What do you think?
Rate this book
あかね噺 [Akane-banashi] #15
Akane-banashi, Vol. 15
Akane si è esibita senza intoppi durante l'apertura dello spettacolo di Shiguma, ricevendo i complimenti del suo maestro. Però non riesce a credere alle sue orecchie quando questi le rivela ciò che si nasconde dietro l'arte di Shiguma... Quando poi un'emergenza rischia di portare la scuola sull'orlo dello scioglimento, di fronte ad Akane, in preda alla confusione, appare qualcuno di inatteso... Finalmente verrà svelato il passato di Issho e Shiguma, e con esso i misteri del precedente Shiguma!
192 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2025
6 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 23, 2026
I think, genuinely, that Akane-banashi is a singular work of art. It is uniquely good at conveying its passion for its subject matter without a hint of drowning the reader in unnecessary details.
And it also has a very strong emotional core in the form of Akane and her dual goals within the world of rakugo. This volume, like the others, never flags for a second. There are some great revelations here.
Akane wants to use the story her father was expelled for performing as the weapon she wields to force Issho to acknowledge her father’s worth. But Shiguma points out that it may not have been the performance, but the story itself, that caused the issue.
That’s a very manga-style revelation, but it really works in the context of the story. I like that Akane also cuts through this later with her desire for people to just be straight with her for a change.
Shiguma and Akane’s relationship has always been at the fore of the story; this volume will shake that relationship hard when Shiguma’s health takes a turn and he ends up in possibly the worst position a performer such as himself could be in.
Huge bonus points for not making up some nebulous malady - a pet peeve of mine - this is very real and very serious. It does help hammer home the severity.
Naturally, this bad situation only gets made worse when Issho gets involved. While his actions are harsh, you can see the point that Urara makes about his choice actually being a benefit to his students rather than trampling over his school.
This leads into a flashback about how both Issho and Shiguma got into rakugo to begin with. Normally I dislike flashbacks, but this works because it is clear that all of this conflict is rooted deeply in the past and it exists for a reason beyond ‘look, earlier stuff’.
Sadly there are no performances this volume, but the drama here is so delicious that it’s not really needed. This series has established a strong plot with a good cast and it leverages them excellently here. It might be at its best when there are performances, but there’s nothing wrong with this either.
5 stars - look, it had a flashback that I found interesting, that’s a minor miracle in and of itself. The rest is similarly impressive.
And it also has a very strong emotional core in the form of Akane and her dual goals within the world of rakugo. This volume, like the others, never flags for a second. There are some great revelations here.
Akane wants to use the story her father was expelled for performing as the weapon she wields to force Issho to acknowledge her father’s worth. But Shiguma points out that it may not have been the performance, but the story itself, that caused the issue.
That’s a very manga-style revelation, but it really works in the context of the story. I like that Akane also cuts through this later with her desire for people to just be straight with her for a change.
Shiguma and Akane’s relationship has always been at the fore of the story; this volume will shake that relationship hard when Shiguma’s health takes a turn and he ends up in possibly the worst position a performer such as himself could be in.
Huge bonus points for not making up some nebulous malady - a pet peeve of mine - this is very real and very serious. It does help hammer home the severity.
Naturally, this bad situation only gets made worse when Issho gets involved. While his actions are harsh, you can see the point that Urara makes about his choice actually being a benefit to his students rather than trampling over his school.
This leads into a flashback about how both Issho and Shiguma got into rakugo to begin with. Normally I dislike flashbacks, but this works because it is clear that all of this conflict is rooted deeply in the past and it exists for a reason beyond ‘look, earlier stuff’.
Sadly there are no performances this volume, but the drama here is so delicious that it’s not really needed. This series has established a strong plot with a good cast and it leverages them excellently here. It might be at its best when there are performances, but there’s nothing wrong with this either.
5 stars - look, it had a flashback that I found interesting, that’s a minor miracle in and of itself. The rest is similarly impressive.
March 28, 2026
I’ve never been so excited for a flashback
March 23, 2026
3.5 stars. While good, this was mostly backstory and set-up. We didn't get much of our girl or even the stories the artist tells. I don't really care about the older men, especially back in their youth, being disowned from rich people in the postwar era (old zaibatsu/samurai), fighting yakuza (what am I reading? This happened twice), saving a girl while also being a bit gross, and soba vs ramen noodles (soba here). I couldn't find the interest to care. It was dull and boring (to me) to have a whole volume where we get cock blocked from Akane moving forward because her master is sick (both stage 2 cancer of throat and passing out from something that leaves him inconscious for the rest of the volume), and now the apprentices are broken up and given to new masters...but they stall the pacing even more by just talking about it and then backstory time. Ugh.
Least entertaining and enjoyable volume while also just being sluggish with pacing and uninteresting with story.
Yakuza fights...twice...like this is an old Korean romance movie from the early 2000s where they randomly break out into a fight sequence, at least once, but it has nothing to do with most of the stories except maybe something unnecessary to the overarching character (like backstory, but not necessary to the plot or anything else).
Disappointed that this was so unenjoyable for me when this series usually can hold my interest, even when slow.
Least entertaining and enjoyable volume while also just being sluggish with pacing and uninteresting with story.
Yakuza fights...twice...like this is an old Korean romance movie from the early 2000s where they randomly break out into a fight sequence, at least once, but it has nothing to do with most of the stories except maybe something unnecessary to the overarching character (like backstory, but not necessary to the plot or anything else).
Disappointed that this was so unenjoyable for me when this series usually can hold my interest, even when slow.
January 11, 2025
5 ✨stars
The back story of Akane's Master is just *chef kiss*
The back story of Akane's Master is just *chef kiss*
September 23, 2025
Backstory on Shiguma and Issho! We finally get a big flashback and meet their mentor. It's a good time.
April 27, 2026
some juicy backstory in this volume!!
April 29, 2026
I had to walk and take a breather after that shock and then it gives us this massive background.I love this backstory.. everything about them , can’t wait for more .
May 7, 2026
Ooh backstory arc, interesting!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews