Becoming an official rakugo disciple is just
the beginning. Akane Banashi officially confirms its second
season with a premiere scheduled for January 2027 on
TV Asahi, accompanied by a new trailer focused on the Apprentice
Training Arc that introduces several new characters and voices within
the world of professional rakugo performers.
The second season picks up the story right
after Akane graduates from high school and officially becomes a disciple
of Shiguma Arakawa, adopting the professional name Akane
Arakawa. From there he begins his rigorous training as a rakugo player,
pursuing the dream of reaching the highest rank within that world: that
of Shinuchi. The path to that goal comes with new challenges and
experiences that will test her growth as a storyteller.
About Akane Banashi
Akane Banashi is a manga by Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa
Moue that was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since
February 2022. The story follows Akane, a young woman inspired by
her father's rakugo presentations, which seemed almost magical. Following a key
event in her father's career, Akane decides to pursue the art of rakugo on her
own, striving at the age of seventeen to become a Shinuchi through dedicated training
and overcoming the numerous obstacles in her path. The manga won second place
at the 2023 Manga Taisho Awards and third place in the comics
category at the Next Manga Awards 2022, as well as having close
collaboration with the real rakugo community, including support from the Japan
Rakugo Association and the Asakusa Engei Hall.
