Keisuke Kuwata, a prominent figure in Japanese music, is lending his talents to the Akane-banashi anime, performing both its opening and ending theme songs. Kuwata penned the original lyrics and music for the opening track, "Hitotarashi," and the ending theme, "AKANE On My Mind ~ Manjū Kowai," specifically for the series.
The anime, which premiered on TV Asahi's "IMAnimation" block on April 4, centers on Akane Osaki, a high school student aiming to reach the highest rank in the competitive world of rakugo (traditional Japanese comedic storytelling). She is inspired by her father's passion for the art form, which she witnessed firsthand during a pivotal performance years prior. The series stars Anna Nagase as Akane, with Takuya Eguchi, Rie Takahashi, and Jun Fukuyama also in the voice cast.
Ayumu Watanabe, known for directing Children of the Sea and Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, helms the adaptation at ZEXCS. Yu Harima serves as assistant director, while Kii Tanaka handles character design and chief animation direction. Michihiro Tsuchiya is overseeing the scripts, with Akio Izutsu composing the music.
Akane-banashi is available to stream worldwide on Netflix. Additional international streaming partners include aniverse in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland; ADN in France and surrounding territories; Anime Box in Spain; Anime Generation in Italy; and the Ani-One YouTube channel for the Asia Pacific region. Full episodes are also slated to stream for free on the "Akane-banashi Global" YouTube channel in North America and Latin America following their Japanese broadcast.
