Anime
Akane-banashi: Season 2 Starts in January With New Cast
The new arc follows Akane through her training as a professional rakugo storyteller.
The second anime season of Akane-banashi premieres in January 2027 in Japan. A new key visual and a teaser PV show the next steps of the aspiring rakugo artist Akane Arakawa. Taku Yashiro and Yoji Ueda have also been announced as two additional voice actors for the continuation.
The new information was presented during an official broadcast on October 25, 2026. As Anime!Anime! reports, the continuation will air on Japanese television in the IMAnimation slot of the 24-station TV Asahi group and on BS Asahi. An exact broadcast day and a German streaming date have not yet been announced.
Akane Begins Her Training as a Rakugo Artist
The new episodes adapt the so-called Zenza-Shugyo segment, the training of a beginner in rakugo. After graduating from school, Akane officially becomes a disciple of Arakawa Shiguma. Under her stage name Akane Arakawa she begins her professional career and must find her place in the traditional Japanese art of storytelling.
The released key visual shows Akane in a pink kimono in front of the Yayoi-tei rakugo theater. Karashi Nerimaya, Hikaru Koragi and other characters also appear in the illustration. The teaser presents the theater and Akane's new duties as a up-and-coming performer.
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Taku Yashiro takes on the role of Asagao Konjakutei and Yoji Ueda the role of Hassho Tsubakiya. Both voices can already be heard in the teaser. The announcement was also shared through the official anime account of Akane-banashi.
Manga Source and Production
The series is based on the manga by Yuki Suenaga (story) and Takamasa Moue (art), which has been serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump since 2022. It centers on Akane Osaki, who, like her father, aspires to a career as a rakugo artist and wants to reach the highest rank, Shinuchi.
The anime adaptation is produced by ZEXCS under the direction of Ayumu Watanabe. The first season began in April 2026. The January date places the continuation in the upcoming anime season, in which Shin Samurai-den YAIBA with Season 2 also returns. Further news from Weekly Shonen Jump concerns, among other things, the continuation of HUNTER×HUNTER.