Actor Akihisa Shiono is joining the voice cast of the upcoming Akane-banashi TV anime series as Kaisei Arakawa. The anime is scheduled to begin broadcasting in Japan in April 2026.
Shiono, who was previously a cast member in the live-action 2013 TV series Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, joins a previously announced voice cast that stars:
- • Anna Nagase as Akane Osaki
- • Takuya Eguchi as Karashi Nerimaya
- • Rie Takahashi as Hikaru Koragi
- • Tohru Osaki as Shinta Arakawa
- • Nobunaga Shimazaki as Maikeru Arakawa
- • Chiaki Kobayashi as Koguma Arakawa
- • Yohei Azakami as Kyoji Arakawa
- • Seiichiro Yamashita as Guriko Arakawa
Ayumu Watanabe (Summer Time Rendering, Children of the Sea, the upcoming Witch Hat Atelier) is directing the anime series, with Yu Harima (Summer Time Rendering Episode 7 and 20 director) as assistant director, Kii Tanaka (Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead) as character designer and chief animation director, Michihiro Tsuchiya (Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Urdr-Hunt compilation, Aikatsu! x PriPara scenario writer) as series composer, Yasunari Nitta (Shadowverse Flame) as sub-character designer, Noriko Shimazawa as costume designer, Akio Izutsu (Akuma Kun) as music composer, and Kikuhiko Hayashiya as rakugo supervisor. ZEXCS is in charge of the animation production.
The original rakugo manga series is written by Yuki Suenaga and illustrated by Takamasa Moue. It was first serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine on February 14, 2022 and has released 19 tankobon volumes as of November 2025. A 20th volume is scheduled to be published in Japan on January 5, 2026.
© Yuki Suenaga, Takamasa Moue / SHUEISHA, Akane-banashi Committee
VIZ Media licensed the Akane-banashi manga for English release, describing the main premise of the first volume as:
Shinta Arakawa wants nothing more than to pass his shin’uchi exam — the test that would make him a top-rank headliner and master storyteller in the traditional Japanese art of rakugo. His daughter Akane Osaki is his biggest fan, and even practices the same performances while watching him behind the closed door to his study. When rakugo master Issho Arakawa expels everyone after the exam with no explanation, a fire is lit inside Akane. From that day forth, she has had one goal — to avenge her father and prove his art was worthy of the title of shin’uchi.
Sources: Akane-banashi Official English Twitter, Anime News Network, Comic Natalie
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