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Fushigi Yugi Gets 1st Stage Musical Starring Former Morning Musume Reina Tanaka

The first stage musical adaptation of Yuu Watase's Fushigi Yûgi manga has been green-lit. The first of two parts, titled Fushigi Yûgi ~Ake no Shō~ (Fushigi Yûgi ~Vermilion Chapter~), will open in Tokyo's Owlspot theater on April 8, and will run until April 17 with a total of 15 performances. While the company amipro worked on three previous stage play productions of Fushigi Yûgi, this will be its first musical adaptation.

Former Morning Musume member and current LoVendoЯ rock band member Reina Tanaka (pictured right) will play the lead role of Miaka Yūki. This is her first stage production since graduating from Morning Musume in 2013. A self-proclaimed fan of the original manga, Tanaka expressed her excitement over playing Miaka.

Other cast members include:

• Ryō Hirano as Tamahome
• Juri Aikawa as Nakago
• Takahisa Maeyama as Hotohori
• Mao Miyaji as Nuriko
• Yoshikazu Kotani as Tasuki
• Eiji Takigawa as Mitsukake
• Tatsumaru Tachibana as Chichiri
• Tsubasa Hattori as Amiboshi
• DAIKI Tomida as Chiriko
• Mina Kuryū as Shouka
• Zendō Ware as Eiken

Hirano, Aikawa, Miyaji, Kotani, and DAIKI are all reprising their roles from the previous amipro stage play adaptations of the manga.

Kōtarō Yoshitani (Alice in the Country of Hearts musical, Hetalia ~Singin' in the World~) is directing the musical, and is also writing the script. Asuka Ami is credited as producer.

Viz Media publishes the original manga in North America, and it describes the story:

Miaka is a junior high school student studying for entrance exams for Johan High School, the top school in the city. Not academically inclined, Miaka would rather forget studying and spend more time eating snacks--her favorite pastime--but she's cramming for the exam to please her mother. While studying at the library with her best friend Yui, she finds an old book called The Universe of the Four Gods. Upon reading the book, the girls are transported to a land resembling ancient China. Immediately on their arrival, a pair of bandits attempts to abduct Yui! A mysterious young man with the kanji for "demon" on his forehead comes to their rescue, but now he wants to be paid for his act of heroism!

Nelke Planning produced a stage play of Fushigi Yûgi in March, focused on Tamahome, and starring Golden Bomb band member Yutaka Kyan. It was the first stage play adaptation of the manga not produced by amipro.

Watase ran the manga in Shogakukan's Shōjo Comic (Sho-Comi) magazine from 1992 to 1996, and Shogakukan published 18 compiled book volumes. She then drew Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden from 2003 to 2013. Viz also publishes Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden in North America. The original manga inspired a television anime and several original video anime titles. Both Geneon Entertainment and Media Blasters licensed the television anime in North America.

Source: Comic Natalie