Akane-Banashi Anime To Premiere On YouTube Prior to Netflix Launch In April

The official English-language accounts for the upcoming Akane-banashi anime adaptation have confirmed that the series will feature an early premiere on selected streaming platforms starting on April 4. For North and South America, this means that the series will premiere first on YouTube via the official Akane-banashi Global YouTube page. The post with confirmation is found below.

🪭 Akane-banashi Global Streaming Info 🪭

Thank you so much for your support!

Here are the Global Streaming information for fans outside of Japan 🪭 pic.twitter.com/7TshVpHW2N

— Akane-banashi (@akanebanashi_en) March 27, 2026

The series will receive its official global premiere on April 1 during a sold-out screening event being held at Japan Society in New York City with Canadian rakugo performer Katsuura Sunshine in attendance for a pre-show performance.

In Akane-banashi, Shinta Arakawa wants nothing more than to pass a test to make him a master storyteller in the traditional art of Rakugo. His daughter Akane Osaki is his biggest fan, and even practices the same performances while watching him in secret. But when Akane witnesses a shocking incident during her father’s decisive performance for promotion to master, a fire is lit inside her. From that day forth, she has one goal—to avenge her father and become a Rakugo master herself.