Akane takes on the world of rakugo to avenge her father! Shinta Arakawa wants nothing more than to pass his shin'uchi exam--the test that would make him a top-rank headliner and master storyteller in the traditional Japanese art of rakugo. Akane Osaki, his daughter and biggest fan, spies on him while he practices and learns his routines for herself. When rakugo master Issho Arakawa expels everyone after the exam with no explanation, a fire is lit inside Akane. From that day forth, she has had one goal--to avenge her father and prove his art was worthy of the title of shin'uchi. Akane unintentionally stirs up a scandal when she's discovered taking informal lessons from her father's former teacher, Shiguma Arakawa. And she's about to make even bigger waves because she is about to begin her first steps in climbing the ranks of a rakugo performer, from zenza opening act to shin'uchi headliner, by exchanging her secret lessons for formal training. But she'll still have to finish high school and navigate her relationship with Shiguma's existing apprentices, all while learning that becoming a stellar rakugoka takes much more than just being good at performing! -- Adapted from publisher description of volume 1.

Akane accompanies her senior apprentice Kyoji to a retirement home to perform as his zenza opening act before he takes the stage. Her assignment is to offer rakugo that pleases the audience in front of her. How will Akane be able to prove to Kyoji that she has grown from his training? Later, she learns about a rakugo competition for students. The presiding judge is none other than Issho Arakawa—the man who banished Akane’s father from the Arakawa school. Desperate to take part in the competition, Akane must first seek permission from Master Shiguma. He allows her to participate under one unique, tongue-twisting condition…“Jugemu.”