Akane-banashi, Vol. 2

By (author) Suenaga, Yuki; Illustrated by Moue, Takamasa
Short description/annotation:
Akane takes on the world of rakugo to avenge her father!
Description:
Akane takes on the world of rakugo to avenge her father!

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. Akane Osaki, his daughter and biggest fan, spies on him while he practices and learns his routines for herself. 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.

Akane accompanies her senior apprentice Kyoji to a retirement home to perform as his zenza opening act before he takes the stage. Her assignment is to offer rakugo that pleases the audience in front of her. How will Akane be able to prove to Kyoji that she has grown from his training? Later, she learns about a rakugo competition for students. The presiding judge is none other than Issho Arakawa—the man who banished Akane’s father from the Arakawa school. Desperate to take part in the competition, Akane must first seek permission from Master Shiguma. He allows her to participate under one unique, tongue-twisting condition…“Jugemu.”
Biographical note:
Yuki Suenaga previously published the one-shot “Tatarashido” in 2021 in Weekly Shonen Jump. Akane-banashi is their first serialized title. It began its run in Weekly Shonen Jump in February 2022 and won third place in the print manga category at the eighth Next Manga Awards in 2022.

Takamasa Moue started his manga career in 2015 by participating in Shonen Jump’s Golden Future Cup contest with the one-shot “Galaxy Gangs.” His first serialization, Ole ★ Golazo, ran in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2016. In 2017, he published a short serialization in Jump GIGA called K.K. in the City of Fog, which ran for three chapters. In 2021, he teamed up with Yuki Suenaga to create the one-shot “Tatarashido.” In February 2022, the two worked together to publish what would be his second serialization, Akane-banashi.