Whenever an anime series becomes popular, you can expect it to make the jump to the stage. While these performances rarely make it to America, loads of popular anime series from Sailor Moon to One Piece and even Death Note have had live stage adaptations. However, a new play based on a Studio Ghibli anime classic is shaking things up. As well as showing just how transcendent anime-inspired theater can be.
Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away is currently being performed at the Imperial Theater in Tokyo, and it will run for the rest of March before beginning a tour of Japan. The play is based on the 2001 film of the same name. It follows Chihiro Ogino and her family as they encounter a strange, seemingly abandoned theme park while traveling to their new home. However, when her parents eat some food at the theme park, Chihiro learns that everything is not as it seems as Chihiro's parents turn into pigs.
From there, Chihiro discovers a strange bathhouse and starts working there, encountering several strange spirits and yōkai as she tries to work out how to save both herself and her parents from a terrible fate. The film was a smash hit with audiences and critics, and until 2020 it was the highest-grossing film in Japanese box office history, earning over 31 billion yen.
One of the hardest things about translating this film to the stage is capturing the strangeness of the setting. However, based on the pictures released so far, the staff working on the play have pulled it off in a fascinating way. The Spirited Away play blends several different forms of puppetry to bring the various creatures to life in unique ways. For instance, Kamajī, the bathhouse's multi-legged boiler man, features a torso played by an actor. While its massive legs are operated as separate puppets, creating a unique visual that perfectly captures the character's strange and otherworldly nature. Several other creatures, like the adorable Soot Sprites, have been turned into cute and expressive puppets, making it feel like they have jumped off the screen. This is all combined with some fantastic set design and direction, allowing the surreal animation to come to life right in front of audiences.
The film was adapted by John Caird, who is also directing the performance. Caird has an impressive resume having directed several massive plays, including the famous 1985 version of Les Misérables. During the announcement press conference, Toshio Suzuki, the film's producer, said that when Hayao Miyazaki met Caird, the pair "clicked right away, and Miyazaki immediately said ‘okay’ to the idea of the stage adaptation.” The puppets are designed by Toby Olié, who has created memorable puppets for several award-winning shows.
The play also has duel cast every character, meaning that two troupes will perform the play simultaneously. Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi will be playing Chihiro. Haku will be played by both Kotaro Daigo and Hiroki Miura. However, one of the most delightful bits of casting is that of the bathhouse's owner Yubaba. In one set of performances, she'll be played by Mari Natsuki, the actress who voiced Yubaba in the original movie, making this a fantastic callback.
While there are not any official plans to tour the play internationally at the current time. John Caird's experience in both American and European theater and Spirited Away's popularity in America might mean that Western anime fans get the chance to experience this unique performance for themselves.
Spirited Away is one of the most beloved anime movies in cinema history. This is due to its enchanting plot and unique aesthetic. Hopefully, the play captures the same magic as the original film. And hopefully, it tours outside of Japan, allowing international Studio Ghibli fans to enjoy this extremely unique take on this classic movie.