Akane-banashi - Season 1

Episodes

Season 1Episode 130 min

On That Day

Akane Osaki, a fifth-grade student, is captivated by the magical Rakugo performance of her father, Shinta Arakawa. Determined to support the family who have always stood behind his dream, Shinta takes on the promotion exam to achieve the highest rank in the Rakugo world - Shin'uchi. As Akane and the others look on, Shinta delivers a performance that showcases his true skill. However, the exam takes a shocking and completely unexpected turn that no one could have foreseen.

First Performance

Season 1Episode 230 min

First Performance

Guriko Arakawa, a fledgling Futatsume (the second-highest rank Rakugo performer), begins investigating a rumor that his master, Shiguma Arakawa, has been secretly meeting a young woman. What he discovers, however, is Akane, now a high school student, receiving private Rakugo lessons from Shiguma at a karaoke box. Around that time, Shiguma receives word that a performer is urgently needed to fill a slot at an event at “Rakugo Cafe.” Yet instead of choosing the more experienced Guriko, Shiguma unexpectedly nominates Akane.

Senior Apprentices

Season 1Episode 330 min

Senior Apprentices

After performing for the first time and being motivated by Kaisei Arakawa's Rakugo performance, Akane is officially accepted as Shiguma's apprentice. He introduces her to her unique senior apprentices and the disciplined Kyoji Arakawa takes her under his wing. Akane is sure that she’ll get to hone her artistic Rakugo skills, but all Kyoji orders her to do is menial tasks. On top of that, he sends her to train at the most unexpected place…

Season 1Episode 430 min

Beyond Joy

During her training at the Izakaya “Umi”, Akane learns the art of “attentiveness”. Kyoji takes her to his next job at a retirement home, where Rakugo is the recreational event of the day. Determined to make sure her elderly audience members enjoy themselves, Akane shows off the results of her training on stage. Following her, Kyoji takes the stage, determined to show her the dignity and authority as her senior apprentice.

Her Path Forward

Season 1Episode 530 min

Her Path Forward

Now that midterms are over, senior high schooler Akane, can finally breathe a sigh of relief—but only for a fleeting moment. She is soon called in for a career counseling session with her homeroom teacher, Ms. Iwashimizu, a.k.a. the “Ice Lady.” Though Akane's set on becoming a Rakugoka, Iwashimizu is insistent that she instead go to college, a more realistic goal. Desperate to win her over, Akane turns to her friends for advice on how to change her mind...

Season 1Episode 630 min

Terakoya

The Karaku Cup is a Rakugo contest for students. When Akane learns that Issho Arakawa will be presiding as its chief judge, she asks Shiguma for permission to enter. He gives her one condition: To win with "Jugemu". It's a tall order for her to try to win with such a well-known story, so along with Guriko, Akane turns to Koguma Arakawa, the "Terakoya," a grassroots teacher of the Shiguma School, for advice. Koguma's a walking encyclopedia of Rakugo, but...

Season 1Episode 730 min

Karaku Cup

It's the day of the Karaku Cup preliminary round. This year, all eyes are on the defending two-time champion, Karashi Nerimaya, and a rising young voice actress, Hikaru Koragi. But Kaisei, the emcee of the event, has told a reporter that his money is on Akane, an unknown high school student, to win it all. At the venue, Koguma, Guriko, and Ms. Iwashimizu are ready to watch over Akane from their seats. Facing such stiff competition, can Akane advance past the prelims with "Jugemu"?

Season 1Episode 830 min

What They Want

The Karaku Cup finals are now underway. The chief judge, Issho Arakawa, has taken his place at the venue. Following a stream of performances, it's time for one of the frontrunners, Karashi Nerimaya, to take the stage. Karashi's specialty is "Modernized Rakugo", — modern interpretations of classic Rakugo stories. This bold approach gets him some big laughs from the audience, but what will Issho's verdict be?

Season 1Episode 930 min

Expressionist

The Karaku Cup final continues. Following Karashi, voice actress Hikaru Koragi takes the stage. Determined to be judged not for her looks, but for her acting skills, she competes in the Karaku Cup. To showcase her expressiveness, she performs a sentimental story. Coincidentally, it's "Shibahama" - the story that Shinta performed during his Shin'uchi Promotion Test six years ago. Hikaru's passionate performance rocks the audience, and in its wake, Akane takes the stage at last.

Season 1Episode 1030 min

Jugemu

In contrast to her performance in the prelims, where she put her enunciation skills on full display, Akane delivers "Jugemu" in a relatively relaxed manner during the finals. Karashi and Hikaru suspect that she's throwing the match, but in fact, she's taken a true Rakugoka's approach - bringing the audience down from the high of the previous sets into a comfortable lull. As she leans into her characters' emotions, effortlessly enthralling her listeners with her gentle tone, Akane gradually reaches a new level in her performance.

Season 1Episode 1130 min

Answer

Face to face with Issho Arakawa, Akane asks him point-blank why he had expelled Shinta. After he sends the journalists out of the room, Issho informs her that he can see right through the fact that Akane is training under Shiguma. As Akane flinches, he reveals the truth behind the expulsion six years ago- the truth he has never shared before. Now that she's finally learned the reason behind her father's expulsion, what could be going through Akane's mind?

Season 1Episode 1230 min

Graduation

After winning the Karaku Cup, Akane suddenly finds herself in the spotlight at school. But unconvinced that her performance was good enough to blow Issho away, she has mixed feelings about it all. And now, graduation day is approaching. Motivated by Akane’s success, her friends have started to pursue their own dreams. Meanwhile, Shiguma racks his brain, trying to come up with a stage name for Akane, who’ll officially become his apprentice once she graduates. And as her thoughts turn to her father, Shinta, Akane ponders the meaning of her own given name.

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.

Saturday Night Live

Running

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live is an Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy showcase.

Since its inception in 1975, "SNL" has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of their generation. As The New York Times noted on the occasion of the show's Emmy-winning 25th Anniversary special in 1999, "in defiance of both time and show business convention, 'SNL' is still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture." At the close of the century, "Saturday Night Live" placed seventh on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 100 Entertainers of the past fifty years.

GenreComedy, Music

Doc

Running

Doc

Doc centers on the hard-charging, brilliant Dr. Amy Larsen, Chief of Internal and Family Medicine at Westside Hospital in Minneapolis. After a brain injury erases the last eight years of her life, Amy must navigate an unfamiliar world where she has no recollection of patients she's treated, colleagues she's crossed, the soulmate she divorced, the man she now loves and the tragedy that caused her to push everyone away. She can rely only on her estranged 17-year-old daughter, whom she remembers as a 9-year-old, and a handful of devoted friends, as she struggles to continue practicing medicine, despite having lost nearly a decade of knowledge and experience.

GenreDrama, Medical

🍪 We use cookies to provide necessary website functionality and improve your experience. You can review our Cookies Policy to learn more. By using our website, you agree to these policies.