Keisuke Kuwata to Perform Opening Theme for Akane Banashi Anime
It has finally been revealed that the opening theme song for the upcoming TV anime Akane Banashi, which is based on the original manga by Hiroki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue, will be "Hitotarashi". This exciting track is written and composed by the legendary Keisuke Kuwata. Interestingly, Kuwata himself also performed the dubbing for a special promotional segment. Along with this news, a special collaboration video titled "Keisuke Kuwata x TV Anime Akane Banashi Special Anime Video" has been released, featuring fresh anime footage that looks quite stunning. Additionally, the production team dropped the second key visual and a second promotional video (PV) to keep the hype going among the fans.
This project marks a significant milestone because it is actually the very first time that Keisuke Kuwata has been in charge of both writing and composing an anime theme song. Fans can catch a snippet of this new song, "Hitotarashi," by watching the recently released second PV. Sharing his thoughts on the collaboration, Kuwata mentioned that he was deeply moved by the way the female protagonist, Akane Osaki, overcomes various difficulties and stands up to others with such grit. He said he was fully inspired by the work when he created the song. It is clear that Akane Banashi is already making a huge impact even before its official broadcast.
Collaborations and Artistic Tributes
The original creators and the anime staff are also very much excited about this partnership. Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue, along with the director Ayumu Watanabe and producer Kazuki Endo, shared their positive comments regarding Kuwata's musical contribution. To celebrate this big news, Takamasa Moue even drew a special illustration of Keisuke Kuwata wearing a traditional kimono and holding his own guitar, which is a very nice touch for a series rooted in Japanese culture.
Keisuke Kuwata x TV anime “Akane Banashi” special anime video
New Visuals and Broadcast Details
The second key visual is quite detailed, featuring Akane Osaki (sometimes referred to as Akane Sakurasaki in early notes) performing rakugo with a traditional fan in hand. The visual also highlights Akane's rivals and the top two members of the prestigious Aragawa clan. In the second PV, we finally get to hear the voices of Kaio Aragawa, Shiguma Aragawa, and Issei Aragawa for the first time, which adds a lot of character depth to the teaser. There is no doubt that Akane Banashi will be a standout title this season.
The anime is officially scheduled to start broadcasting on April 4th, 2026. For those who prefer streaming, it will be distributed in advance on platforms like ABEMA and Netflix starting from April 5th. This wide availability ensures that all the anime enthusiasts can enjoy this authentic rakugo story as soon as it drops.
- Official Debut: April 4th, 2026 on TV Asahi.
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix, ABEMA, and a global release on YouTube.
- Main Theme: "Hitotarashi" by Keisuke Kuwata.
- Voice Cast Updates: First look at the Aragawa masters' voices in PV 2.
