Akane-banashi Season 2 just filled out its rakugo hall. A teaser released on October 25 added eight cast members for the Zenza Arc, and the list is stacked with veterans: Tomokazu Seki, Shinichirō Miki, Hōchū Ōtsuka and Ryōtarō Okiayu among them. The season premieres in January 2027 with ZEXCS animating again.
Quick answer
Akane-banashi Season 2 premieres in January 2027, animated by ZEXCS with director Ayumu Watanabe, character designer Kii Tanaka and composer Akio Izutsu returning. The October 25 teaser added eight cast members for the Zenza Arc. Season 1 streams on Netflix and free on the official Akane-banashi Global YouTube channel in North America and Latin America. According to SenpaiRanks, Season 1 holds a 7.55 consensus score.
The new cast
- Taku Yashiro as Asagao Konjakutei
- Yōji Ueda as Hassho Tsubakiya
- Hōchū Ōtsuka as Miroku Kashiwaya
- Ryōtarō Okiayu as Shomei Tsubakiya
- Hiroshi Naka as Enso Sanmeitei
- Mutsumi Tamura as Urara Ransaika
- Shinichirō Miki as Ryu'un Kenputei
- Tomokazu Seki as Chocho Konjakutei
Casting senior voice actors as senior rakugo masters fits the show. Rakugo is a one-performer storytelling art, so the role lives or dies on voice work, and the Zenza Arc puts Akane among the masters she has to win over.
Akane-banashi Season 2 key visual — ZEXCS
Before January
Season 1's 7.55 is a strong score for a show about a niche stage art. Our Season 2 release-date and where-to-watch guide covers streaming in more detail. If you've watched Season 1, rate it on its ranking page so the Season 2 board starts from a real baseline. The rest of January's lineup is in our winter 2027 release-date guide, and Akane-banashi's place among Jump adaptations is on the best Weekly Shonen Jump anime list.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When does Akane-banashi Season 2 come out?
A: January 2027. An exact date hasn't been announced.
Q: Who joined the Akane-banashi Season 2 cast?
A: Taku Yashiro, Yōji Ueda, Hōchū Ōtsuka, Ryōtarō Okiayu, Hiroshi Naka, Mutsumi Tamura, Shinichirō Miki and Tomokazu Seki.
Q: Where can I watch Akane-banashi?
A: Season 1 streams on Netflix and free on the Akane-banashi Global YouTube channel in North America and Latin America.