Since childhood, Akane Ousaki has loved watching her father, Tooru, practice and perform rakugo, a traditional Japanese form of comedic storytelling. Rakugo performers are divided into three ranks, with the highest, shinuchi, awarded only to the very best after they pass a difficult promotion exam. When Tooru takes the test, Akane sees him deliver a stellar performance before a large audience and judges, but the strict head judge, Isshou Arakawa, still fails him, forcing him to quit rakugo. Since then, Akane has been diligently practicing rakugo herself. Now a high school senior, she coincidentally gets a chance to perform before an audience with the help of Shiguma Arakawa, Tooru's former teacher. Her splendid performance surprises everyone and is just the beginning: Shiguma takes her on as his new apprentice, and with his help, Akane sets out to become a shinuchi in her father's place.