Stage play "The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe" -Love depicted beyond the profound story-

The stage play "The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe" opened at the Sunshine Theater in Tokyo on January 9, 2026.
The film "The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe" was released in theaters in 2023 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of manga artist Shigeru Mizuki. This feature-length animated film, which depicts the secret of Kitaro's birth, the meeting between Kitaro's father and Mizuki, and the fate that the two face, has been reborn as a stage production.
The scriptwriter is Nobuhiro Mori (Shounen Shachu), who has worked on many popular series, and the director is Norihito Nakayashiki (Kakikuu Kyaku). The cast includes a wide range of actors, including Hiroki Suzuki as Kitaro's father, Ryodai Murai as Mizuki, Himena Okamoto (Nogizaka46), Yoko Sawami, Harumi Shuhama, Mikiko Kuni, Koichi Kose, Kei Kato, Shoma Nakata, Takeshi Hashimoto, Ichiro Mikami, and Shinji Rachi.
This time, we covered the press conference and dress rehearsal that took place on January 9, 2025, prior to the opening.

Laughter, screams and tears never stop ~Press conference~

Suzuki Hiroki: I will be playing the role of Kitaro's father. My name is Suzuki Hiroki. I am honored to be performing on stage as we welcome the auspicious new year of 2026. This is my first stage performance this year, and I hope to use this great performance as a springboard to take a leap forward this year.
I would like to perform this production with the feeling that it was a great first attempt, so I would appreciate your support until the end.

Murai Ryodai: I'm Murai Ryodai, who plays Mizuki. I'm so happy and excited that the curtains are going up on the first day. I've never heard of a play being streamed on the first day, so I'm feeling a strange mixture of nervousness that I can't make any mistakes and excitement for the first day.
Theater is constantly evolving, so I hope that after watching the stream, you will think, "I'd like to see a live performance," and head to the theater.
I'm looking forward to this opportunity to perform. Thank you.

Okamoto Himena: I will be playing the role of Ryuga Sayo. My name is Okamoto Himena. This was my first stage performance since leaving the group, and I felt blessed every day to have been able to take part in it with such a wonderful cast and staff. During rehearsals, there were many things I didn't understand or couldn't do, but I was helped every time, and I think it was a period in which I was able to grow a lot.
I will believe in everything I have achieved so far and live my life to the fullest as Ryuga Sayo from today until the final performance. Thank you for your support.

Norihito Nakayashiki: I was in charge of directing this performance. My name is Norihito Nakayashiki. During rehearsals at the theater, it was an extremely hectic production with laughter, screams, and tears that just kept coming.
Thanks to the teamwork and energy of the cast, creators, and staff, I have the impression that the production "Kitaro's Birthday: The Mystery of GeGeGe" is playing beautifully in the theater space. As an audience member, I'm filled with the feeling of wanting to see it soon.
I would love to share this excitement with you all.

Q. Considering your role, please tell us what the highlights and points of interest are in the work.

Suzuki: The human relationships are depicted in a complex way, and it's interesting to see how I interact with the yokai side. I think what makes this role interesting is that I can suddenly add a sense of foreignness, or spice up the story, while everyone is enjoying the human drama.
Also, as the person in charge of the monsters, the intense action scenes are one of the highlights. Characters fight, large monsters appear... the intensity is expressed in various ways, so I hope you enjoy it.

Murai: This is a rare opportunity to see for yourself how big Kyokotsu is, so I hope you will experience it at the theater.
As a performer, I felt like I was in the show because Mizuki was in it a lot and talking, but the ensemble members left in an instant and appeared for just a moment. I still don't understand the mystery of how they were able to change costumes so quickly. It's still a mystery, but I hope that people at the theater will enjoy the amazing human power that went into it.

Okamoto: Even in the quietest scenes, Ryuga Sayo is full of strong emotions, and her feelings towards Mizuki-san, so I think you'll enjoy it if you watch the story from Sayo's perspective.
This is a truly weighty story, so I hope that everyone can feel that weight and that it will be a work that stays in their hearts.

Nakayashiki: I think the original film is a work that conveys things like hatred and sadness. However, the highlight of this stage version is that the script by screenwriter Nobuhiro Mori is overflowing with love for theater and humanity, and in the theater space, this work, which is saturated with hatred and sadness, is transformed into one that contains happy messages of joy, compassion, and love. I'm sure there are some people who are wondering whether it's okay to watch this work from the New Year, but I think it's a perfect piece. I directed it with the idea that it's a loving piece rather than a scary piece.

Q. Looking back at the days of rehearsals, what kind of production do you think it will be?

Murai: As Nakayashi-san said, I feel that the theme of the play is "love." The action on stage is bloody, and it's a story that starts the new year off with a lot of blood. I thought it would be a scary piece, but after watching it, I felt like, "Maybe that was a story about XX's love?"
I would be happy if you could watch it with your family or loved ones.

Suzuki: I think that love and other hidden themes are scattered throughout the film. First of all, I would like you to simply watch this episode, which is the origin of the Kitaro series that everyone knows, and ask how you felt about it. If you then think deeply about it, I think it is a work that is fun to watch as various aspects become clearer. If, after watching it once, you think, "I want to know more about this work," I would be happy if you would share your thoughts and get excited about it on social media.

Q. Please say a few words to those who are looking forward to this performance.

Suzuki: This is a production that we really want many people to see. We are all determined to do our best until the final performance.
Time and blood brought them together. Please watch the story of Kitaro's two fathers. Thank you.

A space where bodies spark - A student's theater report

After watching the film, I was excited to see how the world depicted in the film would be expressed in the space of a stage.
When I actually saw the play, I was overwhelmed by the contrast between stillness and movement, and the three-dimensional effect created by the lighting and sets used during scene changes; it felt as if the characters were breathing right before my eyes.
Furthermore, I was captivated by the movements that made full use of the body and the powerful expressions. Amidst the intense action, the warmth of the love that connects the characters' hearts is conveyed. At the same time, the actors' expressions and gestures were so vivid that I found myself wanting to look away, highlighting the weight of the story. The warmth in my heart after watching the play was far beyond my imagination, and I felt the power that only a stage can have.

<Overview of the performance>

[Tokyo performance]
Friday, January 9th – Sunday, January 25th, 2026
Sunshine Theater
[Osaka performance]
Thursday, January 29, 2026 – Monday, February 2, 2026
Umeda Arts Theater Drama City
[Saga Performance]
Saturday, February 7th and Sunday, February 8th, 2026
Tosu Civic Cultural Center Large Hall

Special performance website https://www.kitaro-tanjo-stage.com/
Official performance X @kitaro_tanjo_st (https://x.com/kitaro_tanjo_st）

[About live streaming]
All three performances, including the final performance, will be live streamed on U-NEXT
January 9th (Fri) 19:00 Tokyo premiere (bonus footage: making-of footage)
January 25th (Sun) 17:00 Tokyo Final Performance (Bonus footage: Cast interview footage)
February 8th (Sun) 13:00 Saga Grand Finale
For details, please visit the special performance website https://www.kitaro-tanjo-stage.com/

[About Live Viewing]
The final performance in Saga will be broadcast live at cinemas nationwide on Sunday, February 8th at 1:00 PM.
Official advance ticket sales (lottery):https://l-tike.com/kitaro-tanjo-stage-lv/
*Applications accepted until 23:59 on Sunday, January 11th

[Blu-ray release confirmed]
The Blu-ray will be released on Wednesday, September 9th, 2026. The limited pre-order version comes with a special disc!
https://www.toei-video.co.jp/special/kitaro-tanjo-stage/

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on July 9, 2026 by Musashino University third-year student Akira Yoshimatsu