Akane-banashi

Akane-banashi
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Akane and her father
あかね噺
Genre	Coming-of-age Comedy drama
Manga
Written by	Yuki Suenaga
Illustrated by	Takamasa Moue
Published by	Shueisha
English publisher	NA: Viz Media
Imprint	Jump Comics
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Jump
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	February 14, 2022 – present
Volumes	14

Akane-banashi (Japanese: あかね噺, "Akane's Story") is a Japanese manga series written by Yuki Suenaga and illustrated by Takamasa Moue. It follows teenager Akane Osaki as she aims to reach the highest rank in rakugo, partly to avenge her father, who was expelled from the profession six years earlier. The rakugo in the series is supervised by professional rakugoka Keiki Hayashiya. Akane-banashi has been serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump since February 2022, with the chapters collected into 14 tankōbon volumes as of November 2024. Viz Media has licensed the series for English release in North America.

Akane-banashi has received a positive reception from reviewers and has been nominated for various awards.

Plot

Growing up, Akane admired her father and his rakugo, a traditional Japanese form of storytelling where a lone performer, called a rakugoka, depicts a long, complicated, and usually funny story involving multiple characters, who are distinguished by changes in pitch, tone, slight turns of the head, and hand movements, all while sitting in place. But when she was in elementary school, her father and all the other applicants were expelled from the Arakawa School during the promotional test to obtain rakugo's third and highest rank of shin'uchi. Six years later, Akane, who had been secretly receiving lessons from her father's former master, sets out to become a shin'uchi of the Arakawa School to avenge her father and prove rakugo is a legitimate profession.

Characters

Osaki family

Akane Osaki (桜咲朱音, Osaki Akane) / Akane Arakawa (阿良川朱音, Arakawa Akane)

Voiced by: Akane Yamaguchi

A 17-year-old high school girl with a love of rakugo that she developed while watching her father, a former rakugoka. As a child, she got angry whenever a classmate or their parents looked down on her father for his chosen career, and hates that he was forced to give up his dream and get a "real job". Akane becomes a formal rakugoka apprentice, starting at the first rank known as zenza after graduating high school, under Shiguma Arakawa (II).

Tohru Osaki (桜咲徹, Osaki Tohru) / Shinta Arakawa (阿良川志ん太, Arakawa Shinta)

Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi

A former rakugoka who used the stage name "Shinta Arakawa" while studying under Shiguma Arakawa (II); he was expelled following his shin'uchi promotion test. Before the shin'uchi test, he participated in futatsume events with his friends Chocho Konjakutei and Taizen Arakawa. After leaving the Arakawa School, he became a salaryman, selling concrete.

Arakawa School

Arakawa School rakugoka in Akane-banashi
Schools Arakawa 阿良川   Shiguma (I) 志ぐま   Masters Issho 一生 Shiguma (II) 志ぐま Zensho 全生     Ikken 一剣 Taizen 泰全   Kaisei (F) 魁生 Kaichi (Z) 嘉一 Kendama (Z) けん玉 Hikaru (Z) ひかる   Students Shinta (F) 志ん太 Maikeru (S) まいける Koguma (F) こぐま Yuzen (F) 悠全 Zenmai (Z) ぜんまい     Kyoji (F) 享二 Guriko (F) ぐりこ Akane (Z) 朱音 Notes

Arakawa masters

Issho Arakawa (阿良川一生, Arakawa Issho)

Voiced by: Yuki Tamai

The top-ranked master and head of the Arakawa School, who is considered one of the greatest rakugoka of his generation. Six years ago, he was the chief judge who expelled Akane's father and the other shin'uchi applicants. He is the first-born son of the Kurogane family who was disowned for his vow of independence, and later worked at Soba Shop Kikuhiko with Shiguma (II). Educated in the Kashiwaya school as Kisoba Kashiwaya (柏家生そば, Kashiwaya Kisoba).

Shiguma Arakawa (阿良川志ぐま, Arakawa Shiguma) (II)

Voiced by: Takuya Saito

The number two master of the Arakawa School who specializes in sentimental tales of the ninjo-banashi style and who taught Akane's father. After Shinta was expelled, Shiguma felt unfit to take on any more pupils. But he has been secretly teaching Akane rakugo for the last six years, and agrees to formally take her on as a pupil after she graduates high school, which is unusually late. Grew up without formal education in the backstreets of Tokyo, later working at Soba Shop Kikuhiko with Issho. Educated in the Kashiwaya school as Rokuen Kashiwaya (柏家禄ゑん, Kashiwaya Rokuen) and later took the stage name of his master and founder of the Arakawa School, Shiguma Arakawa I (formerly Kiroku Kashiwaya).

Ikken Arakawa (阿良川一剣, Arakawa Ikken)

The media-savvy master of the Arakawa School who also acts in the television drama Yin-Yang Cops. He is billed as the brains behind the Arakawa School.

Zensho Arakawa (阿良川全生, Arakawa Zenshō)

Zensho holds a grudge against Shiguma; he is honest to his feelings.

Taizen Arakawa (阿良川泰全, Arakawa Taizen)

Nicknamed "The Furious". Before becoming a shin'uchi, he participated in futatsume events with his friends Shinta Arakawa and Chocho Konjakutei. Tearfully begged Zensho for the reinstatement of his friend Shinta, but was blamed for the expulsion by Zensho instead, who told him Issho faulted Taizen for not making an impact like Chocho after being promoted to shin'uchi the year before the disastrous test.

Shiguma Arakawa (阿良川志ぐま, Arakawa Shiguma) (I)

The founder of the Arakawa School; he was the master of both Issho (Kisoba) and Shiguma II (Rokuen) in the Kashiwaya school and formerly used the stage name Kiroku Kashiwaya (柏家生禄, Kashiwaya Kiroku) before breaking away. Served as an officer in the Japanese military during World War II at Rabaul.

Arakawa students

Guriko Arakawa (阿良川ぐりこ, Arakawa Guriko)

Voiced by: Masayuki Suzuki

Master Shiguma's youngest pupil until Akane; he joined shortly before Shinta was expelled and just recently reached rakugo's second rank of futatsume.

Kyoji Arakawa (阿良川享二, Arakawa Kyōji)

A 28-year-old futatsume in his ninth year of rakugo under Master Shiguma. Ever since Shinta was expelled, Kyoji is the disciplinarian who keeps the other pupils in line. His seriousness makes the back-and-forth banter in his rakugo even funnier. He is a lightweight, and gets drunk after one sip of alcohol. He offers to take Akane under his wing. Educated in the Kashiwaya school as Kiyoichi Kashiwaya.

Koguma Arakawa (阿良川こぐま, Arakawa Koguma)

A 29-year-old futatsume in his 11th year of rakugo under Master Shiguma. He is a Tokyo University graduate and the Shiguma School's best terakoya; master of old literary teachings. He meticulously researches every rakugo story he performs, including the daily customs of the period it came from, and turns into a completely different person onstage as far as his appearance and demeanor.

Maikeru Arakawa (阿良川まいける, Arakawa Maikeru)

A futatsume and the most senior pupil under Master Shiguma. He fancies himself a ladies' man. He later passes his shin'uchi test to become a master of the art.

Kaisei Arakawa (阿良川魁生, Arakawa Kaisei)

An obnoxious futatsume under Master Issho. He reached that rank at 19-years-old, after only two years of zenza apprenticeship. He is particularly skilled at portraying seductive characters, which makes his silly ones stand out even more. Initially knew Issho as a regular patron of his mother's bar who helped with her hospital bills.

Hikaru Arakawa (阿良川ひかる, Arakawa Hikaru)

Hikaru competed with Akane and Karashi in the Karaku Cup as Hikaru Koragi; specializes in "heart-warming rakugo" and the heretical "eight blind men" technique, which draws upon her strengths as a voice actress. She is a zenza studying under Master Ikken.

Kaichi Arakawa (阿良川嘉一, Arakawa Kaichi)

Kaichi is one of the finalists in the Arakawa zenza renseikai event. He is in his 30s, a former salesman who was inspired by Master Issho to leave his job and make his audiences happy; officially, he is Akane's junior, as he joined the Arakawa School later than she did.

Other schools

Other rakugoka in Akane-banashi
Schools Sanmeitei 三明亭 Kenputei 暄風亭 Konjakutei 今昔亭 Tsubakiya 樁家 Ransaika 蘭彩歌 Kashiwaya 柏家 Masters Enso 円相 Ryu'un 流雲 Chocho ちょう朝 Shomei 正明 Hassho 八正 Urara うらら Miroku ミ禄 Students Karashi (Z) からし Un'un (Z) 雲うん Asagao (F) 朝がお Mayura (F) まゆら Rokuru (F) 禄郎 Notes

Sanmeitei

Karashi Sanmeitei (三明亭からし, Sanmeitei Karashi)

Karashi competed with Akane and Hikaru in the Karaku Cup as Karashi Nerimaya; specializes in "adapted rakugo", which takes a classic story and adds modern elements. He is a zenza studying under master Enso Sanmeitei (三明亭円相, Sanmeitei Enso).

Konjakutei

Chocho Konjakutei (今昔亭ちょう朝, Konjakutei Chōchō)

Master Chocho Konjakutei was the youngest to ever be considered an ookanban headliner. He is an inveterate gambler, choosing the story he will perform just before taking the stage, based on a roll of the dice. Before becoming a shin'uchi, he participated in futatsume events with his friends Shinta Arakawa and Taizen Arakawa.

Asagao Konjakutei (今昔亭朝がお, Konjakutei Asagao)

Asagao was the senior (tate) zenza at the Yasaka-tei theatre when Akane arrived for her initial training. At that time he was a zenza known to have a hot temper, which cost him a chance for a futatsume promotion after he punched Rien Konjakuan for insulting his master. Later, he is promoted to futatsume at a debut with Akane, Taizen, and Chocho.

Tsubakiya

Hassho Tsubakiya (樁家八正, Tsubakiya Hasshō)

Master Hassho Tsubakiya prefers his cushion to be precisely 80 cm (31 in) from the microphone and performs in a gentle manner. He takes great pride in the craft of rakugo and does not wish to see the art cheapened by revenge stunts.

Ransaika

Urara Ransaika (蘭彩歌うらら, Ransaika Urara)

Master Urara Ransaika is an ookanban, a superstar capable of filling a venue on the basis of her name alone. Urara is the sole apprentice of Sharaku Ransaika (蘭彩歌しゃ楽, Ransaika Sharaku) "The Unteaching", who believed no one could properly inherit his art until he met her. Sharaku performed kuruwa-banashi, rakugo set in brothels, which emphasized the importance of dialogue and conversation, and Urara's seductive manner is capable of immersing the audience fully into those settings. Has known Issho, Shiguma (I), and Shiguma (II) since 1964, when they met after she was accosted by the son of a yakuza kumichō (family head).

Kashiwaya

Miroku Kashiwaya (柏家ミ禄, Kashiwaya Miroku)

Master Miroku Kashiwaya, aka "The National Treasure", was a zenza alongside Urara, Shiguma, and Issho.

Rokuru Kashiwaya (柏家禄郎, Kashiwaya Rokurō)

Rokuru Kashiwaya, aka "The Wonder Child", believes the sound of rakugo is paramount and styles his performances after musicians, including John Coltrane; on "Coltrane days", the story begins in a gentle manner and ends aggressively. He defended Akane from unfair criticism by Rien Konjakuan and warned that her revenge strategy would have repercussions.

Konjakuan

Rien Konjakuan (今昔庵りゑん, Konjuakuan Rien)

Rien Konjakuan is an inconsiderate futatsume nicknamed "the rookie-crusher" for making unreasonable demands of zenza.

Production

A rakugo performance

Author Yuki Suenaga stated that Akane-banashi originated with Akane, a character he created but did not know what to do with. A fan of manzai and conte, he was interested in rakugo, but felt it was too difficult to get into. Suspecting there were many people who felt the same way, and that it would be unexpected of the character, he decided to have Akane perform rakugo. Suenaga stated that because he is new to rakugo, he is able to predict the things readers might not know, and can depict them in the manga in a way they will understand. The serialization of Akane-banashi was proposed in the fall of 2021. With the help of rakugoka Keiki Hayashiya, who supervises the rakugo in the manga, Suenaga interviewed more than 20 rakugoka, including Momoka Chokaroh and Miyaji Katsura.

Artist Takamasa Moue said when he first heard about the series he found it interesting, but worried whether readers of Weekly Shōnen Jump would be interested in rakugo. Realizing it was his job to make them interested, he said he tried to get readers emotionally invested in the characters, and to broaden the scope to appeal to those unfamiliar with rakugo. Having previously only had a passing interest in rakugo, Moue said he had fun researching it for Akane-banashi. To draw the rakugo scenes in the manga, Moue listens to a performance of the relevant story and thinks about how to convey the speed and intonation.

Gendai Business columnist Kenichiro Horii wrote that Akane-banashi's Arakawa School is clearly modeled after the real-life Tatekawa School of rakugo, whose master, Danshi Tatekawa VII, expelled a group of zenza in 2002, after feeling that they were not showing enough effort to reach futatsume. Although Kazuhiro Ito of Good Life with Books also noted the similarities, he reported that Suenaga stated Issho Arakawa was instead modeled after Enshō Sanyūtei VI. Horii also pointed out that the Rakugo Cafe seen in the series is modeled after a real café with a similar name in Jinbōchō, Tokyo. According to Hayashiya, the Yasaka-tei and Edobashi-tei theaters in the manga were modeled after Suehiro-tei in Shinjuku and the Oedo Nihonbashi-tei in Nihonbashi, respectively. For the colored title page of chapter 29, Moue was inspired by The Breakfast Club. The Shikisai Festival seen in the manga was modeled after the Rakugo Association's Sharakusai Festival. The story "Giboshi" that is depicted in chapter 87 is a little-known rakugo story that was revived by Kyotaro Yanagiya. Suenaga stated that he received permission to use it in Akane-banashi.

Publication

Written by Yuki Suenaga and illustrated by Takamasa Moue, Akane-banashi began serialization in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump on February 14, 2022. The rakugo in the series is supervised by professional rakugoka Keiki Hayashiya. Publisher Shueisha is collecting the individual chapters into tankōbon volumes, with the first released on June 3, 2022.

Both Shueisha and Viz Media began releasing the series in English digitally the same day it began in Japan, the former on its Manga Plus website and application. Viz began publishing Akane-banashi in print in summer 2023.

Volumes

No.	Original release date	Original ISBN	English release date	English ISBN
1	June 3, 2022	978-4-08-883150-3	August 8, 2023	978-1-9747-3648-5
"On That Day" (あの日, Ano Hi) "Six Years" (6年, 6-Nen) "First Performance" (初高座, Hatsu Kōza) "Who Is That?" (何者, Nanimono) "Proper Channels" (通すべき筋, Tōsubeki Suji) "Senior Pupils" (兄弟子達, Anideshitachi) "Kibataraki" (気働き)
Akane requests to become a formal rakugo apprentice under Shiguma Arakawa, her father's former master who has been secretly giving her lessons for the last six years. Before deciding, he has her perform in front of an audience for the first time at Rakugo Cafe. After showing her skills with the classic "Scared of Manju" she is well-received by the audience, shocks Shiguma's pupil Guriko, and meets Kaisei, a pupil of Issho Arakawa, the man who expelled her father. Akane is formally taken on as an apprentice after Shiguma meets with her mother for the first time since Akane's father was expelled. Shiguma's pupil Kyoji takes Akane under his guidance and, when she is disappointed with the audience reception after she performs "Praising Children", calls her rakugo selfish and puts her on the path to learning kibataraki or mindful action; which includes altering your performance to each audience and anticipating what they want ahead of time. He does this by having her work as a waitress at Umi, an izakaya.
2	August 4, 2022	978-4-08-883193-0	October 10, 2023	978-1-9747-4053-6
"In Order to Entertain" (喜んでもらう為に, Yorokonde Morau Tame Ni) "After the Delight" (喜びの先, Yorokobi no Saki) "Epitome" (背中, Senaka) "Myopic" (短絡的, Tanraku Teki) "The Dreamer" (夢見るあの子, Yumemiro Ano Ko) "Goal and Condition" (目的と条件, Mokuteki to Jōken) "The Type to Hold a Grudge" (根に持つタイプ, Nenimotsu Taipu) "Koguma's Rakugo" (こぐまの落語, Koguma no Rakugo) "The Karaku Cup Begins" (可楽杯開幕, Karaku Hai Kaimaku)
During a performance of "Praising Children" at a retirement home, Akane shocks Kyoji with the kibataraki she has learned. Kyoji performs "Three Men Lose One Ryo". In school, Akane's teacher Machiko Iwashimizu is concerned that her student is so firmly set on becoming a rakugoka that she will not even be applying for colleges. After attending a performance by Akane at the urging of Akane's classmate Jumbo Ozaki and seeing how passionate she is about rakugo, Iwashimizu changes her mind and informs Akane of the Karaku Cup, a rakugo competition for students. Akane wants to enter in order to win the prize, a conversation with head judge Issho Arakawa. Master Shiguma allows her to enter but under the condition that she win only with "Jugemu", a story so famous that even people unfamiliar with rakugo know it; meaning it is difficult to get laughs with, and thus never performed in competitions. Akane asks her senpai Koguma Arakawa for help, and he inspires her to research the Edo period. As the first day of the Karaku Cup begins, the unknown Akane draws attention after receiving praise from the emcee, Kaisei.
3	October 4, 2022	978-4-08-883260-9	December 12, 2023	978-1-9747-4098-7
"The Karaku Cup Prelims" (可楽杯予選, Karaku Hai Yosen) "Shut It" (せからしか, Sekarashika) "The Karaku Cup Finals" (可楽杯本選, Karaku Hai Honsen) "BM" "Hikaru's Rakugo" (ひかるの落語, Hikaru no Rakugo) "As A Performer" (表現者として, Hyōgensha Toshite) "Lull" (凪, Nagi) "Infinite Blessings" (寿限り無し, Kotobuki Kagiri Nashi) "The Disappearing Stage" (消える高座, Kieru Kōza)
Akane is one of eight contestants to proceed to the finals of the Karaku Cup, and positions herself as one of the three poised to win. In the finals, Karashi Nerimaya, winner of the last two years, performs his "adapted rakugo", which takes the basic concepts of the classic "Tenshiki" and places them in a modern setting. Hikaru Koragi, a popular voice actress, uses her acting skills to perform "Shibahama", a heart-warming rakugo, in a theatrical style. After these two performances where the contestants purposefully showed off their strengths, Akane successfully adapts her performance to the audience's current mood so that they naturally focus on her story as she essentially "disappears" from the stage. She shows a deeper connection to the characters' minds and outlooks, just as Master Shiguma wanted her to learn.
4	December 2, 2022	978-4-08-883419-1	February 13, 2024	978-1-9747-4302-5
"Where You Belong" (来ていい場所, Kite Ii Basho) "Conversation" (座談会, Zadankai) "I'm Glad" (よかった, Yokatta) "A Wonderful World" (素敵な世界, Suteki na Sekai) "Before Being a Rakugoka" (落語家である前に, Rakugoka de Aru Mae ni) "Zenza Training Begins" (前座修行開幕, Zenza Shugyō Kaimaku) "Yasaka-Tei" (弥栄亭) "A Place of Learning" (修練の場, Shūren no Ba) "Background Listening" (捨て耳, Sute Mimi)
Master Issho, who had been encouraging promising newcomers, declares Akane does not belong in an amateur contest, as he realizes she has studied under Shiguma. As her reward for winning the Karaku Cup, Akane has a private meeting with Issho where she asks why he expelled her father, Shinta. He explains he was protecting the art from weakness, including Shinta's unconfident shin'uchi test performance; Akane thanks him and vows to demonstrate he misjudged her father's art. Shiguma tells Akane that Shinta chose to leave rakugo forever because he could not carry on Shiguma's art. Eight months later, Akane begins zenza performance training at Yasaka-tei, a yose theatre, alongside Karashi, now studying under Enso Sanmeitei, Un'un Kenputei, and the senior (tate) zenza, Asagao Konjakutei. After a stern lecture from odious futatsume Rien Konjakuan, Asagao assigns her to open for Rien.
5	March 3, 2023	978-4-08-883427-6	April 9, 2024	978-1-9747-4334-6
"Opening Act" (開口一番, Kaikōichiban) "One Fan's Worth" (扇子一本分, Sensu Ippon-bun) "Rakugo Quest" (落語クエスト, Rakugo Kuesuto) "Manners and Etiquette" (礼儀と作法, Reigi to Sahō) "Ookanban" (大看板, Ōkanban) "The Image of Greatness" (傑物の背, Ketsubutsu no Se) "Sharaku the Unteaching" (師資不承のしゃ楽, Shishibushō no Sharaku) "Evaluation" (値踏み, Nebumi) "Wonder Child" (麒麟児, Kirinji)
After Akane performs a punning "Sango-Jigo" rakugo which pointedly references their encounter yesterday, an infuriated Rien's retaliation is halted by "wonder child" Rokuro Kashiwaya. As the zenza crew at Yasaka-tei disbands, Asagao, Karashi, and Shiguma encourage Akane to learn more stories from other masters. Hassho Tsubakiya, the first she approaches, declines to teach her "Hirabayashi"; Akane realizes she is earning a bad reputation from her "Sango-Jigo" stunt. She asks to participate in Rokuro's upcoming neta-oroshi event in which each rakugoka is performing a story new to them. Akane watches superstar ookanban master Urara Ransaika perform "Fetching Tea" (お茶汲み, Ochakumi). Upon listening to Akane describe her conflict with Rien, Urara offers to teach her the same story. Urara invites Akane to watch Rokuro perform "The Carpenter's Inquiry"; Kimihisa Kashio, a reporter for Monthly Rakugo, explains Rokuro earned the "wonder child" nickname by refusing to be cowed by the other performers.
6	June 2, 2023	978-4-08-883492-4	June 11, 2024	978-1-9747-4575-3
"First Practice on the Road" (初めての出稽古, Hajimete no Degeiko) "Two Steps" (二つの手順（ステップ）, Futatsu no Suteppu) "Date" (デート, Dēto) "Fetching Tea" (お茶汲み, Ochakumi) "Fetching Tea, Part 2" (お茶汲み②, Ochakumi 2) "Fetching Tea, Part 3" (お茶汲み③, Ochakumi 3) "Master's Desire" (師匠の望み, Shishō no Nozomi) "Goldfish" (金魚割り, Kingyowari) "Embodiment" (体現者, Taigensha) "Fascinating News" (おもしろい報せ, Omoshiroi Shirase)
At their first formal lesson, Master Urara says Akane is not suited for the part of the oiran; to win Urara's approval to perform "Fetching Tea", Akane literally dresses as a courtesan and later goes on an initially awkward date with her former classmate, Jumbo Ozaki. At the neta-oroshi event, Akane's delivery is similar to Urara's, but the difference in their ages make the oiran sound false, not seductive; however, the story pivots after the oiran's deception is exposed, and Master Hassho, watching from the side of the stage, recognizes the realism of Akane's portrayal. Acknowledging her resilience, Hassho agrees to teach "Hirabayashi". In a flashback, Kaisei's childhood struggles and his connection to Master Issho are shown before he performs "The Death of Toyoshiga" at an event, following an opening story by Akane; backstage, he tells her about an upcoming four-performer event in which three have already been chosen, and the fourth slot will go to the winner of the annual zenza renseikai training event, judged by Master Ikken Arakawa.
7	August 4, 2023	978-4-08-883592-1	August 13, 2024	978-1-9747-4623-1
"Zenza Renseikai" (前座錬成会) "The Vibe of the Renseikai" (錬成会の空気, Renseikai no Kūki) "She's Here" (彼女がいる, Kanojo ga Iru) "The Rakugo Swamp" (落語の沼, Rakugo no Numa) "Framework of the Art" (芸の骨格, Gei no Kokkaku) "A Difficult Choice" (難しい三択, Muzukashī Santaku) "Only One Side" (たった一面, Tatta Ichimen) "Time Machine" (タイムマシン, Taimu Mashin) "Judging Standards" (審査基準, Shinsa Kijun)
The renseikai event includes a preliminary round with 18 zenza, with four advancing to a final evaluation one month later. Maikeru volunteers to tutor Akane if she makes the finals. From the preliminary round, Akane advances with "Hirabayashi", as does Kaichi, a former salesman now studying under Master Issho; Zenmai, apprentice to Zensho; and, in a surprise, Hikaru with "The Miller's Torment", who kept her studies under Ikken secret until that day. Maikeru offers three stories to Akane, and she chooses "Changing Time" (替り目, Kawari-me), because he learned it from Shinta. To better understand her father's art, Akane asks those who knew him, including her mom, what Shinta was like. At the finals, Zenmai performs "The Stubborn Moxibustion" first, receiving a total score of 75/100, which is the sum of three professional judges (two rakugoka and one critic), the in-person audience, and an on-line audience, each of which can award up to 20 points.
8	October 4, 2023	978-4-08-883691-1	October 8, 2024	978-1-9747-4893-8
"The Worst Compatibility" (相性最悪, Aishō Saiaku) "This Is So Stupid" (くだらんね, Kuradanne) "Most of All" (一番は, Ichiban wa) "Let's Forget About It" (忘れようか, Wasureyō ka) "Still That Girl" (あの日のまま, Ano Hi no Mama) "When Feelings Get Too Strong" (強すぎる思い, Tsuyosugiru Omoi) "Dad's Magic" (おっ父の魔法, Ottō no Mahō) "The Rakugoka Shinta Arakawa" (落語家 阿良川志ん太, Rakugoka Arakawa Shinta) "Resolution" (解像度, Kaizōdo)
Kaichi goes next, performing "Golden Bamboo" by aiming to please the audience and drawing on his experience; backstage, Akane hears echoes of Shinta's motivations in Kaichi, who scores 91 points. Before she goes on, Hikaru tells Akane she became a rakugoka to beat her. Hikaru performs "The Hanami Revenge" in the heretical "Eight Blind Men" style, using distinct voices for each character. She earns 93 points, including a perfect 20 from the streaming audience. Akane closes out the set with "Changing Time"; during her low-key performance, she realizes she was charmed by the vulnerability in Shinta's art, which she uses to deliver the in-person audience into the story. At his wife's insistence, Tohru is watching Akane online while traveling for work; he protests rhetorically about the blurry video quality, through his tears.
9	December 4, 2023	978-4-08-883791-8	December 10, 2024	978-1-9747-4939-3
"Changing Time" (替り目, Kawarime) "And the Winner Is..." (勝者は, Shō-sha wa) "The Shikisai Festival" (志喜彩祭, Shikisai Sai) "The Shikisai Festival, Part 2" (志喜彩祭②, Shikisai Sai 2) "The Shikisai Festival, Part 3" (志喜彩祭③, Shikisai Sai 3) "I'm Burning Up" (燃えてますよ, Moetemasuyo) "A Shallow Man" (軽薄な男, Keihaku na Otoko) "The Man Who Will Be Your Guidepost" (標に成り得る男, Shirube ni Nari Uru Otoko) "Chocho Konjakutei the Ookanban" (大看板・今昔亭ちょう朝, Ookanban Konjakutei Chōchō)
Akane places second with 92 points; the first defeat leaves her feeling sad. Although she received better marks from every in-person voter, the winning margin was from the streaming audience. At a local festival held jointly by the Shiguma school and his neighborhood, Shiguma's apprentices operate competing booths; Akane encounters Master Shiguma, who advises her to "tighten the loincloth (fundoshi) of her heart" and enjoy herself before she helps Guriko at a yakitori stand. During the festival rakugo performance, she opens for Guriko, whose "The Careless Nail" is received well; he later vows to stay ahead of her as a role model and asks Maikeru for help. At a corporate anniversary event, Karashi recites the company's history in the kōdan style before meeting Asagao, Akane, and Un'un at Yasaka-tei to celebrate Asagao's futatsume promotion plans. Akane, who has been strategizing how to secure a recommendation from one of the Arakawa Arch Four, is given an old flyer by Asagao, which advertised a event with his master Chocho Konjakutei, Shinta Arakawa, and Taizen Arakawa. Akane and Karashi are invited to watch Chocho perform, who is the youngest ever to reach ookanban. Hassho helps Chocho sneak into the venue and tells Akane she reminds him of Chocho.
10	March 4, 2024	978-4-08-883822-9	February 11, 2025	978-1-9747-5176-1
"Chocho Konjakutei the Ookanban, Part 2" (大看板・今昔亭ちょう朝②, Ookanban Konjakutei Chōchō 2) "Art of Sunshine" (“陽”の芸, "Yō" no Gei) "Cho-Han Dice" (丁半博打, Chōhan Bakuchi) "Present Location" (現在地, Genzaichi) "My Plan" (私の秘策, Watashi no Hisaku) "New Breeze" (新風会, Shinpūkai) "External Validation" (外付けの自信, Sotozuke no Jishin) "Got Me Licked" (舐めやがって, Nameyagatte) "Tanuki Stories" (狸の噺, Tanuki no Hanashi)
Based on a roll of the dice backstage, Chocho performs "One for Show" and Hassho wryly notes he is "a born gambler". At a celebratory afterparty, Asagao announces his plans to hold a zenza study event monthly and invites Akane and Karashi to participate. Chocho gambles with the zenza over a rigged game of chō-han for a chance to learn a story. Separately, Guriko asks permission from Shiguma to continue his studies in Osaka. Asagao is challenged to sell all 50 seats at the Rakugo Cafe for his study events, but only four show up at the debut. Taizen refuses to meet with Chocho, who asks if Taizen still believes Shinta's expulsion was Taizen's fault. Akane draws a young audience to the study events by performing "Tanuki Money" (狸札, Tanuki Satsu) in a tanuki costume. Asago tells Rokuru he is using the study events to select an opener. At the "Arakawa New Breeze" futatsume event featuring Hikari, Yuzen, Koguma, and Kaisei, Koguma revives "Giboshi" (擬宝珠), a story whose oral tradition had died out.
11	May 2, 2024	978-4-08-884023-9	—	—
"This Breeze Feels Nice" (この風は心地いい, Kono Kaze wa Kokochiī) "Errands to Run" (用事があるんで, Yōjigārunde) "Specialty" (十八番, Ohako) "My Words" (私の言葉, Watashi no Kotoba) "This is a Major Event" (事件だよ, Jikendayo) "It's Been A While" (久しぶり, Hisashiburi) "It's Just Rakugo" (たかが落語だ, Takaga Rakugo da) "Heartwarming" (微笑ましい, Hohoemashi) "Art and Nin" (芸と仁, Gei to Nin)
At the fourth study event, Asagao performs "The Backward Rickshaw" and invites Akane to open his futatsume debut event, which will include the ookanban Chocho and Taizen. Chocho asks if Taizen will give Akane a futatsume recommendation which Taizen, who apprenticed under Zensho, has never done and Zensho, who has a grudge against Shiguma, forbids him from doing so. For the event, Chocho teaches "Tanuki Dice" (狸賽, Tanuki Sai) to Akane but asks that she refrain from using Edo dialect for training. Over drinks, Chocho asks Shiguma about the art of Shiguma's and Issho's former master, also named Shiguma, which Shinta was pursuing. The upcoming debut event, which Kimihisa notes is the first to include members of the Rakugo Federation and Arakawa School since the mass expulsion, is highly anticipated and the "National Treasure", rakugoka Miroku Kashiwaya, attends. To avoid disobeying his master, Taizen calls to say he miss Akane's performance, but Tohru convinces him to show up on time instead. Akane's "Tanuki Dice" draws on her own personality, rather than just the structures of rakugo, for the first time.
12	July 4, 2024	978-4-08-884114-4	—	—
"The Other Effect" (もう一つの効果, Mōhitotsu no Kōka) "The Rakugoverse" (落語ヴァース, Rakugouāsu) "Exactly" (だからだよ, Dakaradayo) "The Furious" (怒髪天, Dohatsuten) "Tension and Release" (緊緩, Kinkan) "The Promise of the Past" (あの日の約束, Ano Hi no Yakusoku) "Butt Out" (口出し無用, Kuchidashi Muyō) "Today's Star" (今日の主役, Kyō no Shuyaku) "Old Name" (昔の名, Mukashi no Na)
Akane plays with the structure and plot of "Tanuki Dice", winning a warm reaction from the crowd before Taizen performs "The Golden Daikoku" (黄金の大黒, Kogane no Daikoku) to rapturous applause. Backstage, Akane speaks with Taizen; as Zensho interrupts to remind Taizen of his order, Taizen announces he will give Akane a futatsume recommendation and Shiguma orders Zensho to leave. Outside, Zensho's tantrum is interrupted by Maikeru, who tells him his shin'uchi promotion test has been set to take place in a month. Akane confesses she is having fun with rakugo to Tohru. In a private meeting, Miroku calls Shiguma by his student name, Rokuen Kashiwaya, noting that Issho (Kisoba) and Kyoji (Kyoichi) also were brought up in the Kashiwaya School; Miroku also draws similarities between Akane and Kiroku Kashiwaya, the original Shiguma (I).
13	September 4, 2024	978-4-08-884165-6	—	—
"Patient" (我慢, Gaman) "Model" (範, Han) "Senior Apprentice" (一番弟子, Ichiban Deshi) "Too Shallow" (軽過ぎる, Karusugiru) "Floundering" (ジリ貧, Jirihin) "His True Self" (本来の姿, Honrai no Sugata) "Yin and Yang" (陰陽, Inyō) "A Stand" (ケジメ, Kejime) "Judges' Results" (審査結果, Shinsa Kekka)
Tagging along at his request, Akane and Maikeru perform everything but rakugo as he prepares for his shin'uchi test, the first to be held by the Arakawa School since the expulsion. Zensho privately predicts failure and poisons the crowd's mood by reminding everyone about the prior disaster during the opening remarks. During the test, Maikeru chooses to perform "Time's Up", making an initial light, joking impression, but he pivots to a tone befitting the tragic, emotional ninjo-banashi, which reflects his journey as the senior apprentice after Shinta left; his performance leaves most of the audience, including Zensho, in tears. Maikeru is promoted on a 3–1 vote, with Issho dissenting because some members of the audience were left unmoved.
14	November 1, 2024	978-4-08-884284-4	—	—
"Really Shaping Up" (様になったな, Sama ni Natta na) "I'm Counting On You" (任せたぞ, Makasetazo) "A Fully-fledged Rakugoka" (一端の落語家, Ippashi no Rakugoka) "Walk the Path" (歩む道, Ayumu Michi) "Thanks to Master" (師匠のおかげ, Shishō no Okage) "Essence of the Shiguma School" (志ぐま一門らしさ, Shiguma Ichimon Rashisa) "Shiguma Onstage" (志ぐまの高座, Shiguma no Kōza) "Room for Imagination" (想像の余地, Sōzō no Yochi) "The Art of Subtraction" (❝引き算❞の芸, ❝Hikizan❝ no Gei)
Standards to become an Arakawa shin'uchi have risen to the point where the performance must be worthy of an ookanban, following an incident involving Master Issho. While researching the first Shiguma Arakawa I (Kiroku Kashiwaya), Rokuro discovers Shiguma I had performed an unfinished story later named "Shiguma's Art", which had been passed down within Kashiwaya exclusively until Kiroku/Shiguma I broke away to form the Arakawa School. Four months later, as Akane prepares for her own futatsume event, Shiguma II asks her to open for his upcoming solo event. Karashi, Hikaru, and Akane renew their now-friendly rivalry. At the solo event, Akane performs "First Tenjin" in gratitude for Shiguma II's life lessons before he goes on with his specialty "God of Death", based on "Godfather Death".

Chapters not yet in tankōbon format

These chapters have yet to be published in a tankōbon volume. They were serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump.

126. "Afterparty" (打ち上げ, Uchiage)
127. "Impossible Task" (ムチャブリ, Muchaburi)
128. "Time at Last" (いよいよ, Iyoiyo)
129. "Is This Rakugo?" (落語ですか?, Rakugo desu ka?)
130. "It's All A Mess" (ぐちゃぐちゃ, Guchagucha)
131. "Dismantled" (解体, Kaitai)
132. "Thinking Back" (思い出す, Omoidasu)
133. "There's Always Tomorrow" (明日がある, Ashitagāru)

Other media

The first chapter of Akane-banashi received a motion comic adaptation, where voice actors, music and sound effects are heard as the manga images appear on screen. It was uploaded to Jump Comics' official YouTube channel in two parts on June 4 and 5, 2022. Akane and her father are voiced by Akane and Kappei Yamaguchi. In addition to being actual daughter and father, the Yamaguchis are also both rakugoka.

Reception

By September 2022, the collected volumes of Akane-banashi had over 200,000 copies in circulation and volume one had been reprinted four times. With the release of volume 10 in March 2024, the manga had 1.5 million copies in circulation. The series has been recommended by Eiichiro Oda and Hideaki Anno. It was nominated for the 2022 Next Manga Award in the print manga category and ranked third out of 50 nominees. The series ranked fourth in the 2023 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga for male readers. It ranked third in the Nationwide Bookstore Employees Recommended Comics of 2023. Akane-banashi ranked second in the 16th Manga Taishō, losing to Kore Kaite Shine by two points. It was also nominated for the 47th Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2023. The New York Public Library included Akane-banashi on its 2023 list of the Best Books for Teens. Anime News Network's Richard Eisenbeis chose it as the Best New Manga of 2023, while Brigid Alverson of School Library Journal included it as one of the Top 10 Manga of 2023. The Young Adult Library Services Association included the first volume of Akane-banashi on its 2024 list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens. In 2024, Stephen Paul's English translation of the series for Viz Media was nominated for Best Translation at the inaugural American Manga Awards, which is co-organized by Anime NYC and Japan Society.

Steven Blackburn of Screen Rant praised the first chapter of Akane-banashi. He wrote that the sudden shift in protagonists from Shinta, "a stereotypical hero who embodies everything that makes a successful shonen [manga]", to Akane, an unconventional hero who is essentially a wunderkind, already makes the latter character compelling. "That's a difficult dynamic to achieve, but Akane-banashi has somehow succeeded before it's even begun". In a review for Multiversity Comics, Zach Wilkerson gave the "immensely charming and well crafted" first chapter an 8.5 rating, with particular praise for Moue's art. Robbie Pleasant of the same website strongly praised the series and its art for successfully conveying how a performer's demeanor and voice changes as they perform different characters, despite manga being a static and soundless medium.

In May 2022, Kota Mukaihara of Real Sound wrote that Akane-banashi was poised to be a breakout hit. He felt that although Akane's progress in rakugo seemed to be going unusually fast and smooth, with her not yet being confronted by a tough challenge or failing at something, this allows readers to follow her growth without unnecessary stress. Mukaihara speculated that, while this could simply be because the manga was still new and needed to develop quickly in order to gain momentum, it emphasizes Akane's cleverness and the depth of her determination and is a testament to the charm of the characters and the skill with which the story is written. He also wrote that while Akane's outgoing personality and unprecedented skill make her seem like a maverick, her positivity and down-to-earth nature make her a likable character. Blackburn's colleague Ben Sockol praised later chapters of the series for "subverting the classic tournament arc trope", writing that Akane-banashi feels fresh and different from anything else in Weekly Shōnen Jump and is one of the most exciting manga currently running in the magazine as of June 2022.

External links

• Akane-banashi on the official Weekly Shōnen Jump website (in Japanese)
• Akane-banashi on Manga Plus
• Akane-banashi on the official Viz Media website
• Akane-banashi Voice Comic (part 1) on YouTube (in Japanese)
• Akane-banashi Voice Comic (part 2) on YouTube (in Japanese)
• Akane-banashi at Anime News Network's encyclopedia