A brand-new trailer was released for the Akane-banashi anime today, revealing an April 4, 2026 premiere date, along with a key visual. The rakugo drama series' opening theme song, "HITOTARASHI" by Keisuke Kuwata, is also previewed. Akane-banashi Anime Trailer Akane-banashi Anime Key Visual The cast of Akane-banashi includes: Akane Osaki voiced by Anna Nagase Karashi Nerimaya voiced by Takuya Eguchi Hikaru Koragi voiced by Rie Takahashi Shinta Arakawa (Tohru Osaki) voiced by Jun Fukuyama Maikeru Arakawa voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki Koguma Arakawa voiced by Chiaki Kobayashi Kyoji Arakawa voiced by Yohei Azakami Guriko Arakawa voiced by Seiichiro Yamashita Shiguma Arakawa voiced by Masaki Terasoma Issho Arakawa voiced by Akio Otsuka RELATED: Akane-banashi Anime World Premiere Event Hits New York This April Ayumu Watanabe ( Summer Time Rendering ) directs the Akane-banashi anime at studio ZEXCS, with series composition by Michihiro Tsuchiya ( Saint Cecilia & Pastor Lawrence scriptwriter), character designs by Kii Tanaka ( Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead ) and music by Akio Izutsu ( Akuma Kun ). Kikuhiko Hayashiya is also on board as rakugo supervisor. The original manga by Yuki Suenaga (story) and Takamasa Moue (art) began in February 2022 with 20 volumes released in Japan to date. VIZ Media releases an English-language version of the manga, and describes the story: Akane unintentionally stirs up a scandal when she’s discovered taking informal lessons from her father’s former teacher, Shiguma Arakawa. And she’s about to make even bigger waves because she is about to begin her first steps in climbing the ranks of a rakugo performer from zenza opening act to shin’uchi headliner is exchanging her secret lessons for formal training. But she’ll still have to finish high school and navigate her relationship with Shiguma’s existing apprentices, all while learning that becoming a stellar rakugoka takes much more than just being good at performing! Source: Press Release
