Anna Nagase Discusses Rakugo Training for Akane-Banashi Role
Nagase's comments offer a direct look at how a voice actor approaches rakugo performance, a niche but central element of the series.
Reporting from 1 source: Anime Herald.
Anna Nagase, the voice of Akane Osaki in the Akane-banashi anime, spoke with Anime Herald at Anime Expo 2026 about her preparation for the role. She described over a year of rakugo practice, the influence of co-star Akio Otsuka, and the challenge of balancing the character's bright and dark sides.
Anna Nagase spent over a year training in rakugo to voice Akane Osaki in the Akane-banashi anime. She told Anime Herald at Anime Expo 2026 that the key was figuring out how she wanted to be perceived by the audience. Nagase said she observed other voice actors performing rakugo scenes and practiced repeatedly to develop her own personal style.
She also credited Akio Otsuka, who plays Issho Arakawa, for advice on understanding how others perceive you as an actor. Nagase noted that the Jugemu rakugo story, performed in a single take for episode ten, was particularly fun to perform despite the difficulty. She described Akane as a character with a bright, cheery side and a darker, anxious side, and said she worked to express that emotional gap.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.