The anime
film "The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe" (titled
in Japan Kitaro Tanjou: GeGeGe no Nazo) will have a stage
adaptation in Japan in early 2026. The announcement came alongside
a promotional image featuring its protagonists: Hiroki Suzuki as
Kitaro's father and Ryota Murai in the role of Mizuki.
A
tribute to Shigeru Mizuki
This
production is part of the celebration for the centenary of the birth of Shigeru
Mizuki, author of the original manga GeGeGe no Kitaro. The
theatrical version was released in Japan on November 17, 2023 with
a PG12 rating, followed by a special R15+ edition titled Shinsei-ban on October
4, 2024. Together, both versions grossed 3.22 billion yen (about
$21.8 million).
Confirmed
dates and venues
The play
will be presented at the Sunshine Theater in Tokyo from January
9 to 25, 2026, at the Umeda Arts Theater Drama City in
Osaka from January 29 to February 1, and at the Tosu Civic
Culture Hall in Saga on February 7 and 8. The direction
will be in charge of Norihito Nakayashiki (Kuroko's
Basketball, World Trigger in theater), with a script
by Nobuhiro Mouri (Musical Hakuoki) and music by Kenji
Kawai, composer of the original soundtrack of the film.
The
complete cast of the play
- Sayo
Ryuga – Himena Okamoto (Nogizaka46)
- Otome
Ryuga – Yoko Soumi
- Hinoe
Ryuga – Harumi Shuhama
- Toshiko
Osada – Mikiko Okauchi
- Tokimaro
Ryuga – Koichi Kosse
- Kozo
Ryuga – Kei Kato
- Nazumi –
Shoma Nakata
- Tokiya
Osada – Ise Hashimoto
- Katsunori
Ryuga – Ichiro Mikami
- Daring
Gengi – Shinji Rachi
A story
of mystery and the supernatural
Set
in 1956, the plot takes place in the village of Nagura,
secretly dominated by the powerful Ryuga family, influential in Japan's
political and financial circles. Mizuki, an employee of the Imperial Blood
Bank, arrives at the place under the pretext of attending the patriarch's
funeral, but with a hidden goal. At the same time, Kitaro's father arrives
looking for his wife. Amid family tensions over succession, a murder at the
local shrine sets off a chain of supernatural events that will test everyone
involved.
