Akane-banashi ‒ Episode 12

Akane-banashi episode 12 sends off the season with a firm yet confident boost into what lies ahead.

This finale is a quintessential denouement. There are no shocking twists, no grand displays, no last-minute rushes of high-octane action to be found. Akane has succeeded in what she set out to do, and we see the consequences of her climactic performance at the Karaku Cup play out across her life. The series is sticking to its guns, confident that it has stuck the landing and that there will be more episodes to come because this is not really the end - it's just the beginning.

There are plenty of events of consequence to note, of course. Akane is beginning to learn the taiko drum, for one thing, another aspect of her performing arts education growing along with her skill. She also gets her stage name - Arakawa Akane, a big moment and a big feather in her cap, that she gets to keep her Akane name. There's also a sense of the solid foundation between Akane and master Arakawa that comes from his deep love for the art and for teaching young people, which is woven throughout the episode in many small ways.

The highlight this week is how much of a splash Akane has made in the wider world. We get a window into the impacts of Akane's performance in other areas of her life. Suddenly, she's very popular at school, with her name on the side of the building and classmates chasing her down for selfies. Her performance has gone viral, and there's a sudden swirl of interest around rakugo once again. And she is largely overwhelmed by the intensity of the response and the spotlight. I will have to go back and check the manga, but I'm pretty sure most of these scenes were new, at least the school-based ones, but it might just be that I'm forgetting what happened. In any case, it's all brought to life alongside conversations with close friends about what they intend to do after graduation, and Akane has inspired them to pursue their creative efforts in some shape or fashion.

Akane is still focused on her craft. It's a measure of her humility and drive to hone her art above fame or fortune. It's a big part of what makes her so endearing as a lead, and all of it is brought to vivid life in this final episode. I cannot wait to see what lies ahead in future seasons, because this Akane kid, well, she's the real thing.

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