Stage play "FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS Phantom War THE STAGE II"

The stage play "FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS Phantom War THE STAGE II," starring Yoshida Hitoshi (M!LK), opened on Friday, January 30th at the Sunshine Theater in Tokyo.

"FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS: War of the Visions THE STAGE" is the first straight play in the "FINAL FANTASY series" and was first performed in 2024, receiving rave reviews for its combination of acting, sword fighting, and level of authenticity. The long-awaited second installment will feature a new, all-star cast and will be performed at Sunshine Theater in Tokyo and the Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall in Osaka.

The lead role will be played by Yoshida Hitoshi, leader of the vocal dance group "M!LK," as Mont Lionis, the twin brother who leads Lionis' second unit, "Azure." The role of Ster Lionis, the twin brother who leads Lionis' first unit, "Brave," will be played by Yoshida Hitoshi, leader of the dance vocal group "M!LK."
Jun Muto, who is a member of "The Cause is in Me," will reprise her role as Queen Mashley Horn of the Horn Kingdom, and Chihiro Kawakami, a member of the 4th generation of NMB48 who will graduate from NMB in December 2025, will reprise her role from the previous film.
The role of Rutial Ovis will be played by Sakuragi Kokona from the idol group "Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku," the role of Oberon Hindra will be played by Amemiya Sho from the seven-member dance and vocal group "GENIC," the role of Sardarry Crustear will be played by Fukuzawa Nozomi from the dance and vocal group "WATWING," and the role of "Whisper" will be played by Suzuki Moeka from the girl group "AMEFURASSHI." A female knight who leads Mont's unit, "Sora no Yuu."
Saki Akai will reprise her role as Lilish, and Saki Kiyoi will reprise her role as Ramada, the female spearmaster of the Blue Sky, from the previous film.
Akira Suzuki, a member of the dance and vocal group "WATWING," will make his stage debut as Jaedan Randall, a key character in this production. Momotarou Yasuda will play Shimur, and Koji Abe, who is active as an actor in addition to his work as a comedian, will play Abbott. The star-studded cast also includes Sarina Suzuki, who will be reprising her role from the previous production as Queen Helena Lionis, mother of Mont and Ster, and Masatoshi Goda as the mysterious Gilgamesh.
This time, we covered the public dress rehearsal, which took place on August 30, 2026, prior to the opening.

Embodying the world of games as "reality" - Coverage just before the opening

Q: Please tell us what the highlights of this performance are.

Yoshida Hitoshi: I really felt this when I did the FF stage play last time, but this time it's even more powerful, and there's a feeling that you're actually watching the game right here. By combining it with projection mapping and other visuals, the immersive feeling was the highest, as if we were really characters progressing through the story. I hope you'll also pay attention to the intense action.

Muto Jun: The world is more colorful with the addition of new characters and characters continuing from the previous work.

Chihiro Kawakami: You can see the characters' growth from the previous film, and I think you'll enjoy learning about the new characters and seeing what kind of people they are.

Suzuki Satoru: The highlights are the direction, costumes, props, and everyone's enthusiasm. Also, there's a scene I like. Around page 76... Ah, you wouldn't know without the script (laughs).

All: (lol)

Suzuki Sarina: It's a stage that will make the dream of playing games as a child, "I want to be in that place!" come true. Because it's performed by real people, I hope that audiences will feel a connection to life that is different from digital, and that it will move them to tears.

Masatoshi Goda: I think the highlight of the film is definitely Jinto's solo dance scene!! (laughs)

Yoshida: I don't dance (laughs). If I started dancing, it would be a real letdown!!

Q: I heard that the sword fighting is more powerful than last time, but how was the rehearsal?

Yoshida: Apparently the cast members who appeared in the previous film requested that we do harder sword fighting scenes, so we made it into hard mode (laughs). Everyone was doing their best while taking care of their bodies.

Muto: There are a variety of stages this time, which I think will make the sword fighting stand out, so I hope you'll pay attention.

Goda: Everyone's expressions while doing action scenes are really cool.

Q Yoshida is currently enjoying great success with her activities with M!LK, and there isn't a day that goes by without her appearing on TV. How was it balancing group activities with rehearsals?

Yoshida: Actually, rehearsals started at the end of the year, so I joined a little late. I felt sorry about that, but the cast and staff all got along really well. I felt like it was a company that "never leaves anyone behind." I also worked hard as the leader of the troupe, trying to set an example for the others.

Q: What did you think of Yoshida's leadership?

Muto: Even though he came to rehearsals after a long time, everything was perfect from the first scene. That made me think that he was a really cool senior.

Suzuki (Akira): "At the end of the performance, I feel happy when I see the smiles on the audience's faces. That's how I know if the performance was a success." He said. I was very moved. I almost cried. (laughs)

Suzuki (Sa): Mont (Yoshida) is always keeping an eye on everyone. He's the eldest son. I think it's because he's been a leader in group activities for a long time, but I think he's cheerful and has great human qualities.

Goda: He's probably the busiest guy around, and he was working until 1:00am yesterday, right? He never shows any signs of that, so it makes me think he has no time to slack off.

QFinally, please give a message to those who will be attending.

Yoshida: Once again, I am honored to be involved in the second installment of War of the Visions. I don't think there are many opportunities to see the world of Final Fantasy with your own eyes. No matter when or what show you come, we will deliver 100% of our best performance, so we look forward to seeing you at the theater!

Photo: Eri Iwata

The powerful sword fighting will instantly transport you to the world of the story　~Student Theater Report~

I was deeply impressed by the way the characters continued to move forward despite their own doubts about justice. The choices made by the characters, who are faced with conflicts that go beyond simple good and evil, reflected the fragility of human nature in the story.
In particular, the lighting and the sense of speed of the sword fighting created a sense of tension onstage. Furthermore, the effective use of stage projections created depth and a sense of three-dimensionality in the stage space, making the audience feel immersed, as if they were immersed in the game's world. As Yoshida Hitoshi, who played Mont, said, while the cast members from the previous film were expected to perform at a higher level of sword fighting, the synergy with the new cast members who joined this time around raised the overall level of perfection of the entire cast, and this was even more apparent when watching the film. The familial love depicted in the relationship between Mont (Yoshida Hitoshi) and Ster (Muto Jun) really touched me, as I myself have a younger sister. It was a dense production that allowed me to absorb many emotions.
Musashino University, 3rd year student, Akina Yoshimatsu

It was as if the world of the Final Fantasy game had invaded reality. As the lead actor, Yoshida Hitoshi, said, it was "immersive," and it felt like I was immersed in the world rather than just watching a story.
The biggest highlight of this film is undoubtedly the sword fighting. The action, which combines speed and sharpness, is overwhelming, and even from the back of the audience, the power and tension were conveyed. It was impressive that it was not just a series of intense movements, but was filled with emotion and determination, and even the relationships between the characters were expressed through the sword fighting.
Another highlight is the relationship between Mont (Yoshida Hitoshi) and Mashley (Kawakami Chihiro), which has been building since the previous film!
Hinano Shinoda, second-year student at Tokyo Kasei University

<Overview of the performance>

[Performance date, time and venue]
Tokyo Performance: January 30th (Fri) - February 8th (Sun), 2026
Sunshine Theater (4F Sunshine City Cultural Hall Building, 3-1-4 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-8630)
Osaka performance: February 14th (Sat) - February 16th (Mon), 2026
Umeda Arts Theater Drama City (19-1 Chayamachi, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture 530-0013)

[Ticket Price] All seats reserved: 12,100 yen (tax included)

【Inquiry】
<Tokyo Performance> Performance Office:https://supportform.jp/event(Weekdays 10:00-17:00)
<Osaka Performance> Kyodo Information: 0570-200-888 (12:00-17:00 *Closed on weekends and holidays)

【Official HP】https://wotv-ffbe-stage.com/

[Official X] @WOTV_FFBE_STAGE

[Organizer, Planner, and Producer] Avex Live Creative

[Planning cooperation] Square Enix

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on January 30, 2026: Shinoda Hinano, second-year student at Tokyo Kasei University, Abe Rurika, second-year student at Showa Women's University, and Yoshimatsu Akina, third-year student at Musashino University.