Since the well-received premiere of the Prince of Tennis stage play in 2003, live adaptations of anime have only become more popular. Most beloved anime today have had some sort of stage adaptation, whether it be a standard play or a fun musical, that often follows familiar stories or arcs from the original material.
Stage play adaptations pull fans into the world of their favorite anime with an immersive experience. They often capitalize on the live aspect in ways that the anime isn't able to, involving the audience by having the story happen around them. Though there are many stage adaptations, there are some adaptations that might surprise anime fans.
Updated by Alexandra Locke on September 29, 2022: Many of fans' favorite anime franchises are taking to the stage. Although anime stage plays have become increasingly popular in Japan, some titles surprise viewers with their stage presence. This article has been updated to add even more stories to the list of unexpected stage adaptions.
15 The Death Note Musical Features A Killer Soundtrack
The Death Note musical premiered in April 2015 in Tokyo and has been widely regarded as an amazing adaptation of the anime series. The musical follows the manga's first arc, telling the story of Light Yagami as he first finds the Death Note while Detective L attempts to stop the murders.
The show has an incredible soundtrack composed by Frank Wildhorn, with lyrics by Jack Murphy, and a script by Ivan Menchell. Unlike most anime stage plays, it was also originally written in English.
14 Ouran High School Host Club Is A Musical
Ouran High School Host Club is the classic reverse harem anime about a girl named Haruhi Fujioka who is forced to join her school’s host club. This romance parody anime was turned into a stage musical in Japan in 2015.
The play ran in Tokyo and Osaka in January, 2022. Chobi Natsuki was the director, Muck Akazawa wrote the script, and Yu created the music. The beloved franchise is set to get a second musical in the December of 2022 called, Kageki Ouran High School Host Club ƒ, and will again run in Tokyo and Osaka.
13 Naruto's Stage Play Is A Special Commemoration
Live Spectacle Naruto debuted in March 2015 in Tokyo and is based on the Naruto anime and manga. This production was also part of the Naruto Project, a collection of projects created to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Naruto series.
Live Spectacle Naruto adapts volumes 1 through 27 of the manga. The show follows Naruto at the beginning of the anime series – specifically revolving around his start at the Ninja Academy. It was written and directed by Akiko Kodama. There was a sequel that debuted in 2017 as well as one more stage production that just completed its first run in 2022.
12 Fruits Basket Has More On The Way
Fruits Basket The Stage is a play based on the manga by Natsuki Takaya and the anime of the same name. It aired in March 2022, and also had a Livestream. As of July 2022, fans could purchase a Blu-ray of the performance.
This tragic tale of acceptance was directed by Tarou Hasegawa and written by Nobuhiro Mouri. A sequel play called 2nd Season is set to come to theaters in 2023.
11 Bleach's Rock Musical Is The First Of Several
Rock Musical Bleach is a rock musical based on the Bleach manga and anime series. The story of Rock Musical Bleach focuses on Ichigo Kurosaki becoming a Shinigami, Rukia Kuchiki returning to Seireiti, and the trio of friends arriving in Seireiti.
It was produced by Studio Pierrot, who has produced several other popular anime, and directed by Takuya Hiramitsu. The script was written by Naoshi Okumura with music by Shoichi Tama. Since the production of this first musical, there have been several more musical adaptations of Bleach.
10 Demon Slayer Will Continue
Demon Slayer The Stage is a multipart musical that follows the story of Tanjiro Kamado and his exploits as told in the Demon Slayer anime and manga by Koyoharu Gotouge. The play is broken into several parts based on the story's arcs. Part One of the show began its run in January 2020, and Part Two ran in August 2021.
A third part of the stage play also ran in September 2022 and will return in October 2022. The shonen sensation was written and directed by Kenichi Suemitsu. Shunuske Wada wrote the music.
9 The My Hero Academia Play Brings Beloved Characters To Life
My Hero Academia: The "Ultra" Stage ran in Spring 2019 in Tokyo and Osaka. It is based on the manga and anime of the same name. The play focuses on the first arcs of the My Hero Academia manga and anime.
The show follows Izuku Midoriya at the start of his journey to becoming a hero as he gains a Quirk and enrolls at U.A. High School. The production was directed by Yotai Motoyoshi and choreographed by Umebo.
8 Hunter X Hunter's Musical Is The Most Popular Stage Adaptation
Hunter X Hunter has had several stage adaptations over the years, but the most popular one is Hunter X Hunter: The Nightmare of Zoldyck. The play begins following the Hunter Exam after Killua fails and runs away. The story is about Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio as they chase after Killua.
This adaptation is also a musical, with an amazing array of musical numbers that fans loved. Plus, the choreography made fantastic use of a multi-level stage. This stage play premiered in August 2002 and even features many of the voice actors from the anime.
7 Jujutsu Kaisen Recently Hit The Stage
Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami tells the story of a boy named Yuji Itadori, who finds himself embroiled in the world of Cursed Spirits and Sorcerers. The franchise was turned into a stage play in 2022.
The story of Yuji Itadori and the Sorcerers of Jujutsu High was a hit with fans in theaters. The play was directed by Kensaku Kobayashi and written by Kohei Kiyasu. It ran in Tokyo in July 2022 and played in Osaka in August 2022.
6 One Piece Has Several Fun Stage plays
The manga and anime series One Piece has been adapted into several plays over the years. They have all been performed at the Tokyo One Piece Tower, with the first play premiering in 2015 and the most recent production ending in 2020. They are all collected under the title "One Piece Live Attraction," though each play features its own unique story.
The first show, One Piece Live Attraction: Welcome to Tongari Mystery Tour, features the Straw Hat Pirates as they explore a cave on Tongari Island and become cursed. The most recent show, One Piece Live Attraction: Marionette, follows Ann's return to the Straw Hat Pirates to help them fight against Caesar Clown.
5 Haikyuu!! Creates A Unique Live Experience
Hyper Projection Play "Haikyuu!!" is a live adaptation of the popular volleyball manga and anime Haikyuu!!. This stage play follows the first half of the Karasuno High Team Formation Arc and features many of the beloved characters from the anime and manga.
The first production ran in Fall 2015 and was followed by another production in 2016. This show combines manga, live-action, and video to create an extraordinary viewing experience that fans loved. Hyper Projection Play "Haikyuu!!" was directed by Worry Kinoshita and choreographed by HIDALI.
4 The Pokémon Musical Features Familiar and Original Songs
Pokémon Live! is a musical stage show that premiered in September 2000 and is based on the Pokémon anime series. Pokémon Live! follows Ash Ketchum, Misty, and Brock on their adventure to try to participate in a contest to win the Diamond Badge.
This production flawlessly blends songs from the anime together with original songs to create a fun, immersive experience. It was directed and choreographed by Luis Perez, with musical direction by John Loeffler and John Siegler, both of whom wrote songs for the anime.
3 Blue Exorcist's Play Is Widely Popular For Its Stellar Cast
Blue Exorcist is another manga and anime series that has been adapted into several live performance productions. The first stage play, Live Act Ao no Exorcist: Mashin no Rakuin, debuted in Spring 2012 at Nippon Seinenkan Hall in Tokyo. The story of Live Act Ao no Exorcist: Mashin no Rakuin focuses on Okumura Rin and his twin brother, Yukio.
Satoshi Owada both directed the production and wrote the script adaptation. This stage play was popularly praised for its casting choices. Following this production, Blue Exorcist went on to have four more plays.
2
Beastars Was Canceled
Beastars The Stage was the theatrical adaptation of the Beastars anime and manga. Paru Itagaki's story follows Legoshi – a grey wolf struggling to come to terms with his new feelings for a Dwarf rabbit named Haru. The play was scheduled to debut in the spring of 2020 but was canceled due to the pandemic. However, there are talks about it possibly debuting at a later date.
The play was written and directed by Naohiro Ise. Although this play has yet to shine, many audiences are still surprised the anime and manga series had a play in the works.
1 The First Bungou Stray Dogs Play Is A Beloved Story
Bungou Stray Dogs has had several live stage adaptations, the first of them being Bungou Stray Dogs on Stage. This play premiered in December 2017 at Kanagawa Arts Theater Hall in Japan before running performances at Morinomiya Piloti Hall in January and Tokyo AiiA 2.5 Theater in February.
Bungou Stray Dogs on Stage follows the anime from the start of the popular story. The play ends with Atsuhi's and Akutagawa's conflict on the cargo ship. It was directed by Norihito Nakayashiki with the script written by Tadashi Ogasano.