"Reading Drama: The Man Who Killed Nobunaga 2025" A spectacular reading drama where sound and voice drive the story.

XNUM X Year X NUM X Month X NUM X Day"Reading Drama: The Man Who Killed Nobunaga 2025"has opened at Theater 1010.
The original work of this production is "The Man Who Killed Nobunaga: The Truth of the Honnoji Incident 431 Years Later" (Young Champion Comics/published by Akita Shoten), which has sold over 350 million copies in total. It has been performed again in 2021, 2023, and 2024, and will be performed again in 2025 with a star-studded cast.
The script is written by Takaya Okamoto and Michiru Egashira, and the play will be directed by Takaya Okamoto.
The lead role of Akechi Mitsuhide will be played by a double cast, with Cocorico's Tanaka Naoki, who is active not only as a comedian but also as an actor, having appeared in "Ashita ga Aru Sa THE MOVIE" and the TV drama "Brush Up Life," playing the role on "Team Kikyo," and Ono Kento, who has been active since his debut, appearing in roles such as Tokugawa Kazuya in the musical "The New Prince of Tennis" and Yoshimatsu Shinji in the stage series "Lycoris Recoil," playing the role on "Team Mokko." Other performers include Koji Konan (Musical "Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion - A Knight Following the Righteous Path"), Taro Nakamura (MANKAI STAGE "A3!"), Akira Suzuki (member of the dance vocal unit "WATWING" "Love in the Air - A Premonition of Love"), Kento Kitamura (stage play "Bungo to Alchemist: Overture to the Spinner"), Shun Nishime (Maiai "Tokyo Revengers" - Tenjiku Arc), Yuta Higuchi (Musical "Hetalia: The world is wonderful"), Moeka Koizumi (stage play "Kakegurui"), Misato Kawachi (stage play "Assault Lily Sturm" - Sangrizel Arc).
This is not a reading play, but a live reading play. Please also pay attention to the live shamisen and Japanese drum performances.
This time, I participated in the dress rehearsal held on November 18th and 19th prior to the opening.

History depicted through voice and sound - Student theater report

This was my first time seeing a live-action reading drama, and the sheer realism took my breath away. The 100 minutes just flew by. Each actor poured their soul into their performance, so even without any flashy stage equipment, the scenes naturally came to life before my eyes. Their ability to play multiple characters was impressive, and their use of different voices and tones instantly conveyed who they were playing. Cocorico Tanaka, in particular, played the role of Akechi Mitsuhide, with a calm yet determined voice that truly captured the essence of Mitsuhide. Live shamisen and Japanese drum performances further enhanced the worldview of the work, creating a powerful production worthy of the name "live-action reading drama."
Takakazu Shimada, third-year student at Hosei University

The sound of the drums reverberated like the heartbeat of the story, creating a sense of excitement throughout the play, which was particularly impressive. Each performer played multiple roles, and the characters came to life through subtle changes in tone of voice and posture, keeping me captivated until the very end. The use of almost no props, and the use of fans to represent various things, much like in rakugo, stimulated the imagination and created a uniquely engaging experience. Furthermore, the pauses were carefully crafted, drawing me naturally into the story. While a historical piece, it was fresh, and even those who aren't big on history were familiar with the Honnoji Incident, but the play unravelled it in such an exciting and vivid way that I found myself leaning forward and engrossed in the action.
Musashino University, 3rd year student, Akina Yoshimatsu

It was my first time seeing a play, and I was completely captivated by its freshness and immersive nature.
It was very refreshing to see a performance that was expressed through the voice of a reading.
The emotions and tension of the story were conveyed through the hands holding the script and each and every one of them.
The costumes, music, and acting all combined to make me feel as if I had traveled back in time to that era.
The Honnoji Incident is familiar to university students who have learned about it in history classes.
The story, which depicts the Honnoji Incident from the perspective of Akechi Mitsuhide's daughter, Tama, begins with Tama saying that her father, Mitsuhide, is "not a bad person."
The play delved into the truth of why and how Mitsuhide assassinated Nobunaga.
This is a play that I would recommend to anyone who has never seen a reading play.
Abe Rurika, second-year student at Showa Women's University

The reading play was energetic and shed the image of "listening to a story quietly," and as the title "Killed" suggests, it was a beautiful setting with an atmosphere of death. The "intervals" in the story were valued, and even the time spent moving around became a performance, and I was drawn in by the structure, which never stagnated and flowed comfortably with a constant rhythm.
What was impressive was how all the sounds, from the live music to the actors beating their fans, were an essential part of the story that naturally captured the hearts of the audience.
Also, because it was not a reading play but a "reading action play," the movements were very flashy and the bold yet delicate use of the entire stage was refreshing. There were scenes where the characters deliberately turned their backs to the audience, and other movements that would not normally be seen were also used to show the strength of the characters, further immersing the audience in the story.
There were many clever touches throughout the play that made the audience feel as if they were part of the story, and it was an experience that went beyond the scope of a typical reading play.
Yurie Watanabe, second-year student at Josai International University

[Outline of performance]"Reading Drama: The Man Who Killed Nobunaga 2025"