1st episode will be 1-hour special, screening at December 12 event

The official website of the television anime of Haruko Kumota's historical manga Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū (Shōwa Genroku Era Comic Storytelling) began streaming the anime's second promotional video on Wednesday. The video reveals the anime's January 8 premiere date.

The anime's first story revolves around a mature prisoner who was released on good behavior during Japan's Showa Genroku era (1960s to early 1970s). He is called Yotarō by others, a term that means an "anti-hero" or a "dim-witted man." When he returns to society, he starts a new life in rakugo (comic storytelling). Touched by Yakumo's role as the "grim reaper," he asks the master to take him in as an apprentice.

The anime's first episode will air as a one-hour special titled "Yotarō Hōrō-hen" (Yotarō Wandering), depicting Yotarō, recently released from prison, seeking apprenticeship under Yakumo Yūrakutei. The second episode will be titled "Yakumo to Sukeroku-hen" (Yakumo and Sukeroku).

The website previously streamed the anime's first promotional video in October.

The website revealed that the anime's staff will hold an event in the Tokyo Metropolitan Hibiya Public Hall on December 12 at 5:00 p.m. The event will screen the anime's first episode, and will feature a talk show event with the cast. Cast members Tomokazu Seki, Akira Ishida, Yu Kobayashi, Kouichi Yamadera, and Megumi Hayashibara will be in attendance. Tickets to the event will cost 5,800 yen (about US$47).

The announced cast includes:

Tomokazu Seki as Kotarō

Kouichi Yamadera as Sukeroku

Akira Ishida as Kikuhiko (Eighth Generation Yakumo Yūrakutei)

Yu Kobayashi as Konatsu

Megumi Hayashibara as Miyokichi

Hiroshi Yanaka as Seventh Generation Yakumo Yūrakutei

Shigeru Ushiyama as Matsuda

Chafurin as Master Bansai

Koji Yusa as Mangetsu-niisan

Kappei Yamaguchi as Amaken

Yasuyuki Kase as Yakuza Brother

Shou Sudou as Ani-san

Shinpei Hayashiya as Master Nekosuke

Seki, Ishida, and Kobayashi reprise their roles from the OAD episodes bundled with the manga.

The anime's staff includes:

Director: Mamoru Hatakeyama

Series Composition: Jun Kumagai

Character Design: Mieko Hosoi

Rakugo Supervision: Shinpei Hayashiya

Color Key: Hitomi Sano

Director of Photography: Shigemitsu Hamao

Music: Kana Shibue

Music Production: Starchild Records

Sound Director: Kouji Tsujitani

Sound Production: Dax Production

Animation Production: Studio Deen

Megumi Hayashibara will perform the anime's opening theme song, with Ringo Sheena composing and arranging the song, and also writing the lyrics. More details on the song, including the title, will be announced in January next year.

The manga's seventh volume bundled a "Yotarō-hen Zen-pen" (Yotarō Arc Part I) original anime DVD (OAD) on March 6. A second OAD, "Yotarō-hen Kō-pen" (Yotarō Arc Part II), also shipped with the eighth manga volume on August 7, and the television anime will debut in January.

Kumota began the manga in Itan in 2010, and the series received the "Best General Manga" prize at the 38th Kodansha Manga Awards, and was also honored with the Excellence Award at the 17th Japan Media Arts Festival Awards. The manga was also nominated for the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2013.

Source: Comic Natalie, MoCa News