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The anime adaptation of Akane-Banashi, based on the manga by Yuki Suenaga and illustrated by Takamasa Moue, is officially set to premiere in April 2026.
The announcement was made during a stage event at Jump Festa 2026 on Dec. 21 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, where the production also unveiled the anime’s first promotional video, its first key visual, and several new cast members.
Newly confirmed cast members include Jun Fukuyama as Arakawa Shinta (also known as Torhu Osaki), Nobunaga Shimazaki as Arakawa Maikeru, Chiaki Kobayashi as Arakawa Koguma, Yohei Azakami as Arakawa Kyoji, and Seiichiro Yamashita as Arakawa Guriko.
The Jump Festa stage event featured Anna Nagase, who voices Akane, appearing alongside Takuya Eguchi, who plays Karashi Nerimaya, and Rie Takahashi, who voices Hikaru Koragi. Also present was veteran rakugo performer Kikuhiko Hayashiya, who serves as a supervisor on both the manga and anime.
During the talk segment, the cast reflected on the reaction to the anime’s initial announcement.
Takahashi shared that her younger brother, a devoted Weekly Shonen Jump reader, expressed newfound admiration for her after learning she had been cast. Hayashiya noted that the adaptation also generated significant buzz within the rakugo community itself. When asked about their favorite characters, Eguchi named Akane’s father Shinta, Nagase chose Maikeru, and Takahashi quickly selected Akane.
As the conversation turned to performing rakugo, Eguchi praised Nagase for her ability to quickly memorize lines, a sentiment echoed by Hayashiya, who said she would be an immediate asset in the rakugo world.
Messages from the original author, Yuki Suenaga, and illustrator, Takamasa Moue, were also shared with the audience.
Suenaga commented that the anime’s first episode might even surpass the manga in impact, while Moue emphasized that the creators, staff, and readers alike are all part of “Team Akane-Banashi,” expressing gratitude for the collective support behind the project.
The anime is being directed by Ayumu Watanabe (Summer Time Rendering), with Yuu Harima serving as assistant director. Professional rakugo performer Kikuhiko Hayashiya is supervising the project’s portrayal of rakugo performances. Kii Tanaka is in charge of character designs and serves as chief animation director. Michihiro Tsuchiya is handling the series script, while Akio Izutsu will compose the music.
Akane-banashi has been serialized in Shueisha’s shonen manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump since February 2022, with the chapters collected into 19 tankobon volumes as of November 2025.
Viz Media has licensed the series for English release in North America.
Source: Jump Festa ’26, Comic Natalie
