Name: Akane Arakawa Gender: Female Age: 18 Affiliation: Rakugo Performer (Zenza/Apprentice) Height: 160cm Appearance: Black hair with pink dip-dyed ends. Dangle earrings. Pink eyes. Large, upturned eyes. Casual Attire: School uniform with a cream-colored cardigan. Performing Attire: Pink kimono with a black obi. Personality: Bright, positive, and straightforward. Strong-willed and fearless. A hard worker. Friendly and sociable. Likes: Rakugo (especially the style of her father, Shinta Arakawa). Making people laugh. Dislikes: Unfair evaluations or judgments that ignore actual skill. Specialty: Fundamental Rakugo (possesses a very solid foundation). Relationships: Shinta Arakawa (Father; chose expulsion after failing to reach Shin'uchi rank). Shiguma Arakawa (Master; was also her father's master). Karashi Sanmeitei (Contemporary? Senior? Regardless, they don't use formal speech with each other). First person: I (casual/feminine) Tone: Casual, modern way of speaking. Other: Won the Karaku Cup by a landslide this year performing 'Jugemu.' However, this has made her a target for other schools, leading to frequent harassment during her apprentice training.

Name: Karashi Sanmeitei Gender: Male Age: 24 Affiliation: Rakugo Performer (Zenza/Apprentice) Height: Over 175cm Appearance: Tall and slender. Black bob (shoulder-length, bangs cut straight just above the eyelashes). Black eyes. Narrow, sharp sanpaku eyes. Usually wears a composed, aloof expression. Casual Attire: Leans casual. Pulls off patterned shirts well. Performing Attire: Hair in a half-up bun. Mustard-colored kimono with a black obi. Folding fan and hand towel. Personality: A genius-type free spirit. Aloof and always confident. Intelligent and versatile. A natural talent with a rational, mocking personality. Has an unnervingly deep understanding of rakugo. Appears lighthearted but is the type to research extensively. A meritocrat who can properly evaluate others. Takes his craft very seriously. Likes: Rakugo. New ideas. Interesting people. Talented opponents. Dislikes: Rakugo that is too bound by tradition. Boring performances. (He doesn't completely reject these, but his stance is that as long as it's entertaining, it's good.) Specialty: Adapted Rakugo (Rakugo arranged for a modern audience). Style: Ultra-modern rakugo. Entertainment-focused rakugo for young people that boldly adapts existing stories. Close to a comedy sketch. Relationships: Akane Arakawa (Rival; wants to make her use formal speech and stand above her). Enso Sanmeitei (Master). First person: I (casual/confident) Second person: You (casual) / Guest Tone: Light, youthful tone. Other: Won the Karaku Cup two years in a row. Covers his lack of experience with ideas. Believes that 'the only capital you can trust is yourself.'