Akane-banashi (2026) s01e05 Episode Script

TENSHIKI
He'd never heard the word "tenshiki".
He should've just asked right away,
but this monk…
Akane!
Isn't it time to get up?
You're going to be late!
Oh, crap!
- Akane!
- See you later!
YEAR 3, CLASS 2
All right, I'm going to return
your midterms from the other day now.
- Ms. Adachi.
- Yes.
- Mr. Uchida.
- Yes.
- Mr. Ehara.
- Yes.
- Ms. Osaki.
- Yes.
- Mr. Ozaki.
- Yes.
Thank goodness!
My scores weren't as bad as I thought!
Lisa and Yuka, I owe you one! Thanks!
I mean, really, Akane, you were
this close to flunking your finals!
The Mom Blowup Incident.
Actually, there's someone
even more terrifying than Mom now.
Then wanna go celebrate with sweets?
I'm in! I'm in!
Uh, no. Akane, have you forgotten?
Huh?
SELF-STUDY ROOM
CAREER COUNSELING ROOM
Ms. Osaki.
You forgot about your interview
today, didn't you?
Oh, well.
You're the only one, you know,
who hasn't turned in
their career path survey.
What? For real?
Don't be so careless.
Right. I'm sorry.
About your mid-term scores…
You put in a lot of effort.
Not a single F to be seen.
That's right, I did!
I really hit the books this time!
I see.
Meaning you've never
hit the books till now?
Oh, no, um… I'm sorry.
These are the colleges you currently
have the grades to apply to.
Oh, no need to worry about that.
I'm going to become a Rakugoka.
So I won't be going to college,
nor be getting a job.
I see. Very well, then.
All right, let me find
which colleges you have a chance
of getting into
that also have Rakugo clubs.
- No, but I just said I'm not--
- Ms. Osaki.
Let me be clear about this.
Neither going to college nor getting a job
will bring uncertainty into your future.
Not only that, but a career
in an obscure profession like Rakugo…
Iwashimizu-sensei, have you ever seen
a Rakugo performance?
- No, I haven't.
- In that case…
FUTATSUME SHOW - RAKUGO CAFÉ
KYOJI ARAKAWA / KENBISHI ARAKAWA
Here. It's tomorrow!
- If you can--
- Ms. Osaki.
What you need to submit is not a flyer
for an event, but your career path survey.
B-But I…
Here are the brochures for colleges
meeting the criteria I just mentioned.
Take a look at them, and turn in your
career path survey by the end of the week.
I'll just be writing in "Rakugoka".
In that case, I'll be happy to offer you
one-on-one counseling after class
until you can choose a college.
Whoa, how crazy is this?
Was Iwa-sensei being serious?
She was being serious, all right.
I wouldn't put it past that Ice Lady.
If she wipes out my after-school hours,
I'll have no time left for training!
What's that look on your face?
Did Iwa-sensei rip you a new one
during counseling?
Is that you, Jumbo?
Did you have an interview, too?
Mine's tomorrow.
I've got club activities now.
Is that right?
Hey, listen.
Both your parents and your master
are fine with you choosing Rakugo, right?
Then there's no reason to worry,
no matter what anyone says, right?
What's with that face?
Seriously, you grew up
to be a wonderful young man, Jumbo!
I can't believe you're that same kid
who used to cry crocodile tears
in grade school!
Hey, you! Didn't I tell you
to never bring that up?
Starting judo was definitely
the right move!
Look, who do you think you are?
Hey, thanks.
You reached out to me
out of concern, right?
I'll be just fine.
My becoming a Rakugoka…
I'll get Iwa-sensei to accept it!
Easier said than done.
We're talking about Iwa-sensei, after all.
I wonder how you can convince her?
If I go head-to-head with her,
she'll just shoot me down!
Then use your leverage over her to attack.
Scary!
And actually, she's got
way too much leverage over me.
Then why don't you cozy up to her instead?
- Great idea, huh?
- With the Ice Lady?
Not happening, huh?
That's it! Good one, Lisa!
Knowing your opponent's feelings
and closing the distance
is also attentiveness!
I'll show her the fruits of my training,
and then Iwa-sensei and I will become…
besties for sure!
Sh-She's on fire!
Yes?
Excuse me!
Oh, Iwashimizu-sensei!
Are you just about to have lunch?
What is it, Ms. Osaki?
Would it be all right if I joined you?
Wow!
Your lunch is gorgeous!
Do you make your lunches yourself?
- Yes.
- That's amazing! You're a good cook!
Do you have, like, a specialty dish?
Simmered dishes, perhaps.
Really?
That was a good meal!
That was fast.
So, do you have a hobby?
I wouldn't call it a hobby, exactly,
but I'm fond of reading.
Oh, I love reading, too!
Books are great, don't you think?
Reading them on my smartphone is nice,
but the feel of paper
and the smell of ink…
Is that right?
Have you read anything
you found interesting lately?
Oh, crap. All I read
are manga or Rakugo books.
Um…
KENJI MIYAZAWA: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION
VOLUME 12
Kenji Miyazawa!
Like, that was really good!
Which one of Kenji's books?
Huh? Let's see.
Night on the Galactic… Railroad?
And stuff.
Which part of that story
did you find interesting?
Oh, uh, the railroad… on a galactic night…
going boooo! And so on.
What did you think of Giovanni's feelings
for Campanella?
Huh? Giovan… Huh? Huh?
So you haven't read it.
No, I'm sorry.
Ms. Osaki, you like Rakugo, don't you?
Yes! I like it!
Is Rakugo that alluring?
Well, of course!
Being able to create a whole world armed
with just a seat cushion and your words,
all kinds of characters appear,
and you have them move around,
one after another, like magic.
The awesomeness of being able to make
people laugh, cry, and get drawn in!
The characters who appear in Rakugo
are all ordinary people just like us.
That's why even if it's an ancient classic
or a different era, you can empathize.
Everything we think or feel
in our daily lives can be used in Rakugo.
Or rather, everything in our daily lives
becomes Rakugo training!
- That aspect is also--
- I see.
Everything you've just done
was part of your plan
to get me to accept
that you want to be a Rakugoka, right?
Let me be clear.
It's useless to try to appease me.
B-Beast you?
As I informed you yesterday,
the deadline for turning in your career
path survey is the end of this week.
I ask that you respect the deadline.
So you went for broke, and broke, huh?
She's got "boulder" in her name.
No, more like partial self-destruction.
Before we could get close, I started
blabbing on and on about Rakugo.
What are you going to do?
Should we come up with another plan?
No.
At this point,
I'll stop with the cheap tricks.
I'll undergo her career counseling
every single day until she accepts it!
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
SELF-STUDY ROOM
CAREER COUNSELING ROOM
Mr. Ozaki, I see that you've been offered
a judo scholarship.
I'll be training under Coach Saito
at Shuei University.
Yes, that's right.
Then let's move forward with that.
Mr. Ozaki, you've known Ms. Osaki
since grade school, right?
Oh, that's right.
I saw you two talking
after her interview yesterday.
Did she seem depressed to you?
Well, maybe a little.
But you don't have to worry.
She'll be fine.
Is that right?
Still, I was a little too harsh on her.
She was acting strangely all day today,
so I should probably have
another proper talk with her.
Iwashimizu-sensei, are you against
Akane becoming a Rakugoka?
That's of no concern to you.
I know it's not.
But it bugs me,
since she and I aren't strangers.
That's true.
At the very least,
she's the sociable type.
But she's always zoning out during class,
and I see her muttering some gibberish
and then smirking to herself.
To be honest, I'm worried.
That idiot!
I come across them once in a while.
Students who myopically decide
on their career paths on a whim.
Most likely, she's one of them.
So I have to guide her,
even if it's somewhat forceful.
Hey, you're going to become a Rakugoka?
But your dad…
I've made up my mind.
I've already made up my mind!
FUTATSUME SHOW - RAKUGO CAFÉ
KYOJI ARAKAWA / KENBISHI ARAKAWA
Did you get that flyer from Akane?
I wouldn't say that I got it.
It was more like she pushed it onto me.
Iwashimizu-sensei, would you like
to go to that event with me?
No, thank you.
Spending time with a male student
outside of school
would damage my social standing.
Then we can go separately.
Decide whether she's being myopic
after you've seen her Rakugo.
You certainly seem concerned
about Ms. Osaki.
It's not like that, really.
It's just that I've known her
since grade school.
So I think I know how much weight
Akane's decisions carry.
You're implying something, aren't you?
If it bothers you, then go see her first.
Besides making up your mind
without even seeing her perform?
Isn't that what it means to be myopic?
SELF-STUDY ROOM
CAREER COUNSELING ROOM
Years ago, there was a student
in my homeroom
who said his dream
was to become a comedian.
Yes, yes, I hear you.
Oh, it's cold.
IS IT OK IF WE COME OVER TO YOUR HOUSE??
I was supportive of his dream.
I quit the comedians' training school
after six months,
and I'm a part-timer now.
You know, that thing you call talent…
I didn't have any, after all.
Cold.
What could I have done?
Career paths are chosen
by the students themselves.
But I should've done something else
other than just be supportive.
Even if it meant clashing,
I could've told him how I felt.
As a teacher,
I take responsibility for what I say.
RAKUGO CAFÉ 5F
That's what I've decided.
FUTATSUME SHOW
It seemed a little sketchy,
being in a multi-tenant building.
But it looks more proper than I thought.
And there's quite a crowd here.
Oh my! Are you Akane's friend?
Uh, yes.
- So Mr. Ozaki's here, too.
- So nice to meet you!
- Nice to meet you too.
- Ma'am, we're ready now.
Okay!
- You have yourself a good time!
- Thank you.
Does Ms. Osaki know
the manager of this café?
Both Ms. Osaki and Mr. Ozaki
were insistent about this event.
What is it that they want to show me?
AKANE
Ms. Osaki?
My name is Akane.
Please join me for a story.
How can this be?
Her name's not on the flyer.
Isn't this a professional gig?
So this is an old story.
There was once a monk at a Buddhist temple
who wasn't feeling well,
and he had the doctor make a house call.
As the doctor was leaving,
"Osho, do you have any tenshiki?"
That's the question he asked the monk.
Now this monk had never heard
of the word "tenshiki".
He should've asked right away,
"What is this 'tenshiki' you speak of?"
But this monk was quite pretentious.
Tenshiki. Ah, tenshiki.
No, I have no tenshiki.
"Tenshiki."
The monk is too proud to admit
that he did not know what tenshiki was.
He sends his apprentice, Chinnen, to find
the meaning of "tenshiki" in his place.
My medicine should be ready by now.
Go over to the doctor's to pick it up.
Oh, and while you're there,
be sure to ask the doctor.
"What exactly is 'tenshiki'?"
Now, no need to say anything like,
"The monk told me to ask."
Ask him the question as if
it came straight from your belly.
Got that? Now run along!
Yes, sir! I'll be on my way.
Hello? Doctor, are you here?
Yes, yes. Ah, it's you, Chinnen.
Right, the medicine is ready.
Have the monk take two measures of this
mixed in with one measure hot water.
Right, thank you very much.
Oh! Excuse me, Doctor.
What is "tenshiki"?
Well, that question certainly
came straight from your belly.
Well, "tenshiki", you see…
In other words, it means "flatulence."
Huh? You mean those things
you use to spread putty around?
No, those are spatulas.
That's not what I mean.
See, what I'm talking about is farts.
I haven't seen Akane's Rakugo in a while,
but she's worked on it
like crazy since then!
YEAR 1, CLASS 3
"Tenshiki" is written with the characters
"to lose your spirit and fall over".
Well, I guess he felt uncomfortable
asking the monk if he'd been farting.
I was sure that a learned monk
like him would…
What do you think?
That's great footage, right?
- It sucks.
- Huh?
- Just look at that!
- Farting?
Farting, you mean like
what comes out of your butt?
I don't think it comes out
from your mouth much.
A-And it's all yellow?
Well, I wouldn't know about the color.
See? Chinnen's gaze is all over the place.
But it should still be okay, right?
It's not okay.
The audience will be relying
on Chinnen's gaze
to picture the doctor's height
and the distance between them.
This is no good at all.
It all looks so different
when you're being watched!
- One more time! Just one last time!
- Sure thing.
If I were Akane, I probably
would've ended up hating Rakugo.
SHIGUMA ARAKAWA
That uproar over Akane's dad
getting expelled made the news as well.
And there was a whole barrage
of criticism aimed at that old geezer.
ISSHO ARAKAWA'S SOLO PERFORMANCE
Meanwhile, Issho Arakawa's Rakugo
started getting tons of attention.
Ethics are no match for emotion.
That criticism morphed
into approval and acclaim,
and some even lauded
the expulsion uproar as legendary.
That even pissed me off.
Even still, Akane chose
to become a Rakugoka.
She wasn't being myopic at all.
Hey, I know!
Why don't I give him
some false information?
Yeah, I will!
Master! I'm back from the doctor's!
Ah, Chinnen. Thanks for your hard work.
Did you ask him the meaning of "tenshiki"?
Oh, yes, I asked him all right!
I found out that by "tenshiki",
he meant a sake cup!
Sake cup? Sake cup.
Really?
Oh, I see.
If you write "mouth"
under the character "heaven",
it does become the character "to drink".
"Shi" must be "shu", or "sake".
"Ki" would be "vessel".
A vessel for drinking sake. Tenshiki!
Oh, now I see.
Now look here, Chinnen, I'm sure
that I once taught you that word.
Every day, I stand in front
of the classroom, so I understand…
…how nervous you feel
speaking in front of others.
Doctor…
How hard it is to convey
something to others.
…thanks to your medicine,
I feel much better now!
Ah, is that right?
I'm very glad to hear that.
With only her voice and body,
and only through speech…
I'm embarrassed to say this,
but I happen to love tenshiki, you see.
Y-You love it? Tenshiki?
Making her audience laugh.
It's not an art
that can be mastered overnight.
Today, I'd like to show you
some of this temple's cherished tenshiki.
Uh, no! Th-That won't be necessary!
I had just assumed that this goal
of becoming a Rakugoka
was only a fleeting whim.
That she, too, was a relentless dreamer.
My, my. What magnificent
sake cups these are.
No, no, they're just some shabby tenshiki!
…making up your mind
without even seeing her perform?
Isn't that what it means to be myopic?
You were absolutely right, weren't you?
Chinnen! Telling me such a lie.
Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
No.
It's just a fart in a windstorm to me.
I have a long way to go myself.
SELF-STUDY ROOM
CAREER COUNSELING ROOM
I see.
CAREER PATH SURVEY
RAKUGOKA
So you're being true to your word.
Yes! I'm ready to undergo as many hours
of counseling as you want!
- Don't you have any misgivings?
- Misgivings?
Merely lacking a college degree
will narrow down
your options when you're searching
for a job.
The path that you chose
so you can realize your dream
might one day end up making you suffer.
Can you still tell me it doesn't matter
and that you have zero misgivings?
Yes! It's just a fart in a windstorm.
A foolish question on my part, I see.
I will accept
your career path survey form.
- Don't forget to thank Mr. Ozaki later.
- Huh?
Your Rakugo yesterday
broadened my horizons.
Hey, I knew it!
You were there
at the Rakugo Café yesterday!
This is a flyer
for a student Rakugo competition.
It had been sent to our school as well.
It never hurts to have achievements
under your belt.
Would you like to take part in it?
KARAKU CUP
This year's head judge will be…
none other than Issho Arakawa.
NEXT EPISODE
Akane Small Talk!
You have to think about
the height of your gaze, too?
Rakugo sure is tough.
Oh, not really.
Once you learn the rules,
it's actually easy!
The rules?
For example, in Rakugo, you look
to the right or left when you talk, right?
That's called "Kamishimo wo Kiru".
Someone who comes up to you is on
this side, and they speak facing this way.
The person inside the house,
in other words, the person meeting you
at the door, speaks facing this way.
That's the rule.
Really? That's how it works?
If you look at a kabuki stage, it's clear.
From the audience's perspective,
the hanamichi is on the left side,
which is the "shimote",
and there are buildings
on the right side, the "kamite".
The person who enters
always comes from the shimote,
while the person meeting them
is on the kamite side.
I get it.
So you can convey all kinds of things
with your face or gaze.
Right!
Whether that person
is inside the house, or outside,
or if they're taller or shorter
than the other, and also…
Straight above?
When would you look that way?
When I lose track of my material!
Hey, you gotta memorize that stuff!