So, I was re-reading the first volume of Akane-banashi recently (after reading all of the available chapters in a couple of days) and I noticed something that I liked, which is that the first appearance(s) of some of the characters foreshadow their role in the story or aspects of their personalities or journeys that we will see later in the series. The characters I noticed this with are Kaisei, Koguma and Guriko.

Kaisei appears IMMEDIATELY after Akane’s first public performance (which was a success with everyone who saw it) and makes her realize just how much she still has to learn. This feels as if the story is literally telling Akane AND the readers that yes, Akane is amazing, she’s super talented and has so much potential… BUT this guy is on a whole other level and she has a lot to learn before reaching the level she aspires to; and this guy is going to be the one she compares herself to the most to see what her level is.

In Koguma’s first appearance, he refuses to supervise Akane because he’s afraid of being the one ‘to blame’ if she ends up quitting rakugo. As the story progresses, it shows him to be uncomfortable in social situations and with people he doesn’t know, but also shows him to be someone who lacks confidence and who was close to Shinta, Akane’s dad. So his refusal to be the one supervising Akane in the first volume has deeper reasons than just ‘not wanting to be the one responsible for Akane’s failure if she fails’. It’s fun and heart-warming to see him go from ‘nope I’m not gonna help her, I’m not gonna be responsible for her’ to ‘I’m gonna help her, she is my little sister, I need to be a better ani-san for her, she’s now one the people I feel the most comfortable with, oh and also she’s had quite the influence on me, well would you look at that’.

And finally, Guriko! Right in his first lines, he thinks that he HOPES he can become a super successful rakugoka, not that he’s definitely going to become one. Then, at the end of chapter 2, Shiguma chooses Akane instead of him to perform at the Rakugo cafe to fill in for Kaisei. Akane then proceeds to deliver an incredible performance that wows everyone, including Ms. Yoshino, the lady who runs the cafe (who initially thought that Guriko was the one who was going to perform, and who was then alarmed at seeing that Akane was the one who was going to go on the stage). Looking back at those first chapters, all of this can be seen as foreshadowing for later chapters, because as the story advances, Guriko is shown to lack in confidence, comparing himself negatively to his three ani-san AND to Akane, and ends up feeling that the latter has surpassed him even though she is his junior. Then we also have a sort of reversal of the Rakugo cafe scene during one of the summer festival chapters, where Ms. Yoshino praises Akane on her rakugo performance, before complimenting Guriko on… his food (god that moment still hurts!).

That being said, it’s nice to see Guriko take action and challenge himself to learn new things rather than wallowing in negative feelings. He deserves to find his own path and to grow into someone he can be proud of!

Anyway, just some little ramblings. I like when you go back to a story’s beginning and can see how it was already hinting at things to come later.

Damn, the screen is kind of blurry here. What a powerful and heartbreaking line from Guriko. He's watched Akane pass him by and has to face the realization that he's behind her now. Here's to hoping that this will give him the kick in his step to catch back up. And Maikeru is being a good senpai, knowing that this was what Guriko needed to realize.

OH YEEEEAS complex feelings of jealousy when seeing someone dead improve faster than you... It might not be a competition but surely feels like one

And his face when the lady complimented his yakisoba and not his performance 🤌🤌🤌 For her, it might have meant nothing but the pain on his face says everything

Hello there Guriko Arakawa fans.

AKANE-BANASHI (2022-?) by suenaga yuuki & moue takamasa