Tag: Manga

“Akane-banashi” THE Rakugo Manga is Getting a TV Anime in 2026!

On By Kanariya EishiIn Anime, Book Review, Manga, RandomLeave a comment

🎉 Super exciting news for rakugo and anime lovers! The acclaimed rakugo manga Akane-banashi is officially getting an anime adaptation in 2026!

If you’ve already read the manga, you know how brilliantly it captures the dynamic spirit and deep traditions of rakugo- bringing this storytelling art to audiences who may be discovering it for the first time.

What makes Akane-banashi even more special is its amazing protagonist: Akane Osaki. In a genre (shonen manga) often dominated by male leads, this Shonen Jump series stands out with a strong, determined young woman at its heart- and this alone is worth celebrating!

Created by writer Yuki Suenaga and illustrator Takamasa Moue, the story follows Akane, a girl mesmerised by her father’s rakugo performances. She spends countless hours imitating his stories, secretly watching his training sessions. But when her father is abruptly expelled from the rakugo association and forced to stop performing, Akane sets out to uncover the truth behind his dismissal. Guided by her father’s former master, she begins her own journey to become a rakugo performer.

While Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju helped introduce rakugo to international audiences through its poignant (and sometimes super depressing…) storytelling, I believe Akane-banashi has the potential to reach even further.

Since its debut in Weekly Shonen Jump in February 2022, Akane-banashi has been a standout hit, earning nominations for both the 16th Manga Taisho Award and the 47th Kodansha Manga Award.

This is one anime adaptation you won’t want to miss!

Haruki Murakami- Manga Stories

On By Kanariya EishiIn Japanese Culture, Japanese Language, literature, Manga3 Comments

I am a hardcore Haruki Murakami fan since I was 11 or 12.

Maybe this is because the first book I’d ever read from cover to cover was his ‘Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World’. This cult literature was a bit too nihilistic to a primary school kid like me, and it literally haunted me for years- definitely not recommended to first-time Murakami readers along with ‘The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle’.

I recently read the manga adaptations of Haruki Murakami’s short stories. I’d always thought it’d be nearly impossible to capture the essence of the Murakami world in pictures, but I reckon this one just did that!

Some characters reminded me of Issey Ogata (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki…), one of my favourite actors. I wonder the author actually used him as a motif! They really look alike.

A light-read with deep themes 🙂