Akane-banashi Is Getting an Anime! Here's What We Know So Far (2026 Release)

If you're into manga with heart, drama, and a splash of Japanese culture, then you’ll be excited to know that Akane-banashi is officially getting a TV anime adaptation in 2026!

The announcement came from TV Asahi, which confirmed that the anime will air on its IMAnimation block. And guess what? The animation will be handled by Studio ZEXCS—so you know it’s in good hands.

🎬 Who's Making the Akane-banashi Anime?

Let’s talk about the crew:

Ayumu Watanabe (you might know him from Children of the Sea and Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko) is directing the series.
Yu Harima (worked on Summer Time Rendering, Tokyo Revengers) is the assistant director.
Kii Tanaka (Cheating Craft, Hinomaru Sumo) is on board as character designer and chief animation director.
Scripts are being overseen by Michihiro Tsuchiya (PriPara, Cross Game).
Akio Izutsu is in charge of the music.
And to keep the rakugo elements authentic, Kikuhiko Hayashiya is supervising the storytelling side of things.

Watanabe even drew a special illustration to celebrate the announcement—it includes the phrase: “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.” Deep, right?

🎤 Main Cast Revealed!

Here’s who’s voicing the key characters:

Anna Nagase as Akane Osaki — a high school girl chasing her dream of becoming a top rakugo performer, a Shin'uchi.
Takuya Eguchi as Karashi Nerimaya — a college student with two straight wins at the Student Rakugo Championship (Karaku Cup).
Rie Takahashi as Hikaru Koragi — a rising star in the voice acting world.

📅 When Does the Anime Come Out?

The anime is set to premiere sometime in 2026, though we don’t have an exact date yet. More updates are expected at Anime NYC 2025, where a special panel will be held. Shueisha editor Seisuke Araki and TV Asahi producer Kazuki Endo will be there to spill more details.

📚 About the Akane-banashi Manga

In case you're new to the series, Akane-banashi is a manga written by Yūki Suenaga and illustrated by Takamasa Moue. It debuted in February 2022 in Weekly Shonen Jump and has gained major recognition since.

Here’s why it’s such a big deal:

17 volumes published (as of June 2025)
Nominated for both the 47th Kodansha Manga Awards and 16th Manga Taisho Awards (2023)
Ranked #4 in Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2023 (for male readers)
Featured in the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Teens 2023
Listed in ALA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2024

You can read the manga in English through Viz Media’s Shonen Jump app and Shueisha’s MANGA Plus. Viz is also releasing the print editions.

🎭 Quick Story Recap

Akane Osaki grew up inspired by her father’s powerful rakugo performances. But during one critical performance that could’ve taken him to the top (Shin'uchi), something went horribly wrong.

Years later, Akane decides to follow in his footsteps, aiming to reach the top of the fiercely competitive world of rakugo herself. And that’s where her passionate, emotional journey begins.

🧠 Why This Matters

Akane-banashi isn’t just another manga-to-anime adaptation. It brings something unique: rakugo, a traditional Japanese storytelling art that’s all about emotion, timing, and voice. The series dives deep into that world, and now we’ll get to see it brought to life in animated form.