Of course, Viz's domination of the shonen manga scene via Weekly Shonen Jump continued as always. There's been a handful of promising new series to emerge this year, but this one was by far one of the most intriguing.
AKANE-BANASHI, written by Yuki Suenaga with art by Takamasu Moue. First published in 2022 and first published in North America in 2023.
PLOT:
Akane Osaki loves her dad. He's an up-and-coming rakugoka, well on his way to becoming a headliner. Alas, his career in rakugo comes to an end when the resident master expels all the applicants without warning or explanation. Young Akane is absolutely furious at this injustice, and is determined to prove to the old man that her father's form of rakugo is more than worthy. She already spent her childhood watching and imitating her father, and now she's spent years taking secret lessons from his old teacher. Will it be enough when it's her turn to take to the stage for the first time?
