Akane-banashi, Vol. 5

Volume 5 of Akane-banashi, the rakugo manga by Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue. Akane's father Shinta Arakawa was expelled from his shin'uchi promotion exam when rakugo master Issho Arakawa dismissed every candidate without explanation, and she has vowed to avenge him by mastering the art herself.

In this volume Akane, still a rookie, takes the opening slot at a show with the aim of clapping back at the veteran Rien Konjakuan, who had insulted her. Her performance wins over the audience, but a fellow performer, Karashi, notices a worrying problem. A discovery about the stories she has been taught also leaves her at a disadvantage as a zenza, the opening performer who warms up the room. How she gets past this next hurdle in her training is the question the volume sets out to answer.