Yuki SuenagaRecensioni

Competition time! The chapters are well-paced and structured just right to build tension as the rivals take their turn on stage. You'd swear you were watching a high-stakes sports event instead of teens telling stories. That might just be me though, as this triggers memories of my high school speech competitions.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Story 17. The Karaku Cup Prelims -- Story 18. Shut It -- Story 19. The Karaku Cup Finals -- Story 20. BM -- Story 21. Hikaru's Rakugo -- Story 22. As a Performer -- Story 23. Lull -- Story 24. Infinite Blessings -- Story 25.The Disappearing Stage

Although this is about the ancient storytelling art of rokagu, since this is a Shonen Jump series our talented protagonist, Akane, quickly settles into a cycle of training and leveling up just in time for competitions. It's amusing to see the juxtaposition of such competitiveness and high drama with goofy stories that have heavy-handed morals or lessons to impart.

Curiously, despite Akane being a young woman in a field dominated by men, there has been no intimation of sexism or harassment. She gives her all and fails or succeeds on how well she learns lessons from the thoughtful and kind mentors who surround her. It's kind of an ideal world.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Story 8. In Order to Entertain -- Story 9. After the Delight -- Story 10. Epitome -- Story 11. Myopic -- Story 12. The Dreamer -- Story 13. Goal and Condition -- Story 14. The Type to Hold a Grudge -- Story 15. Koguma's Rakugo -- Story 16. The Karaku Cup Begins

To honor her father, a teenage girl wants to break into a traditional form of Japanese storytelling performance called rakugo that seems to be dominated by male performers. She'll need all her spunk and determination to make it past stage fright and into the apprenticeship system where she'll need to train.

It's a pretty typical manga about a talented novice trying to become the best in their field, but the field of endeavor is pretty close to unique, though I did read another manga about rakugo back 2018. Akane-banashi is a much livelier take though, and I doubt I'll set it aside after a couple volume like I did with Descending Stories.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Story 1. On That Day -- Story 2. Six Years -- Story 3. First Performance -- Story 4. Who Is That? -- Story 5. Proper Channels -- Story 6. Senior Pupils -- Story 7: Kibataraki -- Bonus Material