The Charm of "Akane-banashi" is its "Glittering Grit"!? A Discussion on "Shonen Jump Heat" and "Humanity" at AnimeJapan Stage [Event Report]

With the premiere of the first episode of the TV anime Akane-banashi just around the corner, a special stage event was held on Saturday, March 28, at the Aniplex booth during "AnimeJapan 2026."

Akane-banashi is an authentic rakugo (traditional Japanese comedic storytelling) saga currently serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump (Shueisha), created by writer Yuki Suenaga and illustrator Takamasa Moue. The anime broadcast will begin on Saturday, April 4, at 11:30 PM on the "IMAnimation" block across 24 stations nationwide via the TV Asahi network, with advance streaming available on ABEMA starting Sunday, April 5, at 12:00 AM.

The event, titled "Bring It On! Kyodaie (Senior Apprentices' Gathering)," featured Anna Nagase, who plays the protagonist Akane Osaki—a girl who joins the Shiguma school led by Shiguma Arakawa to reach the highest rakugo rank of "Shin'uchi" following a pivotal incident. Joining her for the first time were the voice actors playing Akane’s "senior apprentices" (brother disciples) in the story: Nobunaga Shimazaki as Maikeru Arakawa, Chiaki Kobayashi as Koguma Arakawa, Yohei Azakami as Kyoji Arakawa, and Seiichiro Yamashita as Guriko Arakawa.

■Cast Enters to the Opening Theme by Keisuke Kuwata!

This stage served as the grand finale for the Aniplex booth events. As a massive crowd overflowed from the area, the cast took the stage to the tune of the opening theme "Hitotarashi," written and composed specifically for this series by the legendary Keisuke Kuwata.

Shimazaki, who plays the "eldest brother" among the apprentices, remarked with deep emotion, "Getting to walk out to a song by Keisuke Kuwata... I can really feel the high expectations for this project. It’s incredible!" This set a high-energy tone for the event right from the start.