward in the highly competitive world of rakugo.
A passionate and authentic rakugo drama begins now!
The anime stars:
Ayumu Watanabe (Children of the Sea, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko) is directing the anime at ZEXCS. Yu Harima (episode director for Summer Time Rendering, Tokyo Revengers) is the assistant director, and Kii Tanaka (Cheating Craft, Hinomaru Sumo) is both the character designer and chief animation director. Michihiro Tsuchiya (PriPara, Cross Game) is overseeing the series scripts, and Akio Izutsu (Phi-Brain – Puzzle of God, Akuma Kun) is composing the music. Kikuhiko Hayashiya is the rakugo supervisor.
The other staff members include:
Suenaga and Moue launched the manga in February 2022. Shueisha published the 20th compiled book volume on January 5. The manga was nominated for the 47th Kodansha Manga Awards and the 16th Manga Taisho awards in 2023. The manga ranked at #4 for the top 20 list of manga for male readers in the 2023 edition of Takarajimasha’s Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (This Manga Is Amazing!) guidebook.
Viz Media’s Shonen Jump service and Shueisha’s MANGA Plus service both publish the manga in English. Viz Media is also publishing the manga in print.
The manga made the American Library Association’s (ALA’s) Young Adult Library Services Association’s (YALSA) 2024 list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens, and The New York Public Library also named the manga on its Best Books list for teens in 2023.
Source: Press release
