Musical "Twelve Kingdoms - Shadow of the Moon, Sea of ​​Shadows" A new style of "Twelve Kingdoms" performed by Hikaru Yuzuha and Ririka Kato

Musical on November 9, 2025"Twelve Kingdoms: Shadow of the Moon, Shadow of the Sea"opened at the Nissay Theatre in Tokyo.
"The Twelve Kingdoms" is an epic fantasy novel by Fuyumi Ono. Beginning with "The Devil's Child" in 1991 and continuing as a series with "Shadow of the Moon, Shadow of the Sea" the following year, it has continued to receive passionate support for over 30 years. It was adapted into an anime series by NHK in 2002. In 2019, her first new full-length novel in 18 years, "The Silver Ruins, the Black Moon," was published, sparking a social phenomenon and reaching number one on Oricon's "First Half of 2020 Book Rankings." "The Twelve Kingdoms" is a grand fantasy set in both our own world and another world that does not exist on Earth. This iconic Japanese fantasy novel, beloved by generations, is finally being adapted into a musical for the first time in the world.
This time, we were able to cover the press conference and dress rehearsal that took place on December 8th prior to the opening.

The same excitement and emotion as when you read the original ~Pre-opening interview~

Q. Please tell us how you feel right now.

Yamada Kazuya: I'm nervous, but I'm confident that it's turned out well!

Yuzuka Hikaru: I'm probably the most nervous out of the three of us lol
I feel like it's finally starting. I'm fully motivated and nervous.

Kato Ririka: I'm also very nervous. We're on stage the whole time, so we can't see the performance from the audience seats, but I'm looking forward to seeing how the audience reacts to it.

Q. This is the first time that "Twelve Kingdoms" has been made into a musical, so please tell us what you focused on in the direction of this production.

Yamada: The original novel by Ono Fuyumi is so wonderful that I have focused most on conveying that wonderful quality to audiences through the stage, theater, plays, and musicals.
I believe there is a way to tell a story on stage, but I thought hard about how to tell the story on stage in a way that would allow the audience to experience the same excitement and emotion as when they read the original novel.
The original novel is written from the first-person perspective of the protagonist Yoko, and I think that's very important. This stage play also has the story progress from Yoko's perspective, so I wanted the audience to experience the feeling of going to another world with Yoko and going on an adventure to meet people and towns they've never seen before."

Q. Please tell us about the appeal of the role you are playing and what points you would like us to pay attention to.

Yuzuka: Yoko faces one challenge after another, and just when she sees hope, the next challenge arrives...I hope that everyone will experience her turbulent journey with us, empathize with her, and watch over her growth, and sympathize with her.

Kato: The opening of the play begins with my character Yoko, so I've been working on how to create the scenery. I'll be using the entire stage to sing while fighting a large demon. I've worked hard on that part, so I hope you'll enjoy it!

Q. Please tell us what words you received from the original author, Ono-sensei.

Yamada: When Ono-san watched the video of the full rehearsal, he said it was very good and sent me a message asking me to convey to the company that "the original author was also moved."

Q. I'd like to know what you thought was amazing or interesting about Yamada's direction.

Yuzuka: There are many, but I was surprised and moved by the way the acting, the effects of the stage set, and the visuals all matched.

Kato: The fact that the work is a combination of theatrical elements that are performed using human power and elements that are completed by the audience's imagination is very interesting and makes it a lot of fun to perform.

Q. Please tell us about any difficulties you faced during practice.

Yuzuka: Those were hectic days.

Yamada: We had an intense rehearsal session lol

Yuzuka: It's very rewarding to work together to create something from scratch, with each of us thinking about and constructing it. This is my first time performing in a full-scale musical, so singing as a woman is really difficult, and I'm working hard on it.
I'm not at all satisfied with the current state of my acting, so I'm working hard to become a Yoko that everyone will want to watch again and again, even better than today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and beyond.

Kato: I think this is probably the production in which I've sang the most out of all the productions I've been involved in so far.
As the performances continue, I think it will be a challenge to figure out how to maintain my singing voice, and since Yoko has many scenes where she doesn't speak, I struggled with how to position myself on stage, and I have been creating the role by talking about it with Yamada-san a lot.
But Rakuto's puppet's face is so cute and always soothing lol
It was heartwarming to see so many people greeting the Rakuto puppet that is always kept in the rehearsal room.

Q. Please say a few words to the fans who are looking forward to the performance.

Yuzuka: It is truly an honor to be able to be involved in the creation of this wonderful production, The Twelve Kingdoms, together with the wonderful cast and staff. I will do my best to ensure that musical fans and those who cherish The Twelve Kingdoms feel that it was worth coming to see the show, so I would appreciate your continued support.

A Stage That Unleashes the Imagination - Student Theater Reports

Countless white threads hung from the stage. This art created an infinite number of scenes without physically changing the set, stretching the audience's imagination to the limits and expressing the expansiveness of the world, which I felt was a possibility unique to theater. Yuzuka Hikaru's gravity-defying leaps and sprints in this setting transcended the realm of the human, speaking of Yoko's vitality.
What made a strong impression on me was the end of the first act. Being betrayed by someone and trusting them are two completely different things. From this point on, a girl who had no place to belong and was a people-pleaser begins to find her own role. Though it is a fantasy, it is a coming-of-age story that overlaps with how we struggle with our futures and identities.
Eclipse, Kirin, Kaiyaku... Now that the show has finished, I'm confident I can discuss these terms. It was an overwhelming three hours that immersed me in the worldview.
Yuina Yamamoto, third-year student at Keio University

What particularly impressed me about the play was the intricate construction of the stage sets. There were scenes from the original work that made me wonder, "How will they express this?", but they were brought to life through the ideas and twists that are unique to theater, and there were many moments that exceeded my imagination. The movement of the sets and their combination with the lighting were beautiful, and they created depth in not only the powerful scenes but also the quieter ones.
Because the story is told from Yoko's perspective, there is inevitably a character who is considered an enemy, but as I watched, I realized that these antagonistic characters also live with their own beliefs. I was particularly drawn to the false king, Shuei. His dignified coolness, exuded from his demeanor and conflicts, stood out! Shuei's attitude and choices are consistent and determined, and his strength creates tension in every scene, catching my eye every time he appears.
The story is so large in scale that it cannot be summed up in the phrase "a coming-of-age story of an ordinary high school student," and it is a work that leaves a lasting impression after you finish watching it.
Yurie Watanabe, second-year student at Josai International University

■ Performance overview

<Staff>
Original work: Fuyumi Ono's "Shadow of the Moon, Sea of ​​Shadows: Twelve Kingdoms" (Shincho Bunko)
Screenplay and lyrics: Motoyoshi Tsuneyasu
Music: Erika Fukasawa
Directed by: Yamada Kazuya

<キャスト>
Yoko (Nakajima Yoko): Yuzuka Hikaru
Yoko (Nakajima Yoko): Kato Ririka

Rakushun: Ota Motohiro and Makishima Akira (double cast)
Blue Monkey: Hiroki Tamaki Joei: Maaya Harada Enou: Shohei
Keiki: Aiba Yuki

Hekirakujin: Toshihiko Ito
Takki Yoko Sakurayuki

Hanawa Rin (Kourin): Yusuka Miura
Enki: Riko Sunada
Kaito Arai, Yoichi Imamura, Mai Iwaki, Tatsuya Ueki, Reina Okayama, Kazuma Kimura, Yuki Kimura, Yoshitaka Kumano, Fuka Kobayashi, Ryosuke Komiyayama, Rino Shinomoto, Rina Suzuki, Akiharu Todoroki, Yukano Toyoda, Haruka Funazaki, Shinnosuke Machida, Yosei Matsumura, Riina Mikami, Tomomi Yano, Takayuki Yamana, Moemi Yoshida

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on December 8, 2025 by Yuina Yamamoto, a third-year student at Keio University and Yurie Watanabe, a second-year student at Josai International University