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Akane-banashi Anime Holds World Premiere in U.S. in April

TV Asahi announced on Wednesday that the Japan Society will host the world premiere of the anime of writer Yūki Suenaga and illustrator Takamasa Moue's Akane-banashi manga in New York on April 1. The Anime Boston convention will then host a special screening on April 4. 

The Japan Society will host the world premiere of the anime's first episode in New York on April 1 at 8:00 p.m. EST. The screening will also include rare behind-the-scenes footage and a performance by Canadian-born rakugo performer Katsura Sunshine. Ticket sales will start on March 2 on the Japan Society website at US$22 for Japan Society members and US$28 for non-members. 

TV Asahi will present the anime's special screening at Anime Boston on April 4 at 7:00 p.m. EST. Katsura Sunshine will also perform and hold a talk at the special screening. The Anime Boston special screening is open to event attendees and will be subject to panel room capacity and availability.

The anime will air on TV Asahi's "IMAnimation" programming block in April. (TV Asahi indicated in its announcement of the April 1 and 4. screenings in the U.S. that the anime will premiere on Japanese television after those U.S. screenings.)

TV Asahi describes the story:

"With only your voice and body—master the art."

Akane Osaki, captivated since childhood by the magical performances of her father, Shinta Arakawa, witnesses a shocking incident during his decisive performance for promotion to shin'uchi (master rank). Six years later, now a high school student, she sets her sights on becoming a shin'uchi herself—pushing forward in the highly competitive world of rakugo.

A passionate and authentic rakugo drama begins now!

The anime stars:

• Anna Nagase as Akane Osaki, a high school girl aiming for the highest rank in the world of rakugo: Shin'uchi.
• Takuya Eguchi as Karashi Nerimaya, a university student currently on a two-time winning streak at the Student Rakugo Championship, the Karaku Cup.
• Rie Takahashi as Hikaru Koragi, a rising star in the voice acting world.
• Jun Fukuyama as Shinta Arakawa (Tohru Osaki)
• Nobunaga Shimazaki as Maikeru Arakawa
• Chiaki Kobayashi as Koguma Arakawa
• Yōhei Azakami as Kyoji Arakawa
• Seiichirō Yamashita as Guriko Arakawa
• Akihisa Shiono as Kaisei Arakawa
• Masaki Terasoma as Shiguma Arakawa
• Akio Ōtsuka as Isshō Arakawa

Ayumu Watanabe (Children of the Sea, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko) is directing the anime at ZEXCS. Yu Harima (episode director for Summer Time Rendering, Tokyo Revengers) is the assistant director, and Kii Tanaka (Cheating Craft, Hinomaru Sumo) is both the character designer and chief animation director. Michihiro Tsuchiya (PriPara, Cross Game) is overseeing the series scripts, and Akio Izutsu (Phi-Brain - Puzzle of God, Akuma Kun) is composing the music. Kikuhiko Hayashiya is the rakugo supervisor.

The other staff members include:

• Sub Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Yasunari Nitta
• Chief Animation Director: Hisashi Kagawa
• Costume Design: Noriko Shimazawa
• Prop Design: Yoshinori Iwanaga
• Art Design: Shūhei Tada
• Art: Takumi Sakurada
• Color Key Artist: Saori Goda
• Compositing Director of Photography: Yūta Nakamura
• Editor: Kiyoshi Hirose
• Sound Director: Noriyoshi Konuma

Suenaga and Moue launched the manga in February 2022. Shueisha published the 20th compiled book volume on January 5. The manga was nominated for the 47th Kodansha Manga Awards and the 16th Manga Taisho awards in 2023. The manga ranked at #4 for the top 20 list of manga for male readers in the 2023 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (This Manga Is Amazing!) guidebook.

Viz Media's Shonen Jump service and Shueisha's MANGA Plus service both publish the manga in English. Viz Media is also publishing the manga in print.

The manga made the American Library Association's (ALA's) Young Adult Library Services Association's (YALSA) 2024 list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens, and The New York Public Library also named the manga on its Best Books list for teens in 2023.

Source: Press release