Press conference for the stage play "Naruse Goes to Conquer the World"

The hugely popular novel "Naruse Goes to Conquer the World" will be adapted into a stage play and performed from July 4th (Sat) to 12th (Sun) at the Sunshine Theatre in Tokyo, from July 16th (Thu) to 26th (Sun) at the Minamiza Theatre in Kyoto, and from July 28th (Tue) to 29th (Wed) at the Otsu Civic Hall in Shiga.
Stage version of "Naruse Goes to Conquer the World"This novel is based on Mina Miyajima's debut novel, "Naruse Goes to Conquer the World" (published by Shinchosha Bunko), and its sequel, "Naruse Follows the Path She Believes In" (published by Shinchosha), which captivated readers with the protagonist Akari Naruse's unwavering determination to forge her own path and won numerous literary awards, including the 2024 Japan Booksellers' Award. The immensely popular series, which has sold over 220 million copies in total, vividly portrays Akari Naruse's free spirit and her unwavering determination to live without conforming to those around her, as well as the people who are influenced by Naruse and discover new ways of life. Set in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, this new coming-of-age novel has captured the hearts of many readers across generations.
Mizuki Yamashita will play the role of Akari Naruse in her first solo leading role on stage. Other cast members include Ryoko Fujino as Akari's best friend Miyuki Shimazaki, Shizuyo Yamazaki as Kotomi Kurema, a complaining customer at Naruse's part-time job, ISSEI as Koichiro Nishiura, a male high school student from Hiroshima who cares about Naruse, Ryo Amamiya as Akari's father Yoshihiko Naruse, and Tomoko Tabata as Akari's mother Mikiko Naruse. These unique characters will bring the stage to life. The script and direction will be handled by G2, who has worked on and directed numerous stage adaptations of popular works such as the musicals "SPY×FAMILY" and "The Eccentric Family."
I covered the press conference held on May 29th.

■First, please introduce yourself.

G2:This production is a stage adaptation of two stories, "Naruse Goes to Conquer the World" and "Naruse Follows the Path He Believes In." I was a fan of the original works even before I was offered the role, so I immediately said I wanted to do it. However, after carefully reading the original works, I realized they are a series of short stories, and it was very difficult to turn them into a single work. I did my best to overcome that and finished writing the script. The cast members are all people who truly love acting, so I'm really looking forward to it. I've also thought of some unusual direction and visuals. When you enter the theater, I plan to decorate it with visuals that will make you think, "This is interesting, but how are they going to act this out?" After that, it will be like a musical, with live music and collaboration with a pianist. Furthermore, since the original works are a series of short stories, the number of times each character appears in each episode is limited. If we leave it as is, it will be a disjointed and incomplete stage production, so I plan to direct it so that everyone appears in almost every scene for some reason. It will be a stage production that we all create together as one, and I'm sure the cast members will enjoy it.

Mizuki Yamashita:I'm Yamashita Mizuki, and I'll be playing the role of Naruse Akari. I was offered this role around last summer. Every bookstore I went to, I saw Naruse's face everywhere. The original work is incredibly popular, and it's loved by so many people, so I was very worried about whether I could play the strongest and most brilliant Akari in this stage adaptation. I've just heard about G2's direction and composition for the first time, so while I feel a bit of pressure, I'm really looking forward to creating this together with this wonderful cast. This summer, I hope to run through it with Naruse, giving it my all and feeling refreshed. With the help of the character of Naruse, I want to play a protagonist who can save the hearts of everyone watching, just as Naruse saved so many people.

Ryoko Fujino:I'm Fujino Ryoko, and I'll be playing the role of Shimazaki Miyuki.When I read the original work, I felt a great sense of admiration and respect for Naruse Akari as she bravely takes on various challenges.As I read, I thought to myself, "I wish I had a friend like Naruse Akari," and "If I had someone like her nearby, I'm sure I'd be able to be much more positive," so I'm really looking forward to playing the role of her best friend.I myself am quite tomboyish and sometimes I don't pay attention to what's going on around me, but this time I hope to be able to watch over Naruse Akari from the sidelines as one of her biggest fans.I'm nervous, but I'm looking forward to creating a fun stage with my wonderful co-stars.

Shizuyo Yamazaki:I'm Shizuyo Yamazaki, and I'll be playing the role of Kotomi Kurema. After it was decided that I would be in this play, I read the original work, and it was very interesting. It was the kind of work that made me want to meet Naruse. I'm so happy and excited to be able to enter that world and even meet Naruse. My character is someone who makes a lot of complaints, but I don't usually complain. I'm the type to bottle things up, so I thought I'd try to complain a lot to prepare for the role, but it was quite difficult. I think I'll start by complaining to my co-star. (laughs)

ISSEI:I'm ISSEI, and I'll be playing the role of Koichiro Nishiura. I was very happy when I received this offer. Since it's based on an original work, I feel a great sense of responsibility and pressure, but I want to make this summer even more exciting and create a wonderful stage production. I also hope to properly portray the changes in Nishiura's heart as he is swayed by Akari Naruse's free-spirited nature. I'm very excited, and I would be happy if many people could come and see it.

Amamiya RyoI will be playing the role of Yoshihiko Naruse, the father of Akari Naruse, a free-spirited and unpredictable daughter, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of incredible stage design it will be. I hope you all look forward to seeing the wonderful stage production that we can create together.

Tomoko Tabata:This time I'll be playing Naruse Mikiko, Naruse Akari's mother, and this work has a lot of fans, and I'm one of them, so I never thought I'd be able to appear in it. I worked with G2 a few years ago, and G2's plays are really tiring. (laughs) But it's a really good kind of tiredness, and every time, every performance, I feel like, wow, I gave it my all. So I know it won't be easy.
Also, this production is set in Shiga Prefecture, and there will be performances in Shiga Prefecture, so I think the people of Shiga are really looking forward to it.
My hometown is Kyoto, and I think the people of Kyoto are really looking forward to the performance, so I want to work hard and power through this summer with this work.

■What were your initial, honest thoughts when you found out that this popular novel had been chosen for a stage adaptation?

(I.e.: After reading the original work, I wondered how they would adapt Naruse's somewhat eccentric actions to the stage. The book is made up of many short episodes, so I wondered how they would portray that on stage. And above all, I thought about how I myself could portray Naruse's coolness and genius. I thought about so many things. But since G2 is directing, I thought he would probably solve all of it, and of course I'll do my best, but I also want to learn a lot from him and create a great play together with everyone.

■I'm sure everyone is looking forward to the upcoming performances, but are there any Nogizaka members or former members you would like to see participate?

(I.e.: I'd love for everyone to come. We're a large group, so it would be great if everyone could come. I'd be happy if every single one of you came, enough to fill the venue. (laughs)

■Are there any ways of expression or challenges you'd like to take on that are unique to the stage?

(I.e."Naruse Goes to Conquer the World" is truly filled with many fascinating lines. Of course, you can get courage from the words of Naruse Akari, the character I play, and each character says many eye-opening things in the original work. On stage, I think the characters will exchange warm yet sharp words with each other in their interactions, so I would be happy if the audience could also be surprised or encouraged by those words.

■What aspects were important to you when compiling a long work?

G2:When I read the original work, I felt that although Naruse always seems to go his own way without changing, there is actually a subtle change within him. I thought it was a story about him gradually finding out what he should do with his life, and I wanted to put it all together from that perspective.The original work really makes you realize that in today's world, it has become the standard to live while being conscious of what other people think.Naruse, a character who doesn't care what other people think and truly goes his own way, may seem like a very eccentric or very special person, but I think the original work has a somewhat cynical critique at its core, asking "Is it really okay for the world to be like this?", and I hope to bring that out on stage.

■Please tell us your impressions when you read the script.

AmamiyaAs G2 mentioned, I think there's an atmosphere in today's world where everyone has to live safely and inconspicuously. But when you translate that into the space of the stage, how do you create a beginning, middle, and end, and keep the audience entertained for a long time without them getting bored? As I read the script, I was thinking that G2 must have a lot of different ideas in mind. I won't really know how it will turn out until rehearsals begin, but I'm looking forward to it.

fields: The sheer volume of dialogue gives the impression of "an incredible dialogue-driven play," but each episode stands out, allowing the story to unfold quickly, and I felt that it really brought the character of Naruse to life. I think it will leave a more powerful impression on the audience.

(I.e.The script was really interesting, and I felt it was beautifully put together while remaining faithful to the original work. I think the challenge now is how we can make it more three-dimensional ourselves. Also, there are quite a few monologues, but as I read it, I was thinking about whether it would be good to incorporate some expressions that involve the audience, rather than just having the character talk to themselves.

(I.e.:The original story has very rich episodes, so to be honest, I thought some episodes might be left out when it was adapted for the stage. However, I was so happy to see that G2 had carefully picked up on each one and put them together into the script, and I'm really looking forward to performing it.Naruse is a genius, but I don't think he's a perfect person.That imperfection is one of Naruse's charms, and I think the point lies in the parts that aren't perfect.I feel that this aspect is highlighted in the stage script, and I myself am very much looking forward to playing it.

FujinoThere are quite a few monologues, so I'm wondering how to present them to the audience, or whether I should resolve them within myself. I think these things will be refined as we continue rehearsing, so I'm really looking forward to rehearsals. I think you'll be able to fully immerse yourself in Naruse's world.

ISSEIWhen I first read the script, my honest feeling was, "I really love Naruse." The reason is that I think people who cherish their individuality are wonderful. I also work in music, and when I write and sing songs, I always try to retain my own unique style. That's why I hope that people of my generation and younger generations who are living in this era will watch this play and that it will convey Naruse's positive and forward-looking attitude of cherishing one's individuality.

Student Newspaper Online, May 29, 2026, Interview with Ayatsuki Sakakura, 5th year student at Tokyo Metropolitan University

■Outline of the performance

Stage play "Naruse Goes to Conquer the World"
Original works: Mina Miyajima, "Naruse Goes to Conquer the World" (Shincho Bunko), "Naruse Follows the Path He Believes In" (Shinchosha)
Screenplay/direction: G2
Music: Shuhei Kamimura, Art Direction: Masako Ito, Lighting: Kazuyoshi Takami, Sound: Takeshi Iwadate, Costume Design: Ayuko Takagi, Hair & Makeup: miura
Stage Director: Ryutaro Shimoyanagi Assistant Director: Satsuki Watanabe Production Assistant: Yuko Ozaki
<Casting>
Akari Naruse, Mizuki Yamashita
Miyuki Shimazaki, Ryoko Fujino
Wu Maemoto Kotomi, Yamazaki Shizuyo
Koichiro Nishiura ISSEI
Yoshihiko Naruse, Ryo Amamiya
Mikiko Naruse, Tomoko Tabata

<Performance schedule>
Sunshine Theatre, Tokyo, July 4th (Sat) - 12th (Sun), 2026
Kyoto, Minamiza Theatre, July 16th (Thu) - 26th (Sun), 2026
Shiga Prefecture, Otsu Civic Hall, Main Hall, July 28th (Tue) & 29th (Wed), 2026

Yuna Yamamoto (4th year, Keio University) / Mio Ozawa (2nd year, Seijo University) / Ayatsuki Sakakura (4th year, Tokyo Metropolitan University)